MONDAY FEATURE: Simoneau Having Early-Season Success

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While the Laval Rocket (6-11-3) have struggled out of the gates as a team to begin the 2022-23 season, rookie forward Xavier Simoneau is off to a hot start offensively as he has tallied 16 points (four goals, 12 assists) in his last 16 games while also currently riding a five-game points streak (one goal, five assists).

"Yeah, it's a [whole] other league," Simoneau told InsideAHLHockey.com of the American Hockey League (AHL) being that next step up. "My first game was not perfect, I struggled a bit, but it's part of changing the league. But, like I said, we have good veterans - they helped me a lot and the more you play, the more you get comfortable. So I think my start of the season going well so far."

It wasn't instant success for Simoneau, the Montreal Canadiens 6th round draft pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. He began the year pointless in his first three games and despite recording his first pro point in his fourth pro game - an assist - he found himself sitting the following night as a healthy scratch.

After putting up 86 points (24 goals, 62 assists) in just 48 games in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (WMJHL) last season, not being in the lineup - and not being injured - was a process Simoneau wasn't exactly used to. But he made the most of the learning opportunity.

"He helps me a lot," Simoneau said of Laval Rocket head coach Jean-Francois Houle. "He didn't just scratch me to scratch me. He took me in his office to talk to me about my game. He showed me some video too."

At the pro level now, a chance for a reset and a chance to watch the game from upstairs really opened Simoneau's eyes to some adjustments he needed to make.

"To be in the stands that one game it helped me a lot to just watch a game and slow myself down," Simoneau said of the learning experience of sitting out as a healthy scratch and learning from watching his teammates. "In junior, you can have a bad game but you can finish the game with three points but that doesn't happen here so you need to be consistent every shift."

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The one-game hiatus seemed to do the trick, as Simoneau has been consistently providing the Rocket offense ever since to the tune of second on the team in scoring with 16 points (four goals, 12 assists). Entering the week of November 28, Simoneau's 16 points have him in a three-way tie for the league's lead among first year players.

"[Simoneau is a] small stature player, [but] he's providing some offense right now," Houle said of the 5-foot-6 Simoneau. "He's pretty physical for a small guy."

It's Simoneau's tenacity on the forecheck and willingness to get to the net, despite being a smaller player now competing against men rather than teenagers, that has seen his game translate to offensive success.

Still, Simoneau is on an AHL-only contract for the 2022-23 season with the Rocket and his goal - as is the goal for every AHL player on an AHL deal - is to work his way toward securing an NHL contract.

"It's another mindset," Simoneau said of turning pro. "It was funny because the first team building they came with their kids. It's not junior [hockey] anymore. It's a big step in age - I'm 21 years old and you have some veterans 35 years old, so it's fun. It's another game, but it's another world - the professional [game]. I've always dreamed to be a pro so it's fun to come here."

For now, Houle likes where Simoneau's game is heading. It certainly has that sky is the limit feeling in terms of Simoneau reaching his full potential and pushing for an NHL contract.

"It's a grind to make it to the NHL," Houle said. "So, you know, he keeps working on his game - and he's just a rookie. He's having a pretty good start to the season."

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