Saturday was the deadline for Montreal to sign three of their prospects or see their rights released. The time came and went without any contracts so the team has now relinquished the rights to Cedrick Guindon, Petteri Nurmi, and Miguel Tourigny.
Guindon was a fourth-round pick by the Habs back in 2022 after a 30-goal season with OHL Owen Sound. An energetic two-way forward who is a bit undersized, the Canadiens were banking on the 20-year-old taking some steps forward offensively. However, that didn’t happen. His goal total dipped by eight in his post-draft campaign although he did manage a solid 47 assists, putting him in a position where a strong showing this year could get him a contract.
Instead, he managed 26 goals and 31 assists in 68 games, quality production but nowhere near enough to send Montreal’s management the message that he could get to a level high enough to earn a contract. When he wasn’t invited to join Laval late in the year like Florian Xhekaj was, the writing was on the wall that he’d be moving on. Guindon was rated 23rd in this year’s prospect rankings.
Nurmi, meanwhile, was a seventh-rounder in 2022, going 194th overall in his third year of eligibility. In 2021, he played almost the entire season with HPK in Finland’s top level, showing some strong defensive fundamentals.
The 22-year-old spent his two post-draft seasons with HPK as well where not a whole lot changed. His output went up (from four points to 12 to 16 this season) but there wasn’t much in the way of upside on that side of the ice. Had Montreal’s system not been quite so deep, I think there would have been a chance for him to earn a contract but instead, he’ll become a free agent. Nurmi checked in at 31 in our prospect rankings.
As for Tourigny, he went a bit later in the seventh round in 2022, being taken 216th overall in his last year of eligibility. He was a prolific point-getter that year in the QMJHL, notching 80 points in 65 games but his smaller stature (5’8) scared teams off from picking him earlier.
Tourigny turned pro after being drafted, spending 2022-23 in Slovakia and then played this year with ECHL Trois-Rivieres where he had 38 points in 61 games but struggled defensively. Tourigny is someone Montreal might want to keep around on another minor league deal (though he could opt to look overseas once more) but with the year he had, a contract was unlikely. He was rated 36th in our rankings this year.
There was nearly one other name on this list as Jared Davidson was originally on the list of players whose rights were going to be lost. However, he signed a two-year deal with the Canadiens on Friday.