Sometimes in hockey, a rash of sudden injuries can turn out to be an odd blessing in disguise. That situation can force players into the spotlight who maybe weren’t getting good looks before. It could also bring forward an unexpected diamond in the rough, a player that is signed short-term but seems to fit in with the team’s long-term goals.
This looks to be the case for forward Olivier Archambault and the Syracuse Crunch.
The Crunch signed Archambault to a professional tryout contract (PTO) on January 23rd. At the time, he had 52 AHL games under his belt, cobbled together over the course of 4 seasons.