Montreal Canadiens: Josh Brook is a key part of the future

The Montreal Canadiens finished their regular season and so have the Laval Rocket as they end things with a win where Josh Brook recorded his first point.

There’s a great deal of bittersweetness when it comes to the end of the season for a young prospect. You’re in your respective playoff series hoping to make it as long as you can, and it’s disappointing when you can’t. However, that elimination is a possible opportunity to take your game to the next level, and that’s what the Montreal Canadiens did with Josh Brook.

The Moosejaw Warriors were in tough against a top team in the Saskatoon Blades, and it showed in their first series. It was over after four games where Brook put up three assists. But with an entry-level contract, the 2017 second-round pick was able to join the Laval Rocket for the remainder of the season.

Brook saw seven games in total where he continuously looked more and more comfortable with the enhanced speed. He got plenty of trust from the coaching staff seeing time on the second pair with Rocket captain Xavier Ouellet. And in the final game of the regular season, Brook found his way to the scoreboard for the first time in his professional career.

Laval was on the powerplay looking to get the go-ahead goal in the second period. The puck found it’s way to the left corner below the goal line and Brook won the battle getting the puck out to the top portion of the slot with a backhand clear. Ouellet left his position on the point to get to it eventually beating Cam Johnson with a wrist shot.

The first of many assists for the soon-to-be 20-year-old defenceman. Unfortunately, the Rocket allowed Binghamton to get back in the game scoring two more goals to Laval’s one via Nikita Jevpalos who forced overtime in the final minute of the third period. He also went on to score the game-winning goal which was his lucky 13th of the year to end the Laval Rocket’s season with a positive note.

What was reassuring about Brook’s play in the AHL was that he didn’t change his style. What made him an elite defenceman with the Warriors was his playmaking with speed, and he slowly broke out of his shell and began doing that in Laval. Next season will be a big one for him as he starts to take the blueline for his own as well as the other Montreal Canadiens prospects, but it won’t be long before he’s up with the team.

In a time where mobility and quick-thinking are two of the things leading to success, it’s good to have a defender like Josh Brook. He will surely be a key to the Laval Rocket turning things around, and perhaps that leads to a playoff berth for the first time since they became the Laval Rocket.