by Justin Vézina | Ahl in the beating
When the laval rocket signaled Josiah Dinier In mid-October, there was a sense of Déjà vu.
And it wasn’t because the defenseman wore a Rocket jersey before, but rather because this wasn’t his first time playing for the Canadiens. Far from it.
In 2011, Didier was selected in the fourth round (97th overall) of the NHL Draft by the Montreal Canadiens. He went on to play 100 games with their AHL affiliate, the Bulldogs and St. John’s Icelaps.
The next step was to get to the other side of the AHL. He spent two seasons with the Charlotte Checkers, winning a bowl along the way. Dier then became a mainstay and captain and served as both a catcher and the Grand Rapids Griffins.
More than 14 years after being drafted, he is back with the Canadiens organization. Recommended by Rocket Assistant Trainer Daniel Jacobwho kept a good impression of him, the 6-Foot-3 Fovenseman arrived in Laval on October 13 for a professional tryout.
“I didn’t really have it, no training camp or anything. So I was at home, I felt like I had miles left in the tank. Then I got the call here, and I was happy.”
With that, Didier became the fourth player to agree to the last three organizations of Montreal – the rocket, icecaps and bulldogs. And his impact was felt immediately. It took less than a month for his tryout to be converted to a full AHL contract.
“I didn’t know him,” said the head coach Pascal Vincent. “But I can tell you he’s an amazing guy. Anything good on the team, that’s what he wants. He’s a big breaking guy, five blocks, and he makes sure grandma sees the puck.”
The addition of Dier with the blue line of Laval But that is not the only thing Vincent notices.
“Didier brings more than what you see on the ice,” Vincent said. “He is someone who was there and is here to support (captain LucasWe are divided The clue and our Veterans team. His attitude is outstanding, he is a true example. You are a different person. What he does in the room will have an impact on our young players on how hard the ice is. “
It is a fitting explanation for the player to find the Ahl his team man has respected for the last three seasons.
Therefore, it is not surprising that the rocket fell due to a strong defense with more than 500 games of experience in the AHL. And the feeling is clearly shared.
“It’s been great here,” said Didier, a native of Littleton, Colo., and a graduate of the University of Denver. “The staff is top class, they take care of every little detail. We have a great group of guys. It’s been fun, and the fans in this city for hockey and rockets are amazing.”
The rocket will look to rely on the leadership of the diarier and play as they aim to finally reach the Caller Cup of the falls after two trips to the conference in the last four meetings. And according to the player who already owns a championship ring, the ingredients are there.
“I think the team we have here is amazing,” said Didier. “We’re very closed, a really well-rounded team, and that’s where it starts. You have to be a family, and I think we’re going to find that.”
Now it’s off to the rocket to see if they can get over the hump.
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