Rookie camp begins Wednesday morning in Brossard. 27 young talents will report to Jean-François Houle, the Rocket’s head coach. After medical exams scheduled for that day, the group will practice Thursday before flying to Buffalo, where they will participate in the rookie tournament with prospects from the Sabres, Bruins, Senators, Penguins and Devils.
Here’s an overview of the players to keep an eye on in the coming days. Please note that prospects playing in the NCAA are not eligible to attend an NHL team’s camp, including rookie camp.
For this reason, Lane Hutson will not be present.
Hopes on the attack:
Owen Beck, right-handed center
It would be surprising if he got a spot on the team this year, but we’ll see him in a Canadian jersey soon. He has a large arsenal of qualities: work ethic, willingness to fight, efficiency in the faceoff circle, skillful puck handling and good shooting.
MARTIN ALARIE / JOURNAL DE MONTREAL
Jared Davidson, left-handed center
They say he’s a player made for the playoffs. He can score and use his physicality to create space for his teammates. In Seattle, he helped the Thunderbirds reach the Memorial Cup tournament in his final junior season. Since he is still unsigned, it will be interesting to see him with the big boys in the American League.
Sean Farrell, left winger
Possibly the closest young forward to the NHL in this group. Last year he played six games with the Canadian. After realizing he lacked the strength to compete with the best of the best, he spent the summer building muscle mass. In addition to his university degree in economics from Harvard.
Cédrick Guindon, left-handed center
The French-Ontarian is an excellent goalscorer and has outstanding offensive talent. His name is part of the list of 45 players that Hockey Canada will monitor for the composition of its team that will compete in the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.
Emil Heineman, left winger
Because he was injured for part of the season, he split his time between Leksands, Sweden and Laval. Above all, he was an elite shooter, scoring 7 goals in 11 games with the Rocket. He had already made a good impression in the three preparatory games with the Canadian.
Joël Lemay / QMI Agency
Riley kidney, left-handed center
He will definitely want to make up for the difficult training camp he endured last fall. He had been one of the first to be cut off. In his final year in the QMJHL with Acadie-Bathurst and Gatineau, he scored at least 100 points (105) for the second consecutive year.
Filip Mesar, right winger
When he was demoted to the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Junior League, he experienced some difficulties in his first few months in North America. However, the plan was to allow him to acclimate to new environments. Which he succeeded in doing. He will be ready to play in Laval.
Jan Mysak, left-handed center
In his first full season with the Rockets, he left everyone wanting more. In his defense, you have to remember that the Czech was slowed down by a lower body injury. However, even he claims that he fell short of his own expectations. We can therefore assume that he will do everything he can to get back on his feet.
Joshua Roy, right winger
He will make his professional debut with the Rocket. He had a great final junior year with 99 points in 46 games. He was a key part of Team Canada’s gold medal-winning junior team. He was given defensive assignments that had not been his thing until then.
Xavier Simoneau, left-handed center
The Canadiens’ leaders hold him in high regard. Enough to give him a two-season contract last spring. He who came to Laval with a simple American League contract in his pocket. Despite his height of 1.70 m, he is grumpy and angry. The missile’s opponents will find it tiring.
Joël Lemay / QMI Agency
Ty Smilanic, left-handed center
A fast skater, he recently decided to give up his university career and make the jump to the pros. Last winter, he suffered from mental health issues that led him to leave the Wisconsin Badgers for two months.
Florian Xhekaj, left winger
A late developing player. He will want to make a name for himself and no longer just be Arber’s younger brother. During the draft, Nick Bobrov, the Canadian’s director of amateur recruiting, called him a “unicorn.” Now what does that mean?
Defense hopes:
Logan Mailloux, right-handed defenseman
He is a colossus with good offensive talent. Last year he seemed like a man among children at the London Knights. He needs to work on his defensive game for his professional debut, possibly in Laval.
Joël Lemay / QMI Agency
David Reinbacher, right-handed
The Austrian was the best defender available at the last auction and should be a complete player. Although we are never safe from an upset, the Canadian’s first-round pick should play another season in Kloten, in the Swiss National League.
Jayden Struble, left-handed defenseman
After four years at Northeastern University, he finished the season in Laval. He is a tough defender who uses his size to get ahead of the net and fight for the puck. He must try to improve his understanding of the game.
William Trudeau, left-handed defenseman
After making a good impression in camp last year, he held his own in his first campaign with the Rocket. If he continues his progress, it should come as no surprise that he will be recalled by the Canadian in the event of an injury.
Miguel Tourigny, right-handed
After a season in exile in Slovakia, he is back in North America. There he claims to have improved his defensive game, for which he was particularly criticized during his winters with the Armada. Better decision making makes him even more effective offensively.
The hopes before the network:
Jakub Dobes, goalkeeper
The Czech was dominant in his two seasons with the Ohio State Buckeyes. His .926 save percentage during his time in the NCAA is impressive. With a height of 1.80 meters and a weight of 100 kilograms, he has the right profile for this job. Is this the Canadian goalkeeper of the future? Perhaps.
MARTIN ALARIE / JOURNAL DE MONTREAL
Quentin Miller, goalkeeper
He was assistant to William Rousseau with the Remparts last year and will return to Quebec to take over the number one goalkeeper position. But first he will gain his first professional experience by taking part in the rookie tournament and a few days before the training camp.
Other:
Stanislav Demin, left-handed defender
He was a fourth-round pick by the Golden Knights in 2018 and just completed his college internship at Merrimack College. He takes part in the camp by invitation.
Isaac Dufort, left winger
After three seasons he received an invitation to Baie-Comeau Drakkar. Last year he scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists in 61 games.
Noah Laaouan, right-handed
He formerly played with the Charlottetown Islanders and played most of last season in the ECHL.
Riley McKay, left winger
He was acquired from the Rockets in a trade from the American League last fall. In Laval he scored a record of 2 goals and 5 assists in 23 games.
Jakov Novak, left winger
He signed with the Rockets as a free agent in July. He was formerly at Northeastern University and played 14 games in the ECHL.
Christopher Ortiz, left-handed defenseman
Originally from Boisbriand, he played the last two seasons in the Penguins organization, primarily in the ECHL, in Wheeling.
John Parker-Jones, right-handed
The 1.90 meter tall and 100 kilogram giant divided his time between Trois-Rivières and Laval last winter.
Jan Spunar, goalkeeper
The recruiting center had him ranked third on its list for the 2022 draft. Ultimately, he didn’t find a buyer. Last year he played in Portland in the Western Junior League.