Decidedly, there will be no shortage of goalkeepers in the organization of the Canadian. The Laval Rocket has signed a one-year deal with Zachary Émond, the team announced Tuesday morning.
Émond signed a two-way contract (American League and ECHL), and therefore would not be eligible for a recall to the NHL, unless he signed a new contract. If he is unable to carve out a position with the Rocket, he could also play for the Trois-Rivières Lions.
The 23-year-old Émond played just four games last season, all with the Wichita Thunder of the ECHL. He was 3-1-0 with a 2.22 GAA and .936 save percentage. However, hip problems had been bothering him for a few years, so in February he underwent surgery. He will be ready for camp in September, we are told.
Drafted by the Sharks in the 6th round in 2018, Émond was traded to the Devils organization last winter, in the trade that sent forward Timo Meier to New Jersey. His season was already over, however, and the transfer was only a matter of number of contracts.
Émond has never played in the NHL and has 12 games of American League experience, all in 2021-22. He had shown an average of 4.48 and an efficiency of .867.
His hiring was announced the day after that of Strauss Mann. The latter, however, signed a one-way American League contract. Theoretically, he is therefore ahead of Émond in the hierarchy.
The CH therefore has six professional goalkeepers in the organization chart for its three organizations (Canadian, Rocket, Lions) for next season: Émond, Mann, Cayden Primeau, Jakub Dobes, Jake Allen and Samuel Montembeault. Remember, however, that Primeau will be eligible for waivers this fall and that he will therefore have to pass if he is unable to carve out a position in Montreal.
