Amerks goalie Aaron Dell is pressure near the crease on this game winning goal by Laval s Jean-Sebastien Dea int the 3rd overtime. The Rockets win the North Division Finals 3 games to none. Jamie Germano / USA TODAY NETWORK

Canadiens' AHL Affiliate Earns Impressive Achievement

Originally posted on Breakaway on SI | By Jacob Punturi | Last updated Apr 19, 2025 8:31 AM ET

The Montreal Canadiens hope to make a deep run in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, but their organizational success goes beyond their NHL club.

While the Habs will take on the Washington Capitals in the opening round, their AHL affiliate in the Laval Rocket claimed a huge achievement by clinching the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy.

This award is given to the AHL team with the best record in the regular season. The award also means that Laval will have home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs.

xyz- @RocketLaval

With a 5-1 victory tonight, the Rocket claim the 2024-25 Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for the best record in the regular season️ pic.twitter.com/1vPOiilG6E
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) April 19, 2025

A big piece of their success is their veteran leadership. Two forwards in particular, Laurent Dauphin and Alex Barre-Boulet, were critical. Barre-Boulet, the 27-year-old veteran with NHL experience, recorded 22 goals and 41 assists in 64 games. Dauphin netted 26 goals and added 30 assists in 63 games.

That veteran leadership extends to their goaltending as well. Cayden Primeau is 25-years-old, but he has plenty of AHL and NHL experience. He's suited up for 55 NHL games with the Canadiens, and he shouldered a majority of the starts with Laval this year. In 26 games played this season, he posted a record of 21-2-2 with a 1.96 goals-against average and .927 save percentage.

A breakout star for Laval was 23-year-old winger Sean Farrell. A former fourth-round pick of the Canadiens, he had his best professional season in 2024-2025. Over 67 games, he produced 20 goals and 27 assists for 47 points. He ranked tied for fourth in scoring during the regular season.

The Rocket also has two of the organization's top defensive prospects playing major minutes. Two of the team's recent first-round picks, Logan Mailloux and David Reinbacher, are expected to play top minutes in the postseason. Injuries have hampered Reinbacher, but he's ready to contribute toward a Calder Cup run. Similarly, Mailloux is trying to graduate from the AHL, and a strong performance in the playoffs could help him earn a full-time spot in the NHL.

This article first appeared on Breakaway on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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