Montreal Canadiens: Laval Rocket sign Ryan Culkin and three more players
By Omar L
Bolstering the AHL roster was a goal for the Montreal Canadiens with Ryan Culkin, Nikita Jevpalov, Alexandre Grenier and Maxim Lamarche all signed.
There are three more names joining the Montreal Canadiens organization. Unlike Xavier Ouellet, Matthew Peca, Kenny Agostino, and Michael Chaput, who have NHL deals, these three new players are signed to minor league ones.
Ryan Culkin, Nikita Jevpalovs, Alexandre Grenier and Maxim Lamarche are set to join the Laval Rocket on one-year deals. All four can play in either the AHL or down in the ECHL with, for who is expected to be, the Brampton Beast.
Culkin is the only one of three players to have his contract being a two-way one instead of a one-way. The Montreal native has split time between the two leagues since the 2014-15 season. He suited up for 53 games with the Fort Wayne Komets scoring 11 goals and 27 assists. Culkin also had 6 points in 12 games for the Komets in the playoffs.
Jevpalous is a signing with Jöel Bouchard’s signature all over it. The Latvian player spent time with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada serving as an assistant captain next to Ouellet. He was an offensive force in his final season there putting up 49 goals and 51 assists for 100 points in 64 games.
He went on to the San Jose organization playing with the Barracuda’s finishing with 14 and 21 point seasons. Jevpalous most recently went overseasons to play 46 games as part of Dinamo Riga.
Grenier has proven to be a decent scorer in the AHL. He’s had a set of 17-goal seasons with the Utica Comets and saw that total hit 20 for the first time playing for the Springfield Thunderbirds. The 26-year-old also brings solid size to the wing standing at six-foot-five and 201 pounds.
Lamarche is the final player of the bunch. The defenceman was a reliable option for the Leigh Valley Phantoms this season. He 7 points in 50 regular seasons games and added 3 more points in the playoffs. He’s also the only player of the four to receive a two-year deal which could speak to how management views him long-term.
There aren’t many spots to choose from now with the Laval Rocket with all the moves management has been making. Now the mystery will be where they all fit.