Canadiens sign Alex Belzile, Nate Clurman to one-year deals

The Montreal Canadiens announced on Tuesday that general manager Kent Hughes and the teams have agreed to terms on one-year, two-way contracts with forward Alex Belzile and defenseman Nate Clurman.

The moves provide solid depth for the team’s AHL affiliate, the Laval Rocket, as well as some NHL experience, including a prior stint in Montreal.

The signing represents something of a homecoming for Belzile, a native of Quebec, who spent this past season with the Hartford Wolf Pack.

In a season that saw him score 19 goals and 37 assists for 56 points in 66 games played, he led the team in assists, points and penalty minutes while representing the club at the AHL all-star game.

Belzile was a member of the Canadiens organization previously from 2018 to 2023, serving as the Rocket’s captain for two years. The 33-year-old appeared in 44 games with Montreal during his time with the franchise, putting up 15 points in the form of 6 goals and 9 assists.

Clurman was the sixth round pick of the Colorado Avalanche back in the 2016 NHL entry draft, and he joins the Montreal organization from the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, where he produced 11 points in 31 games.

At six-foot-two, Clurman is a 27-year-old right-handed defenseman who had the chance to make his NHL debut with the Pittsburgh Penguins this season.

These moves are not the only ones Montreal has made today that will prove helpful to Laval next season. The team also signed goalie Kaapo Kahkonen, which means either he or restricted free agent Jakub Dobes will begin the season as the Rocket’s starting goalie while the other will serve as Sam Montembeault’s backup.

Laval was led by Alex Barré-Boulet and Larent Dauphin offensively last year, as the two put up 63 and 56 points, respectively.

The top scoring defenseman on last year’s roster was Logan Mailloux, who was dealt to the St. Louis Blues earlier today in exchange for Zack Bolduc.