Despite averaging over a point per game in the WHL, getting invited to Team Canada's summer selection camp for the World Junior's playing for team WHL in the CHL-Russia Series, and posting a career-high in points, Estevan native Cole Fonstad's 2019-20 season wasn't enough to get him a contract offer from the Montreal Canadiens. 

The NHL franchise that drafted Fonstad in the fifth round, 128th overall, in the 2018 entry draft had until 5:00 PM eastern time today to sign him. Speculation abounded in the last few weeks they would not do so, and today they made it official as the deadline passed with no entry-level contract between the two sides. 

Fonstad, 20, still has a year of junior eligibility left as a 2000-born player. He is now a free agent and car re-enter the NHL draft, which does not yet have a set date for 2020 due to COVID-19. 

The former Estevan AA Bruin posted 220 points in 199 games in the WHL the past three seasons, and won a championship in 2019 with the Prince Albert Raiders. He also played in a Memorial Cup for the Raiders, posting three points in three games. 

It was after a trade from the Raiders this season, however, that Fonstad really took off. After being shipped to the Everett Silvertips, Fonstad put up an impressive 65 points in 51 games. This brought him to 74 total points, a new career-high, despite playing 60 games, the fewest he had ever played in a WHL season. 

"Once I got to Everett I think my game just kind of kept moving forward," said Fonstad of the trade. "I made lots of strides this year. Not only on the offensive side of the puck obviously, I think that's always been part of my game, but just defensively, winning my one-on-one battles more, little things that go a long way in a coach's eyes or scouts' eyes. I thought it was a pretty good year for me and I've just got to keep building."

Fonstad was the first Estevan-born player to be selected in the NHL entry draft since Joel Stepp and Dustin Johnner in 2001.