MONTREAL -- The Montreal Canadiens once again shortened the roster at their training camp on Friday.
Nineteen players were dealt to the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL) for that club's training camp.
The players with NHL contracts include forwards Cam Hillis, Arsen Khisamutdinov and Joel Teasdale, as well as defensemen Louie Belpedio, Josh Brook and Xavier Ouellet.
Belpedio and Ouellet will only be able to join the Laval club if they are not claimed in the lottery later today.
Among the players cut with AHL contracts are forwards Peter Abbandonato, Cedric Desruisseaux, Justin Ducharme, Brandon Gignac, Jake Lucchini, Shawn St-Amant and Kevin Roy, defencemen Terrance Amorosa, Charles-David Beaudoin, Tory Dello, Cody Goloubef and Carl Neill, as well as goaltender Alexis Gravel.
After four days of practice in Brossard, the Tricolore will play their third and fourth pre-season games this weekend against the Ottawa Senators.
The Habs will travel to Ottawa on Friday night, then the Sens will come to the Bell Centre on Saturday.
The CH will be looking for a second straight win after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs at home on Monday.
At his Thursday news conference, head coach Dominique Ducharme said that essentially the same group of players that played the Leafs on Monday will be in Ottawa to face the Sens. However, Finnish defenceman Sami Niku could make his debut.
Ducharme will confirm his lineup for tonight's game later on Friday.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 1, 2021.
