The Montreal Canadiens announced today that they have invited defenceman Simon Després to training camp on a professional tryout.
The Canadiens have invited Simon Després to training camp.
DETAILS -> https://t.co/9gIBsNRuhR #GoHabsGo
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) July 12, 2018
Simon Despres Invited to Canadiens Training Camp
The 26-year-old Despres spent last season in the KHL playing for Bratislava Slovan. In 44 games with the club, Després scored four goals and added seven assists for 11 points. He also added 84 penalty minutes.
Després was originally drafted 30th overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft. In 193 career games, split between the Anaheim Ducks and Pittsburgh Penguins, he scored six goals and added 37 assists for 43 points. He also registered 150 penalty minutes and was a plus 31 over his career.
Simon Després signed a five-year extension with the Anaheim Ducks on October 9th, 2015 but after suffering three concussions in the span of 12 months and missing all but one game in the 2016-2017 season, the club elected to buy-out the remainder of the contract.
Canadiens Hoping a Healthy Després is the Answer on the Left Side
The Habs are hoping Després’ concussions issues are behind him and is healthy enough to make a return to the NHL. He had a promising future until it was derailed by multiple head injuries. We have seen players who suffered multiple head injuries come back and be perfectly fine, most notably Sidney Crosby. A towering defenceman, standing at 6-foot-4 and weighing in at 218 lbs, Després would add some much-needed depth to the Habs left side if he is able to make the club. The left side at the moment is occupied by Victor Mete, Mike Reilly and veteran Karl Alzner, which Rinat Valiev on the outside looking in. If he can bounce back and be the player he was before the concussions, the Canadiens defence will have gotten a lot stronger. They very well may have found a potential partner for Shea Weber.
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