The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Swedish winger was traded to the franchise final month and has seemed good to this point in his six video games with the Rocket.
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When Filip Cederqvist was a budding hockey participant in Sweden, he stated it was his dream to in the future play for the Canadiens.
The 6-foot-3, 203-pound right-winger isn’t there but, however generally goals come true. Cederqvist was traded to the Canadiens from Buffalo for future concerns on Jan. 11, and has now performed six video games for the Laval Rocket, producing a purpose and help.
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“Once I received the decision that I’d been traded to Montreal, it was simply happiness that came to visit me,” the 23-year-old stated after Thursday morning’s follow at Place Bell. “I had an interview once I was 15 and stated I wished to play for the Montreal Canadiens. That was fairly cool.”
Cederqvist was chosen by the Sabres within the fifth spherical (143rd total) in 2019, lastly making the transfer to North America final season. Enjoying for Buffalo’s AHL affiliate in Rochester, he produced a modest 9 targets and 20 factors in 55 video games. Following his rookie marketing campaign, the People’ coach employees lavished reward on Cederqvist, however he wasn’t glad.
He had a purpose and 4 factors in 19 video games this season, however with restricted ice time, figured one thing was within the works.
“The state of affairs in Rochester wasn’t the most effective this yr,” Cederqvist stated. “After all I’d have wished to had a bit extra minutes there. I knew one thing was going to occur, however didn’t know what. The primary couple of weeks (in Laval) have been actually good. The fellows have welcomed me. It was good to win quite a lot of video games there at the beginning.”
Street to the Cup
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Enjoying proper wing on a line with Riley McKay and Jan Mysak, Cederqvist produced three photographs and was a plus-1 in Wednesday evening’s 4-3 home-ice loss to Utica. Rocket head coach Jean-François Houle stated it was his crew’s finest line. Cederqvist misplaced a tooth and wanted 4 stitches after being hit within the mouth by an errant excessive stick towards the Comets. The play went unpenalized.
“He has performed some fairly good video games for us to this point since we acquired him,” Houle stated. “He does have some talent. He makes performs, he’s a giant physique. Clearly to make it to the NHL he nonetheless has to work on his skating, defensive consciousness and all that stuff. For the AHL, I believe he’s add for our crew. He offers us dimension and he works fairly onerous. It gives depth for us at ahead.
“I believe his finest asset is when he will get on the forecheck. He will get in there fairly good. He’s received stick. He’s robust on the forecheck and turns pucks over. You at all times need them to make use of their physique to guard the puck. He does that fairly good, too. I believe he’s addition for us.”
It was Cederqvist’s profession in Sweden that drove him to change into a extra full and decided participant. After enjoying 30 video games for Växjö of the Swedish Hockey League in 2019-20, he twice was dispatched to groups in second-tier HockeyAllsvenskan. A nine-goal, 36-point marketing campaign over 51 video games with Tingsryds AIF in 2020-21 was ok to get Cederqvist promoted again to the SHL, incomes him a full-time position with Djurgardens IF. He was second on the membership, with 14 targets and 32 factors in 49 video games, and was able to make the transfer abroad.
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Regardless of struggling a number of accidents as a rookie, the facility ahead has impressed along with his relentless work ethic, aggressive nature, drive and willpower.
“The NHL is a long-term purpose that I’ve,” Cederqvist stated. “Proper now my focus is right here, in Laval. It’s necessary to take a position the time right here and be targeted, play properly. It was crucial for my growth to come back over. I at all times need extra. That’s the starvation in me. I need to obtain extra right here. I need to present I’ve quite a lot of offence in me. That’s one factor in my recreation I need to develop. I can use my dimension a bit bit extra constantly, however I believe I’ve that recreation in me for certain.”
Following a five-game profitable streak, the Rocket has now misplaced three straight, squandering 2-0 and 3-1 leads towards Utica, whereas being outshot 29-11 during the last two durations. Laval (18-17-6) sits fifth within the North Division, one level forward of the Comets and two factors behind Rochester with residence video games towards the People Friday evening and Saturday afternoon earlier than the AHL all-star break.
“This weekend is large,” Houle stated. “Earlier than you go on the (four-day) break you need to have a bit momentum. I believe Rochester most likely is the most effective crew in our division. They’re at all times an offensive menace. It’s necessary for our psychological (facet) in entrance of our followers in our constructing to get some wins.”
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