Canadiens conclude rookie camp with a win over college all-star team

Article content

The quality of the game in Quebec college hockey is impressive.

Article content

So it’s not surprising that an all-star team from the University of Quebec gave the Canadiens rookies a good test on Tuesday afternoon at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard.

The Canadiens rookies ended up winning the game 5-3, but victory was not certain until Kaiden Guhle scored a goal from the empty net with 14 seconds left.

Joshua Roy, Mike Cyr, Brendan Sirizzotti and Isiah Campbell also scored for the Canadiens, while Alex Katerinakis and Tyler Hylland of Concordia scored for the college stars, along with Samuel Tremblay of McGill.

Guhle was a first-round pick (16 overall) in the 2020 NHL Draft and should have a future with the Canadiens. While the NHL dream is almost certainly over for college stars, that doesn’t mean they aren’t talented players.

Article content

Tremblay, who was captain of the all-star team, played four seasons in the QMJHL with Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Gatineau Olympiques before moving to McGill, where he has played for four seasons. Katerinakis played five seasons with the Navy and has now played one season at Concordia. Hylland also played five seasons in the QMJHL with the Armada and Cape Breton Screaming Eagles before going to Concordia where he has one season under his belt.

Scott Walford, a varsity all-star defender, was the Canadiens’ third-round pick (67 overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft and is heading into his first season at McGill after spending five seasons in the WHL with the Victoria Royals. and Saskatoon Blades.

Article content

This was the last of three games in rookie camp and the first win for the Canadiens prospects after losing two games to the Ottawa Senators rookies by the same 4-3 score.

With rookie camp now over The Canadiens’ main training ground will open on Wednesday in Brossard with 69 players reporting. Players who were invited to rookie camp who have also received invitations to main camp are Guhle, Mattias Norlinder, Jesse Ylönen, Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Jan Mysak, Daniil Sobolev, Tory Dello, Cédric Desruisseaux, Justin Ducharme, Gianni Fairbrother, Alexis . Gravel, Cam Hillis, Joshua Roy, Xavier Simoneau, Joe Vrbetic, and Arber Xhekaj.

Norlinder, a 21-year-old Swedish defender who was selected in the third round (64 overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, is the rookie most likely to reach the Canadiens this season. He did not play the college stars Tuesday after playing the first two games against Ottawa.

Article content

“Obviously, he has some offensive talent and he’s very good on the puck,” Guhle said of Norlinder after Monday’s 4-3 loss to the Senators. “It is very smooth. He is a good player. It’s fun to play with, fun to watch. He is also a good person off the ice. Makes it so much easier to support it. Obviously, he is a very skilled player and has a great career ahead of him ”.

Guhle is likely to return to the WHL Prince Albert Raiders this season, where he is captain, and could also be the captain of team Canada at the youth world championship.

“My focus right now is being part of the team,” Norlinder said at the start of rookie camp. “This is why all the boys are here. So I’m looking forward to this week and then we’ll see what happens. It’s fun being here for the first time. “

Article content

Ylönen, the Canadiens’ second-round pick (35th overall) in the 2018 NHL Draft, participated in rookie camp despite refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19, and has been invited to main camp. .

“It is a personal decision so we are not involved in their decision,” Laval Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle said on Monday when asked about the Ylönen situation. “We will follow all the protocols that need to be followed and management will probably meet with our coaching staff and then come up with a plan. Let’s go from there. “

The Canadiens had no media availability Tuesday to follow up on the Ylönen situation.

Of the 69 players invited to the training ground, there are 39 forwards, 23 defenders and seven goalkeepers who will be divided into three groups. Players will hit the ice for the first time Thursday in Brossard and the Canadiens will play their first of six preseason games Saturday night in Toronto against the Maple Leafs. (7 pm, SN1, RDS, TSN 690 Radio).

The Canadiens will open the regular season on Wednesday, October 13 against the Leafs in Toronto.

[email protected]

twitter.com/StuCowan1