Montreal Canadiens sign goaltender Connor Hughes to one-year deal

Credit: KEYSTONE

The Montreal Canadiens have added some goaltending depth for the 2024-25 season, signing Connor Hughes to a one-year, two-way contract.

Hughes, 27, has never previously had an NHL contract after going undrafted a decade ago. Hughes is originally from London, Ontario, and spent his junior career spending time in the GOJHL, SOJHL, OJHL and, most notably, the CCHL with the Carleton Place Canadians. He emerged as one of the best Jr. A goaltenders in Canada in 2016-17, helping Carleton Place win the championship while earning playoff MVP honors.

Hughes turned pro the following year, signing a contract with HC Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland. He spent a few years mainly playing in the second-tier Swiss League before becoming a full-time goaltender with HC Fribourg-Gotteron last year.

Hughes moved to Lausanne for 2023-24, where he posted a 10-6-1 record with two shutouts while posting a league-best .940 save percentage and 1.73 GAA. He also went 11-6-1 in the postseason after earnign the starting role away from Kevin Pasche.

Notably, Hughes is one of just a handful of players to have represented two countries in the same international hockey season. He helped Canada as a fill-in goaltender for a game during the 2022 Spengler Cup, the same season in which he made his Swiss national team debut. Neither are IIHF events with no real restrictions, but he does have dual citizenship in Canada and Switzerland.

Hughes is expected to join the Laval Rocket for 2024-25, joining 23-year-old Jakub Dobes after his first full season of pro hockey. At 27, Hughes has plenty of pro experience, but never in North America.

The Canadiens have two goaltenders signed to NHL contracts in Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau, while also holding the rights to Jacob Fowler, Quentin Miller, Evgeni Volokhin, Emmett Croteau and Joe Vrbetic. Montreal will lose the rights to Miller and Vrbetic if not signed by June 1, 2025.

Carey Price has two years left on his deal, but is not expected to play again in the NHL due to injuries.