Montreal Canadiens: Joe Vrbetic, Miguel Tourigny Sent To ECHL Trois-Rivieres Lions
The Montreal Canadiens have a bit of a goaltending logjam as we begin the 2023-24 season tonight.
They are one of the few teams around the league that are carrying three goalies on their opening night roster. Jake Allen will get the start and Sam Montembeault and Cayden Primeau will both be in attendance but watching the game.
The Canadiens seem worried they could lose Primeau on waivers so they do not want to try to send him down to the Laval Rocket because they could lose him for nothing in return. Even with Primeau on the NHL roster, the AHL’s Rocket have a logjam of their own in goal.
Jakub Dobes turned pro after two great seasons with Ohio State and the team signed Strauss Mann who was great at Michigan. Both deserve a chance to show what they can do at the AHL level and they will get that opportunity.
That leaves Joe Vrbetic, who made his pro debut last season and played four games with the Rocket, heading back to the Trois-Rivieres Lions of the ECHL. He played 28 games for the Lions last season, posting a 3.30 GAA and a .896 SV%. Lions training camp gets underway today as they gear up for their third season in franchise history.
ALso joining Vrbetic with the Lions after attending Rocket training camp are Miguel Tourigny and John Parker-Jones. Both players got in to some NHL preseason action this season but will begin the season with the Lions in the ECHL.
Voici les joueurs qui participent au camp d'entraînement 2023-24 des Lions de Trois-Rivières, dès aujourd’hui.🦁
— Lions de Trois-Rivières (@Lions3r) October 10, 2023
Nous vous rappelons d’ailleurs qu’il sera possible de venir les voir à l’œuvre gratuitement dans un match intra-équipe ce vendredi, à 19h, au Colisée Videotron. pic.twitter.com/DwjHB9C2Ta
Tourigny played pro last season in Slovakia after a great QMJHL career and will start this season in the ECHL. He has the talent and offensive abilities to be a huge producer of points at that level and should get off to a hot start while looking for a promotion to the AHL.
Parker-Jones split last season with the Rocket and Lions and had 11 points in 17 ECHL games while putting up three points in 20 AHL games. He is a 6’7″ and 230 pound beast who can play the wing or defense and his versatility came in handy last season when injuries began piling up.
The Lions begin training camp today with 22 forwards, 13 defenders and four goaltenders in attendance.
Next. Three Players Who Raised Their Stock During Training Camp. dark
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