Simoneau Signs NHL ELC Contract
March 1, 2023
By Grant McCagg
The Montreal Canadiens signed 2021 sixth-round pick Xavier Simoneau to a two-year ELC contract today. The 5-6 Laval winger has 28 points in 44 games, tying him for 20th overall in AHL rookie scoring.
Simoneau could be the poster boy for smaller junior players who doubt that they’ll ever get an opportunity to play pro hockey. Despite being passed over in his first two NHL drafts, Simoneau continued working hard and persevering, and in his final draft year was selected by Montreal 199th overall in the 2021 NHL draft. Simoneau joins Nathan Gerbe and Rocco Grimaldi as the only players under 5-7in the past decade to be signed to NHL contracts.
Despite choosing only four players in the top 100 in 2021, since taking over as GM 13 months ago Kent Hughes has signed five players from a 2021 draft class, and Oliver Kapanen will be the sixth when he decides to come over to North America. Hughes will be signing at least 67 percent of Montreal’s 2021 draft picks to NHL deals, and that is a testament to solid drafting and believing in the club’s amateur scouts. That is great news for the club’s future going forward. in the club’s amateur scouting.
Here are Simoneau’s five goals and 23 assists so far this season with Laval: