The Montreal Canadiens have added another prospect to the ranks, signing Emil Heineman to a three-year entry-level contract. The deal, which carries an NHL cap hit of $897.5K, will begin in 2022-23. For now, the young player will join the Laval Rocket on a professional tryout and spend the rest of the season in the AHL.
Heineman, 20, has already been included in two trades in his young career. Originally selected by the Florida Panthers, he was shipped to the Calgary Flames in the Sam Bennett deal, and then Montreal in the Tyler Toffoli trade. Less than two years after he was picked 43rd overall, the young forward now has an NHL contract in hand and a pretty clear path the relevance in the Canadiens’ organization.
In 38 games for Leksands IF this season–his second full year in the SHL–Heineman scored 11 goals and 16 points. While those numbers don’t pop off the chart, there is plenty of optimism for his future at the North American professional level, especially after his performance in the Champions League, where he scored four times in nine games. While his overall offensive upside may be limited, there’s a never-ending work ethic in Heineman that should serve him well as he tries to carve out a role with Montreal.
The Canadiens system is about to get awfully crowded, with nearly countless draft picks in the next few seasons. But a player like Heineman has a leg up with his deal already in hand, and can now begin the climb to the NHL ranks.