The signings include 31-year-old Maniwaki-native Neil Chabot, an offensive-minded puck-handling maestro with a keen hockey sense and a heavy shot, along with 23-year-old Graeme Gemmill, a well-reputed net-minder from Kingston, Ont.

Comets owner and starting goaltender Danick Boisvert said that, with the deadline taking place on Jan. 2, it was imperative for teams to have 31 contracts signed, noting that they won’t be able to call up one-game spares going forward.

Already with experience in the league, playing for the Maniwaki Forestiers and the Mont-Laurier Montagnards last season, Boisvert said he expects Chabot to be a key contributor to the Comets lineup for the remainder of the campaign.

Gemmill, who currently plays in the Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League with the Desoronto Bulldogs, will serve as a replacement for Justin Bois as the team’s back-up goalie, Boisvert said.

Gemmill also has experience in the OSAAHL, splitting games between the Cumberland Senior Bandits and the Vaudreuil-Dorion Titans last year.

Boisvert said that he expects both players to be on the team’s roster come playoff time.

But with only six games left to play in the 2019-20 regular season, he explained that it’s imperative for them to play in at least five of those to be eligible to play in the post-season.

“Neil hasn’t played any games yet and he absolutely needs to play five games,” he said. “We have six games left so, it’s become a little bit complicated.”

For Boisvert, the most important aspect in selecting Chabot and Gemmill was filling the team’s most urgent need – a back-up goaltender – and to bring a little more offensive fire power to an already well-oiled machine.

“We wanted to ensure to get players who could complete our team,” he said.

Now with 31 players on contract, Boisvert is confident that the Comets will benefit from having a full lineup of trustworthy players for every game going forward.

“Often for games we arrive with a couple of guys missing from the lineup,” he said. “So, with 31 guys available, it gives us a full lineup every game.”

Gemmill tends the pipes for the Desoronto Bulls in the Eastern Ontario Senior Hockey League earlier this year.

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