City Laval, Quebec Conference Eastern Founded 1969 Arena Place Bell General manager Marc Bergevin | League American Hockey League Division North Operated 2017– Location Laval, Canada | |
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The Laval Rocket (French: Rocket de Laval) is an upcoming professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL) announced to begin play for the 2017–18 season as the top minor league affiliate of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Montreal Canadiens. Based in Laval, Quebec, the Rocket will play their home games at Place Bell.
Currently, the franchise is located in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador as the St. John's IceCaps.
History
On July 11, 2016, the AHL and the Montreal Canadiens announced that they would be moving their affiliate to the Montreal suburb of Laval for the 2017–18 season. A name-the-team contest was held from July 11 until August 31, with Patriots, Rapids and Rocket as the final three. On September 8, the winning Laval Rocket name was announced, a tribute to Canadiens' legend Maurice "Rocket" Richard which got a 51% majority of the fan votes. The Rocket will actually be the second hockey team in Greater Montreal to use that nickname, after the QMJHL's Montreal Rocket (1999–2003, currently playing as the Charlottetown Islanders).
