After adding Karl Alzner on a huge contract, the Montreal Canadiens have added a couple of depth forwards. Both Byron Froese and Peter Holland will join the club on two-year contracts. Both players will be on two-way deals for 2017-18, but transition to one-way contracts come the 2018-19 season.
Holland was a first-round pick of the Anaheim Ducks back in 2009, but has found little success in three NHL stops. Given the biggest chance in Toronto, he scored 25 and 27 points in a depth role before being traded to the Coyotes last season. Not issued a qualifying offer by Arizona, he’ll now try to force his way onto the NHL roster in Montreal and show why he was so highly touted coming out of the OHL.
Froese was also traded by Toronto last season, this time as part of the deal that brought Brian Boyle to the Maple Leafs. The minor league forward is a near point-per-game player in the AHL, and will bring that scoring touch to the new Laval Rocket. Whether he makes it to the NHL is still unclear, as he’s never shown enough to warrant a full-time spot on a contender.