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It’s not a shock that Karl Alzner had a big smile on his face when he met with the media Wednesday morning in Laval.

Alzner obviously wasn’t happy the Canadiens demoted him to the AHL’s Laval Rocket after he cleared NHL waivers on Tuesday, but the veteran defenceman is one of those people who always looks at the bright side of life. He’s also one of the nicest guys you will ever meet.

“I’m always in a good mood,” Alzner told reporters at Place Bell ahead of Wednesday night’s game against the Belleville Senators. “It doesn’t matter what’s going on. You’re almost always going to get a smile out of me.”

Alzner will still be earning his US$6-million salary this season with the Rocket, which makes it easier to smile as the highest-paid player in the AHL. But this is about more than just money for the 30-year-old defenceman, who hopes to get back to the NHL with the Canadiens or another team. He is in the second year of a five-year, US$23.125-million contract.