77 Josh Conrad

Josh Conrad grew up with a knack for finding the back of the net, a skill that carried him through youth hockey and into junior B, where he led his league in goals for back-to-back seasons. His team traveled across Quebec and the Northeast, where Conrad tested himself against future draft picks and came away with a reputation as a pure scorer.

He’s famous for his lightning-quick release — the kind of shot that sneaks past goalies before they’ve even dropped into their stance. Teammates joke that if you give him a puck in the slot, you might as well start the goal horn early. In the garage at home, neighbors still hear the thunk-thunk of pucks against the net long after dark, Conrad chasing the perfect wrister.

On the ice, his defensive play is sometimes questioned — he’s been known to float in his own zone — but the moment the play turns up ice, he comes alive. For Josh Conrad, hockey has always been about offense, and whether it’s a clean one-timer or a dramatic, last-second snipe, he has a way of making the crowd rise to their feet.