Canadiens bring in Alexey Vlasov, a Sioux Falls and Victoriaville scorer, for rookie camp

The Montreal Canadiens will get an early look at one of the major junior and U.S. hockey scoring leaders this week, inviting Victoriaville Tigres winger Alexey Vlasov to their rookie camp. The move puts a young attacker with recent production in two North American leagues in front of Canadiens development staff, a key step for any prospect trying to make the leap toward the NHL level.

According to Victoriaville’s announcement, Vlasov is 18 years old, listed at 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds, and has moved quickly through competitive junior development. The forward has played two seasons in North America, first in the USHL and then in the QMJHL, where he has been a regular impact player.

In 2024-25, Vlasov scored 23 points in 51 games with the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL. That production came before his next step, when he transitioned to the QMJHL for 2025-26 with the Tigres. With Victoriaville, he posted 80 points in 64 games, establishing himself as a top offensive contributor in the league.

The Canadiens’ rookie camp invitation suggests Montreal wants to evaluate more than just goal scoring. For a forward of Vlasov’s size, teams typically scrutinize skating efficiency, puck handling under pressure, and the ability to consistently create offense in traffic. Camp is also an opportunity to see how a prospect learns systems, responds to coaching, and adapts to the pace of a professional-caliber environment.

Rookie camps also act as a sorting stage for Montreal’s organizational depth. Players who stand out can earn additional attention later in the summer and early fall, including more individualized training and, depending on contract and eligibility, the next level of development assignments. At minimum, the Canadiens will be able to benchmark Vlasov’s tools against other recent invitees in drills designed to test both skill and hockey sense.

There is a caveat with prospect takeaways: a single camp does not determine an NHL future. But the context matters here. Vlasov’s most recent resume combines meaningful output in the USHL and then immediate productivity in the QMJHL, which can report that his game translates across different styles of play. Montreal now has a chance to verify what the numbers reflect on the ice.

What to watch next is how Vlasov performs relative to peers in camp scrimmages and on-ice evaluations, particularly in transition and in how often he earns quality scoring chances. If he shows the ability to play fast without the puck and to sustain offensive pressure, it could strengthen his case for more advanced development milestones within the Canadiens system.