BROSSARD, Que. – Highly-regarded Montreal Canadiens prospects Nick Suzuki and Cale Fleury have made the club’s opening-night roster, while young forward Ryan Poehling will start the season in the American Hockey League.
The Habs made calls on all three 20-year-olds Tuesday, opting to send Poehling down to their AHL affiliate in Laval, Que.
Poehling, a first-round pick in 2017 (25th overall), suffered a concussion in a pre-season game against the Florida Panthers in Bathurst, N.B., on Sept. 18. He returned for the final pre-season game last weekend.
“Ryan has to play games because … it’s almost a third of training camp he missed,” Canadiens general manager Marc Bergevin said. “He needs to get that under his belt. I don’t have a time frame, but it’s not going to be for long.”
Poehling, 20, had a hat trick in his first and only NHL regular-season game to date, the 2017-18 season finale against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The American-born centre played the last three years at St. Cloud State in the NCAA.
Suzuki and Fleury have not played any NHL regular-season games.
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Suzuki, a native of London, Ont., was a key piece coming back in the deal that sent ex-captain Max Pacioretty to the Vegas Golden Knights prior to last season.
The 13th overall pick by Vegas in 2017, Suzuki was one of the leaders on a Guelph Storm team that won the Ontario Hockey League title last season.
“I can’t say exactly when (the decision was made), but he was good, he kept getting better … I knew all along he was going the right way,” Bergevin said.
The Calgary-born Fleury spent all of last season with Laval after four years in the Western Hockey League with the Kootenay Ice and Regina Pats.
“I went in with an open mind with Cale because he had a good start last year,” Bergevin said. “He was probably the one that played the best last year in Laval. He was assertive, he played with poise, he was consistent. He gives us this little edge of physicality.”
The Habs haven’t been shy about keeping young players in the NHL in recent years. Bergevin said it’s more realistic now because of the way the game has changed.
“Back (when Bergevin played), it was harder (for younger players). The league was different, it was an older league,” Bergevin said. “There was holding and grabbing and you had to be stronger. So it took longer. But now guys turn pro faster and they become NHL players and they have success right away. I don’t see why we won’t be in that same position with these two players.”
The Canadians play their season opener on Thursday in Carolina against the Hurricanes.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2019.
Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version incorrectly stated Poehling did not play another pre-season game after suffering a concussion on Sept. 18
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