Five Prospects The Montreal Canadiens Need To Get Signed ASAP

Jared Davidson

Jared Davidson is playing for the Laval Rocket already, but he could see his NHL rights with the Canadiens expire this summer. That is because he was drafted two years ago out of the Western Hockey League where he played with the Seattle Thunderbirds. When an NHL team drafted a player out of the CHL, they have two years to sign them or they lose their rights.

Davidson was an interesting case because he only had one year of Junior hockey eligibility left when the Canadiens drafted him. That left him with little options for this current season as he was too old to return to Junior but also not eligible to sign anywhere else because the Canadiens drafted him.

So, he is signed to an AHL only contract for this season. That means he is only allowed to play for the Laval Rocket but he can not even be called up to the Canadiens because he has never signed an entry-level contract.

Davidson scored a combined 80 goals in the WHL over his final two seasons and has shown just enough tenacity and offensive touch at the AHL level this season that he deserves an entry-level contract for next year. He scored 11 goals in 38 games for the Rocket before injuries sidelined him and could be a difference maker for them next season.

He still has a long way to go before the NHL is on his radar, but he plays with a bit of that Brendan Gallagher style of grit that means a team will never regret having him stick around on their roster and the Canadiens should ensure he ends up in the organization next season.