Maxime Comtois signed his AHL contract in the car

Last summer was a very difficult one for Maxime Comtois.

First, he asked the Ducks for a trade at the 2023 deadline, which didn’t work out.

By mutual agreement, the Ducks didn’t qualify him so he could test the free agent market, but it didn’t work out the way he’d hoped.

On the No Restrictions podcast, hosted by Kevin Raphaël, he opened up about the incredible story that led him to find another NHL contract.

It’s been a long summer, lots going on. I finally accepted a tryout in Vegas. I had a good camp, but they already had their whole team. It was a bit hard to find a spot. – Maxime Comtois

The Golden Knights kept Comtois until the end, and 30 minutes before the deadline to announce the final cuts, Comtois learned that he had been cut.

It was very difficult for him, especially considering that all the teams already had their final line-ups by then.

He stayed an extra week and a half in Vegas with his wife and dog, a stay paid for by the team.

He had received offers in Europe, but he wasn’t really interested, because he wanted to come back to the NHL.

The Chicago Wolves in the AHL, who have no affiliation with an NHL team, contacted him, but nothing was confirmed.

Comtois decided to take his car from Vegas to Montreal, and if something happened with Chicago, he’d stop on the way, because that’s where he was going anyway.

Comtois stopped off in Colorado to sleep and set off again the next morning, and it was around lunchtime that his agent informed him that the Wolves had offered him a contract.

He signed his contract in the car.

Incredible when you think about it.

He finally collected a total of 44 points in 65 AHL games in 2023-24.

His efforts earned him a one-year, two-part NHL contract with the Carolina Hurricanes, which he signed last March.

He even got to play a game with the Canes this season, where he picked up an assist.

It goes to show that hard work pays off sooner or later.

Comtois will once again be free as a bird this summer, as his contract with the Hurricanes expires on July 1.

Will he be able to find work in the NHL, or will he have to turn to Europe?

His offensive flair and good size must certainly be of interest to a number of teams looking for low-cost depth.

Overtime

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– Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) June 16, 2024