A Winning Habit
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Canadiens: Trois-Rivières Expansion Marks Return to ECHL

By Scott Cowan

LAVAL, QC, CANADA - FEBRUARY 22: Michael McNiven #40 of the Laval Rocket being congradulated by teammates after his shutout against the Manitoba Moose at Place Bell on February 22, 2019 in Laval, Quebec. (Photo by Stephane Dube /Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC, CANADA - FEBRUARY 22: Michael McNiven #40 of the Laval Rocket being congradulated by teammates after his shutout against the Manitoba Moose at Place Bell on February 22, 2019 in Laval, Quebec. (Photo by Stephane Dube /Getty Images) /
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Montreal Canadiens
LAVAL, QC, CANADA – MARCH 13: Montreal Canadiens Laval Rocket (Photo by Stephane Dube /Getty Images) /

This Thursday, another step was taken, going back to the small rink with the once full capacity. The ECHL is a league that the Canadiens have distanced themselves from in recent years. After their disastrous affiliation with the Brampton Beast that led to them jumping ship to the Ottawa Senators due to lack of support, the team has been bouncing around with their reassignments since then.

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Undrafted free agent Michael McNiven, who made a name for himself last year as a surprise starter for the Rocket, recording a 2.52 GAA over 30 games, played for 4 ECHL teams this year as the Habs struggled to find a place for him. In the end, he made his way back to the Rocket by year’s end, but it still showcased the struggles not having an ECHL affiliate can bring.

Then, an announcement came. Preliminary negotiations have begun for an ECHL expansion team, most likely affiliated with the Canadiens, to begin to play in Trois-Rivières. This will give the team a 3-way affiliation once again, and a settling place for players who can’t fit onto the Rocket roster for one reason or another. While the team is slated to begin to play in 2021-22, it still marks a welcome advancement for the Canadiens, in particular in regard to their prospects.

Despite its naysayers, the ECHL has its place in hockey for a reason, both as a settling ground for grizzled journeymen looking to play for the love of the game and bring a veteran presence for prospects, and the rookies looking to earn a shot at something bigger.

In its early years, the league put itself in the same boat as a lot of the lower minor leagues, especially with the influx of minor league hockey in the late 1990s. As those leagues slowly fizzled out, however, the ECHL stood tall, and eventually, it managed to distance itself from leagues like the SPHL, FHL, and LNAH.

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