Habs Sign Tyler Thorpe

The Habs have signed their first player from their 2024 draft class, just not the first-round pick many were hoping it’d be.  The team announced on Tuesday that they’ve inked winger Tyler Thorpe to a three-year, entry-level contract.  The deal begins next season while Thorpe will join Laval on a tryout agreement for the rest of the year.

PuckPedia reports that the deal has a cap hit of $868,333 and an AAV of $936,667.  The breakdown is as follows:

2025-26: $775K NHL salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $102.5K performance bonus, $85K AHL salary
2026-27:$775K NHL salary, $97.5K signing bonus, $102.5K performance bonus, $85K AHL salary
2027-28: $775K NHL salary, $85K signing bonus, $85K AHL salary

Thorpe was a fifth-round pick by Montreal last June, going 130th overall.  After being passed up in his first year of eligibility that saw him put up just six points, Thorpe had a breakout effort in 2023-24, tallying 23 goals and 21 assists in 53 games with WHL Vancouver.  With a 6’5 frame and that jump offensively, the Canadiens deemed him worthy of a look.

While Thorpe didn’t take a step back this season, his per-game numbers didn’t improve either.  He suited up in all 68 games for the Giants, notching 27 goals and 25 assists, good for seventh on the team in scoring before adding a goal and two helpers in five postseason appearances.

It will be interesting to see how Thorpe is deployed in Laval down the stretch.  Last year, Florian Xhekaj got into a few games and the two are very similar in stature.  With the Rocket safely in a playoff spot, that might give Thorpe an opportunity to get a few games in and make a case to play for them in the postseason.