Habs Prospects
The Laval Rocket Are Building Something Special In The AHL
Many stood at attention once the Laval Rocket got off to their best start in franchise history, but as we all know, strong starts are just a drip in the bucket when it comes to a successful season.
There are too many examples of teams losing steam after a great initial stretch, which is why some were wary as to Laval’s actual potential.
Their concerns have hopefully been put to bed with the Rocket’s 4-1 win over the Toronto Marlies on Friday, as it clinched a playoff berth for Montreal’s AHL affiliate.
Home-Grown Talent
Every AHL team will have a few mercenaries, but the Rocket have a long history of adding talent to the mix via one-year veterans looking for top-nine usage. It was an inevitable result of failing to develop any semblance of value from their draft picks over a decade long stretch.
Little by little, prospects started to take over, and now, the Rocket can proudly claim many of their most important contributions are coming from drafted players.
Players such as Sean Farrell, who has enjoyed a storybook uptick in scoring since he was promoted to the first line. Admittedly, I had started to sour on Farrell’s potential, even if I was among his loudest supporters during his very productive NCAA career. However, chaos can breed opportunity, and when injuries started to mount, head coach Pascal Vincent decided it was time to put Farrell to the test.
With Vincent’s confidence in his back pocket, Farrell has managed to produce 26 points in the last 20 games.
And he’s not the only player who has enjoyed a newfound sense of confidence due to his increased role on the team.
Jared Davidson, one of my favourite prospects from an entertainment standpoint, was used sparingly in his rookie season, which led to just 11 goals and 5 assists in 38 games. But now that he’s being given a few more opportunities, Davidson has responded in force. He has 21 goals and 15 assists to his name, not to mention a few exciting fights.
Jared Davidson giving up a fair bit of size against Cade Webber, and he wins this fight. pic.twitter.com/4CbJCToWL8
— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) February 8, 2025
Naturally, that leads us to discuss the play from rookie Florian Xhekaj. Many rolled their eyes when the Canadiens drafted him, and though he was a little older than some of his CHL competition, his impressive uptick in scoring following his draft year was overlooked to a certain extent. While his development went swimmingly while he was playing in the OHL, the true test always comes once a player is set to make their professional hockey debut.
Not only has Xhekaj done quite well while mostly playing on the fourth line, he set a new Laval Rocket record for goals from a rookie, with 18.
Une nouveau record!!
Florian Xhekaj est maintenant le joueur recrue avec le plus de buts en une saison dans l’histoire du Rocket. Lucas Condotta détenait le record et Jared Davidson voulait juste être dans la photo 😅A new record!
Florian Xhekaj is now the rookie with the… pic.twitter.com/09M7gmkMxS— x – Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) March 15, 2025
Laval Rocket Expectations And Surprises
Some results were less surprising. Owen Beck immediately found his rhythm in the AHL, building on the moment he created when he was named the Memorial Cup MVP in his final junior hockey game.
Logan Mailloux continues to be a potent threat in the offensive zone, as evidenced by the fact that he represented the Rocket at the AHL All-Star Game for the second year in a row.
Adam Engstrom put his professional experience to great use, becoming one of Vincent’s most trusted defencemen in a very short time frame. I’ve waxed poetic about his skating ability ad nauseam in the past, but I truly believe Engstrom is well suited to one day become an important member of an NHL lineup.
Adam Engstrom OT winner for @RocketLaval as heard on @TSN690 @TheAHL pic.twitter.com/9T5nA2iaNA
— Campbell (@seanrcampbell) January 23, 2025
Even David Reinbacher seemed to immediately find his place upon returning from injury. Unfortunately, he’s still dealing with a nagging issue, but when Reinbacher is healthy enough to play, he does not look like a player who missed most of the season with an injury that could have destroyed his mobility.
In that same vein, goaltender Cayden Primeau didn’t just improve his admittedly poor play upon being demoted to the AHL, he instantly put together some of the best numbers in the league.
The 25-year-old netminder is currently sporting a jaw-dropping 16-2-1 record, powered by two shutouts, as well as a sparkling .916 save percentage.
The Laval Rocket Moving Forward
There are several reasons why Canadiens fans should be excited about the state of affairs in the AHL. Not only will playoff experience go a long way in preparing key prospects for their eventual ascension to the NHL, the young players are also learning how to win, which is always extremely important for a rebuilding franchise.
Additionally, if they do manage to win the North Division, they’ll be in the driver’s seat when it comes to a potential championship.
The AHL playoffs are a little different. There are five rounds, including a best-of-five series to open the playoffs. Calder Cup rules state that the highest seed from every division gets a bye into the second round, a significant advantage when it comes to recovery time, as well as energy expenditures.
I’d also venture to suggest Vincent’s excellent performance this year means he’s a legitimate candidate should the Canadiens need to replace current head coach Martin St-Louis. There’s no rush in that regard, but it’s always good to have a contingency plan in place, and given the criteria for coaches in Montreal, having Vincent in place is a great insurance policy. We probably need to send some praise John Sedgewick’s way, as he’s the one who quickly found a replacement when Jean-Francois Houle suddenly bolted for the NCAA. He also signed Connor Hughes this summer, ensuring the goaltending issue that plagued the team the previous year was immediately put to rest.
And finally, I’d like to commend the entire franchise on their entertaining yet pragmatic approach. This has nothing to do with the upcoming playoffs, or prospect development, but I do think it’s very important, because money is hard to come by these days, and fans deserve the opportunity to enjoy a highly entertaining product that doesn’t require a ridiculous financial commitment.
If you have the chance to bring your family to a hockey game, don’t hesitate, head straight to Laval. The tickets are reasonable, the public transit system is ideal, and you won’t find a better atmosphere that can accommodate families and die-hard fans alike.
It will also give you a first-hand opportunity to witness something special that is currently happening in the Montreal Canadiens organization.
Qualifié! Playoffs clinched ✅ pic.twitter.com/wunqR0KJl5
— x – Rocket de Laval (@RocketLaval) March 29, 2025
Although Filip Mesar has only 3 goals and 11 assists, he looked exceptional on the You Tube. I am sorry if I am exaggerating, but he looked like Denis Savard. Actually he is same
height as Denis Savard and 14 pounds heavier than Denis Savard/
Good article ! Mesar’s another kid that’s finding his game under Vincent . It seems the new coach is the rookie whisperer .
I agree with you Marc, Vincent has done a very good job. I wonder how long we will be able to retain him as an AHL coach, however, as he has NHL coaching experience, and likely yearns to be back there making the big bucks. We’re lucky to have him for as long as we will.
I’d given up on Farrell as well, it seemed he was odd man put in Laval earlier this season. Still, I think his lack of size hurts his chances in Montréal, with several others around 5’9″ on paper and several players with size not known for their physical players. Unless he’s getting top 6 usage, and earning it, that’s just not enough grit. Credit should also go to Barre-Boulet and Dauphin, among others, for Farrell’s rise; those two vets have been lighting it up all season even when on different lines. Their scoring and leadership have helped lead the way with the young guys in Beck, Roy, Mailloux and others. They’re down 2-0 to Phantoms at start of 2nd, later.
Similar to the NS Voyageurs in the 1970s, developing players like Yvon Lambert, Steve Shutt, and Bunny Larocque for the big club under the late Al MacNeil.
Steve Shutt played 6 games in the AHL!
Larry Robinson also played 112 games for the NS Voyageurs coached by Al McNeil
Vincent and St. Louis are both very good coaches. But one has to ask the question
”Who is the better of the two?” The answer to this question should not be taken too lightly
as it is not a trivial question. .
I guess that depends on what traits you value in a coach. It appears MSL may have a few intangibles many others don’t have. For an organization that thinks you can teach hockey IQ to a degree, he appears to be a good choice. I don’t think anyone would argue that his hockey IQ and compete level are up there with the greatest to ever play the game.
Lots to be happy about with the development of talent in Laval. For those that say “what’s the big deal, it’s just the farm team”, I say you are missing the point. Winning begets winning. It instills a winning mentality, and it reveals to players exactly what it takes to win. Just like the run the young players are making on the big club. This type of experience is invaluable.
As a final point, that picture of Florian Xhekaj, with Condotta and Davidson. I know he’s young, but he really needs to beef up this summer. He looks like a scrawny kid between two men.