The new tome in the Israel Mianscum story

For forward Israel Mianscum, the signing of his first professional contract was celebrated in his own style

By Justin Vézina

Israel Mianscum woke up knowing full well what kind of day awaited him. On Wednesday, he arrived at the arena, put on his equipment and prepared to take to the ice when his phone started ringing. Frantically.

And why was that? Because he had officially become a professional player. At 21, Mianscum has signed a two-season contract with the Laval Rocket, joining the Montreal Canadiens organization. The native of Mistissini, Quebec, thus fulfilled the dream of every Belle Province native: to be a member of the Tricolore.

“Playing in Montreal is special, especially for a guy from Quebec. Just with the fans and everything. It’s crazy to play in Montreal. So I’m very happy to have the chance to live this experience, especially in Laval. The fans there are crazy too. I couldn’t be more excited,” trumpeted Mianscum, who preferred the Rocket’s offer to others on the table.

But he didn’t stop his routine to celebrate. The man who collected 87 points, including 35 goals, in his final season in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League still completed his morning workout before answering the ton of messages that awaited him.

Naturally, his mother was the first person he informed of the good news, but he also wrote to his former Sherbrooke Phoenix teammate Joshua Roy, who played for the Rocket in the 2023-2024 season.

He spent the rest of the day answering calls from his inner circle.

“There were a few important people I had to answer to who were always there for me when I was young. That’s pretty much what I did with the day,” he noted. 

He also mentioned that a dinner with family and friends should be on the agenda in the coming days.

Now on to the AHL

To fill the rest of his summer, the 6’2” player’s mission will be simple. 

“I just want to be ready for training camp. I want to work extremely hard this summer because it’s going to be another level. So I’m going to work every day to make sure I’m ready for next season,” he explained.

And to secure a spot on the Rocket’s roster next year, Mianscum is counting on his versatility to fall into the good graces of the coaching staff.

“I think I can play all kinds of roles, said the Quebecer. I can score goals and I can be intense and work hard. I feel like I can adapt to any situation, so whatever role they want to give me, I’ll play it.”

One thing’s for sure: he’ll be ready for the start of the next campaign.