With rookie tournaments coming to an end for some teams, and training camp set to open in just a few days several transactions have already been made.
- The Montreal Canadiens have sent seven players back to their respective junior teams. William Bitten (Hamilton), Josh Brook (Moose Jaw), Cale Fleury (Kootenay), Michael Pezzetta (Sudbury), Scott Walford (Victoria) and Jarret Tyszka (Seattle), will all return to the CHL to play out this season. The team has also released Alexandre Alain from an amateur tryout; he’ll return to Blainville-Boisbriand this year.
- According to Renaud Lavoie of TVA Sports, Montreal will also have Jordan Boucher, Maxime Fortier, Alexandre Goulet and James McEwan in NHL camp on professional tryouts. They’ll provide a little local flavor, as three are from Quebec.
- The Rochester Americans have signed Nathan Paetsch to a one-year AHL contract. The former Sabres defenseman returns to the organization after several years playing for Grand Rapids, where he won two Calder Cup championships and continued to put up impressive numbers. The 34-year old will add to the leadership group in Rochester, and help them turn around a franchise that finished with a losing record last year.
- The Americans will also be getting Arvin Atwal, Colin Blackwell, Justin Danforth, Anthony Florentino, Alex Kile and Daniel Muzito-Bagenda, as the Sabres have assigned each of them to the AHL camp. Florentino may be the most interesting name after signing out of Providence College this spring. The defenseman put up solid numbers in the NCAA ranks and could be an immediate contributor to the Amerks this season.