McNiven signs with Swamp Rabbits

GREENVILLE, S.C. - The Greenville Swamp Rabbits announced that the club has signed former Montreal Canadiens goaltender Michael McNiven to a contract ahead of the 2022-23 season. McNiven joins the Swamp Rabbits after spending the majority of the 2021-22 season in the American Hockey League with the Laval Rocket and the Belleville Senators. In 13 AHL games between the two clubs, the Winnipeg, Manotiba native posted a 4-4-2 record with a combined 3.83 goals-against average and an .874 save percentage. The 25-year-old made his NHL debut for Montreal on Jan. 24, 2022 in a loss to the Minnesota Wild. Over a five-season span as part of the Canadiens system, McNiven appeared 82 games for Laval. Between 2017-20, he made four stops in the ECHL with the Adirondack Thunder, Brampton Beast, Jacksonville Icemen and Norfolk Admirals, combining for 27 appearances with a 10-13-3 record and a .911 save percentage. Prior to turning professional, McNiven capped his junior career with a silverware-filled final season with the Ontario Hockey League's Owen Sound Attack. In his final season, he led the Attack with a 41-9-4 record and posted a .915 save percentage over that span. McNiven captured the OHL award for Most Shutouts (6), Best Goals-Against (2.30), and Goaltender of the Year. Along with his league awards, McNiven was tabbed the 2016-17 CHL Goaltender of the year as the top goaltender in all of Major Junior hockey.