The Montreal Canadiens organization has made a quiet but intriguing move that could turn heads across the fan base. The Trois-Rivières Lions, the club’s ECHL affiliate, have signed Quebec-born forward Félix Paré for the 2026-27 season, bringing a physical, hard-nosed player back to North American ice after three years overseas.
The announcement was confirmed Wednesday by the Lions. At 26 years old and standing 6-foot-2, 214 pounds, Paré is a right-handed right winger known more for grit and physicality than pure skill. After honing his game in Great Britain’s Elite Ice Hockey League, he is now returning home—and the timing and fit could make this signing more impactful than it first appears.
Paré spent the past three seasons in the EIHL. He played 2023-24 with the Nottingham Panthers before moving to the Glasgow Clan in Scotland for the following two campaigns. Across 116 EIHL games he recorded 14 goals and 19 assists for 33 points, while accumulating 130 penalty minutes. The numbers reflect a player who battles in the corners, finishes checks, and is willing to drop the gloves when needed.
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Before crossing the Atlantic, Paré already had significant professional experience in the ECHL with the Wheeling Nailers. In just over two seasons he posted 35 points in 120 games and piled up 156 penalty minutes, further underscoring the physical edge he brings. That combination of size, experience, and willingness to play a heavy game is exactly what the Lions appear to be seeking as they build their roster around a competitive core that already includes Anthony Beauregard, Mathias Laferrière, and Sean Gulka.
Hockey is very much a family affair for the Parés. Félix is the younger brother of Cédric Paré, who is currently playing for the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League. Félix’s own junior career was spent entirely in Quebec and the Maritimes, where he recorded 64 points in 213 games over five seasons with the Victoriaville Tigres and Cape Breton Eagles.
For a native of Lévis—just like current Lions teammate Mathieu Bizier—the chance to play close to home carries extra weight. Paré did not hide his enthusiasm upon signing.
“I’m very excited to join the Lions. It’s an organization with a winning culture, and being able to play close to home makes this opportunity even more special,” he said.
On paper, this is not a flashy, high-scoring acquisition. Yet the Canadiens’ development pathway has long valued players who can contribute energy, physical presence, and depth. Paré arrives with proven professional mileage on both sides of the Atlantic, a frame that can wear down opponents, and the motivation of returning to familiar surroundings. In a league where secondary scoring and toughness often decide tight playoff series, a 6-foot-2 forward who can chip in points while making life difficult for opposing skill players is rarely a bad investment.
Whether Paré becomes a regular contributor or a depth piece who pushes the roster from below, the Lions have added size, grit, and local flavor in one move. For Canadiens fans who follow the organization’s full pipeline, this quiet overseas retrieval of a physical Quebec forward is the kind of low-profile signing that can quietly strengthen the foundation—and occasionally surprise everyone when the games begin to matter.