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Montreal Canadiens: AHL Tryouts who deserve a contract for 2018/19

By Omar L

LAVAL, QC - APRIL 06: Laval Rocket defenceman Trevor Owens (20) gains control of the puck behind the net during the Springfield Thunderbirds versus the Laval Rocket game on April 6, 2018, at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - APRIL 06: Laval Rocket defenceman Trevor Owens (20) gains control of the puck behind the net during the Springfield Thunderbirds versus the Laval Rocket game on April 6, 2018, at Place Bell in Laval, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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Montreal Canadiens
LAVAL, QC – (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

1. Johnny Austin

Johnny Austin was one of the first tryouts in the latest wave. The 23-year-old was given the opportunity after completing his senior year at the University of Connecticut. Austin stood out from his first Laval game recording an assist on Jeremiah Addison’s first AHL goal. His quicking thinking and skating allowed him to play key minutes on the top pairing alongside Matt Taormina for a stretch of games after both Noah Juulsen and Brett Lernout got the call from the Montreal Canadiens.

There were few times where Austin looked overwhelmed by the other team’s top players despite getting caught on for a number of goals against. With other smaller defencemen in the system already, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Laval Rocket pass on him, but with openings from NHL promotions, there could be a spot.

2. Nikita Korostelev

It’s tough to get excited about a player on a tryout, but Nikita Korostelev was a particularly interesting prospect. After being taken in the seventh-round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft and attending development camps, the young forward couldn’t find a way to transition to the professional game. Korostelev’s raw skill was what opened eyes, but his degree of consistency kept him off many team’s radars.

The 21-year-old showed some of those peaks and valleys in his 10 games with Laval. He recorded his first AHL point alongside Austin on the same Addison goal, and his work to get the puck in the slot was a big part of it. Korostelev found the back of the net himself in a game against the Binghamton Devils after getting bumped up to the top line with Chris Terry and Adam Cracknell.

It begs the question of whether playing with a lack of offensive skill hurt the winger’s potential in the lineup. Either way, there’s enough there for the Laval Rocket to want to explore Korostelev more, especially with the influx of players such as Will Bitten, Hayden Verbeek, and Michael Pezzetta.

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