The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Max Fortier to a three-year, entry level contract.
Fortier, who captains the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), was passed over twice in previous NHL Drafts but has garnered interest from NHL teams as he continues to score.
An overager in the QMJHL, Fortier is third in the league with 27 points in 18 games. He led his club in scoring a season ago, posting 87 points in 68 games. After his three-point effort on Friday night (a win against Vitaly Abramov's Gatineau Olympiques), Fortier sits just 81 points away from Brandon Benedict’s all-time franchise record of 303 career points.
Let’s hear from Captain Fortier about that contract with Columbus. :heart: pic.twitter.com/ozcuVRRyiB
— Halifax Mooseheads (@HFXMooseheads) November 4, 2017
The club also offered this assessment of the 19-year old's future:
The speedy Captain will stay with the Mooseheads for the rest of this season and is likely to begin his pro career in the American Hockey League with the Cleveland Monsters under Head Coach and former New Jersey Devils forward John Madden next fall.
Per the Mooseheads' official release, Fortier had twice been invited to Montreal Canadiens development camps, but was never offered a contract. The Blue Jackets had yet to confirm the signing as of late Friday night, but an announcement should be forthcoming.
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