Montreal Canadiens Sign Phillip Maillet, Brady Keeper

The Montreal Canadiens were not expected to be busy when free agency opened. So far, that has been the case. They did make a trade, sending Joel Edmundson to the Washington Capitals for a pair of draft picks, but they are not looking to spend big money on free agent additions right now.

Instead, they are looking to round out their roster with a couple of AHL scorers or possibly tweeners that can help out at the NHL level when called upon. That is exactly what they have done so far with the two players they have brought into the organization.

The Canadiens announced they have signed Phillip Maillet and Brady Keeper to one-year, two-way contracts for the upcoming season.

Maillet is a 30 year old scoring forward who played the past two seasons in the KHL. He scored 22 goals and 53 points in 66 games last season for Metallurg Magnitogorsk, leading them in points. He was also their highest scorer in 2021-22 when he had 15 goals and 39 points in 47 games. He added eight goals and 21 points in 23 playoff games in 2022, helping his team reach the KHL finals.

The native of Lachenaie, Quebec which is just out the outskirts of Montreal has proven to be a consistent scorer everywhere he goes. He was one of the best Canadian University players on the ice for four consecutive seasons and won a national MVP Award in 2017 as well as two national championships with the University of New Brunswick.

His first season in the AHL saw his score 18 goals and 36 points in 64 games. He followed that up with 16 goals and 54 points in 68 games in his second pro season. His last season in the AHL was the Covid shortened 2020-21 season and he had 21 points in 16 games for the Hershey Bears. He also suited up for his only two NHL games that season for the Washington Capitals but did not register a point.

After two strong seasons in the KHL, Maillet is quite experienced at the pro level. At they very least, he will be a strong top-six forward for the Laval Rocket, but could be able to fill in on the Habs bottom six if injuries strike, much like Anthony Richard and Alex Belzile last season.

Keeper is another depth option likely ticketed for the Rocket. The 27 year old is a right shot defenseman that played with the Abbotsford Canucks of the AHL last season. He scored one goal and six points in 35 games while providing a physical, defensive presence on the team’s blue line.

He’s from Cross Lake, Manitoba and has played two NHL games in his career, both with the Florida Panthers. He signed with the Panthers after playing two years of college hockey for the University of Maine and has suited up for a total of 107 AHL games since then.

Keeper will likely play a role on the Rocket blue line that was left unfilled with the departure of Madison Bowey, as well as Corey Schueneman as free agents.

Both players signed contracts with $775,000 cap hits at the NHL level, though they will earn less while playing in the AHL. Those financial details have not yet been released.

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