Montreal Canadiens: The Upcoming Rookie Tournament
By Omar L
As the days go by, Montreal Canadiens fans get even closer to seeing some hockey as the Rookie Tournament in Toronto approaches.
Is it October yet? No, but Montreal Canadiens fans can see the team play some hockey soon. The 2017 Rookie Tournament is about four weeks away. Usually the tournament is played in London, Ontario, but this time it’ll be at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto.
The Canadiens’ rookies will play two games during the tournament. The first will be on Friday September 9th against the Toronto Maple Leafs’ rookies, and the second will be the following day against the Ottawa Senators.
Even though it’s not the actual team, it’s still a good opportunity to see the prospects in action. Not only to see the new additions, but the progress of those already in the system.
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This year’s team will probably have Ryan Poehling and Joni Ikonen at the fore-front. The two centers had a very impressive performance at the World Junior Summer Showcase. Poehling finished the tournament with 1 goal and 5 assists while Ikonen had 3 goals and 2 assists.
Besides those two, the Canadiens will have some impactful returnees looking to make an impression heading into training camp:
- Forwards: Nikita Scherbak, Michael McCarron, Jeremiah Addison, Daniel Audette, William Bitten, Matthew Bradley, Martin Reway, Markus Eisenschmid, Jeremy Gregoire
- Defence: Noah Juulsen, Brett Lernout, Victor Mete, Simon Bourque
- Goaltenders: Zachary Fucale, Michael McNiven
Although new signing Jakub Jerabek is technically a rookie as well, it’ll be unlikely that he takes part in the tournament.
From the players set to return, the one who may be getting the most attention is Juulsen. The 20-year-old is arguably the organization’s best defensive prospect. It will be very difficult for him to make the main roster, but a spot on the Laval Rocket is definitely waiting for him.
Next: Prospect Competition at Training Camp
Are you excited for the rookie tournament? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!