Montreal Canadiens sign NHL draft's third pick Alex Galchenyuk in a three-year entry-level deal
Russian-American ice hockey player and a first round pick, selected third in the 2012 National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft, Alex Galchenyuk, has been signed by Montreal Canadiens in a three-year, entry-level deal.
The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed by anyone.
Alex Galchenyuk is son of former ice hockey professional, Alexander Galchenyuk, who played at the international level for Soviet Union, competed in several international competitions including 1987 World Junior Hockey Championship and 1991 Canada Cup.
After dissolution of Soviet Union, he started playing for Belarus, whom he represented in four world championships from 1998 to 2001 and 1998 winter Olympics.
Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Galchenyuk started playing hockey in 2009 with Chicago Young American in Midwest Elite Hockey League (MWEHL) and had a great season, scoring 44 goals, 43 assists and a total of 87 points in just 38 games.
Next year he was selected first in the 2010 OHL Priority Selection Draft by Sarnia Sting and played for them in the 2010-2011 season, scoring a huge total of 83 points, 31 goals, 52 assists in just 68 games. This performance earned him a selection in the
OHL 1st All-Rookie team.
18-year-old centre could not play much in the next season as he suffered a knee injury which allowed him to play just two games of the regular season and six in the playoffs in which he scored four points, two goals and two assists. But still it was enough
to get him selected third in the 2012 NHL draft.
Last month in Brossard, while he was attending the Canadiens’ development camp, Galchenyuk told that his fitness and his knees are being observed many times in recent times and he was sure there was not anything wrong with his fitness as he had said,
"I don't know how many times people have checked my knee over the past two months. It was checked at the (NHL) combine, it was checked in Montreal at the hospital, it was checked here with the Canadiens and it's always been doing great. I knew I wasn't going
to have any issues with it. I don't think I would have been drafted here if Montreal didn't think it was at 100 per cent.”
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