LAVAL - Antoine Waked had a strong suspicion that the jump between the QMJHL - where he had dominated in his final year with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies - and the AHL would be a big one. And while his role may have changed as a result, his motivation and desire to improve have stayed the same.

The young homegrown forward signed a three-year contract with the Canadiens organization in the summer of 2017, and he's now making his way through his first year in the pros with the Laval Rocket.

"It's going well. I think I'm learning a lot in every practice, every game, with all the coaching staff," mentioned the 21-year-old. "With all the facilities we have at our disposal, it's easy to learn, and that's what I'm trying to do every day."

That doesn't mean that there wasn't an adjustment period for Waked, however.

"The adjustment for sure wasn't as easy as I thought it would be," he admitted. "The execution, the skating, the speed, it's a good notch up from Junior."

Those aren't the only factors that are different; there's also his role and his offensive contributions. In his last year in the QMJHL, Waked recorded 80 points (39G, 41A) in 67 games to finish 12th in league scoring. This season with the Rocket, his name isn't showing up on the scoresheet quite as much, as he has registered four points (2G, 2A) in 40 games. Is Waked having a hard time with the reduced offensive output?

"No, not at all. In my first year in Junior, I finished with five points, 31 in my second year," he replied. "I'm used to playing different roles, on the first or fourth line, so it's just about contributing to the success of the team every day."

Now that he's hit the big time, Waked has endeavored to improve all facets of his game - and sooner, rather than later. In the gym, he's working on strengthening both his upper and lower body on the daily. And on the ice, he's been fine-tuning all the little details asked of him by the coaching staff.

"I get a lot of feedback. After every game, I do some video with Nick [Carriere, assistant coach] and he's helped me improve my game a lot. It's about listening and then applying that in games," continued Waked. "Those little details, it's about having your stick on the ice on the forecheck, to really be a pest, like they say, to always work hard, to be the first on the puck, things like that. He wants me to do it at a very high level and that's what I'm trying to do."

Waked has also had the opportunity to be surrounded by older, more experienced players who have been guiding him through the highs and the lows of a first season in the pros.

"Pretty much all the players have [taken me under their wing]. I've been able to talk a bit more with Kyle Baun, who sits next to me in the locker room," affirmed Saint-Bruno native. "They're all really good people, we're lucky to have such a good team, there's a good team atmosphere. Everyone has helped make my entry to the pros easier."

The Canadiens have made several call-ups this season and the absence of key Rocket players like forwards Daniel Carr, Nicolas Deslauriers, and captain Byron Froese has opened the door to the young guns - and has also given them some hope that they, too, could one day be called up by the big club.

"Just to see the success of the guys who have gone up and for whom it's going super well - I'm thinking of Nicolas Deslauriers who won player of the month, that's an accomplishment, that's fun for him. And we see that and think to ourselves that we're capable of doing the same thing," he outlined. "We're all happy when our teammates get their chance to play with the Canadiens - it's a goal for every one of us to get called up."

For his part, Waked hopes to take the opportunity to show his worth and fill the void those players have left behind in Laval.

"I definitely want to prove that I'm important for the team, and I want to get as much ice time as possible to help the Rocket," mentioned Laval's No. 19. "I have to work hard."

In the short term, the former Huskies forward would like to increase his ice time and continue his upward trajectory, and in the long term, he hopes to firmly establish himself on the roster.

"I'd like to be in the top-6, top-9 consistently," he concluded.