Another name has been added to the New York Rangers for next season as Alex Belzile has joined the organization on a two-year deal. The 31-year-old winger has played 44 career NHL games, all of which were with the Montreal Canadiens. It’s not a signing that will make a lot of headlines. He’ll likely be nothing more than a depth addition, but the Wolf Pack lost a few depth players this summer, so it’s not a bad addition.
Belzile is a guy that can fill in for the bottom six if there are injuries and he can just make sure things don’t fall apart while he’s on the ice. He’s not the kind of player that you would like to throw out when the team needs a goal in the final few minutes of a game, but depth has never hurt anyone and this is certainly that. He can kill penalties if called upon and at his age, he’s shown he’s an utter professional.
Belzile has spent most of his career bouncing between the ECHL and AHL looking for a home but found himself getting a chance with the rebuilding Montreal Canadiens in recent years. While the production hasn’t been there, he’s shown that he can do a job in the NHL without compromising the defensive stability of a line. Yes, there may have been other guys that could do the same thing, but that doesn’t mean this is a bad deal.
At 6’0, 195 lbs, he’s a big body that will hit and can play with the puck too. He’s worked hard during his career to get where he is. If he shows that same work ethic with the Rangers in a new system with a new coach, he’ll be loved by fans in Hartford and of the iconic Blueshirts. He’s another player in the mold of Jimmy Vesey.