With the major junior hockey season starting to wind down, it’s that time of year where teams start signing undrafted free agents who are wrapping up their final years. The Lightning have long used this period to supplement their prospect ranks (see Barré-Boulet, Alex and MacArthur, Bennett). This year is no different as they signed forward Milo Roelens, a 21-year-old who played with Acadie-Bathurst this season.
Through 56 games, the 6’6″ (!) Roelens has 62 points (25 goals and 37 assists) for the Titan. Acadie-Bathurst is actually the third QMJHL team he’s played for in his career as he started with Gatineau before being traded to Sherbrooke for Xavier Labbe, a second-round pick, and a sixth-round pick. It was in Sherbrooke that he likely caught the eye of Lightning scouts as he played on the same team as Ethan Gauthier, a player they drafted last summer.
In his age-20 season, Roelens put up a respectable 22 goals and 37 assists in 59 games. That earned him a trade to Acadie-Bathurst for a fourth-round pick. Despite his impressive size, he was passed over in three drafts, likely due to concerns on how his skating would play at the professional level. Some reports on him credit the Belgium-native with a high hockey IQ and a willingness to be coached.
The Athletic’s Allen Mitchell had him as a player that could be signed by a team (his hope was the Oilers) this spring. Mitchell describes him thusly,
“Milo Roelens of the QMJHL Acadie-Bathurst Titan is 6-foot-6, 207 pounds and has skill. He is great in the faceoff circle, kills penalties and has some nasty in his game. If the Oilers are moving in a direction of being more physical and difficult to play against (Max Wanner and Jayden Grubbe are AHL rookies this season and fit the description) then Roelens would be a good fit for Edmonton.”
Roelens was in the Colorado Avalanche’s rookie showcase this past fall and garnered some attention with some strong two-way play:
“The gigantic forward, who’s listed at 6’6″, had a heck of a game at both ends of the ice. He was used in all situations, and assisted on at least two goals, including a nice cross-ice pass for Jeremy Hanzel’s game winner.”
The big question for Roelens will be if he can get his skating up to where it needs to be at the professional level. Still, it sounds like he has all of the other tangibles to make it as a pro. It’ll be interesting to watch how he develops in Syracuse (where he is likely to pick up some pointers from fellow tall guy, Jack Finley). The three-year entry-level contract for Roelens will kick in next season, but it wouldn’t be a surprise to see the big guy sign an ATO contract with the Syracuse Crunch once his junior season is over.
