The Montreal Canadiens’ farm team, the Laval Rocket, is preparing for the Eastern Conference Final of the AHL, and they have decided to part ways with a few players, at least for now.
Tyler Thorpe, Will Dineen, and Joe Dunlap were all released from their professional tryout contracts, while Owen Protz was also released from his amateur tryout pact. It doesn’t mean it’s the end of the road for Thorpe or Protz. However, it only means they won’t be playing in the playoffs anymore.
Thorpe, a fifth-round pick at the 2024 draft, signed an ELC with the Canadiens at the start of April and will be back in the fold once preparation starts for next season. As for Protz, a fourth-round pick in the same draft, he'll return to his junior team next season, as he’ll only be 19 years old and therefore not yet eligible to play in the AHL. Additionally, he has yet to sign an Entry-Level Contract (ELC) with the organization.
The move is not surprising, given that the Rocket is so close to the ultimate prize; the focus may be shifting slightly more toward results than toward development. It will be interesting to see if Pascal Vincent also elects to end his goalie-rotating strategy when the fourth-round series starts on Wednesday night.
So far, both goalies have played five games, and Cayden Primeau has better stats than Jacob Fowler so far. Both have three wins to their name, but Primeau has a 2.03 goals-against record and a .924 save percentage while Fowler has a 2.46 GAA and a .903 SP. Furthermore, the veteran had a statement game in the fifth tilt with the Rochester Americans.
Even if Vincent wants to use Fowler in the Conference Final, starting Primeau in Game 1 would make sense, ensuring the experienced netminder is in goal for a potential Game 7 if using the alternating system.
The Rocket still has a surplus of players; it’s a bit concerning to see that Filip Mesar has not played a single game this post-season. The 26th overall pick in 2022 has not been setting the league on fire in his first full season in Laval. In 42 games, he managed only 18 points. This was to be expected, however, since he didn’t exactly dominate in the OHL with 103 points in 97 games with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL.
The Rocket’s series against the Florida Panthers’ farm team, the Charlotte Checkers, will start on Wednesday night in Laval.
Photo credit: ames Guillory-Imagn Images
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