The Montreal Canadiens announced in the early hours of Monday morning that they have brought back Xavier Ouellet for another year. The contract is a one-way deal worth a salary of $700,000 that becomes a $300,000 salary if he is assigned to the AHL.
Ouellet started the year with the Canadiens in Montreal, but was later placed on waivers and eventually made his way to the Laval Rocket at Place Bell. He ended up becoming the team’s captain, replacing Canadian centreman Byron Froese who was later traded to the Flyers with David Schlemko in return for Christian Folin and former Canadien Dale Weise. Ouellet took his role in Laval rather seriously as he scored seven goals and 21 assists, making for 28 points in 47 games played.
He is only 25 and will have another chance to crack the Canadiens lineup when pre-season games come along at the Bell Sports Complex in Brossard in September. This is again another year where the left side is the main weakness of the organization and so it is for that reason Ouellet will have another chance to crack Montreal’s pro roster.
If he does not make the cut with the Canadiens in the NHL, it seems most likely that he will continue to play for the Laval rocket as captain as he did this past season and assist Joel Bouchard and company in helping the young prospects progress in year two.