A highly regarded defenseman leaves the Montreal Canadiens organization
It's total chaos right now with the Laval Rocket, as head coach Jean-François Houle has suddenly left, but he's not the only one.
In the past few hours, we learned that reliable defenseman Olivier Galipeau is leaving for Germany, which is not good news for the Rocket.
Galipeau acted as a leader last year within the organization and was involved in all the battles for the team. It's a significant loss for Laval.
See the official announcement from his new team.
What blocked Galipeau from getting a better chance is clearly the depth at his position, as he could be on the first pair for many teams in the AHL.
In total, the Canadiens have 12 defensemen who can hope to start the season in the NHL, and Galipeau was not one of them. That gives an idea of the depth.
Galipeau accumulated 18 points in 55 games last season, but his defensive play was highlighted on several occasions. He finished the season with a +20 rating, which is remarkable given the team's struggles.
Good luck in this new challenge, Olivier!
| POLL | ||
In your opinion, will the Laval Rocket be able to participate in the playoffs despite all the changes and departures? | ||
| Yes | 243 | 67.7 % |
| No | 116 | 32.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
