The Montreal Canadiens will bring back a depth forward, signing Alex Belzile to a one-year, two-way contract. The deal will pay him $750K in the NHL and $250K in the AHL, though also includes a $300K minor league guarantee.
Belzile, 29, will have one of the more interesting NHL debuts to recount years after he retires. Undrafted, he played eight full seasons in the minor leagues before suiting up for the Canadiens in the bubble playoffs a year ago. He played six games for the team then, and returned for two more during the season this year. Still, his place is as a minor league depth piece and injury replacement.
The Laval Rocket certainly won’t complain. Since arriving in Laval, Belzile has been a force, scoring 30 goals and 82 points in 111 games. Unless he really impresses in camp, that’s likely where he’s headed once again. At the end of the one-year deal, Belzile will once again be an unrestricted free agent.