Signing alert within the Montreal Canadiens organization

The 21-year-old recently completed his final QMJHL season with the Charlottetown Islanders where he recorded 24 goals and 62 assists (86 points) in 48 games. He had four goals and 17 assists in 14 playoff games.

He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the sixth round (191st overall) in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.

Because the Canadiens have until June 2023 to sign him to an entry-level contract and he is no longer eligible for the Canadian Hockey League, he is able to sign an AHL contract while the Canadiens still hold his NHL rights. This will still give Kent Hughes time to evaluate the young man and see if he is worthy of one of the organization's 50 contracts.

Simoneau follows the path of Rafaël Harvey-Pinard. The latter was drafted by the CH and then signed a contract in the AHL after his QMJHL career. After a successful first season with the Laval Rocket, the organization offered him a contract in the NHL.

Simoneau is listed as 5'7" and 171 pounds, which is one of the reasons why he was not drafted twice in the NHL. In 252 career QMJHL games, he has 97 goals and 214 assists for 314 points. He added 10 goals and 28 assists in 43 playoff games.