Montréal Olympiens

**Montréal Olympiens**

S18-Present

Nico Großberg (A)

**Grimsby Reapers**

S15-S17

**Trois-Rivières Wendigo**

S18-Present

The **Montreal Olympiens** (*Les Olympiens de Montréal*) are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Great Lakes Division of the Eastern Conference of the Premier Hockey League (PHL).

Founded in Season 13 as the Windsor Wendigo, the Olympiens moved to Montreal before the start of Season 18 and set their sole focus on becoming "the" team in Quebec.

## Team History

#### Windsor Wendigo (S13-S17)

After much work creating the brand and putting together a roster through the expansion draft and S13 PHL Draft - the Windsor Wendigo made their debut into league. Windsor, a team of older veteran tweeners, struggled out of the gate but not nearly on the level that most were expecting. Through the first quarter of the season the veterans on the Wendigo helped keep the team in the playoff race. But Overholt, understanding that the veterans playing well on his team would bring up their value, began moving his top performers for future assets - a move geared completely on growing the future of the team.

Season 14 brought different challenges for the Wendigo. The team grabbed two of the most talented players in the S14 draft in Igor Pychakov and Dominic Bellefeulliette but decided to keep the youngsters in the minors for another year. Development of the young players continued on track in Trois-Rivières Wendigo, then the Grimsby Reapers, and rookie Pychakov and second year winger Tino Moosman went on to have one of the most dynamic duos in the history of the PMHL - leading the Reapers to a Max Hartford cup and the first championship success for the Wendigo/Reapers franchise. Despite the tremendous achievements for the PMHL Reapers, the PHL Wendigos experience what could only be described as the most difficult season a team has faced in the league. Finishing the season with only 6 wins and having two players set the league record for worst plus/minus in the history of the league. When approached about the situation, Overholt was quick to dodge questions about purposeful tanking but information from within the team all pointed to this being the case, as that season one of the greatest young talents in league history was poised to hit the draft in Niclas Sjödin.

The Wendigo went on to draft Lauri Kotakiniemi with the 2nd overall pick in the S15 draft. A player who has since went on to become the unquestioned leader of the Olympiens. With Kotakiniemi started on the first line for the Wendigo, and young players Moosman and Pychakov ready to make their move to the PHL. The Wendigo took their first big step. Winning 26 games on the season and finishing with over 50 points. While they were well out of the playoff picture, the Wendigo saw their first glimmer of possible future success in the play of their young players. Lauri Kotakiniemi came blazing out of the gates. Scoring 78 points in his first ever PHL season - leading the team in both assists and points. The dynamic duo of Pychakov and Moosman finished the season with 69 points each and nearly identical numbers.

High on their upward trajectory. The Wendigo selected Caeden Touissant with the 2nd overall pick in the S16 draft. Selecting Touissant was heralded as a steal - as he was considered by many the best player in the draft and a player to build your defensive group around. The Wendigo sacrificed their first round selection in the S17 draft to return to the first round in S16 and selected Danish Forward Frans Kooikerjöös with the 13th overall selection. The move was heralded as risky by much of the PHL community, a move very much in the spirit of Owner/GM Adrian Overholt, and many believed that Kooikerjöös would not live up to his draft spot. Windsor, as a team, continued their rise in the league. Having spent three seasons at this point in the basement of the Eastern Conference, the Wendigo took their first big stride into the league. Finishing the season with a 34-35-4 record and a 71 points, the Windsor squad had moved up to 6th place in the very competitive Eastern Conference.

Season 17 began with a bit different feel than the prior seasons. Windsor had their first ever draft without a 1st round selection. Though they moved many of their Season 18 picks for chances to select some players, specifically Luca Mueller and future backup Bronson Koehler. With solid management of assets and savvy drafting, the Wendigo were able to leave a draft in which they were thought to not have much chance at improving their rosters, with the most talented goaltender in the entire draft in Koehler. The S17 season was a disappointment following the improvement and team success of S16. The roster of the Wendigo finally looked competitive as pieces were beginning to fall into place. But the lack of chemistry between players became evident and the Wendigo faltered. Finishing the season with a 31-34-7 record. A full two points behind their Season 16 totals. While this was a step back for the Wendigo, Overholt came out maintaining his optimism for the future of the franchise. During the season underperforming defender Dominic Bellefeulliette was moved to the San Jose Sea Monsters for a younger defender with similar upside in Kikko Toivonnen. The trade returned a first round pick to Windsor, along with an upgraded player in Wyatt Sellers.

#### Montréal Olympiens (S18-Present)

S18 began with as a bit of a whirlwind. Increased involvement of Adrian's better half, Lara Heilig-Overholt, resulted in some new changes with the team. Specifically the move to Montreal, which had been on the mind of Adrian for the past few seasons but was pushed to happen by the support of his wife. Along with the rebranding and relocation of an entire franchise, the newly branded Olympiens took to the trade wire. Moving one of their S19 first round selections and newly signed Premier Euro Hockey League player Riku Vähälä for a young superstar playmaker in Saku Väisänen. Soon after that Overholt found a way to move from 5th overall to 2nd overall, while adding a 3rd round selection and only losing $10,000,000. A selection which became future franchise defender Aputsiaq Filemonsen.