Canadiens: Former Rocket Farmhand Alex Kile Making Good in the ECHL

The Montreal Canadiens have always had an up and down relationship with the AHL and, to an extent, the ECHL. When compared to the storied history of the team itself, it’s minor league affiliates have failed to achieve much of the same success, with just one Calder Cup to their name, that being the Hamilton Bulldogs in 2006-07, and no Kelly Cups to show for.

For as many forgotten players that have dotted themselves along the Canadiens history, its current AHL team, the Laval Rocket, have had a remarkably similar amount, especially considering the team has been in existence for less than 10 years. Ultimately, Alex Kile is one such forgotten player, and there are dozens upon dozens of players with careers just like his.

An undrafted left winger out of the University of Michigan, Kile benefited from playing alongside a number of future NHL stars including Kyle Connor, Dylan Larkin, Zach Hyman and Zach Werenski among others, showcasing some solid offensive potential but never really being able to stand out much on his own. Since turning pro in 2016-17, Kile has fit the role of your typical AHL journeyman, the minor league equivalent of a T.J Tynan or Bob Wren. A player who can dominate the AHL but are never quite good enough to stick around in the NHL. For Kile, the ECHL is what he has called home for most of his career, but he’s managed to stick around the AHL in bits and pieces over the past few years, and, for a brief while, was a regular part of the Rocket’s lineup when they didn’t have much else to rely on offensively.