Montreal Canadiens are No. 10 in 2024 NHL prospect pool rankings

Welcome to Scott Wheeler’s 2024 rankings of every NHL organization’s prospects. You can find the complete ranking and more information on the criteria here, as we count down daily from No. 32 to No. 1. The series, which includes in-depth evaluations and insight from sources on nearly 500 prospects, runs from Jan. 30 to Feb. 29.

The Canadiens, after making more than their allotted seven picks in each of the last six drafts, have built a pool that has more quantity than any other team in the league. They’ve got legitimate quality coming on defence as well, a star goalie prospect, and good overall depth at forward. The lack of a star prospect up front is the difference between them having one of the very best pools in the league.

2023 prospect pool rank: No. 11 (change: +1)

1. Lane Hutson, LHD, 19 (Boston University)

I was bullish when I ranked him 19th on my draft board. And I’m as bullish now — after his tremendous freshman and (ongoing) sophomore years at BU, his strong tournament offensively against pro competition at men’s worlds (there were a couple of mishaps defensively), and after he’s added a couple of inches (now listed at 5-foot-10) — as I was then. I wrote that “I’d stake my reputation on him becoming one-of-one and climbing up re-drafts” before the draft and I stand by that.

There aren’t many (any?) players who play like Hutson in hockey. I’m often asked just how high he would have gone if he were 6-foot-2 or 6-foot-3 and the reality is that he wouldn’t be able to do a lot of what makes him so interesting if he were. He’s a unique player who uses a light (though not powerful) stride to create entries and exits, weave past coverage, escape pressure and find or create seams.

He sees the ice as well as any young defenceman in the sport, regularly identifying plays to make for the puck and paths to carry it into a step ahead of the opposition. He reads opposing forwards as well as any young defenceman in the sport, anticipating their movements and then exposing them. He’s got an uncanny knack for executing east-to-west plays, whether that’s feathering high, leading saucer passes with perfect weight across ice or flinging a hard pass to a streaking teammate’s tape.

He makes a ton of plays under pressure when other players would panic (though sometimes he could actually use some hurry-up to his game because he can occasionally turn it over in tough spots). Though his shot lacks power, he acts as a fourth forward with his ability to slide off the line and create. He’s got shakes and shimmies to spare, routinely making opposing defenders miss one-on-one in all three zones. He’s one of the most clever players in the sport.

And I actually have time for the way he defends. He gets back to loose pucks so that he doesn’t have to rely on engaging in battles all the time and even when he does, his positioning, timing, competitiveness and active stick help him disrupt opposing carriers and break up plays. There are some limitations on box-outs and his one-on-one play, his pivots aren’t always clean, and he’s prone to the odd miscue inside the defensive zone, but his proficiencies more than make up for that and he has played massive minutes at the college and international levels to excellent results.

Above all else, he’s the kind of player where when you think you’ve put him in a difficult spot or you’ve got him cornered, he’ll show you he isn’t with a spin (or a spin into a spin!), a fake (with his eyes, or head, or shoulders, or hands, or feet, or each) or his sublime vision through layers. He just looks right past what’s in front of him. I expect him to become a dominant offensive defenceman and PP1 QB who can hold his own defensively in the NHL as he gets a little stronger (you don’t want him to get too heavy and lose some of that lightness though!). The expectation is that he’s going to turn pro and join Montreal this season as well, so something to look forward to for Habs fans.

2. David Reinbacher, RHD, 19 (HC Kloten)

We sometimes see draft-eligible D play their full draft year in a professional league. We seldom see them play big minutes in a good league, though — even when they’re on the older side, like Reinbacher was in his with his October birthday. But that’s what the Austrian did in Switzerland’s top flight last season, where he played over 20 minutes more often than he played under it. He drove results at both ends in those minutes, too, with a positive goal differential on an under-.500 team that was outscored pretty significantly. He hasn’t taken a pronounced step forward this season, at least not for a No. 5 pick, but part of that can also be attributed to his team which has been, to put it lightly, a mess.

Reinbacher’s got pro size, desired handedness and a really strong foundation of tools that all but guarantee he’ll become a good NHLer. He’s a solid forward and backward skater (though he can look a little stilted at times) who gaps well and defends the rush effectively with a noticeably long stick. He looks to take instead of give in the neutral zone, regularly stepping up to try to bump puck carriers off possession and force dumps (though there are times when that style can leave him chasing if his timing’s off or he’s flat-footed). He’s strong. His head is always up and on a swivel and he does a good job pre-surveying the ice when he’s going back to get pucks through frequent shoulder checks. He’s got some poise and processing under pressure, even if his play with the puck on his stick isn’t dynamic per se.

I’m not in love with his upside and have real reservations about whether his game has what it takes to live up to his draft slot (it just lacks a little juice, if I’m being honest), but he should become a good No. 3-4 guy. He’s a solid, projectable two-way defenceman.

3. Jacob Fowler, G, 19 (Boston College)

Fowler has established himself as one of the top goalie prospects in the sport with his play over the last three seasons. That started when he was named to the USHL’s All-Rookie Second Team two years ago and its First All-Star Team last year after leading the league in both save percentage and goals-against average. It has been stamped this year with a stellar freshman year at BC that has seen him play virtually every minute behind arguably the best team in the country (and while the team in front of him helps, their strength is most pronounced at forward and he has stolen some games). (I should note that I’ve seen him look just OK with Team USA both in Gothenburg at the world juniors and Plymouth at the World Junior Summer Showcase, but he was also excellent at the World Jr. A Challenge.)

He’s the kind of goalie who if he can see a shot and move to it, he’s going to stop it.

He’s got work to do on some other things (conditioning/fitness, less business on scrambles, losing his posts at times) but he worked hard to cut some weight last summer, seems committed to staying in better shape, and has so many clear tools, highlighted by good hands, an ability to take space away through square angles and sound positioning, great tracking/reads, legitimate power/movement and a knack for making huge pad saves/stopping high-danger chances. He’s got a legitimate shot not just to be an NHL goaltender but to be a very good one, and there aren’t many goalies his age (or even a little older) I’m comfortable saying that about.

4. Joshua Roy, RW/LW, 20 (Laval Rocket)

I must admit that it has been nice to watch Roy, who ranked 34th on my board when the Canadiens drafted him 150th, make the kind of statement that he has these last three seasons. You can count on one hand the number of 2021 picks who’ve had comparable progressions relative to where they were drafted.

He doesn’t necessarily play the evasive, slick style that so many top prospects play these days, but there’s real substance to his game, which I believe has several translatable qualities — which have been reinforced by his play as a rookie in the AHL this season. He’s got exemplary puck-protection skill. He does an excellent job leaning on defenders and controlling the puck in the middle of the ice to get to his spot and create chances. And then when he doesn’t have it, his timing and routes help him get open or pounce on rebounds to remain opportunistic. He’s hard on pucks, he’s got great hands in tight (I’ve seen him show real one-on-one skill in the last two seasons) and around the net, and he scores a lot of weak-side goals. He seems to elevate his linemates now (which wasn’t always the case).

After working hard on his fitness, he has taken steps as a skater and competitor who appears more committed to playing a complete game (even showing some penalty-killing proficiency). He has also developed more of a highlight-reel, takeover quality to his game, flashing the skill that made him a No. 1 pick into the QMJHL more consistently. I like him with the puck, where he can hold onto it and make plays, and I like him more and more without, where he is now finishing all of his checks and involving himself in the forecheck more consistently. His shot has looked heavy and accurate in the last couple of years.

Roy has this way of moulding himself to his linemates and finding success because of his ability to read and anticipate, and because he no longer needs a ton of puck touches (his game has matured a lot that way). He has also proven himself a big-game player and has worked to become a more competitive, defensively responsible (support positions, shot-blocking, all of it), guts-of-the-ice player who tracks back and then plays an increasingly confident and aggressive style back the other way.

The continued rounding-out of Roy’s game really is unmistakable. The little things — things that were once criticisms of his game for some — have started to become strengths. The reads and positioning on and off the puck. The engagement level. The smart little choices he makes with the puck.

Though he played centre growing up, his re-emergence has taken place at the wing and I expect him to develop into a good top-nine winger in the NHL.

5. Logan Mailloux, RHD, 20 (Laval Rocket)

Mailloux’s game still has work to do but has made some important progress at the AHL level this year for what has been a strong rookie season all told.

He’s a heavy but athletic 6-foot-3, 220-pound right-shot defenceman who is physically advanced for his age and showcases that strength through a strong forward skating stride, a hard and heavy shot, and a presence over pucks and in board battles. He’s a confident puck carrier in transition and is eager to take space off the line to look to make a play. His game does have some notable deficiencies, including decision-making and reads that can let him down. That shows up with the puck in distribution and/or on carries in dangerous spots on the ice (he often makes the first play he sees). It shows up without the puck in choices on when and how to close gaps. He can also struggle with his defensive-zone positioning. He has some sloppy stickwork in man-to-man coverage that can require him to overcompensate by trying to make a hard play on the puck (which can result in some mistakes). And while each of those things has made some progress this year, they’re likely going to come with some growing pains at NHL pace/speed and may never be as buttoned up as you’d like. The physical tools and talent are going to carry him. His game has potential and clear NHL attributes, with a second-pairing ceiling and that will come with the odd (and often costly) decision-making headache on the ice.

6. Justin Barron, RHD, 22 (Laval Rocket/Montreal Canadiens) 

Between Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Jayden Struble, Arber Xhekaj and Barron, the Canadiens already have a crowded group of young defencemen, with more on the way to further complicate things. It’s worth noting that I debated swapping Barron and Struble here, which speaks to how close I think their projections are (while being so very different as actual players in makeup/style) but do still have a slight preference to Barron.

When I’ve watched him in Laval, dating back to the fall of 2022, I’ve seen a player who looks like he’s got what it takes to be a solid two-way No. 4-5 defenceman and a floor as a respectable No. 6-7 defenceman. And though he has looked more like the latter at times in the NHL of late, I still think he’s going to stick and establish himself as one of their six moving forward. He’s a decently strong skater and player who advances play up ice, has driven results at lower levels, and rarely gets beat one-on-one. He can get over his toe caps a little too much when he moves from an upright stance to a chase but he’s otherwise an impressive skater who plays a mature game defensively and a smart, heads-up style offensively with equal ability as an outlet passer and carrier. He’s probably not going to be a PP guy at the NHL level (maybe the third or fourth guy who fills in on PP2 when there’s an injury or two) but he can make the odd play off the line and contribute at both ends, and he’s got most of the other tools/size/smarts you look for, even if he doesn’t have a high-end quality in one particular tool.

7. Owen Beck, C, 20 (Saginaw Spirit)

Beck is a strong, athletic kid who has endeared himself to scouts for his middle-lane, driven, pro-style game and plus-level speed. He’s a noticeable shift-to-shift player who excels at getting to the inside, pushing tempo and winning battles. And there is some skill to his game (he’s got good hands and enough talent to make things happen when he’s around the puck all the time) even if it fits within more of a hurry-up style than a slow-the-game-down-and-problem-solve style. He keeps his feet moving, he works north-south to apply pressure and get back, and he’s a good transition player on entries and give-and-gos. He’s a tone-setter physically and in work ethic, and supports play really well. He can drive downhill and play to the interior when it’s available. There are times when his execution concerns me in terms of his ability to make more than simple plays at the NHL level but the rest helps to compensate. He can play in all situations with a variety of linemate types and projects as a bottom-six centre who can play up and down a lineup in a pinch. His statistical profile is cause for some concern/pause but it has been nice to see the points start to fall some more in Saginaw because it would be great if he could be a leader for them offensively into the Memorial Cup (which he played in with the Petes last year and has as unfinished business).

8. Jayden Struble, LHD, 22 (Laval Rocket)

Struble was always a better player and prospect than his counting stats suggested when you considered the full picture of his presence on the ice and the role injuries (to his ankle, groin, knee, you name it) played in his early career. His raw talent and physical attributes both pop, with a sturdy frame, legitimate strength in battles and engagements, a powerful skating stride, fairly quick hands in puck protection one-on-one, and a shot that rips off his blade. When he gets moving, he’s tough to slow down and stop. And he provides major value defensively when he’s dialled in because of how strong he is (he’s one of the strongest 6-foot defencemen you’ll come across) and his physicality, which has some bite to it (though I’d like him to take fewer penalties than he does). There are times when he can try to do too much and he needs to slow down instead of relying on his instincts, but there are a lot of pro attributes there and it’s not hard to imagine him becoming an everyday NHL defenceman who gives a group of seven a different element. I debated ranking him higher here. He’ll be good depth at minimum and still has another year on his entry-level deal after this one to continue to work to establish himself.

9. Filip Mesar — LW/RW, 19 (Kitchener Rangers)

The last couple of years have been a bit of a mixed bag for Mesar. He skipped the summer world juniors two summers ago, had a good rookie tournament and camp with the Canadiens, got off to a hot start in Kitchener, impressed at the 2023 world juniors in Halifax to help Slovakia to a near quarterfinal upset over Canada (I actually thought he was owed more than his six points in five games and he still led the Slovaks in scoring), hit a bit of a wall in the second half of last year, and then has kind of repeated that cycle this year (hot start in Kitchener, standout performance in some big moments for Slovakia at the world juniors in Gothenburg, and then a bit of a wall production-wise where his numbers just haven’t continued to take off like you’d hope for out of a first-round pick his age).

He’s an A-level skater (or close) who thrives with the puck on his stick, can play on the perimeter or knife to the inside, and can use space to feed pucks into it or take it to use his versatile and deceptive shot. He’s got change of pace, he attacks with confidence, and when he plays quickly instead of just moving quickly, he’s really noticeable out there. He’s also a highly involved player who works to use his speed to push tempo and chase down loose pucks. I’ve seen him make NHL skill plays on one shift and win a series of 50/50 battles to make something happen on the next. He’ll track back and work for pucks. He has shown he can be dangerous on the flank on the power play with his accurate wrister. He has shown he can play to the interior at five-on-five, while still making plays out wide and off the rush.

The fear is that he doesn’t have a game-breaking offensive dimension (despite being highly skilled in a variety of areas with his quick hands, feet, cuts), nor the size (5-foot-10, 172 pounds) to turn his enticing package into a high-end NHL player. I like the skill-skating combo, he processes the game at a high enough level, and I do think there’s some top-nine potential but he’s not a sure thing and it may take him longer than most first-rounders to get there.

10. Sean Farrell, LW, 22 (Laval Rocket)

After losing his freshman year to the pandemic following the Ivy League’s (and Harvard’s) cancellation, Farrell was one of the top sophomores in college hockey two years ago even though he was really a freshman (following his USHL scoring title and Player of the Year award), and was clearly one of the most talented players and playmakers whenever he was on the ice at the college level last year. Though he didn’t grab ahold of his NHL opportunity out of college last year and hasn’t won his way back this year, a pair of injuries have played a part in that. When healthy, I’ve liked how he has made his game work offensively in the AHL (he has shown his skill level and high-end smarts).

He has proven across levels that he can drive creation on his own and that despite the natural passing instincts he has, he doesn’t necessarily even need to play with shooters to do that. He’s got plenty of soft skill inside the offensive zone, he is capable of attacking for himself even if it’s not his focus (when he does, it opens up all of that playmaking feel and intuition he has), and despite standing 5-foot-9 and about 175 pounds, it feels like he never gets hit. The way he navigates and manipulates in the offensive half of the ice with his hands and skating gives him top-nine, power-play upside as a play creator. He’s a ton of fun to watch when he’s really seeing it. He operates as a crafty, intelligent player and not by blowing pucks past goalies or exploding around a defender. He’ll also take pucks to the slot or drive the far post when gaps in coverage are there even if that’s not his identity. His size will be a talking point considering the makeup of the Habs’ roster, but this list isn’t about projecting into openings or considering cap sheets, it’s about the player and the talent. And I’m a fan and like him better than this slotting. Players with his statistical profile at lower levels usually make it, too.

11. Emil Heineman, LW/RW, 22 (Laval Rocket)

Heineman’s one of those players who just looks like a pro hockey player when you watch him. It’s direct, it’s intentional, he’s playing within the game, and he’s got an NHL shot. I also think he’s been at least a little miscast as a hardworking, hard-shooting, shot-first guy who has a pro frame at times. He is all of those things and he’s got a pitchfork skating stride that could use a bit of an extra step/some cleaning up (he’s actually a good skater on his edges) but beyond the hustle and the multi-dimensional shot (the hard wrister, the catch-and-release, and the one-touch power), he’s also got some playmaking and good interior skill. His skill level, skating and feel for the game aren’t quite high-end enough to project as a real producer at the NHL level but could he be a secondary scorer in a bottom-six who can give a PP2 a shot threat? I do think that’s potentially still in the cards for him. And if not, he’ll be a good top-six AHL scorer you can call on to fill a hole.

Here are a couple of goals from a recent viewing, the first highlighting the legitimacy of his shot from range and the second showcasing his quick release (both at five-on-five). This first clip also shows his a-little-choppy skating stride off the draw:

12. Adam Engstrom, LHD, 20 (Rogle BK)

Engstrom has become a nice story for the Canadiens the last two seasons, emerging as one of the top ’03 defencemen in Sweden with his play in the SHL, where he has gone from averaging 14 minutes a night as a regular last season to 19 minutes a night (and often over 20) this year. He’s an athletic 6-foot-2 defenceman with soft skill, and the ability to shake across the point or side-step pressure, an eagerness to involve himself in transition, and an improving two-way game and effort level that has made him more reliable at both ends. He’s an impressive forward skater (some work to do skating backward), he’s got a pro build, he shields pucks really well to weave through or around coverage, and while he could stand to simplify at times, he’ll usually correct for a mistake with an effort play. With proper development, he might have NHL upside and should be a top-four AHL defenceman with an offensive tilt at minimum. He should get signed by the Habs.

13. William Trudeau, LHD, 21 (Laval Rocket)

Effective is the name of Trudeau’s game. He’s just a good, steady, reliable, effective defenceman. He walks the line effectively, he’s a smooth outlet passer, he plays a strong, physical game when he needs to, he’s got a great stick, and he never seems to play poorly (there’s an admirable consistency to his game-to-game performances, even if the highs aren’t dominant/take-over highs). He’s not dynamic per se but he looked like Montreal’s best D at their rookie tournament in Buffalo for me this fall (where he was also the captain) and he’s been a minute-munching two-way player for Laval this year. It’s not flashy and he’s up against the rest of the Habs’ abundance of young D, but I’m not sure the gap between him and a player like Justin Barron is as pronounced as their numbers here indicate. He’s also exactly the kind of kid/player you want as organizational depth with your AHL team if that’s all he is. I think he plays games, though. His efficiency of detail and execution will take him as far as his game will carry him.

14. Xavier Simoneau, C/LW, 22 (Laval Rocket)

Simoneau’s a kid I was really happy to see get picked back in 2021. He was actually 79th on my 2019 draft ranking (the second-highest-ranked player on my board that year to be passed over) and he’s by all accounts a wonderful kid who has worked extremely hard to convince the hockey world of his merits as a prospect in spite of his 5-foot-7 frame. That has continued over the last two seasons in Laval, where he has made his game work and established himself as a good pro player after an excellent junior career as one of the QMJHL’s most productive players across three seasons.

He’s a hardworking, committed three-zone player with skill and playmaking instincts. He’s more of a passer than a scorer (he’s actually got a dangerously quick release and the craftiness to get to his spots to use it but that’s not his modus operandi) but don’t let that confuse for him being shy because he plays to the guts of the ice, competes, and even mixes it up. His NHL deal is as well-earned as they come and I won’t be surprised if he’s a success story who endears himself to Martin St. Louis (or another coach) and gets an NHL call in his mid-20s.

15. Riley Kidney, C, 20 (Laval Rocket) 

One of the most talented and productive players in the QMJHL in the two seasons before turning pro this year, the question with Kidney’s game was always whether he was going to be a classic case of a dominant junior playmaker/facilitator who didn’t have the size, hutzpah, competitiveness and scoring to translate it to the pro game. In that way, his fine but at-times challenging transition to the AHL this season isn’t a huge surprise.

In junior, Kidney was a fabulous pass-first playmaking pivot who breezed around the ice and thrived with the puck on his stick, picking teams apart with delays and just the right amount of patience. He showed a real feel for transitioning play up ice so that he could spend his shifts on the offensive half. He slowly got stronger and more sure of himself/selfish on the attack, which allowed him to get to the slot and finish more of the chances he did such a good job of creating for himself. He learned to be disruptive and involved without the puck, to play a more engaged style, and to try to impact the game more directly defensively (which were never going to be strengths up levels but progressed far enough to warrant at least some belief that he may be able to get by).

Now he’s got to prove he can play his style in the AHL, and if/when it works and he becomes a top-six facilitator in the AHL, then he’ll have to prove he can be more than a tweener. So there are some definite checkpoints for him to hit if he wants to become a complementary top-nine playmaker (because he’s not going to be a fourth-line/checker type). He’ll be an interesting case study.

The Tiers

As always, each of my prospect pool rankings is broken down into team-specific tiers in order to give you a better sense of the talent proximity from one player to the next (a gap that is sometimes minute and in other cases quite pronounced).

The Canadiens’ pool breaks down into four tiers for me. They are: 1-2, 3-5, 6-13, 14-15+.

Also considered were Laval’s Jan Mysak, Finnish centre Oliver Kapanen, Austrian forward Vinzenz Rohrer, OHLers Cedrick Guindon and Florian Xhekaj, diminutive defenceman Miguel Tourigny (who I like), Russian defencemen Bogdan Konyushkov (the final cut for this list and a player who will be on next year’s when some of these 22-year-olds age out) and Dmitri Kostenko, NCAAers Luke Mittelstadt and Luke Tuch and goalies Quentin Miller, Yevgeni Volokhin and Jakub Dobes.

The Habs’ list could have easily run 20 prospects long.

(Photo of David Reinbacher: David Kirouac / USA Today)