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Montreal Canadiens: Laval Rocket Cut Nine Players

By Ken MacMillan

LAVAL, QC - MAY 12: Gabriel Bourque #20 of the Laval Rocket skates the puck against Simon Ryfors #7 of the Syracuse Crunch during the third period in Game Three of the North Division Semifinals at Place Bell on May 12, 2022 in Laval, Canada. The Laval Rocket defeated the Syracuse Crunch 4-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - MAY 12: Gabriel Bourque #20 of the Laval Rocket skates the puck against Simon Ryfors #7 of the Syracuse Crunch during the third period in Game Three of the North Division Semifinals at Place Bell on May 12, 2022 in Laval, Canada. The Laval Rocket defeated the Syracuse Crunch 4-1. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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The Montreal Canadiens continued their somewhat lengthy preseason hiatus as they had their fourth consecutive day off yesterday.

However, the Laval Rocket opened their training camp earlier in the week and made their first wave of cuts yesterday. The camp began with 37 players in attendance but that was reduced by nine when the team announced their first list of cuts.

Four forwards, including Isaac Dufort, Ty Smilanic, Alex-Olivier Voyer, and Nolan Yaremko have been released from AHL camp. There were also five defenders including Stanislav Demin, Eric Hjorth, Noah Laaouan, Andrew Nielsen and Christoper Merisier-Ortiz who are not going to be on the Rocket opening night roster.

Dufort is a big winger who appears to be headed back to the QMJHL where he will rejoin the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. He scored 21 goals and 20 assists for the Drakkar last season while serving as their captain.

Smilanic had left college early to pursue a pro opportunity but is now kind of in limbo after being released by the Rocket. The Canadiens still technically hold his NHL rights which would make it difficult for him to sign with another team, but they could relinquish his rights and allow him to become a free agent.

Demin is in the same boat. He was on the Rocket training camp roster as a tryout after leaving Merrimack college but did not make the team. He becomes a free agent and will try to catch on elsewhere.

Voyer, Yaremko, Hjorth, Laaouan, Nielsen and Merisier-Ortiz have been assigned to the Trois-Rivieres Lions of the ECHL. The Lions promise to at least have a tremendous group of defenders to build around with Hjorth, Laaouan, Nielsen and Merisier-Ortiz leading the way on the back end.

It will be interesting to follow Smilanic’s story to see where he ends up. He was a third round pick just three years ago and is a skilled player, but he suddenly has nowhere to play in the upcoming season.

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