Rookie Stars With 20+ Assists in NHL's Premier League!
Montreal has added a talented player to the organization.
Canadiens sign college star to 2-year contract originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Montreal Canadiens have a promising player joining their organization.
His name is Dillan Bentley, and he most recently played in the NCAA Division I college hockey ranks for UMass-Lowell. Bentley has signed a two-year AHL contract with the Laval Rocket, the team announced . It's a one-way deal, but it gets Bentley under the Canadiens' umbrella and will allow them to get a good look at what he might be able to provide.
Bentley is 24 and will play out the 2025-26 season on a tryout contract at Laval before the true two-year nature of the deal kicks in. He played four college seasons at UMass-Lowell and was an alternate captain this season. In 33 games in 2025-26, Bentley put up 14 goals and 11 assists (25 points).
MORE: We finally know what Sidney Crosby's Olympic injury is It's a familiar spot for the Canadiens to be, as it turns out. They previously signed Lucas Condotta out of UMass-Lowell, also as an undrafted free agent, and he's now the captain for Laval. Players like Bentley can be signed now as undrafted free agents because he was never selected in the draft during his multiple years of eligibility to be chosen.