Canadiens: Four Former Habs Now Producing in Europe

Darren Dietz

After producing 58 points in 72 games in his final season in the WHL, Dietz was taking with the 138th pick by the Canadiens in 2011. In three seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs and St. John’s IceCaps, Dietz struggled to find his offensive touch, settling into more of a defensive role. Despite this, the Canadiens opted to give Dietz a chance in a turbulent 2015-16 season, producing 5 points in a 13-game cup of coffee. A one-year stint with the Hershey Bears and Texas Stars did little to improve Dietz NHL prospects, prompting him to sign with Astana Barys of the KHL for the 2017-18 season.

After producing a modest 19 points in 44 games in his first season, Dietz blossomed into one of the KHL’s elite defenders in 2018-19, producing 53 points in 62 games with an impressive rating of +30. Despite slacking off slightly in the season following, Dietz still produced 32 points in 54 games, and currently has 10 points in 12 games this season, tied for first on Astana.

Nigel Dawes

I’ve mentioned Dawes previously in an article on unknown former Habs, but to not include him here would be a disservice to what Dawes has managed to do overseas. A fifth round pick of the New York Rangers in 2003, Dawes struggled to find a consistent role in the NHL, despite showcasing solid abilities as a depth scoring option, recording two 14-goal seasons in 2007-08 and 2009-10. A trade deadline acquisition by the Habs in 2011, Dawes was given a four-game cup of coffee with the team, instead serving a key role on a Hamilton Bulldogs team that made a run to the AHL’s eastern conference finals.

Wanting to take his talents overseas, Dawes, like Dietz, signed with Astana Barys, and has since become one of the best players in KHL history. In his 10 seasons in the league, Dawes has become the top all-time scorer among non-Russian players, recording 50 points or more in each of his past six seasons. He was a key part of a mostly North American led Astana Barys team alongside Dustin Boyd and Brandon Bochenski, and even received Kazakhstan citizenship to represent them in international hockey.

Currently, Dawes has his eyes set on a Gargarin Cup title in 2020-21, playing for Kazan Ak-Bars.