After getting drafted in the fifth round, Montreal Canadiens prospective goaltender Mikus Vecvanags refused to report to the team, leaving the QMJHL for the BCHL.

Mikus Vecvanags is an 18-year-old goaltender from Latvia who seemed hopeful for a professional career on the ice. After a few years of playing in junior leagues in his home country and Sweden, he looked like he might finally get a chance for some upward motion.

In the 2024 NHL Draft, Mikus Vecvanags was drafted from HS Riga by the Montreal Canadiens with their 5th-round and the 134th overall pick.

However, this young goaltender decided to make a bold career move ahead of his start in the QMJHL. Accounts suggest that Mikus Vecvanags refused to report to the Titan Acadie-Bathurst. Thus, he was left off their latest team roster, leading to assumptions that he may have turned his back on more than just the Montreal Canadiens.

Mikus Vecvanags has not decided to quit the sport, however. Instead of playing in the QMJHL, he will goaltend for the Brooks Bandits in the BCHL in the upcoming season instead of the Blainville-Boisbriand as first expected. At 6’3″ in a lower league, he may outshine much of the rest of the competition. Yet, his unavailability to the Montreal Canadiens could prove problematic for his NHL future. Hopefully, this will not create too mich of a hindrance for all parties involved.