";s:4:"text";s:5190:"This is not ideal from anyone’s perspective but their goaltending depth made it a reality. Not quite a black tie and champagne event, but given the recent string of events in McNiven’s professional hockey career, it was an unceremonious, yet fitting way to ring in the new year.That opportunity probably won’t come in Laval, even though McNiven posted a .902 save percentage in 30 games for the defensively suspect Rocket last year. He wasn’t even dressing. At least as happy as anyone in his situation can be.It’s an admirable position to take for a goaltender who hasn’t been shown much love from the organization that signed him in 2015, though at this point it’s also the best way for him to get noticed, or at the very least not be forgotten.Where his future will take him is unclear, and he’s yet to ask for a trade, but one thing is certain: If McNiven’s incredibly frustrating season wasn’t enough to diminish his love for the game, nothing will.But since then, things have gone south, literally and figuratively.“On that team, maybe three guys worked out on the whole team,” said McNiven. Right now McNiven is best described as a raw talent, but has a keen hockey sense that the scouts love. “He didn’t crack when the score was 4-4,” Bouchard said. This website uses cookies to ensure we provide you the best user experience and deliver content specific to you. I came in with a lot better attitude this year. Price is still signed and pretty much everyone expects a veteran backup to be added. Whether it was a communication breakdown, or an attempt to shield McNiven from the press, is unclear, but McNiven was left to work out in a garage for almost an entire week without hearing from the Rocket.And though the situation in Adirondack was understandable, it only added to the frustration for the Canadiens prospect, given that his save percentage was leaps and bounds better than his counterparts, who have a combined .891.After an incredibly frustrating 2019, in which he was reassigned to two ECHL teams, things seemed to be finally ending on the right note.“They understand the situation, that it’s not really fair to me, what they’re putting me through,” the 22-year-old said. She was at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport when McNiven received the call that he was heading to Laval.They ended up celebrating New Year’s Eve at the Montreal–Trudeau International Airport baggage claim. It was nice to play in front of the Montreal fans too.”“It felt good again to be on the ice and it was a little nerve wracking. And if one does happen to appear, it’s likely a temporary solution that will sour once another goaltender is added to the mix. “I’m dealing with it better than I thought I would be.
With the addition of Cayden Primeau as well as Keith Kinkaid’s demotion, there’s a logjam in net, just as there has been for the last three years, when McNiven had to compete with Charlie Lindgren and Zachary Fucale for starts.“It’s really frustrating,” he said.