Pats’ Fleury focuses on opportunity with the Habs
Rookie defenceman hoping to earn his place ‘against NHL guys in main camp’
When Cale Fleury walked out of the Brandt Centre for perhaps the final time last week, he didn’t look back.
The 20-year-old defenceman was focused on the opportunity that lies ahead with the Montreal Canadiens, who have the option of keeping Fleury in their farm system instead of sending him back to the WHL’S Regina Pats for his final season of junior eligibility.
“It’s pretty exciting,” offered Fleury, a third-round pick in the 2017 NHL draft. “I’ve been told from Montreal that everything that’s going to happen with me is going to have to happen through (training) camp. I’ve been really looking forward to that — trying to go earn a spot on a pro team.
“That’s definitely what I want to do.”
Although Fleury is approaching his tryout with a sense of urgency, the Canadiens can still retain his NHL rights for another nine months before they have to sign him.
Fleury said there hasn’t been any contract talks to this point, but that could soon change.
“That’s kind of what they meant about main camp,” said the Carlyle product. “If I do well I can earn a contract. But if not, I’ll have to earn it throughout the season and get it next summer.”
The latter would be great news for the Pats, who stand to benefit from the return of their top defenceman.
That said, they also understand that Fleury ’s sole focus is on turning pro.
“If he’s not going there to earn a contract and stay there, he wouldn’t be a hockey player,” said Pats head coach Dave Struch. “One of the best things for Cale is that he was one of the best defencemen in the Memorial Cup last year. He had a major impact on us getting to the final. He is definitely pro worthy. The rest is out of his control. The decisions that (the Canadiens) make will be up to them.”
Fleury had just a month off following the Memorial Cup before he headed to Montreal for the team’s summer development camp. That experience left him with a positive feeling about his chances of earning a job this fall.
“I had a really good camp and had some good feedback from them,” he said. “I stayed in Montreal for about a month after camp as well, just working out and skating there.”
Montreal’s rookie camp opened Thursday and continued over the weekend with a tournament in Laval against prospects from the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators. Rookie workouts are to conclude Wednesday, followed by the start of main camp on Friday.
“I just have to go in and play confident,” said Fleury, who had 12 goals and 51 points in 68 WHL games last season with the Pats and Kootenay Ice. “You have to earn your place against NHL guys in main camp. (He hopes to) maybe get some pre-season games in. I just have to play my game and can’t be too nervous.”
Although he’s focused on the task at hand, Fleury remains open to the possibility of returning to the Pats for his final junior season. He’s also prepared to accept more of a leadership role with this year’s team.
“I developed some leadership in Kootenay,” said Fleury, who was serving as the team’s captain when Regina acquired him in November. “The situation I was in there, I was relied on a lot so I feel like I could enhance that here if I came back.
“At the end of the day, it’s just another chance to get better, another year to improve myself. If they send me back, (that means) they think it’s going to be the best thing for me.”
The Pats would be better for it as well.
“It’s the experience (he brings),” added Struch. “We talk about building championship teams from the back end out. Cale is a good 200-foot defenceman — I’m talking both sides of the puck. He has a major impact. When the decision is made on where he goes, we’ll be watching closely. We hope the best for him in turning pro but we’ll obviously take him back at any time.”
NOTE: The Regina Pats on Monday reassigned two 16-year-olds — defenceman Sam Mcginley and forward Cale Sanders — to the Edge Hockey School of the Canadian Sport School Hockey League. The Pats still have 29 players (15 forwards, 10 defencemen and four goaltenders) in camp as they prepare for Thursday’s pre-season game against the host Saskatoon Blades.