HabsWorld.net -- 

On Thursday, Canadiens GM Bob Gainey announced that the club has agreed to terms with centre Cory Urquhart on a 3 year contract.  As per team policy, financial terms were not disclosed.

Urquhart was the Canadiens 2nd round pick last season (40th overall), and spent last season playing for the PEI Rocket (formerly Montreal Rocket) of the QMJHL.  He finished 2nd in team scoring, notching a junior career-high 35 goals and 44 assists for 79 points in just 67 games.  Those totals also ranked 15th overall in the entire Quebec League.  In the postseason, Urquhart continued to produce, scoring 6 goals and 7 assists in just 10 contests. 

Urquhart was not the only Hab prospect to play for the Rocket last season.  Michael Lambert, who also recently signed with the Habs, was also his teammate (and lead the team in scoring as well), as were Maxim Lapierre (who finished 3rd in team scoring), and enforcer Jimmy Bonneau.

The 6’3, 200 lbs centre was still eligible to spend one more season in PEI, but will forego that to most likely join the Hamilton Bulldogs of the AHL, or the recently-affiliated Long Beach Ice Dogs of the ECHL.  

In other news, a report in the Ottawa Sun states that Canadiens prospect Corey Locke is also in contract talks with the Habs.  It states that he is hopeful that the two parties can reach an agreement before the end of next week.  Both Urquhart and Locke, as well as many other Canadiens prospects are in Montreal right now, preparing for a 4 team rookie tournament that also features prospects from Ottawa, Florida, and Toronto.