If there’s one thing abundantly clear in the AHL, it’s having the right veterans in place makes a world of difference. The same can be said for the NHL, but in the AHL, attitudes can make or break a team, regardless of the talent in the lineup.

It’s one of those intangible differences that’s easily dismissed, overlooked, or even over-analyzed, but in 2019-20, the Laval Rocket locker room was the perfect case study for establishing the difference between good leaders and hired guns.

Which explains why the Canadiens decided to re-sign one of their key veterans on Friday afternoon.

And make no mistake, Alex Belzile isn’t just a key veteran from an AHL standpoint, he’s also a key veteran in the organization, full stop.

Even though his season ended in early December, Belzile was offered a one-year, two-way contract. At $700,000, his NHL salary remains the same as the previous contract, but he received a pay raise when playing in the AHL, going from $175,000 per season up to $225,000, guaranteeing him a healthy paycheque relative to most minor-league salaries.

Simply put, Belzile represents the type of veteran the Canadiens, and Rocket head coach Joël Bouchard, in particular, want to see surrounding the prospects that will continue to arrive in Laval by the truckload as the organization continues to stockpile draft picks.

While certain veterans provided a significant drag on the Rocket’s forward momentum this season, others insulated the young forwards when necessary, but also acquiesced to the realities of a developmental league, which dictate that certain prospects will receive more ice time, regardless of whether they earn it.

Belzile was definitely part of the latter group; leading the charge at times, but also taking a backseat and providing off-ice guidance to others. He kept an eye on the NHL, all the while conscientious that his primary role was acting like a lieutenant for his coach in Laval.

“That’s just how hockey works,” said Belzile. “It’s a business, and I think we’re all adults here, so I’m not going to complain if someone gets called up before I do, even if I am scoring more. I’m happy for them when that happens. I just want to help them be consistent, even when things aren’t going to so well in the offensive zone, we can work on defensive play. It’s all part of the job.”

We often hear that type of dialogue emerging from hockey locker rooms, but Belzile didn’t just talk about it — he served as an example.

“We have a lot of guys that are very young,” said Bouchard on Dec.4, “Getting players like Alex (Belzile) and Xavier (Ouellet) back is key.”

Belzile scored on Dec.4, which marked his return to play following an injury in late November, but it would be the last time he donned the Rocket jersey that season, after a Nathan Gerbe bodycheck knocked him out of the game, and consequently the season, after undergoing pectoral surgery.

“That’s one of the things with the AHL that people don’t understand,” said Bouchard that same day. “They have no idea about the factors involved in coaching at this level. They just see the scores and judge it positively or negatively. But when you lose key players like Alex, things become a lot more difficult.”

The Rocket would go on to lose six of their next eight games, which only highlighted Belzile’s importance on the ice, an aspect of his game that should not be overlooked. Since joining the Rocket, Belzile has scored 26 goals and 42 assists in 94 games, leading them in scoring his inaugural season with the club, which also led to an invitation to the 2018-19 All-Star Game. Not to mention, if Belzile hadn’t mirrored the Canadiens’ organization-wide bad luck in the injury department, there are good odds Belzile would have made his NHL debut this season, which would have been quite a moment for a player that was once made a healthy scratch in the ECHL.

But regardless of his misfortunes this year, there’s very little downside to keeping a player like Belzile in your ranks, and more than enough upside to justify a contract extension. Ideally, you can find a player that combines both leadership and excellent on-ice results.

If the path to NHL relevancy runs through the AHL, and for the Canadiens it almost assuredly does, players like Belzile will go a long way in not only teaching prospects how to score like a pro, but how to behave like a pro.

That’s why the Canadiens wasted no time re-signing one of their most valuable veterans. His impact goes well beyond what you see on the ice.

(Top photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)