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Former Canadiens Player Available On Waivers
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- Former Canadiens Player Available On Waivers
John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images
The Toronto Maple Leafs have placed former Montreal Canadiens forward Samuel Blais on waivers, with the intention of sending him to the Toronto Marlies in the AHL, should he clear.
Blais, 29, was signed by the Habs during the offseason, but did not make the cut once the final rosters were decided at training camp, which led to his first appearance of the season on the waiver wire.
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The Maple Leafs quickly claimed the feisty forward, giving him just eight games over the course of the last two months. Blais scored one goal and two assists in that stretch, and while his overall control of the shots was lacking, he did manage to control almost 60 percent of the high-danger chances during his shifts.
Given the Leafs are one of the worst teams in the league, both in regard to their underlying numbers and their position in the standings, it's difficult to get a good read on their players, but we do know that Blais offers an honest effort every shift, bringing a certain truculence to the mix.
Seeing as the Montreal Canadiens recently signed Alex Texier , who can play as a centre, it would not be overly surprising to see them claim Blais, and then re-assign centre Joe Veleno to the AHL. Veleno has only scored one goal in 16 games, and his underlying numbers are quite poor. With Veleno on the ice, the Habs have only managed to control 38% of the high-danger chances at 5v5, and his style of play is far from punishing.
For example, Veleno has landed 30 hits in 18 games, while Blais has landed 28 in just eight games. The fourth line is usually reserved for players who can help win the battle of attrition, a situation that would be greatly aided by the addition of a player such as Blais.
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