Patrick WilliamsTheAHL.com Features Writer
Life in Montreal. For members of the Montreal Canadiens, it was intense. Their AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, shares the same enthusiasm. Rockets players who play at nearby Bell Plaza must also undergo intense scrutiny. It's a special, even passionate, experience. A two-part series will look at the experience from both a playing and coaching perspective. Part 1 details the lives of Laval Rocket players.
Life has been a little quiet for the Laval Rocket these past two weeks.
Now that they have concluded a season-long six-game road trip, the outside noise around them will increase significantly this week. A five-game homestand begins tonight when the Utica Comets come to Bell Plaza. In that away game, last season's regular season champion Rockets posted a solid 4-1-1-0 performance, leading the North Division by 6 points.
The intensity of the AHL regular season is in full force, but the pressure and spotlight that comes with being a rookie with the Montreal Canadiens is only slightly lessened as the team packs its bags and hits the road. Their journey began on the West Coast against the Abbotsford Canucks and ended with an overtime win over Toronto last Saturday, with plenty of plane and bus time along the way.
For a team that plays home just 25 minutes from the Bell Centre, the journey means rare quiet, with every Montreal Canadiens game, coaching decision and roster change drawing attention from a city, a province and much of Canada. This scrutiny also extends to the Rockets, who have all 36 home games broadcast across Canada via RDS. They draw an average of 9,740 fans to Bell Plaza each night, a number that will only increase as the regular season enters its most intense month.
Such is life playing with LaVar, whether as a rookie with the Canadiens or as a veteran helping to mentor young talent who hope to one day skate at the Bell Centre.
After all, this is a team named after a Hockey Hall of Famer, a Habs legend and a provincial icon Maurice “Rocket” Richard when the Habs brought their AHL affiliate back to Quebec for the 2017-18 season. If anyone needs a reminder, the team wore special Richard-themed jerseys on Jan. 16 against the Manitoba Moose. The Rockets are in their ninth season, and Richard's No. 9 figures prominently in the look of this particular jersey. habbs organist Diane Bibb I’ve played Bell Plaza before. Richard's brother Henry was honored by exhibiting the artwork in Bell Square. Playing at Place Bell, the influence of the Habs' blue, white and red colors is evident.
Many AHL players spend at least some time away from their parent NHL team while learning the professional game. Not so in Montreal or Laval. All the anger surrounding the Canadiens’ home club — even on a quiet day — is only in response to the area’s notorious traffic issues coming from Bell Place. Even better, step out of Place Bell and walk across the street to Montmorency Station, a short drive into the city centre. Chances are there will be a lot of people wearing Habs merchandise on the road, especially on Canadiens game night.
Turn on sports radio and it's Habs talk. In two languages. Television brings the same scrutiny. Social media and Habs message boards are constantly buzzing. Even as the Rockets embarked on a road trip last month, they were aware of how much attention they were receiving when they received a first-round pick in a game in Calgary on Jan. 24. David Leinbach Exit the lineup. Rockets goalie coach last week Marco Marciano Played the same role with the Canadiens.
Logistics aside, giving their prospects an early glimpse into how to manage life in such a competitive hockey market was partly what prompted the Habs to move their AHL affiliate closer to home in 2017. This is the first time since 1971 that the Canadiens will have their AHL affiliate in the Montreal area.
“[Laval] It was a good introduction,” Rockets head coach Pascal Vincent Said, “Because if you're going to play for the Montreal Canadiens, you're going to be in the spotlight. I think our guys really enjoy playing in front of a packed building. The fans are crazy about this team and that gives us energy.”
In fact, word has been circulating in the AHL for years that Laval is the premier venue. Game 7 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Finals shows just how intense the market can be. The 2023 AHL All-Star Classic brought players from all 32 AHL teams to experience the market and give Bell an up-close look. It also became a source of productive talent for the Canadiens. rocket player Owen Baker, Jared Davidson, Adam Engstrom, Jacob Fowler, Joshua Roy and Florian Chekay They have both played against the Canadiens this season. Samuel Bryce and Sam Montebeau He joins the Canadiens after a brief stint with Laval this season.
Laval proved attractive to bringing Quebec-born players home because they would be close to family and friends and be able to see them play regularly. penitent Laurent DauphinThe leading scorer in the American Hockey League (AHL) this season returns for his second season with the Rockets. have Alex Belzile (Saint-Éloi), he is back for another round with Laval. Vincent Arsenault (Quebec City) and Toby Beeson (Rosemère) is a Quebec product. After a brief stint with the Rockets, Bryce was promoted to the Habs. He has no shortage of options as a free agent after a strong performance in Abbotsford's Calder Cup run last spring. But the native from Montmorency, just outside Quebec City, couldn't pass up the chance to sign with the Canadiens. Now, he's in a Canadiens lineup fighting for first place in the Eastern Conference, well past the midway point of the NHL season. Roy (St. George de Bos), forward Xavier Simoneau (Saint-André-Avellin) and defender William Trudeau (Valens) was a draft pick for the Habs.
“When you have the opportunity to communicate with your [provincial] team,” Bryce said. “I thought it was an easy decision and I'm glad I made it. “
as Jeff Gorton–Kent Hughes The management system prioritizes player development, which has been a weakness of the organization at times in the past, and bringing in character leadership to these prospects is also prioritized. with the captain Lucas Condottathere were Bisson and Belzile on the team each wearing a letter. Many other players would qualify as leaders, with or without letters.
The Habs front office has made it clear that they are looking for strong characters, whether rookies or veterans, who will be brought in to coach them and help win games. All the fan support and attention? It also comes with high expectations and scrutiny. There is nothing hidden in this market.
“That’s part of having a good veteran group,” Vincent said. “They lead on and off the ice because [the coaching staff has] They have, what, four hours a day? [That is] They spent 20 hours alone, and the impact we old guys had was amazing. “
All the attention on the ice extends off the ice as well.
“You quickly realize that when you're off the ice, you have to behave because you're a Montreal Canadiens or Rockets 24/7,” Vincent continued.
But players don't have to be from LaVar's hometown to get what the Rockets have to offer. goalkeeper kapo kahkonen He saw this up close last year when he led the Charlotte Checkers to Bell Plaza for the Eastern Conference Finals. He helped the Checkers to a pair of wins to start a four-game sweep, but he came away shocked by the playoff atmosphere in the building. Last summer, like Bryce, a free agent, he chose to sign with the Canadiens.
Fowler is a blue-chip prospect who will likely be Montreal's No. 1 net worth player in the future. He joined the Rockets late last season after a stellar career at Boston College before gaining more experience on the rough in the Calder Cup playoffs. When Fowler was recalled by the Habs earlier this season, it immediately made headlines.
But he is very young, only 21 years old. So last July, the Habs gave Kahkonen a one-year, one-way contract. This is goaltending insurance for both the Habs and Rockets. Kahkonen's calm, even demeanor makes him a perfect fit for this market, and for a prospect like Fowler, the outside noise can be loud. A rough night at the rink can be broken up. A good mentor and complement like Kahkonen can eliminate a lot of distractions.
It's also a competitive environment. After 1967, the Montreal organization won the Calder Cup five times and reached the finals four times. Patrick Roy and Carey Price both won Calder Cups before going on to legendary NHL careers. Plus, it’s habitat. All it takes is one NHL call-up to get the chance to wear the famous CH jersey.
“Opportunities like this don’t come around very often when you sign with such a legendary team,” Käkonen said.
Keeping this Laval team in first place could mean another lengthy playoff battle in May or June. The chance to win and compete for playoff success is enticing.
“It’s fun to be a part of this team,” Käkonen outlined, “and winning games, that’s the biggest reason why I compete.”
About two decades in the American Hockey League, TheAHL.com feature writer Patrick Williams also currently covers the league for NHL.com and FloSports and is a regular contributor to SiriusXM NHL Network Radio. In 2016, he received the AHL's James H. Ellery Memorial Award for outstanding coverage of the league.
