Jake Evans – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – McMann surprising source of offense for Leafs, Fowler making a difference in St. Louis, Holloway cooking since the Blues’ coaching change, Foegele has found a fit in Los Angeles, and much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 03 Jan 2025 20:22:17 +0000

ST. LOUIS, MO - DECEMBER 15: St. Louis Blues center Dylan Holloway (81) handles the puck during a NHL game between the New York Rangers and the St. Louis Blues, on December 15, 2024, at Enterprise Center, St. Louis, MO. (Photo by Keith Gillett/IconSportswire)

Each week, I dig into the stats to find information that can help you make better fantasy hockey decisions. This week, Bobby McMann is a surprising source of offense for the Maple Leafs, Cam Fowler is making a difference in St. Louis, Dylan Holloway is cooking since the Blues’ coaching change, Warren Foegele has found a fit in Los Angeles, and much more!

Here is this week’s edition of 20 Fantasy Points:

#1 Toronto Maple Leafs winger Bobby McMann scored a pair of goals in Thursday’s 2-1 win at the Islanders, continuing what has been a very good run for the 28-year-old who set career highs with 15 goals and 24 points in 56 games last season. In his past nine games, McMann has tallied 10 points (6 G, 4 A) with 22 shots on goal, giving him 12 goals in just 31 games this season. McMann is playing with Max Domi and Nick Robertson, and Domi has assisted on half of McMann’s 12 goals. McMann is generating 10.88 shots on goal per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, which ranks second on the Maple Leafs, behind only Auston Matthews.

#2 After scoring a couple of goals in St. Louis’ 6-2 win over Chicago in the Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, St. Louis Blues defenceman Cam Fowler is up to seven points (3 G, 4 A) in nine games since he was acquired from Anaheim. Two of those points have come on the power play and Fowler is averaging 22:38 per game with the Blues while and getting time on the top power play unit.

#3. Staying in St. Louis, the Blues’ offseason signing of left winger Dylan Holloway is paying huge dividends, especially since the Blues fired head coach Drew Bannister and replaced him with Jim Montgomery. In 17 games since the coaching change, Holloway has delivered 18 points (10 G, 8 A) with 49 shots on goal. He skates with Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou at even strength, where he has produced 22 of his 26 points this season.

#4 Another former Oilers winger, Warren Foegele, is heating up in Los Angeles. In his past eight games, the Kings winger has contributed 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 17 shots on goal. Foegele is finding chemistry on a line with Quinton Byfield and Tanner Jeannot, a line that can get physical and win puck battles, which plays into Foegele’s strengths, too.

#5 Buffalo Sabres right winger Jack Quinn got off to a miserable start this season, managing just five points (1 G, 4 A) through the first 24 games, but has finally started to shake out of that slump. In his past eight games, Quinn has nine points (4 G, 5 A) though he has just 13 shots on goal, which is not exactly a recipe for continued offensive production. Quinn had been playing with Dylan Cozens and JJ Peterka, but on Thursday night in Colorado he skated with Jiri Kulich and Alex Tuch.

#6 It has been an undeniably disappointing season for the Nashville Predators and one of their prime free agent additions, winger Jonathan Marchessault, struggled early on. The veteran scorer has started to come around, however, putting up 14 points (9 G, 5 A) and 26 shots on goal in his past 10 games after he had just 13 points through his first 28 games. The Preds have shuffled lines and Marchessault is skating with Filip Forsberg and Steven Stamkos on the top line. All three could be considered finishers, so it will be interesting to see how it plays out long term, but Marchessault is thriving.

#7 Veteran Seattle Kraken left winger Jaden Schwartz has been contributing consistent offense for a while now. In his past 16 games, Schwartz has 13 points (8 G, 5 A) with 40 shots on goal. While he is on a line with Matty Beniers and the recently acquired Kaapo Kakko, Schwartz has had different players assist on each of his last six even-strength goals. Schwartz is getting first unit power play time but has only managed two power play points during that 16-game span.

#8 Following two seasons in Calgary during which his cumulative point total was less than in his last season with Florida, Flames left winger Jonathan Huberdeau is starting to find his way back to being a productive scorer. In his past 14 games, Huberdeau has put up 17 points (9 G, 8 A) with 28 shots on goal while averaging 19:29 of ice time per game. A player who has been known far more for his playmaking ability throughout his career, Huberdeau has already scored 16 goals in 38 games, his highest goal total in three seasons with the Flames. Be aware that this may not continue, as Huberdeau has scored on a career-high 24.6 percent of his shots, which is almost three times his shooting percentage from last season (8.4).

#9 Carolina Hurricanes winger Jack Roslovic has been riding a similarly productive shooting percentage, scoring on 22.4 percent of his shots on goal. He has seven points (4 G, 3 A) in his past six games and while it’s reasonable to suspect that Roslovic is getting higher quality chances in Carolina, where he frequently lines up on the top line with Sebastian Aho and Seth Jarvis, it’s still not likely that he can keep finishing at such a rate over a full season.

#10 After missing most of last season with a torn ACL, Chicago Blackhawks left winger Taylor Hall started slowly this season, with just six points (2 G, 4 A) in 20 games, but he has started to round into form. In his past 17 games, Hall has contributed 14 points (6 G, 8 A) and just two of those points have come on the power play. With the 33-year-old winger showing that he can still generate offence, he is an increasingly likely trade candidate as he is in the final year of his contract and the Blackhawks are already 18 points out of the final Wild Card playoff spot in the Western Conference. Hall should have some appeal in a supporting role on a contender, but he also has some control over the process, with a 10-team no-trade list.

#11 The Montreal Canadiens have climbed into the playoff race and part of the reason for their recent success has been improved depth scoring. Jake Evans, for example, has eight points (5 G, 3 A) in his past seven games, though he has just nine shots on goal in that time, so the goal-scoring is not on a sustainable pace. At the same time, he already has 23 points (10 G, 13 A) in 37 games, which is only six points behind his career high. Habs rookie winger Emil Heineman has contributed seven points (3 G, 4 A) in his past seven games, though he only has eight shots on goal in that span, so these scoring surges do not appear to be likely to continue long term.

#12 Hard driving Vegas Golden Knights right winger Keegan Kolesar has moved up the depth chart, producing six points (2 G, 4 A) while averaging 16:15 of ice time per game in his past six games. Kolesar has 116 hits for the season, which is tied with Radko Gudas and Tom Wilson for 15th in the league, so if he is contributing offensively, his value starts to become relevant for fantasy managers, especially those in banger leagues.

#13 Although his reputation is built on excellent defensive play, Philadelphia Flyers centre Noah Cates is adding some offensive production to his game. In his past 11 games, Cates has 10 points (6 G, 4 A) while playing 15:24 per game. Cates is having success alongside second year left winger Tyson Foerster, who has eight points (5 G, 3 A) in his past eight games after he had 10 points in his first 30 games this season.

#14 Oft-injured Anaheim Ducks winger Robby Fabbri has taken on a bigger role recently, contributing six points (4 G, 2 A) with 17 shots on goal in his past six games. Fabbri has been enjoying this productive stretch while skating with young forwards Mason McTavish and Cutter Gauthier, and while he is getting second-unit power play time in Anaheim, Fabbri has recorded all 10 of his points this season at even strength.

#15 As the New York Rangers have watched their seasons slip away, they are struggling to generate offence, even from players that have been reliable contributors. Artemi Panarin is sitting on 39 points (16 G, 23 A) in 35 games, so it’s not like his game has gone completely off track, but he has just two points (1 G, 1 A) and nine shots on goal in his past five games. The lack of production is much more concerning when it comes to Alexis Lafreniere, who has just one assist in his past 11 games. Lafreniere does have 28 shots on goal over that time, so he is getting opportunities, but an 11-game goalless drought while playing more than 18 minutes per game is a tough stretch.

#16 To make matters worse for the Rangers, starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin has been placed on the injured list due to an upper-body injury. Shesterkin, who signed an eight-year, $92 million contract extension less than a month ago, had a .885 save percentage in his last six starts before he was taken out of the lineup. He has a career-low .906 save percentage this season, but also has 10.94 Goals Saved Above Expected, an indication that the Rangers’ defensive play has been a bigger problem than Shesterkin’s own performance.

#17 Injuries continue to plague the Minnesota Wild, who have been able to battle through them for the most part this season. Scoring leader Kirill Kaprizov is out with a lower-body injury and that leaves a big hole in the lineup, considering he has 50 points (23 G, 27 A) in 34 games. With Kaprizov out, Matt Boldy has moved up to the top line, though he is mired in a slump, with just one assist in the past seven games.

#18 Toronto Maple Leafs superstar centre Auston Matthews remains out of the lineup with an upper-body injury, which was aggravated against Buffalo on December 20th. The Maple Leafs have a record of 10-5 in 15 games without Matthews and while there have been contributions from the likes of McMann, Domi, and Robertson, Toronto’s offense has really been carried by the big guns. Mitch Marner, William Nylander, and John Tavares are all scoring at better than a point-per-game pace since Matthews started missing time in early November.

#19 With Quinn Hughes and Filip Hronek both out of the Vancouver Canucks’ lineup, Tyler Myers is quarterbacking the first power play unit. Myers only has nine points this season but scored a goal and had seasons highs in shots on goal (five) and time on ice (25:37) in Wednesday’s win over Seattle. As a short-term solution, Myers might have some appeal for fantasy managers, which is certainly more than he would have if Vancouver was not missing its top two defencemen.

#20 The Florida Panthers still look like worthy contenders in their quest for back-to-back championships, but a couple of their top wingers have hit a rough patch. Matthew Tkachuk has zero points and nine shots on goal during a four-game homestand, but that comes on the heels of him scoring 20 points (8 G, 12 A) in the previous 13 games, so this may just be regression coming home to roost. In the case of Carter Verhaeghe, though, the slump is a little more pronounced. Verhaeghe has gone six games without a point, recording 10 shots on goal. This follows a stretch of 13 games in which Verhaeghe produced 14 points (5 G, 9 A), but he has also been moved down the lineup to skate with Anton Lundell and Jesper Boqvist on Florida’s third line, which does not seem to be igniting his offensive production.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Team Preview

Fri, 27 Sep 2024 16:00:58 +0000

_{MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 30: Juraj Slafkovsky (20) of the Montreal Canadiens skates during the third period of the NHL game between the Florida Panthers and the Montreal Canadiens on November 30 2023, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC(Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)}

2023-24 was another rebuilding year for the Canadiens, but they did make progress, posting a 30-36-16 record -- their best showing in terms of PTS% since their surprising trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2021. Perhaps more importantly, the core for Montreal’s next window is starting to take shape. Cole Caufield (28 goals, 65 points) and Juraj Slafkovsky (20 goals, 50 points) both made significant strides last season to establish themselves along with Nick Suzuki (33 goals, 77 points) as the main pillars of the young forward group. Meanwhile, Kaiden Guhle is fast becoming a legitimate top four defenceman while Cayden Primeau and Sam Montembeault are starting to look like a capable goaltending duo. It’s a good foundation for the Canadiens to build on top of.

WHAT’S CHANGED? Speaking of that foundation, Montreal helped cement it over the summer by signing Slafkovsky to an eight-year, $60.8 million contract that will begin with the 2025-26 campaign. The Canadiens also handed Guhle a six-year, $33.3 million extension that also starts in 2025-26. Montreal had already previously locked up Suzuki and Caufield to $7.875 million and $7.85 million annual cap hits, respectively, so the team’s done an excellent job of locking up talent to team-friendly deals. In terms of big additions on the trade or unrestricted free agent markets, though, Montreal had a quiet offseason.

WHAT WOULD SUCCESS LOOK LIKE? It will be tough for Montreal to squeak into the playoffs in 2024-25 as a member of the hyper-competitive Atlantic Division, but not impossible. Slafkovsky might take another step forward this season, a healthy Dach (he was limited to two games in 2023-24) would provide the squad with some badly needed secondary scoring. If those offensive gains are married with further growth from Primeau, then Montreal might look pretty good this season.

WHAT COULD GO WRONG? However, Montreal’s depth isn’t really there yet. Sure, the addition of Patrik Laine at the deadline will help if he can stay healthy and find his 30-40 goal form. Slafkovsky, Caufield and Suzuki also give them three great scoring options, and defenceman Michael Matheson is coming off a fantastic 62-point campaign, but who else on the Canadiens is a good bet to record even 40 points? Dach? If he’s healthy, probably, but unfortunately injuries have been a recurring problem for him beyond just the 2023-24 campaign. Newhook? The potential is certainly there and might be their best bet, though the 23-year-old hasn’t done it yet, so he’s no sure thing. Keep in mind that the average team last year had 6.2 players provide at least 40 points, so even if Laine, Dach and Newhook all work out, and Montreal’s top forwards all stay healthy, that might only elevate Montreal’s offence to average. In a division as tough as the Atlantic, that might not cut it.

TOP BREAKOUT CANDIDATE: Perhaps defenceman Lane Hutson should be included in the conversation for Canadiens players who might hit 40 points in 2024-25. He’s coming off a fantastic campaign in which he had 15 goals and 49 points in 38 contests with Boston University before concluding things with two assists in two outings for the Canadiens. The offensive upside is absolutely there for the 20-year-old, though expectations should be tempered for his rookie campaign, in part because he’s unlikely to have a role on Montreal’s top power-play unit.

FORWARD

Nick Suzuki

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	32	48	80	0.98

Back in Oct. 2021 when Suzuki had 28 goals and 82 points across 127 NHL games on his resume, Montreal decided to bet on his continued development by locking him up to an eight-year, $63 million contract that didn’t start until the 2022-23 campaign. If Suzuki had struggled to take that next step, then that contract would have looked like an overpay, but as it is, his $7.875 million cap hit is quickly becoming a steal. Suzuki set career highs last season with 33 goals and 77 points in 82 appearances. Although he finished with a minus-14 rating as a byproduct of playing for a rebuilding team, his relative 5v5 CF%/FF% were plus-5.5/5.6, which suggests Montreal performed far better when he was on the ice than off it. Perhaps that’s why he finished 13th in Selke Trophy voting for 2023-24 despite that poor plus/minus rating. It also helps that he’s made strides on the draw, winning 689 of his faceoffs for a 52.6 percent success rate. That marks the first time he’s won more faceoffs than he’s lost. The 25-year-old isn’t much of a physical presence, but that’s a mild criticism to lay on Suzuki in the face of what he brings to the table. The Ontario native figures to be an excellent top-line center for the Canadiens for many years to come.

Cole Caufield

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	36	32	68	0.83

Caufield has taken a bit to fully come into his own. He was wildly inconsistent in 2021-22, though part of that can be written off as him not gelling with former coach Dominique Ducharme, and he missed nearly half of the 2022-23 campaign. By contrast, Caufield was relatively steady last season and played the full 82 games, resulting in him setting career highs with 28 goals and 65 points. He also finished with a minus-4 rating, which isn’t bad as a member of a rebuilding squad, and his relative 5v5 CF%/FF% of plus-4.2/4.0 backs up the idea that Montreal was in a far better all-around position when he was on the ice. That’s despite the 5-foot-8 winger bringing very little to the table in terms of physicality. One interesting aspect of his game in 2023-24 was him firing 314 shots -- the seventh most in the league -- but having that counterbalanced by a career-worst 8.9 shooting percentage. Caufield’s bread-and-butter in terms of goals was shots right in front of the net. Outside of that, he found very little success with his shots, which is in stark contrast to 2022-23 when he had a 16.0 percent success rate on what the NHL defines as mid-range shots compared to the league average of 9.0. So it might be that luck simply wasn’t on Caufield’s side last season, which lends credence to the idea that he could reach even greater heights in 2024-25.

Patrik Laine

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
68	32	31	63	0.93

Laine will get a fresh start after being acquired by Montreal from Columbus, but what will he do with that opportunity? Unfortunately for Laine, what happens next might be outside of his control. The 26-year-old is coming off an especially difficult campaign in which he was limited to 18 games due to a combination of injuries and time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. However, he also saw a decline in ice time and even served as a healthy scratch, underlining how rough his situation became in Columbus. Whatever else he is, Laine is still an amazing goal scorer, and getting him gives Montreal options. The Canadiens could go with their super line of Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, leaving Laine to headline the second line, or they could seek to spread out those four high-end offensive threats over two units. However, that’ll only be possible when Laine is healthy, bringing us to the part that’s out of his control. Although 2023-24 was particularly rough, Laine has a significant injury history, so it’s valid to wonder how much he’ll play. In a best-case scenario, though, would see a return to his 2017-18 form of 44 goals and 70 points.

Brendan Gallagher

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
76	14	16	30	0.39

Montreal has some great young forwards locked up to team-friendly contracts, but that’s counterbalanced by Gallagher. He still has three campaigns left on his six-year, $39 million contract, and there’s an argument to be made that he’s one of the biggest overpays in the league. Gallagher exceeded the 30-goal milestone in back-to-back campaigns in 2017-18 and 2018-19, but he hasn’t gotten more than 22 goals since, and he hasn’t even reached the 40-point mark past 2019-20. Most recently, Gallagher provided 16 goals, 31 points, a minus-24 rating and 4 PIM in 77 outings in 2023-24. Now 32 years old, the Canadiens have resigned to using him sparingly, as demonstrated by his average of 13:47 of ice time last season. At least he can do alright when Montreal picks his spots. Although he doesn’t have a size advantage at 5-foot-9, he’ll still play with an edge, and his relative CF%/FF% was a respectable plus-5.8/5.7 last season, which suggests he was an asset when on the ice despite what his horrid plus/minus might tell you. So, if you strictly look at him in the context of being a middle-six role player, then Gallagher is a perfectly serviceable option. It’s just that $6.5 million cap hit of his that sticks out like a sore thumb and given that he’s unlikely to recapture his former scoring glory, his contract will continue to be problematic.

Josh Anderson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
75	11	15	26	0.35

Anderson provides grit, but not a whole lot else. Sure, he did score 27 goals and 47 points across 82 contests as a member of the Blue Jackets back in 2018-19, but that season appears to have been an anomaly from an offensive standpoint. Now with Montreal, Anderson collected nine goals, 20 points, 74 PIM and 169 hits in 2023-24. Even ignoring the 2018-19 campaign, he is capable of doing more offensively than he demonstrated last year -- he finished each of 2021-22 and 2022-23 with 32 points -- so an uptick in scoring this season wouldn’t be surprising. Even if that happens, though, Montreal will be primarily paying him to utilize his size. He’ll do that primarily as a middle-six forward, but he also saw some time on a line with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield last season, and there’s certainly some merit to having the big guy out there to create space for Montreal’s skilled forward, so we should see that arrangement from time-to-time again this year. The main x-factor here is Anderson’s health. The Ontario native managed to avoid any major injuries last year, but that hasn’t always been the case -- he's reached the 70-game mark just three times in his career -- so Montreal might be put in a position where they’ll have to make do without Anderson for a significant chunk of 2024-25.

Joel Armia

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
73	16	14	30	0.41

Armia had 17 goals and 25 points in 66 contests last season, and for him, that’s a rather successful campaign. He averaged just 12:22 of ice time at even strength last season while serving primarily in a bottom-six capacity, but he logged a considerable 2:53 per game on the penalty kill. Taken as a whole, Armia is a fine defensive player, but despite being 6-foot-3, 216 pounds, he’s not a major physical presence -- at least not anymore. He did surpass the 100-hit mark in three of four campaigns from 2018-19 through 2021-22, but he was credited for just 49 hits last year, so it seems the 31-year-old has pulled back from that aspect of his game. Armia has one season left on his four-year, $13.6 million contract, so it will be interesting to see if the Finnish forward does a bit better this year while fighting for his next deal, but it’s not likely to make that much of a difference. Armia will continue to provide some value for the Canadiens in a way that doesn’t show up much on the stats sheet.

Alex Newhook

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
77	16	30	46	0.60

Montreal tried to accelerate their path to competitive hockey when they dealt two draft picks and prospect Gianni Fairbrother to Colorado in exchange for the then 22-year-old Newhook in June of 2023. Taken with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Newhook was seen as having top-six potential but wasn’t getting that opportunity in Colorado. In his first campaign with the Canadiens, Newhook missed a significant chunk of time due to an ankle injury but did show some promise when healthy, scoring 15 goals and 34 points across 55 contests. He averaged a healthy 16:56 of ice time, including 3:02 with the man advantage, which led to him recording eight power-play points. However, he didn’t often share the ice at even strength with Juraj Slafkovsky, Nick Suzuki or Cole Caufield. Although it’s possible that trio of young skilled forwards will primarily play together this year while Newhook headlines the second line, it would be interesting if the Canadiens spread out their offense a bit more, and such a move would likely be to Newhook’s benefit, so it’s worth keeping an eye on those line combinations during training camp. Whatever path Montreal takes, Newhook is brimming with potential and should take a significant step forward in 2024-25 if he stays healthy.

Jake Evans

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	8	22	30	0.37

Evans is a great third or fourth-line center who can also be leaned on heavily in shorthanded situations. He provided seven goals and 28 points in 82 contests last season. He also had a minus-one rating, which isn’t bad given the rebuilding squad he’s playing for, though his relative 5v5 CF%/FF% of minus-2.5/-3.2 tells a less appealing story about his play at even strength. On the plus side, he won 593 draws, leading to a respectable 52.2 percent success rate on the draw. He also blocked 65 shots, which is quite a bit for a forward. Now 28 years old, Evans is what he is. The Ontario native isn’t going to make headlines, but he will fulfill his role capably. It’s worth remembering that he’s in the final season of his three-year, $5.1 million contract, and he’s the type of depth forward contending teams take an interest in during the trade deadline. If Montreal isn’t competing for a playoff spot by that time, it would make a lot of sense for Evans to be traded.

Juraj Slafkovsky

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
82	25	38	63	0.77

Montreal locked up Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield to long-term contracts before they firmly established what they would become. It was a risky decision, but it paid off with each of those deals now looking awfully team-friendly, so naturally the Canadiens took the same approach by inking Slafkovsky to an eight-year, $60.8 million contract that won’t even begin until 2025-26. Selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, that $7.6 million annual cap hit might end up looking like a steal, especially with the cap starting to go up at a meaningful pace. However, that’s assuming he continues to make strides after an encouraging 2023-24 campaign. He had 20 goals, 50 points, 55 PIM, 71 blocks and 152 hits in 82 contests last season. Unlike Suzuki and Caufield, who offer plenty of skill, but not much grit, Slafkovsky has the makings of a power forward at 6-foot-3, 230 pounds. He spent most of his even-strength minutes in 2023-24 on the ice with Caufield and Suzuki, and the fact that he could serve in that physical capacity helped balance that top line. However, it would be interesting to see if Montreal experiments with breaking up that trio in the interest of better balancing the team’s offense over two lines. Outside of those three forwards and defenseman Mike Matheson, no other member of the Canadiens even reached the 40-point mark, and while that was in part due to Alex Newhook and Kirby Dach running into injury troubles, the Canadiens’ lines being so top-heavy was another factor. While playing on the top line would doubtlessly be ideal for the 20-year-old Slafkovsky, his value isn’t dependent on his linemates, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him elevate his game beyond his 2023-24 showing.

Kirby Dach

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
74	15	43	58	0.78

Injuries have become a major problem for Dach. He was limited to 18 games in 2020-21, 58 contests in 2022-23 and then logged just two appearances last season before suffering a torn right ACL and MCL that required surgery. At least he’s expected to be healthy for the start of 2024-25, but history has unfortunately told us to be weary of his chances of playing a full campaign -- his career high in games still stands at just 70. If he were to stay healthy, though, the 23-year-old would likely log big minutes as a top-six forward and possibly even hold a spot on Montreal’s top power-play unit. Under those circumstances, a 50-point showing would be entirely feasible, should he stay healthy. That might not be his offensive peak either. Although he’s had a rough career thus far, Dach does have a significant amount of untapped upside, and the Alberta native is still young enough to potentially reach the promise that Chicago saw when he was taken with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. As things stand right now, though, betting on Dach to succeed would be risky. At least, he’s a manageable risk from Montreal’s perspective due to his relatively low $3,362,500 annual cap hit through 2025-26.

DEFENSE

Michael Matheson

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
81	12	48	60	0.74

Matheson is shaping up to be something of a late bloomer from an offensive perspective, but that’s in part because of his changing circumstances. Back during his tenures with Florida and Pittsburgh, he reached the 20-point mark four times over five campaigns while seeing limited use on the power play. Once he joined Montreal, though, the Quebec native was leaned on heavily with the man advantage and he took full advantage. Matheson recorded 11 goals and a career-high 62 points in 82 contests last season, including 28 power-play points. He also averaged 25:33 of ice time, which is the most in his career, and a big jump compared to his 18:44 per game during his two campaigns with Pittsburgh in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Those massive minutes with Montreal included an average of 2:59 on the penalty kill last year. He also took more defensive zone faceoffs than offensive ones, which further highlights that he was more than just an offensive blueliner for the Canadiens. Matheson also finished in a tie for 10th in the league with 186 blocks. Montreal will probably lean on him heavily again this season, but the Canadiens do have a crop of young defensemen who should eventually grow into bigger roles.

David Savard

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
64	6	16	22	0.34

Savard is a defensive defenseman is the back half of his career. He’s been something of a stabilizing force for the Canadiens on the blue line for the past three years, though his time with the squad might be drawing to a close as Montreal’s younger defensemen start to come into their own while Savard is entering the final campaign of his four-year, $14 million contract. The 33-year-old (34 on Oct. 22) had six goals, 24 points, 24 PIM, 163 blocks and 69 hits across 60 contests last season. He might do a little worse offensively in this campaign, and in particular he’ll probably score fewer goals after posting a 11.1 shooting percentage last season (his career average is 4.9). However, he should continue to put himself in front of a lot of shots and will be one of the Canadiens’ main penalty killers. Savard might also end up getting dealt at the trade deadline if Montreal isn’t in a playoff position. That worked out for him at the end of his previous contract with Columbus -- the Blue Jackets traded him to Tampa Bay in April 2021, and he provided the Lightning with valuable defensive depth en route to a Stanley Cup championship. If he does get moved, though, his playing time will probably decrease compared to the 20:14 of ice time he averaged in 2023-24 as stronger teams would likely prefer him in a third-pairing role.

Kaiden Guhle

Predicted Stats
GP	G	A	PTS	PPG
79	7	23	30	0.38

Montreal’s defense is led by two veterans in Michael Matheson and David Savard, but past that is a group of young blueliners beginning to establish themselves. At the forefront of the new wave of Canadiens defensemen is Guhle, who recorded six goals, 22 points, 56 PIM, 178 blocks and 116 hits in 70 contests last season while averaging 20:51 of ice time. Not ready to shift into offseason mode after the Canadiens’ campaign ended, he joined Team Canada for the World Championship, providing a goal and five points in nine contests during the tournament. Guhle has the potential to develop into a great two-way defenseman, though he’s always likely to lean more toward the defensive side of the game. That bias towards defense over offense is clear in how Montreal has been utilizing him so far, sending him out frequently on the penalty kill, but rarely on the power play. He also had 17.2 percent of his shifts start in the defensive zone compared to just 7.5 percent in the offensive zone. Guhle is expected to continue to be used more at his own end of the ice, and he’s unlikely to secure a regular role on the power play this season unless injuries force the Canadiens into a major change. Even still, we might see a modest increase in the 22-year-old’s scoring production as he continues to get comfortable in the NHL.

GOAL

Samuel Montembeault

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
44	19	20	5	2	0.904	2.93

Cayden Primeau

Predicted Stats
GP	W	L	OT	SO	SV%	GAA
38	17	17	4	1	0.902	3.12

The Montreal Canadiens are officially in their rebuilding era - but not in net, at least not yet. The Canadiens focused their off-season efforts on shoring up scoring, leaving the tandem of Samuel Montembeault and Cayden Primeau - serviceable, if a bit unspectacular as a pair - to go it alone without a locker room veteran to round out the goaltending carousel. Montembeault and Primeau both sat comfortably right at the league average last season, with Primeau putting up the better raw performances while Montembeault favored better in terms of shouldering a heavier workload. And that, given how poorly the rest of the Montreal lineup performed, is about all the team could have asked for.

The loss of Carey Price as the team's rock and guiding force still stings, though, and even serviceable performances from a pair of affordable netminders felt a bit underwhelming in the aftermath of a starter who dragged even the most inconsistent of teams up into contending territory. That legacy adds an extra layer of pressure for both of next year's starters, who will be expected to at the very least replicate their solid performance from last year. The real spotlight will be on Primeau, who was once considered the heir apparent to Price's throne. But if the addition of Patrik Laine can ignite some scorepower up front for Montreal, the pressure will be on both Primeau and Montembeault to help elevate the team out of the basement as well.

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Sean Monahan moves to Winnipeg, Troy Terry is streaking, Jonathan Quick is earning more playing time, Nazem Kadri is leading the way for Calgary, Dylan Cozens is starting to heat up in Buffalo, and much, much more!

Scott Cullen — Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:21:44 +0000

Troy Terry (61) (Photo by Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire),

Each week, I dive into the numbers to help make decisions when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

This week, Sean Monahan moves to Winnipeg, Troy Terry is streaking, Jonathan Quick is earning more playing time, Nazem Kadri is leading the way for Calgary, Dylan Cozens is starting to heat up in Buffalo, and much, much more!

#1 The Winnipeg Jets dipped into the trade market to acquire centre Sean Monahan from the Montreal Canadiens. Monahan, healthy after years of having hip problems, has been enjoying a renaissance. He had put up 11 points (2 G, 9 A) in his last seven games with Montreal and while he has not recorded a point in his first two games with the Jets, Monahan does have six shots on goal and seems like he should be a reasonable option as the No. 2 centre in Winnipeg.

#2 With Monahan departing, Montreal is in dire straits down the middle of the ice behind captain Nick Suzuki. With Christian Dvorak and Kirby Dach out for the season and Alex Newhook still recovering from injury, Montreal has Jake Evans slotted into the second line centre spot, with AHL call-ups Brandon Gignac and Lucas Condotta filling out the bottom half of the centre depth chart. Evans has 14 points (2 G, 12 A) in 50 games, which is not exactly prime offensive production from a player who is already averaging a career high 15:45 of ice time per game.

#3 Anaheim Ducks right winger Troy Terry started slowly this season, scoring 13 points in his first 24 games, and that included a four-point game against Arizona on November 1. He has since picked up the pace and goes into Friday’s action riding a six-game point streak during which he has produced 10 points (4 G, 6 A) and 19 shots on goal. That’s a small sample, but the shot rate is encouraging. Terry averaged a career high 2.69 shots on goal per game last season and is sitting on 2.51 shots per game this season, so lifting his average up over three per game counts as progress and makes his production more sustainable.

#4 A bizarre goaltending season continues to wreak havoc for fantasy hockey managers. With Igor Shesterkin slumping, to the tune of a .863 save percentage in 10 games since the calendar flipped to 2024, the Rangers are now giving more starts to Jonathan Quick. For all of his career accolades, Quick is now 38 years old and had worse than average results in four of the previous five seasons. This season, he has a .919 save percentage and a 12-4-2 record in 19 appearances. With Shesterkin slumping, Quick is shockingly taking on a bigger role for the Blueshirts.

#5 While the season appears to be headed south for the Calgary Flames as a team, centre Nazem Kadri has picked up his production after a relatively slow start to the campaign. In his past 20 games, Kadri has 21 points (8 G, 13 A) and 67 shots on goal and with Elias Lindholm traded, Kadri becomes even more important as Calgary’s No. 1 centre.

#6 Following a breakthrough 2022-2023 season, Buffalo Sabres centre Dylan Cozens has not been as productive this season. However, with nine points (4 G, 5 A) and 23 shots on goal in his past eight games, Cozens is starting to look more like the rising star that he was a year ago. He is getting first unit power play time right now but has just five power play points this season, so that could be an area to increase potential point production.

#7 The goals are not coming as easily for Washington this season, but centre Dylan Strome remains a viable fantasy hockey option, at least for consideration in deeper leagues. Since December 30, he has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 34 shots on goal in 16 games. With Evgeny Kuznetsov in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, Strome is the most established scoring centre on the Capitals roster by a healthy margin and is naturally centering the top line between Alex Ovechkin and Tom Wilson.

#8 In his past 20 games, Philadelphia Flyers winger Joel Farabee has put up 21 points (6 G, 15 A) while registering 53 shots on goal. Skating on a line with Morgan Frost and Travis Konecny, in addition getting first unit power play time, is working for Farabee, who ranks 25th in the league with 35 even strength points. Farabee’s even strength production has been outstanding, but if he can become a factor on the power play, he could push towards a point per game scoring pace.

#9 Tampa Bay Lightning defenceman Mikhail Sergachev suffered a broken leg in Wednesday’s loss at the New York Rangers, in his first game back after missing 17. Sergachev’s absence does open the door for Darren Raddysh to remain in a more significant role on the Lightning blueline. Raddysh has contributed eight points (4 G, 4 A) with 19 shots on goal in his past 12 games. He has played nearly 21 minutes per game over his past 20 games, the 27-year-old making himself a fixture on the Lightning blueline in his first full NHL season.

#10 While he could stand to put more pucks on net, Detroit Red Wings winger Lucas Raymond has contributed 15 points (3 G, 12 A) in his past 15 games, despite managing a modest 18 shots on goal. He is reaping the rewards of a high on-ice shooting percentage, 11.1 percent, and that is likely unsustainable, though riding with Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Larkin on Detroit’s top line should help to keep Raymond’s percentages at least above average.

#11 With Jack Eichel still out of the lineup for the Vegas Golden Knights, they can be thankful that other centres have stepped up to fill the void. Chandler Stephenson has contributed 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 22 shots on goal in the past 10 games and Nicolas Roy has 13 points (3 G, 10 A) in his past nine games. Since January 1, Roy is averaging 4.05 points per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, which is the best rate in the entire league for players that have played at least 100 five-on-five minutes. In Stephenson’s case, this re-emergence has come following a stretch during which he managed just two points (1 G, 1 A) in 12 games.

#12 Seattle Kraken right winger Jordan Eberle has had trouble getting on track this season but is making progress lately. In his past seven games, Eberle has put up nine points (4 G, 5 A) with 14 shots on goal. He is skating on a line with Tomas Tatar and Jared McCann and they have had some success. McCann has 13 points (6 G, 7 A) and 26 shots on goal in his past 10 games, while Tatar has four points (2 G, 2 A) in his past five games.

#13 In his second full season with the Buffalo Sabres, winger JJ Peterka has been the leading goal scorer for the team, which is a credit to Peterka, who has 18 goals after scoring seven points (5 G, 2 A) with 21 shots on goal in his past six games, but it’s also something of an indictment of more established scorers like Jeff Skinner, Tage Thompson, and Alex Tuch, who have not produced to the levels that they have in previous seasons. Peterka is skating on a line with Dylan Cozens and rookie winger Zach Benson, a trio full of potential and a group that should get plenty of ice time for the rest of the season.

#14 There is not a lot to bring excitement to the San Jose Sharks’ season and it is rare to bring forth Sharks players for potential fantasy value. With that disclaimer out of the way, managers in deep leagues should keep tabs on William Eklund, the 21-year-old who was the seventh pick in the 2021 Draft. Eklund has six points (1 G, 5 A) in his past five games and is getting some reps at centre. He is also getting significant ice time, including first unit power play time, playing more than 20 minutes in four of his past seven contests.

#15 It has been a challenging season in Columbus, too. Johnny Gaudreau leads the Blue Jackets with just 32 points in 50 games. Patrik Laine is in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program, and star rookie Adam Fantilli is out for two months with a lacerated calf. One bright spot has been the development of Yegor Chinakhov, the 23-year-old winger who was a surprise first-round pick in 2020. Chinakhov has seven points (4 G, 3 A) and 19 shots on goal in his past seven games and is up to 14 goals on the season. Like Eklund, Chinakhov is more of a concern for those in deep or dynasty leagues.

#16 There are few players that are worthy of fantasy consideration that play as little as Detroit Red Wings right winger Daniel Sprong. He was one of the most efficient players in the league with Seattle last season, scoring 46 points (21 G, 25 A) in 66 games while playing just 11:25 per game. When he signed with Detroit, the expectation was that Sprong would see a bump in ice time but, for the most part that hasn’t materialized. Even so, he has put up 10 points (4 G, 6 A) with 38 shots on goal in his past 13 games, while playing just 11:46 per game, since the calendar flipped to 2024.

#17 A defenceman who scored a career-high 20 points as a rookie in 2017-2018, Jan Rutta is suddenly contributing offensively for the San Jose Sharks. Not only does Rutta have six points (3 G, 3 A) in the past six games, but he is averaging 22:45 of ice time per game over that stretch. This is a more significant role for the veteran defender, but it’s also for a terrible team and he does not have a significant role on the power play, so maybe don’t rush to the waiver wire immediately, just consider him as a potential short-term option if injuries hit your blueline.

#18 The Jordan Binnington experience can be a bit of a roller coaster, with ups and downs, thrills, and spills, but when he is on, the St. Louis Blues netminder can be a difference maker. In 10 games since the Christmas break, for example, Binnington has a 6-3-1 record with a .928 save percentage. That will play in any league and makes Binnington a much more appealing fantasy option.

#19 Although it is difficult for any goaltender to put up great numbers in San Jose, Mackenzie Blackwood is doing his level best. In nine games since the Christmas break, the 27-year-old netminder has a 4-3-1 record with a .923 save percentage. It would be only the deepest of leagues that could justify taking a Sharks goaltender, but Blackwood is at least making himself a viable fantasy option and the way that goaltending has fluctuated throughout the league this season, it’s always worth considering one that is on a good run.

#20 Among players to play at least 150 minutes in all situations since January 1, the leaders for individual expected goals per 60 minutes are: Zach Hyman (2.64), Dmitri Voronkov (1.91), T.J. Oshie (1.89), Matthew Tkachuk (1.83), Chris Kreider (1.79), Kyle Palmieri (1.77), Yanni Gourde (1.71), John Tavares (1.64), David Pastrnak (1.62), and Joe Pavelski (1.62). A few things stand out. First, is that Hyman is getting way more chances than anyone else in the league but players like Voronkov, Oshie, Palmieri, and Gourde are all available in quite a few leagues. Fantasy hockey rewards actual goals rather than expected goals, but the process of generating expected goals should have a payoff with real goals at some point, too.

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Player Profiles + Team Preview – Ryan Dadoun, Goaltending – Catherine Silverman — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 15:58:53 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - NOVEMBER 22: Cole Caufield (22) of the Montreal Canadiens waits for the puck during the first period of the NHL game between the Buffalo Sabres and the Montreal Canadiens on November 22, 2022, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by Vincent Ethier/Icon Sportswire)

Review: After posting a 22-49-11 record in 2021-22, the Canadiens were looking for incremental steps last year and that’s what they got. Nick Suzuki put forth his second straight 60-plus point campaign and is looking like a solid cornerstone of the Canadiens’ future. Cole Caufield was encouraging too with 26 goals and 36 points in 46 contests, though a shoulder injury complicated matters. Injuries were unfortunately a recurring theme for Montreal with forwards Kirby Dach, Jonathan Drouin, Sean Monahan and top defenseman Mike Matheson all missing significant chunks of time. Goaltender Sam Montembeault was able to stay healthy, but he had a miserable time, posting a 3.42 GAA and .901 save percentage in 40 contests. To be fair, Montreal ranked 30th in five-on-five expected goals against (203.85), so Montembeault wasn’t getting any support from those in front of him. With all that hardship, the Canadiens’ 31-45-6 record could be seen as the smallest of wins, especially given that it was a 13-point improvement compared to the prior campaign.

What’s Changed?Drouin walked as an unrestricted free agent, but Montreal was still able to bolster its promising young forward group with the acquisition of Alex Newhookfrom Colorado. The Canadiens also acquired Casey DeSmith from Pittsburgh, adding another veteran to their goaltending mix.

What would success look like? There’s so much potential here. If Monahan stays healthy and performs like he was in 2022-23 before getting hurt, then a bounce back to 50 points is possible. If Caufield also remains healthy then he might breach the 30-goal and 60-point marks for the first time. If head coach Martin St. Louis can guide Newhook like he has some of Montreal’s other young forwards, then the 22-year-old might be in line for a breakout year. If Slafkovsky, taken first overall in 2022, had a good summer and takes some of the lessons from his subpar rookie campaign, he could breakout too.

What could go wrong? If ifif. So much could break the Canadiens’ way, but Montreal is dealing with a lot of unknowns. By far the worst of it is this: Even if everything outlined above happens, the Canadiens could still miss the playoffs. The defense was horrendous last year and is likely to lag the growth of the offense. In goal there’s no clear solution, even after adding DeSmith, who struggled with Pittsburgh last year. Plus, the competition in the Atlantic Division is tough, making the margin for error slim.

Top Breakout Candidate:It’s got to be Caufield. After all, the 2022-23 campaign would have been his breakout season if not for injury. Of all the “ifs” outlined above, he’s the closest Montreal has to a sure thing. The talent is clearly there and even with all the ups, downs and injuries he’s gone through, Caufield still has accumulated 49 goals over the past two years. There should be a lot more scoring in his future.

Forwards

Nick Suzuki - C

Montreal is building a promising young core of forwards, and Suzuki is at the center of that movement. After becoming the 31st captain in Montreal’s storied history before the season began, the Canadien center showed why he’s the new face of the franchise by scoring 26 goals and 66 points in 82 contests. That gave him a staggering 28-point cushion over Kirby Dach, who finished second in the scoring race. Part of the reason Suzuki easily led the team in points was because Dach and Cole Caufield were held back by injuries, finishing with 58 and 46 games played, respectively, in 2022-23, but that also makes what Suzuki did more impressive. Under ideal circumstances, he would have played regularly with Dach and Caufield, but that trio only amounted to just 27.2% of Suzuki’s even-strength minutes. Suzuki ended up dealing with a revolving door of linemates, which was far from a good position for him, but he managed to perform regardless. A combination of injuries and the team still being in a rebuilding state also left Montreal 29th on the power play with just a 16.1% success rate. Suzuki was leaned on heavily with the man advantage and recorded a team-best 17 power-play points, but one must wonder how he might do if the Canadiens overall improved in that regard. The good news is the rest of the young core should start catching up to the 24-year-old, giving him more to work with. Coupled with Suzuki’s own continued development, there’s a fair chance he’ll reach the 70-point mark for the first time, if not higher.

Cole Caufield - LW

Montreal signed Caufield to an eight-year, $62.8 million contract over the summer. It is quite the commitment to make to a forward who has never recorded more than 43 points in a single season, but in this case, it could be a steal for the Canadiens. Caufield’s career has gotten off to a promising start, though there have also been major roadblocks. He struggled terribly under head coach Dominique Ducharme during the 2021-22 campaign, posting a goal and eight points in 30 outings, but once Ducharme was replaced by Martin St. Louis, Caufield underwent a complete reversal, scoring 22 goals and 35 points in 37 contests. Standing at 5’ 7”, Caufield’s size has been a point of concern for a while.Which is something St. Louis can relate to, having faced the same sort of questions during his playing days, so it seems appropriate that the new bench boss was able to get the most out of the creative winger. The 22-year-old’s success under St. Louis continued into the 2022-23 campaign with him scoring 26 goals and 36 points in 46 games through Jan. 19th before shoulder problems ended his season. He did show determination before that though, having separated his shoulder Dec. 23, he attempted to remain in the lineup after it was popped back in. However, after it happened again Jan. 3rd, the recommendation was made to undergo surgery. Even then, Caufield said he would have pushed through it if Montreal was in the running for a playoff spot. So long as he stays healthy, Caufield should easily set new career highs and maybe even flirt with the 40-goal milestone.

Josh Anderson - RW

Anderson is the type of player that teams always value and sometimes overvalue: the big forward who isn’t afraid to use his strength to make life miserable for the opposition while also not looking completely out of place with the puck on his stick. Anderson had 21 goals and 32 points in 69 contests last season, making it the sixth time in seven years he’s finished above 15 goals (the lone exception being 2019-20 when he was limited to 26 games) and the second time in his career he’s surpassed the 20-goal milestone. That’s an okay level of production, but it’s nowhere near enough to warrant his $5.5 million cap hit. It’s his gritty play – he recorded 72 PIM and 139 hits last season – that makes him come even close to justifying his pay. Unfortunately, Anderson’s aggressive style has come at a cost, with the 29-year-old missing 26 contests over the last two years. Injuries are going to continue to be a point of concern, especially after his 2022-23 campaign ended due to a high-ankle sprain sustained March 22nd. If he can stay healthy, then Anderson might earn an opportunity on the top line, creating space for 5’ 7” Cole Caufield and 5’ 11”Nick Suzuki. That role won’t lead to the towering forward being an offensive force in his own right, but his presence will be good news for his linemates.

Kirby Dach - RW

When the Blackhawks selected Dach with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, they were looking at a big center who could skate well and was tough to lodge the puck from once it was in his possession. He didn’t end up doing much with Chicago though, despite getting every opportunity, and after being limited to nine goals and 26 points in 70 contests in 2021-22, it was decided that a change of scenery might be in his best interests. The Canadiens clearly thought they could get the most out of Dach, sacrificing the 2022 No. 13 and No. 66 overall picks to get him and, so far, that bet has worked out. He set career highs with 14 goals and 38 points in 58 contests with the Canadiens last season despite playing just four games past Feb. 14th due to injury troubles. Montreal often had him shift to the wing to work alongside Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki, complementing the smaller forwards with his size. Depending on who is healthy to open the campaign, Dach might find himself pushed off the top line in favor of fellow big man Josh Anderson, but even if that happens, the 22-year-old should still play big minutes, likely alongside Sean Monahan and Brendan Gallagher. Dach is also expected to stay on the top power-play unit regardless, which is important given that 16 of his 38 points last year came with the man advantage. There is reason for cautious optimism here and to hope that, provided Dach stays healthy, he’ll reach the 50-point milestone.

Christian Dvorak - C

Dvorak can be best described as fine. He had 10 goals and 28 points in 64 appearances last season, which is a bit below average for him, but not enough of a decline to be startling. He’s never reached the 40-point milestone, and the 27-year-old probably never will, especially if injuries keep getting in the way. He didn’t play past March 7th last season because of a knee issue that led to surgery and hasn’t participated in over 70 games in a single campaign since 2017-18. Still, when he is available, he’s okay defensively, helps kill penalties (finished fourth on Montreal with an average shorthanded ice time of 2:18) and is an asset on the draw (had a 52% faceoff success rate last season and is at 52.4% over his career). That’s not enough to get people excited about Dvorak, but at least it justifies using him to center the third or, when necessary, second line, despite his mediocre offensive output. It’s also sufficient to make his $4.45 million cap hit acceptable and potentially even make him a trade candidate if a contender is looking for depth up the middle at the deadline. Regardless of who he plays for though, Dvorak is likely to be fine, and nothing more.

Brendan Gallagher - RW

There was a time when Gallagher was a glue player for the Canadiens thanks to his work ethic and goal-scoring prowess, but his six-year, $39 million contract, which began with the 2021-22 campaign, is shaping up to be a disaster. After surpassing the 30-goal milestone in each of 2017-18 and 2018-19, followed by him contributing 22 goals and 43 points in 59 outings in 2019-20, the 31-year-old has failed to even record 25 points in any of the last three seasons. Last year was a new low for him, finishing with eight goals and 14 points in 37 contests. Ankle issues took a toll, but even when he was healthy, Gallagher wasn’t productive, with his 0.38 points per game being a career worst. Even on a rebuilding quad, Gallagher also saw his role diminish, from an average of 16:55 of ice time in 2019-20 to 14:17 last season. The silver lining is he’s healthy going into the 2023-24 campaign and feels upbeat about how his offseason training went. There’s also an opportunity for him to play a bigger role after Montreal parted ways with Mike Hoffman and Jonathan Drouin over the summer. Gallagher is still a big risk going into the season, but those at least provide some reasons to hope for a bounce back campaign.

Alex Newhook - LW

Opportunities have been hard to come by for Newhook. Taken by Colorado with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, he served primarily in a bottom-six role with the Avalanche, consequently providing just 27 goals and 63 points in 153 contests over the last two years. A change of scenery was warranted and, after Montreal’s acquisition of Kirby Dach worked out perfectly a year prior, the Canadiens decided to see if lightning would strike twice by trading for Newhook over the summer. However, while Dach was a nice fit for Montreal’s top-six, Newhook again might struggle to get an opportunity. Newhook is a natural center, but between Nick Suzuki occupying that slot on the first line, Dach or Sean Monahan likely taking the second unit position and Christian Dvorak being a natural fit for the third line, Newhook is probably going to have to shift to the wing. Even then, there’s no guarantee he’ll find a top-six spot and might instead serve on the third line. However, that scenario only works if everyone stays healthy. While Newhook has managed to be durable, several of Montreal’s skilled forwards haven’t been as reliable. Combine that with Newhook’s versatility to slot in as a winger or center, and he might be the first forward to move up to a top-six role if Montreal runs into injury issues. With that in mind, the 22-year-old will be someone to keep an eye on, because while at first glance he seems like a fair bet to record 30-40 points, circumstances might lead to this being a bigger season for him.

Sean Monahan - C

The 2022-23 campaign was one that offered a glimmer of hope for Monahan, but in some ways, it was also his most disheartening yet. After undergoing hip surgery in 2021 and then again in 2022, Calgary was ready to move on. He was far removed from his 82-point campaign in 2018-19, recording just eight goals and 23 points in 65 contests in 2021-22, making him a liability even when healthy. The rebuilding Canadiens were happy to accept Monahan along with a conditional 2025 first-round pick in exchange for covering the final season of his seven-year, $44.625 million contract. Montreal gave Monahan a chance to serve as a top-six forward, and he rewarded them by recording six goals and 17 points in 25 outings. In terms of points per game, it was his best showing since 2019-20, but he didn’t play past Dec. 5th due to a foot injury followed by season-ending groin surgery. Montreal still liked him enough to ink him to a one-year, $2 million contract over the summer, but the short-term nature of the deal underscores the risk he still comes with. Monahan is penciled in to start the season as the Canadiens’ second-line center, but will his body allow him to do that over the course of an 82-game campaign? After all, he’s now undergone three surgeries in as many years. Even if he does stay healthy, how productive will he be? He showed promise in 2022-23, but 25 games are hardly an ideal sample size. The 28-year-old (29 on Oct. 12) is at very least a comeback candidate, but a high-risk one.

Juraj Slafkovsky - LW

First overall picks are often expected to be ready to compete in the NHL right away and many are up for that challenge. At first glance, Slafkovsky, who was taken by Montreal with the top pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, appeared ready to step into the world’s best league. Not only did the 6’ 3”, 238-pound forward already possess NHL size, but he had experience playing with adults after scoring five goals and 10 points in 31 games with TPS Turku of the Finnish League in 2021-22. Slafkovsky also participated in the 2022 Winter Olympics, scoring seven goals in seven contests with Slovakia and contributed another three goals and nine points in eight outings during the 2022 World Championships. Despite that, he was limited to four goals and 10 points in 39 contests as a rookie with Montreal. To be fair, injuries, which prevented him from playing past Jan. 15th, contributed to his poor showing. Coach Martin St. Louis also attempted to ease him into the lineup, giving the Slovakian native an average of just 12:13 of ice time, which significantly reduced his offensive opportunities. There was a silver lining though, because while he wasn’t a big threat with the puck, Slafkovsky did utilize his size, recording 33 PIM and 53 hits. Unfortunately, in the short-term, he might continue to serve in a bottom-six role. Slafkovsky has the potential to eventually establish himself as a top liner, but it might be a few years before we see that side of him.

Joel Armia - RW

Although two seasons remain on Armia’s two-year, $13.6 million contract, he probably isn’t part of Montreal’s long-term plans. The 30-year-old is far removed from the Canadiens' rebuild-driven youth movement and while Armia is entering his sixth campaign with Montreal, it would be a stretch to call him a staple of the team. Injuries have played a role in that, with Armia failing to log more than 60 contests in any year with the Habs, but his relative lack of offensive contributions – he’s recorded just 20 goals and 42 points in 144 contests over the last three seasons – also make him easy to overlook. Still, the Finnish winger has his uses. He’s fine defensively and can be confidently plugged in on the penalty kill. He’s also got size at 6-foot-3, 216 pounds, and while he's not the most physical forward out there, he has dished out 6.58 hits per 60 minutes over the last three campaigns, which was good for sixth on Montreal in that span (min. 50 games). Looking ahead, Armia should be penciled in on the Canadiens’ third line, though their younger forwards might do enough to lodge him from that position. It wouldn’t be surprising if his average ice time in 2023-24 dipped below the 14:57 he saw last season, and he might even see some time as a healthy scratch.

Defense

Mike Matheson - D

Acquired by Montreal from Pittsburgh over the summer of 2022 as part of the Jeff Petry trade, Matheson was given a golden opportunity with the Canadiens. He averaged a respectable 18:48 of ice time in Pittsburgh while providing 11 goals and 31 points in 74 contests in 2021-22, but Montreal saw Matheson as its clear No. 1 defenseman. With that in mind, Matheson jumped to 24:27 per game last season, including an average of 3:11 with the man advantage. Injury troubles during the first half of the campaign prevented 2022-23 from being a true breakout season, but he was still incredible when healthy, contributing eight goals and 34 points (nine on the power play) in 48 outings. He also helped kill penalties, blocked 80 shots and, while plus/minus always needs to be taken with a grain of salt, finished with a plus-seven rating on a rebuilding squad. In other words, he was everything Montreal could have hoped for and then some. To make matters better, the Canadiens will get three more years of Matheson at a $4.875 million cap hit. His injury history is a concern – which is a recurring theme when evaluating Canadiens players – but if he can stay healthy, then it’s not unrealistic to believe he can finish with 50-60 points in 2023-24.

David Savard - D

Savard is 32 years old and will turn 33 on Oct. 22, so he might be in the twilight of his career by the time Montreal’s rebuild is in the rearview mirror. However, he deserves a lot of credit for doing the hard work now that might serve as the foundation of the team in the future. The Quebec native sacrificed himself last year, blocking a career-high 176 shots despite playing in just 62 contests, while also serving in a leading role on the penalty kill and acting as a mentor for the team’s young defenders. That culminated in him receiving Montreal’s Jacques Beauchamp Trophy, which goes to the player deemed most dominant without earning any other honor and can be seen as a way to highlight otherwise underappreciated players. One person who clearly didn’t underappreciate him was head coach Martin St. Louis, who asked Savard to average 22:23 of ice time. As younger defensemen like Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, Arber Xhekaj and Justin Barron start to come into their own, Savard could find himself being gradually phased out. The veteran blueliner is still likely to see good minutes this season, but he probably won’t find himself second to only Mike Matheson in average ice time again. Even if Savard’s role doesn’t decrease, he’s not much of an offensive threat and shouldn’t be counted on to meaningfully exceed his 2022-23 totals of three goals and 20 points.

Kaiden Guhle - D

Guhle is far from the Canadiens’ only young defenseman, but he might be theirmost promising one. He’s got size and knows how to get the most out of that advantage, both with his physical play and by competing in tough areas. Adored more for his defensive skills, he wasn’t seen as having a ton of offensive upside when he was selected with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, but that aspect of his game has developed nicely, making him a factor in all situations. With that skill set, rather than ease him into the lineup, Montreal asked Guhle to play an average of 20:31 of ice time in his rookie campaign, and he responded by recording four goals, 18 points, 27 PIM, 77 blocks and 84 hits in 44 outings last season. It was a strong showing, to the point where he might have even garnered a small amount of Calder Trophy consideration if injuries hadn’t gotten in the way. As it is, he’s primed to have a solid sophomore campaign. His power-play ice time was limited to 0:35 per game last season, but all Guhle’s offensive production as a rookie came at even-strength anyways, so it’s not unreasonable to believe he can flirt with the 30-point milestone even without being usedon the man advantage. The 21-year-old is also a good bet to surpass the 150 mark in each of blocks and hits provided he can stay healthy.

Goaltending

Samuel Montembeault - G

Even five years ago, no one would have believed it if someone had told them that the Montreal Canadiens would be spending the final half of goaltender Carey Price’s contract scrambling to figure out who on Earth to start each night in net – and even fewer would have believed that former Florida Panthers prospect Samuel Montembeault would be leading the charge for a rotating trio including himself, former St. Louis Blues starter Jake Allen, and former Pittsburgh Penguins backup Casey DeSmith.

But of all the options Montreal has to choose from, Montembeault may be their most reliable. Although the team has struggled and fallen firmly into rebuild territory, the 26-year-old backstop made the best of the situation. His raw numbers weren’t overly impressive, but his goals saved above expected put him in the conversation for goaltenders who made the most with the least league-wide; he was able to scrape together the best performance of anyone in Montreal over the last few years, despite being a mid-season pickup initially only brought on board to help the team weather the storm of too many injuries. He plays a fairly goal line-based game, preferring to utilize an impressive lower-body game and above-average flexibility to seal off the bottom of the net but staying on his feet on his goal line for longer to prevent holes from opening up at the top of the goal itself. And perhaps most importantly for Montreal, he does well preventing rebounds; while some goaltenders thrive spitting the puck back out into traffic, the somewhat disjointed structure in front of Montembeault and Allen last season made it difficult to have much faith in what might happen if the puck stayed in play after a first or second shot. That likely isn’t enough to push Montreal back out of the basement just yet, but it should be enough to keep them from entering free-fall – which might be all they’re asking for.

Projected starts: 55-60

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – MONTREAL CANADIENS – NHL Player Profiles

Ryan Dadoun – Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Fri, 16 Sep 2022 19:49:16 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - JULY 02: Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki (14) gets ready to shoot the puck during the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Final game 3 between the Tampa Bay Lightning versus the Montreal Canadiens on July 02, 2021, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

FORWARDS

Nick Suzuki

To say the Montreal Canadiens had a rough 2021-22 campaign would be putting it lightly, but there were silver linings and Suzuki was one of the big ones. He set career-highs with 21 goals and 61 points in 82 games while averaging 20:31 minutes. The 23-year-old has established himself as a strong two-way center who can be deployed in all situations. He even averaged 1:30 shorthanded minutes last season, up from 0:45 minutes per game in 2020-21. At 5-foot-11, 201 pounds, he also has a physical aspect of his game, finishing fourth among Canadiens forwards with 89 hits. As good as he was overall though, it’s worth noting that like the team overall, he did significantly better after Martin St. Louis took over as the head coach. Under bench boss Dominique Ducharme, Suzuki had nine goals and 27 points in 45 games. It was good enough to lead the Canadiens in scoring, but it’s still a far cry from the 12 goals and 34 points in 37 contests he recorded under St. Louis. The new head coach did a great job of activating the team’s forwards and Suzuki should benefit from playing a major role during St. Louis’ first full season as a bench boss. Suzuki is set to begin an eight-year, $63 million contract this season. If he continues to mature as he has been, that should be a good deal for the Canadiens.

Brendan Gallagher

For much of Gallagher’s career, he’s been the type of player who you’d much rather have with you than against you. While his physical play doesn’t translate to a ton of hits, he nevertheless plays a gritty game. He’ll push to the front of the net and that’s his place of business when it comes to scoring goals. He also excels at getting under opponents’ skin and tends to draw penalties as a result. In 2021-22, he finished 15th in the league for penalties drawn/60 minutes (1.93) among those who played a minimum of 30 games. All that is particularly impressive coming from a player who lacks a size advantage. Gallagher is 5-foot-9, 184 pounds, which makes him among the smaller players in the league. His style of play has unquestionably has its benefits. At his best, he’s a fantastic winger, who surpassed the 30-goal milestone in back-to-back seasons in 2017-18 and 2018-19. The downside though has been the injuries he's suffered along the way and while he’s only now entering his 30s, there’s concerns that his game might lead to him aging faster than others. Perhaps we saw the first signs of that last season when he was limited to seven goals and 24 points in 56 games. However, it’s worth noting that he had an uncharacteristically low 4.9 shooting percentage, lacked consistent linemates, and was playing on a struggling team. So, it could have been a combination of bad luck and unfavorable circumstances that held him back in 2021-22 rather than him truly declining. Canadiens fans can be forgiven for feeling some anxiety when it comes to Gallagher given that he’s only through one season of the six-year, $39 million commitment Montreal made to him, but he is a bounce back candidate.

Josh Anderson

At the age of 28, it seems fair to believe that Anderson simply is what he’s shown himself to be. That’s not an entirely bad thing. He’s a big forward, standing at 6-foot-3, 226-pounds and will lean on that size advantage as evidenced by his 153 hits and 65 penalty minutes last season. He also can be a significant contributor offensively – at least some of the time. The trouble is, it doesn’t happen as often as some would hope, especially given that he’ll come with a $5.5 million cap hit through 2026-27. Anderson scored 27 goals and 47 points in 82 games with Columbus in 2018-19 and that remains his only 20-goal season. He’s come close in other campaigns and probably would have reached that mark in 2021-22 if he stayed healthy, but he’s no stranger to injuries and counting on him to have another 82-game season or something close to that might be hoping for too much. Another drawback is his inconsistency when he is healthy. He had pretty quiet stretches last season and unlike some other forwards, swapping head coach Dominique Ducharme for Martin St. Louis didn’t spark him. Anderson had nine goals and 16 points in 34 games prior to the coaching change versus 10 goals and 16 points in 35 contests after it. Ultimately, this is probably what Anderson is. He’s a power forward who is a good, but not great scoring threat. Even if he ends up consistently playing on the first line and stays healthy, he's not a sure thing to reach the 50-point milestone and those are ideal circumstances.

Evgenii Dadonov

It’s hard not to think of the trade that never was when dwelling on Dadonov. In an instance of extreme oddness, Vegas dealt Dadonov to Anaheim, only not really because it turned out that it violated the terms of his no-trade clause. The icing on that weird story was the fact that Dadonov went on a tear for Vegas after refusing the trade, scoring five goals and 16 points in 16 games the rest of the way, including a pair of game winners. That didn’t stop the Golden Knights from trading Dadonov – for real this time – to Montreal on June 16 in exchange for the contract of Shea Weber. Given that Weber won’t play again, Montreal essentially got him for nothing. Vegas desperately needed cap space, so they were motivated sellers, but it’s also fair to note that Dadonov hasn’t quite lived up to his present $5 million cap hit. Even with his strong finish to 2021-22, he recorded an okay, but not special 20 goals and 43 points in 78 games. In recent years, he’s simply been a middle-six winger and secondary scorer. He did have 65 and 70 points in 2017-18 and 2018-19 respectively while playing primarily with Aleksander Barkov back in his Florida days, so it’s hard not to wonder if there’s a world in which Dadonov finds some of that former glory while playing alongside Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. Keep in mind though that he’s 33-years-old and those campaigns were the only two examples of him even reaching the 50-point milestone. Certainly, keep an eye on him. He’s a skilled forward who has a real opportunity in Montreal and some added motivation given that he’s in the final season of his contract. Good things could happen here. Just don’t expect the world from him.

Mike Hoffman

From 2015-16 through 2019-20, Hoffman scored over 20 goals and 50 points every season, thanks in no small part to his success on the power play. At his height in 2018-19, he tied for fourth in the NHL with 17 power-play goals and tied for sixth with 35 power-play points. He missed those 20-goal and 50-point marks in 2020-21, but of course it was a shortened season. With 17 goals and 36 points in 52 contests, he was still on the right pace and his bread-and-butter remained the power-play. So when Montreal signed him to a three-year, $13.5 million contract in the summer of 2021, they were doing so with the justifiable belief that he’d be an important part of their offense. That didn’t end up being the case. Despite getting a healthy 17:03 minutes per game and a major role on the power play, he was limited to 15 goals and 35 points in 67 games. In terms of goals-per-game and points-per-game, 2021-22 was his worst season since 2013-14. That decline was largely a result of him taking a step back on the power play. He was limited to four goals and 13 points with the advantage. To be fair, Montreal as a team was abysmal on the power play, so it wasn’t a specifically Hoffman problem. It’s also worth noting that he’s one of the players who benefited from the coaching change. He had seven goals and 14 points in 30 games under head coach Dominique Ducharme then eight goals and 21 points in 37 contests with Martin St. Louis. While there might be a temptation to assume Hoffman’s down campaign is the start of his decline with age, there were mitigating factors and him bouncing back this season wouldn’t be shocking.

Christian Dvorak

When Montreal sent a 2022 first-round pick and a 2024 second rounder to Arizona on Sept. 4, 2021, in exchange for Christian Dvorak, they were hoping to get a solid two-way center who could slot into their second line. Dvorak had made strides with Arizona in 2020-21 and he was still young enough to have some potential upside. At the end of the day though, Dvorak had a mixed season with Montreal. He had 11 goals and 33 points in 56 contests, which is a new personal best for him in terms of points-per-game, but it was thanks to an extremely hot finish. From April 7 onward, he scored two goals and 13 points in 12 contests. Before that, the 2021-22 campaign was shaping up to be a disappointing one for him. He’s no stranger to having one or two hot streaks help define his season. In 2020-21 he started the season on a tear, scoring seven goals and 13 points in 12 contests before following it up with a stretch of just two goals and four points in 21 games. Those kinds of extremes can be frustrating, and the hope is that the 26-year-old will start to find consistency to his game. He’ll need to if he’s going to stay in a top-six role because newcomer Kirby Dach is projected to fight with him throughout the season for the second-line center slot. Overall, there’s plenty to like about Dvorak’s game. He’s great on the faceoff, responsible at his own end, and can even help kill penalties. If he can be the offensive force he’s shown flashes of on top of that, then he’ll be a steal at his current $4.45 million cap hit. That’s a big if though.

Rem Pitlick

Sometimes the right opportunity at the right time can make all the difference, just ask Pitlick. Going into the 2021-22, Pitlick had tastes of the NHL during his time with Nashville, but he could never earn a spot with the team. He joined the Minnesota Wild and was doing his part, scoring six goals and 11 points in 20 games even while averaging just 9:42 minutes. He couldn’t find an opening with the Wild though and they ultimately waived him on Jan. 11. Montreal, with nothing really to lose at that point, decided to take a chance on Pitlick and went all-in, giving him an average of 17:17 minutes per game. He responded well, scoring nine goals and 26 points in 46 contests. Montreal proved to be a good fit, but expectations for him going forward should be tempered. For one thing, he’s already 25-years-old, so he’s not a prospect and his upside is limited. At 5-foot-11, 196-pounds, he’s also not the biggest of forwards and he doesn’t play a physical game. His puck possession numbers last season left plenty to be desired too, with him finishing with a 43.5% and 43.3% 5v5 Corsi and Fenwick respectively and his relative Corsi/Fenwick were well in the negatives during his tenure with Montreal, suggesting that the team did better from a puck possession perspective when he wasn’t on the ice. It’s also important to note that he had a 23.1 shooting percentage, which seems unsustainable. There’s a lot of risk here and Montreal was wise to mitigate their commitment by signing him to a conversative two-year, $2.2 million contract.

Cole Caufield

Going into the 2021-22 campaign, the Montreal Canadiens knew they had a potential gem in Caufield. While he’s small by NHL standards at 5-foot-9, 162 pounds and doesn’t have much of a physical game, he has an amazing shot, and is a great skater. His offensive upside and in particular his goal scoring ability are close to top tier. He already had a taste of the NHL too, scoring four goals and five points in 10 regular season games in 2020-21 followed by eight goals and 12 points in 20 playoff contests. He consequently entered the season as a serious candidate for the Calder Trophy, but nothing went right early on. He recorded just one goal and eight points in 30 games under head coach Dominique Ducharme. When Martin St. Louis took over as the bench boss though, the transformation was instantaneous. He scored in his first game under St. Louis and ended up scoring 22 goals and 35 points in 37 contests with the new head coach. St. Louis said in May that the difference wasn’t the advice he gave Caufield, it was more about putting him in situations suited to his style of play. Perhaps it also helped that St. Louis was an incredibly successful undersized forward during his playing days, so he has a lot of insight into Caufield’s unique set of strengths and challenges. Regardless of the reason, Caufield clearly worked well under St. Louis and given that the two are set to start their first full season together, there’s a lot to be hopeful for. He has the potential to be a great top line forward for Montreal for years to come.

Jonathan Drouin

When it comes to Drouin, his health has become a big sticking point. He had two wrist surgeries over the last two years with the more recent one coming in April and that’s contributed to him playing just 105 games over the last three campaigns. Whether his wrist troubles are fully behind him and how much undergoing multiple wrist surgeries will potentially affect his game even if he does stay healthy are significant X-Factors. Prior to this though, he was a solid top-six forward and given that he’s 27-years-old, he’s certainly young enough to come back from this. He had six goals and 20 points in 34 games last season and almost all those games were under former bench boss Dominique Ducharme before the team made offensive strides with head coach Martin St. Louis. The coaching swap is both a potential boon and yet another X-Factor. On the one hand, most forwards have performed well under St. Louis and Drouin could prove to be yet another example of that, but we also don’t know too much yet about how Drouin will be deployed under the new coach. It at least helps that Drouin’s versatile. He’s primarily a winger and that’s his likely role this year, but he can also serve as a center in a pinch, so St. Louis has options here. The last time Drouin had a truly normal season was back in 2018-19 when he scored 18 goals and 53 points in 81 contests. Even with all the question marks surrounding him, the potential remains for him to get back to that level.

Kirby Dach

Taken by Chicago with the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Dach never worked out with the Blackhawks. Standing at 6-foot-4, Dach is a big center who skates well, can protect the puck, and is willing to play in front of the net. There’s a lot to like here, but he hasn’t performed as hoped. In 2021-22, he had nine goals and 26 points in 70 contests despite averaging 18:03 minutes. It gets worse than him just not performing offensively though. Dach is awful on the draw. Among players who took at least 200 faceoffs last season, Dach finished last with a 32.8% success rate. He struggled on the draw in his first two NHL seasons too and that raises questions about the viability of continuing to deploy him as a center. It’s also worth noting that while he does use his size to his advantage in some respects like positioning and puck protection, he’s not someone who throws his body around much. He had an unremarkable 49 hits last season, so while he has the size of a power forward, that’s not really what he is. And yet despite those downsides, he does have a promising offensive tool set. The Montreal Canadiens clearly see that there’s still potential here because on July 7 they sent the 13th and 66th overall picks to Chicago in exchange for Dach. There is an argument to be made that Chicago asked Dach to do too much, too quickly, and was matching him up against top competition before he was ready. If Montreal can ease him in a bit more, then that might be for the best in the long run. With that in mind, Dach might not have a breakout season in 2022-23, but we could see him take a meaningful incremental step forward.

DEFENSE

Mike Matheson

The Canadiens finally fulfilled Jeff Petry’s trade request over the summer when they traded him to Pittsburgh, but Habs fans should like the main player they got in return, Matheson. For one thing, Matheson’s a local boy who grew up cheering for the Canadiens, so he already has roots in the city. Beyond that though, he’s a similar type of defenseman to Petry, so he can fill in for a lot of what the Canadiens are losing. Matheson is a strong two-way defenseman with speed and is coming off a great campaign where he set career-highs with 11 goals and 31 points in 74 games while averaging 18:48 minutes. He also had a 53.8% and 54.5% 5v5 Corsi and Fenwick respectively, which is better than how the Penguins did without him, so he was an asset from a puck possession perspective. That said, he’s not everything Petry was. Petry was someone who could help kill penalties, but Matheson averaged just 0:14 minutes shorthanded last season. Both have height, but even at 6-foot-2, Matheson isn’t an especially physical defenseman. His 97 hits last season was a career high while Petry has recorded at least 140 in five of his last six seasons. We also don’t know if Matheson’s offensive highs will ever reach Petry’s, who hit the 40-point milestone in four straight campaigns from 2017-18 through 2020-21. So, in a one-to-one comparison, it’s not a perfect match, but Matheson is also in his prime at the age of 28 while Petry is already 34. Matheson matches the Canadiens’ timetable to compete better and if he can continue to play like he did last season, he’ll serve Montreal well. He’ll receive every opportunity on a think Canadiens blueline.

David Savard

Savard scored 11 goals and 36 points in 82 games in 2014-15. To this day that’s easily his top season in terms of offensive production and that will likely always be the case. Even the three goals and 17 points in 62 games he generated last season with Montreal is a bit more than is safe to hope for going forward. Fortunately, the Canadiens didn’t sign him to a four-year, $14 million contract back in July 2021 because of his work with the puck. Savard’s value lies at his own end of the ice. He’s defensively responsible as well as a penalty killer. He’s also got size, standing at 6-foot-2, 233-pounds, and he’s happy to employ it. He accumulated 134 hits along with 36 penalty minutes last season and those numbers are par for the course for him. He’ll sacrifice himself too, ranking second on Montreal in blocked shots last season with 127. He’s the type of hard working, gritty defenseman that can inspire his teammates with his tough style of play. He’s also a nice veteran presence for the Canadiens to have as they rebuild. It helps that he saw what it takes to win as a member of the Tampa Bay Lightning’s 2020-21 Stanley Cup-winning squad. He won’t make headlines, but he’ll play a role with the Canadiens this season.

Joel Edmundson

The 2021-22 campaign was largely a write off for Edmundson. He didn’t even make his season debut until March 12 due to a back injury. The silver lining is that he settled back into his regular role for what was left of the season, averaging 19:35 minutes, including 2:26 shorthanded minutes. Unfortunately, injuries are nothing new for Edmundson. He hadn’t had an extended absence like that before, but the 29-year-old has also never logged 70 games in a single season. To an extent, that goes hand-in-hand with the kind of game he plays. The 6-foot-4, 227-pound blueline is a physical player and he’ll block a good deal of shots too. Even after missing most of the campaign with his back issue, he still recorded 45 blocks and 61 hits in 24 games. He tends also get into trouble with the refs a fair amount, which can be a bit of an issue given that he’s supposed to help kill penalties, but it’s been part of who he is throughout his career and it’s not likely to change now. The trade-off is that he helps protect his teammates and on occasion he’ll even drop his gloves. With some young defensemen such as Jordan Harris and Justin Barron potentially getting full-time roles with the Canadiens next season, Edmundson could end up as a mentor and something of a protector for them on the ice. Just don’t look for Edmundson to get many points along the way. He set a career-high in 2019-20 with 20 points in 68 contests and he shouldn’t be expected to do any better this season.

GOALTENDING

Jake Allen

The Montreal Canadiens fell mightily after their impressive Stanley Cup Final run just a few years ago; with Carey Price forced to miss the majority of the season for personal and injury-related reasons, the Original Six club once again learned just how hard it can be to thrive without a goaltender capable of legitimately carrying them into contention. Unfortunately, that’s the task that Jake Allen will once again find himself saddled with; while he was originally acquired as a perfect tandem 1B to complement Price, he’s now responsible for ensuring that the team is able to hold their own against the myriad of goaltending talent scattered throughout the Atlantic and the Metropolitan Divisions.

The problem with Jake Allen remains his confidence; when he plays well he’s got incredible instincts and talent, but when he plays poorly he second-guesses his own positioning and ends up struggling to make reads and accurately swallow pucks. He thrives when he’s able to settle into a rhythm, which is both a strength and a weakness for the now-32-year old goaltender – because when he can’t quite find his pacing, he’s unable to utilize the agility and flexibility that helps him snag high-danger redirects and rebounded second shots. The good news, though, is that the Canadiens seemed to see their defensive systems settle into a better flow under head coach Martin St. Louis, who was appointed late in the 2021-22 season and will be at the helm from day one this year.

Projected starts: 55-60

NORTH DIVISION PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Montreal Canadiens vs. Winnipeg Jets – Hardworking Underdogs Meet

Jeff Veillette — Wed, 02 Jun 2021 20:55:11 +0000

MONTREAL, QC - APRIL 08: Winnipeg Jets goalie Connor Hellebuyck (37) tracks the play during the Winnipeg Jets versus the Montreal Canadiens game on April 8, 2021, at Bell Centre in Montreal, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Well, this was unexpected! Not one, but both of the North Division’s heavy underdogs pulled out upset wins in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.

On the west end of the country, the Winnipeg Jets stunned the hockey world by beating the Edmonton Oilers in a clean sweep, slowing down the Connor McDavid / Leon Draisaitl duo just enough and essentially eliminating everyone else from the equation. Over on the East end, what looked like an easy series for the Toronto Maple Leafs turned into arguably the biggest collapse of the team’s current era, as Montreal rallied to win Games 5, 6, 7 and send the regular season division champions home without a round won for the sixteenth consecutive season. Incredibly, between the two teams, only one win (Winnipeg in Game 1) came by more than one non-empty net goal.

This now leaves two hard-working underdogs to take each other on. How do they stack up?

The strongest case in Montreal’s favour appears to be, much to the joy of those who love seeing veterans go back in time, the dominant performance of Carey Price. While he technically had a lower save percentage than Jack Campbell in the Toronto series, it was a case of excellent on excellent with Price posting a 0.932 save percentage over the course of the round, including 103 saves on 109 shots (0.945) in the closing three games.

That re-kindling of his prime magic is very reminiscent of what he accomplished in the bubble against the Pittsburgh Penguins, though a look at how his final three games in last year’s second round (1-2, 0.882 SV%) might have one a bit concerned about how long he can sustain a run of excellence. Price had just one other run of dominance like this in the regular season in Early March, it only lasted six games, and it was both preceded and followed by equally long slumps of well under 0.900 hockey. Maybe the thrill of the postseason holds, though.

On Winnipeg’s end, goaltending also appears to be a strength, and maybe an even more sustainable coming from Connor Hellebuyck. The 28-year-old reigning Vezina Trophy winner had a slightly down year in terms of save percentage but finished 10^th in the NHL in goals saved above average and second in goals saved above expected according to Evolving Hockey’s model. In Edmonton, he was even more spectacular than Price was in Toronto, stopping 151 of 159 shots against for a gaudy 0.950 save percentage, including a shutout and a perfect four for four in terms of quality starts. He averaged over a goal saved above league average per game, and over one and a half goals saved above expected. Price might have more experience in bigger games, but Hellebuyck has been the better goalie of the two over the past several years, this year, and in these playoffs, and has the consistency, age gap, and recent rest gap in his favour.

Rest is going to be a big factor in this series as well, though many come at this from duelling schools of thought. Winnipeg certainly got a lot of time to recharge their batteries and recover from their injuries, particularly the ones belonging to the recently returned Nikolaj Ehlers and team captain Blake Wheeler, and that should do them some good. But they’ve also been off for nine days now – their biggest break by far since the start of the season – and you wonder how much that takes away the momentum of putting together a sweep for the ages. Montreal will be riding in less than 48 hours rest, which is bad for the bones and tired muscles, but great for adrenaline.

Given the intensely physical, “playoff style” series I expect we’re about to see, I’m inclined to believe that this works out more in the rested team’s favour. Montreal was the league leader in hits during the regular season and wasted no time in continuing to throw the body and lead with their forecheck in the Toronto series, and while it was a part of what helped them push through, it’s hard to consistently deliver that deep into the playoffs when you’re a veteran team that’s done it all year, with little time for a break. Winnipeg is in the upper half of physicality-driven metrics as well, and plays a “heavy” game as well, something which frustrated many in Edmonton as the whistles went away in their series. While the Habs have a little more to give, the rest will mean that Winnipeg has more of an ability to give it, and I think that matters a fair bit.

As far as breakout skaters go, this is another area where I think the Jets get the greater benefit of the doubt, with their core forward group of Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, Kyle Connor, and Nikolaj Ehlers simply having more firepower than their opponents. To Montreal’s credit, while their initial strategy against the Maple Leafs involved not dressing Jesperi Kotkaniemi or Cole Caufield, and not giving much trust to Nick Suzuki, the course quickly turned as the kids began to make the most out of their touches, leading to goals that ended up defining the series, including Suzuki’s winner in Game 5 and Kotkaniemi’s in Game 6. Montreal also has a fantastic shutdown weapon available to them in Phil Danault. While Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner seemed to have a lot of struggles that were self-inflicted, Danault and a rotating cast of linemates slowed down that top pair enough to limit them to just one five-on-five goal with him on the ice. Can he, Jake Evans, and Brendan Gallagher do the same against the Connor-Scheifele-Wheeler line? That, at least, will be the hope.

Perhaps that opens up an opportunity for the second line of Ehlers, Paul Stastny, and Pierre-Luc Dubois to step in and produce – something that worked (but not enough) for William Nylander’s line in the Toronto series. Or maybe it means that Winnipeg group isn’t the one tasked with holding down the opponent’s superstars this time around, and they’ll have the ability to dictate the matchup. The blue line will be another question – will Josh Morrissey continue to have a surprising resurgence, and on the other side, will Jeff Petry rebound to what we saw of him in the regular season?

There are a lot of questions to be asked in this series, a matchup in which none of us really expected to be lining up. But that’s a big part of the fun here – they’re both teams that slid in by dragging higher-skilled groups down to their level, and now need to find a way to either break through or pull down each other. They both got amazing goaltending to ensure it worked, but with each game, maintaining a well-above-average pace becomes more difficult for both netminders. They both have top lines with a strong identity that could cancel each other out, and a lot of wild cards down the lineup. Honestly, it’s tough to decide a winner here, but given Winnipeg’s 6-3 edge in the season series, their rest, and (sigh) their more proven higher-end forwards, I’m going to give them the edge in six games. But after what we saw in these past two weeks, it’s hard to say for sure. That’s what makes playoff hockey great, and I’m very excited for this series.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 04 Dec 2020 17:09:56 +0000

These are our final prospect ranking prior to the start of the season. As a subscriber you can download the list in an excel chart and can link to the player pages in the chart found here. As always, the rankings you see below are based on our 20-80 scouting system looking at five categories for skaters (Skating, Shot, Puck Skills, Hockey Smarts, Physicality) and six for netminders (Athleticism/Quickness/Speed, Compete/Temperament, Vision/Play Reading, Technique/Style, Rebound Control, Puck Handling). Our prospect team spent large portions of their last few months pre-COVID in the rinks, watching the players below and many others, and further work on video (Instat Hockey has been a terrific resource in recent days) before passing judgement on their future projections.

The 20-80 scouting system is meant to allow players from different leagues in different parts of the world to be compared to one another, such that grades on a player in the OHL can be directly compared to grades from an AHL player, and to grades of someone playing in the MHL.

PROSPECT CRITERIA

Players under 26 years of age as of the September 15th prior (Sep. 15, 1994) to the season in question who have appeared in less than 60 NHL games (30 for goalies) and less than 35 in any one season – or 25 last year (20 for goalies, 15 last season) are considered prospects

RANK	PLAYER	NHL	POS	AGE	HT/WT	ACQUIRED
1	Alexis Lafreniere	NYR	LW	19	6-1/195	`20(1st)
2	Tim Stutzle	Ott	C	18	6-1/185	`20(3rd)
3	Quinton Byfield	LA	C	18	6-4/215	`20(2nd)
4	Trevor Zegras	Ana	C	19	6-0/170	`19(9th)
5	Kirill Kaprizov	Min	LW	23	5-10/200	`15(135th)
6	Lucas Raymond	Det	LW	18	5-11/170	`20(4th)
7	Dylan Cozens	Buf	C	19	6-3/185	`19(7th)
8	Bowen Byram	Col	D	19	6-0/195	`19(4th)
9	Peyton Krebs	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`19(17th)
10	Jake Sanderson	Ott	D	18	6-1/185	`20(5th)
11	Moritz Seider	Det	D	19	6-3/185	`19(6th)
12	Jamie Drysdale	Ana	D	18	5-11/175	`20(6th)
13	Igor Shesterkin	NYR	G	25	6-1/190	`14(118th)
14	Alexander Holtz	NJ	RW	18	6-0/190	`20(7th)
15	Cole Perfetti	Wpg	LW	19	5-10/180	`20(10th)
16	Marco Rossi	Min	C	19	5-9/185	`20(9th)
17	Vasili Podkolzin	Van	RW	19	6-1/190	`19(10th)
18	Victor Soderstrom	Ari	D	19	5-11/180	`19(11th)
19	Nick Robertson	Tor	LW	19	5-9/160	`19(53rd)
20	Cole Caufield	Mtl	RW	19	5-7/165	`19(15th)
21	Yaroslav Askarov	Nsh	G	18	6-3/175	`20(11th)
22	Spencer Knight	Fla	G	19	6-3/195	`19(13th)
23	Philip Broberg	Edm	D	19	6-3/200	`19(8th)
24	Jack Quinn	Buf	RW	19	6-0/180	`20(8th)
25	Matthew Boldy	Min	LW	19	6-1/190	`19(12th)
26	Nils Lundkvist	NYR	D	20	5-11/180	`18(28th)
27	Seth Jarvis	Car	RW	18	5-10/175	`20(13th)
28	Ty Smith	NJ	D	20	5-10/180	`18(17th)
29	Grigori Denisenko	Fla	LW	20	5-11/185	`18(15th)
30	Barrett Hayton	Ari	C	20	6-1/190	`18(5th)
31	Alex Newhook	Col	C	19	5-10/195	`19(16th)
32	Thomas Harley	Dal	D	19	6-3/190	`19(18th)
33	Alex Turcotte	LA	C	19	5-11/185	`19(5th)
34	Vitali Kravtsov	NYR	RW	21	6-3/185	`18(9th)
35	Philip Tomasino	Nsh	C	19	5-11/180	`19(24th)
36	Connor McMichael	Wsh	C	19	5-11/175	`19(25th)
37	Dawson Mercer	NJ	C	19	6-0/180	`20(18th)
38	Ilya Sorokin	NYI	G	25	6-2/180	`14(78th)
39	Gabriel Vilardi	LA	RW	21	6-3/200	`17(11th)
40	Ryan Merkley	SJ	D	20	5-11/170	`18(21st)
41	Alexander Romanov	Mtl	D	20	5-11/185	`18(38th)
42	Kaiden Guhle	Mtl	D	18	6-2/190	`20(16th)
43	Samuel Poulin	Pit	LW	19	6-1/205	`19(21st)
44	K'Andre Miller	NYR	D	20	6-3/205	`18(22nd)
45	Scott Perunovich	StL	D	22	5-10/175	`18(45th)
46	Evan Bouchard	Edm	D	21	6-2/195	`18(10th)
47	Braden Schneider	NYR	D	19	6-2/200	`20(19th)
48	Juuso Valimaki	Cgy	D	22	6-2/205	`17(16th)
49	Cam York	Phi	D	19	5-11/175	`19(14th)
50	Anton Lundell	Fla	C	19	6-1/185	`20(12th)
51	Morgan Frost	Phi	C	21	5-11/180	`17(27th)
52	Owen Tippett	Fla	RW	21	6-1/200	`17(10th)
53	Albert Johansson	Det	D	19	5-11/165	`19(60th)
54	Liam Foudy	CBJ	C	20	6-0/175	`18(18th)
55	Kieffer Bellows	NYI	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(19th)
56	Arthur Kaliyev	LA	RW	19	6-2/190	`19(33rd)
57	Oliver Wahlstrom	NYI	RW	20	6-1/205	`18(11th)
58	Nils Hoglander	Van	RW	20	5-9/185	`19(40th)
59	Matias Maccelli	Ari	LW	20	5-11/170	`19(98th)
60	Tobias Bjornfot	LA	D	19	6-0/200	`19(22nd)
61	Jacob Bernard-Docker	Ott	D	20	6-0/180	`18(26th)
62	Connor Zary	Cgy	C	19	6-0/180	`20(24th)
63	Dominik Bokk	Car	RW	20	6-1/180	T(StL-9/19)
64	Ryan Suzuki	Car	C	19	6-0/180	`19(28th)
65	Dylan Samberg	Wpg	D	21	6-3/190	`17(43rd)
66	Jake Bean	Car	D	22	6-1/175	`16(13th)
67	Josh Norris	Ott	C	21	6-1/195	T(SJ-9/18)
68	Rasmus Kupari	LA	C	20	6-1/185	`18(20th)
69	Jakob Pelletier	Cgy	LW	19	5-9/165	`19(26th)
70	Drake Batherson	Ott	RW	22	6-1/190	`17(121st)
71	Jan Jenik	Ari	RW	20	6-1/180	`18(65th)
72	John-Jason Peterka	Buf	LW	18	5-11/190	`20(34th)
73	Kirill Marchenko	CBJ	LW	20	6-3/190	`18(49th)
74	Bode Wilde	NYI	D	20	6-2/195	`18(41st)
75	John Beecher	Bos	C	19	6-3/210	`19(30th)
76	Tyler Madden	LA	C	21	5-10/155	T(Van-2/20)
77	Jack Studnicka	Bos	C	21	6-1/170	`17(53rd)
78	Jake Oettinger	Dal	G	22	6-4/210	`17(26th)
79	Alex Formenton	Ott	LW	21	6-2/165	`17(47th)
80	Matthew Robertson	NYR	D	19	6-3/200	`19(49th)
81	Calen Addison	Min	D	20	5-10/180	T(Pit-2/20)
82	Ty Dellandrea	Dal	C	20	6-0/185	`18(13th)
83	Akil Thomas	LA	C	20	5-11/170	`18(51st)
84	Mavrik Bourque	Dal	C	18	5-10/180	`20(30th)
85	Ian Mitchell	Chi	D	21	5-11/175	`17(57th)
86	Jason Robertson	Dal	LW	21	6-2/195	`17(39th)
87	Hendrix Lapierre	Wsh	C	18	5-11/180	`20(22nd)
88	Brendan Brisson	VGK	C	19	5-11/180	`20(29th)
89	Theodor Niederbach	Det	C	18	5-11/175	`20(51st)
90	Zac Jones	NYR	D	20	5-10/175	`19(68th)
91	Robert Mastrosimone	Det	LW	19	5-10/160	`19(54th)
92	Joe Veleno	Det	C	20	6-1/195	`18(30th)
93	Rodion Amirov	Tor	LW	19	6-0/170	`20(15th)
94	Jake Neighbours	StL	LW	18	5-11/195	`20(26th)
95	Julien Gauthier	NYR	RW	23	6-4/225	T(Car-2/20)
96	Justus Annunen	Col	G	20	6-4/215	`18(64th)
97	Egor Zamula	Phi	D	20	6-4/175	FA(9/18)
98	Shane Pinto	Ott	C	20	6-2/190	`19(32nd)
99	Noel Gunler	Car	RW	19	6-2/175	`20(41st)
100	Ridly Greig	Ott	C	18	5-11/165	`20(28th)
101	Jesse Ylonen	Mtl	RW	21	6-1/185	`18(35th)
102	Samuel Fagemo	LA	RW	20	6-0/195	`19(50th)
103	Mattias Norlinder	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`19(64th)
104	Olli Juolevi	Van	D	22	6-3/200	`16(5th)
105	Kristian Vesalainen	Wpg	LW	21	6-3/205	`17(24th)
106	Raphael Lavoie	Edm	RW	20	6-4/195	`19(38th)
107	Jan Mysak	Mtl	C	18	5-11/180	`20(49th)
108	Cayden Primeau	Mtl	G	21	6-3/180	`17(199th)
109	Pavel Dorofeyev	VGK	LW	20	6-1/170	`19(79th)
110	Morgan Barron	NYR	C	22	6-2/200	`17(174th)
111	Ville Heinola	Wpg	D	19	5-11/180	`19(20th)
112	Dylan Holloway	Edm	C	19	6-0/205	`20(14th)
113	Jack Dugan	VGK	RW	22	6-2/185	`17(142nd)
114	Alexander Khovanov	Min	C	20	5-11/195	`18(86th)
115	Jacob Perreault	Ana	RW	18	5-11/195	`20(27th)
116	Jake Evans	Mtl	C	24	6-0/185	`14(207th)
117	Adam Beckman	Min	LW	19	6-1/170	`19(75th)
118	Jett Woo	Van	D	20	6-0/205	`18(37th)
119	Nolan Foote	NJ	LW	20	6-3/190	T(TB-2/20)
120	Logan Brown	Ott	C	22	6-6/220	`16(11th)
121	Martin Kaut	Col	RW	21	6-1/175	`18(16th)
122	Jack Rathbone	Van	D	21	5-10/175	`17(95th)
123	Ozzy Wiesblatt	SJ	RW	18	5-10/185	`20(31st)
124	Ryan O'Rourke	Min	D	18	6-0/180	`20(39th)
125	Lukas Reichel	Chi	LW	18	6-0/170	`20(17th)
126	Jordan Harris	Mtl	D	20	5-11/180	`18(71st)
127	Lukas Dostal	Ana	G	20	6-1/170	`18(85th)
128	Egor Afanasyev	Nsh	RW	19	6-3/205	`19(45th)
129	Conor Timmins	Col	D	22	6-1/185	`17(32nd)
130	Lassi Thomson	Ott	D	20	6-0/190	`19(19th)
131	Eeli Tolvanen	Nsh	RW	21	5-10/175	`17(30th)
132	Kasper Simontaival	LA	RW	18	5-9/180	`20(66th)
133	Roni Hirvonen	Tor	C	18	5-9/165	`20(59th)
134	Thomas Bordeleau	SJ	C	18	5-9/180	`20(38th)
135	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	Ana	C	20	6-1/195	`18(54th)
136	Tyler Kleven	Ott	D	18	6-4/200	`20(44th)
137	Tyson Foerster	Phi	C	18	6-1/195	`20(23rd)
138	Helge Grans	LA	D	18	6-2/205	`20(35th)
139	Jonathan Dahlen	SJ	LW	23	5-11/185	T(Van-2/19)
140	Marat Khusnutdinov	Min	C	18	5-11/175	`20(37th)
141	Alexander Alexeyev	Wsh	D	21	6-3/200	`18(31st)
142	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	Pit	D	21	6-2/170	`17(23rd)
143	Topi Niemela	Tor	D	18	5-10/160	`20(64th)
144	Oskari Laaksonen	Buf	D	21	6-2/165	`17(89th)
145	Filip Hallander	Tor	LW	20	6-1/185	T(Pit-8/20)
146	Serron Noel	Fla	RW	20	6-5/205	`18(34th)
147	Martin Chromiak	LA	LW	18	6-0/185	`20(128th)
148	Shakir Mukhamadullin	NJ	D	18	6-3/180	`20(20th)
149	Mattias Samuelsson	Buf	D	20	6-3/215	`18(32nd)
150	Janne Kuokkanen	NJ	LW	22	6-1/190	T(Car-2/20)
151	Ryan Johnson	Buf	D	19	6-0/175	`19(31st)
152	Sean Farrell	Mtl	C	19	5-8/175	`20(124th)
153	Martin Fehervary	Wsh	D	21	6-1/190	`18(46th)
154	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	Buf	G	21	6-4/195	`17(54th)
155	Will Lockwood	Van	RW	22	5-11/175	`16(64th)
156	Isac Lundestrom	Ana	C	21	6-0/185	`18(23rd)
157	Michael DiPietro	Van	G	21	6-0/195	`17(64th)
158	Jonatan Berggren	Det	RW	20	5-10/185	`18(33rd)
159	Kevin Bahl	NJ	D	20	6-6/230	T(Ari-12/19)
160	Aliaksei Protas	Wsh	C	19	6-5/205	`19(91st)
161	Reilly Walsh	NJ	D	21	5-11/180	`17(81st)
162	Nick Abruzzese	Tor	C	21	5-9/160	`19(124th)
163	Tyler Tucker	StL	D	20	6-1/205	`18(200th)
164	Arseni Gritsyuk	NJ	RW	19	5-10/170	`19(129th)
165	Klim Kostin	StL	C	21	6-3/195	`17(31st)
166	Brayden Tracey	Ana	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(29th)
167	Joel Hofer	StL	G	20	6-3/160	`18(107th)
168	Joey Anderson	Tor	RW	22	6-0/195	T(NJ-10/20)
169	Yegor Spiridonov	SJ	C	19	6-2/195	`19(108th)
170	Sam Colangelo	Ana	RW	19	6-1/205	`20(36th)
171	Joey Keane	Car	D	21	6-0/185	T(NYR-2/20)
172	Jared McIsaac	Det	D	20	6-1/195	`18(36th)
173	Jamieson Rees	Car	C	19	5-10/175	`19(44th)
174	Ivan Morozov	VGK	C	20	6-1/180	`18(61st)
175	Rem Pitlick	Nsh	C	23	5-11/200	`16(76th)
176	Tyce Thompson	NJ	RW	21	6-0/170	`19(96th)
177	Michael McLeod	NJ	C	22	6-2/195	`16(12th)
178	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	LA	C	21	5-11/190	`17(41st)
179	Dustin Wolf	Cgy	G	19	6-0/165	`19(214th)
180	Antti Tuomisto	Det	D	19	6-4/190	`19(35th)
181	Brett Berard	NYR	LW	18	5-9/155	`20(134th)
182	Luke Evangelista	Nsh	RW	18	5-11/170	`20(42nd)
183	Joel Blomqvist	Pit	G	18	6-1/180	`20(52nd)
184	Joni Ikonen	Mtl	C	21	5-10/170	`17(58th)
185	Olivier Rodrigue	Edm	G	20	6-1/165	`18(62nd)
186	Lucas Elvenes	VGK	RW	21	6-0/175	`17(127th)
187	Anthony Angello	Pit	RW	24	6-5/205	`14(145th)
188	Tuukka Tieksola	Car	RW	19	5-10/160	`19(121st)
189	Declan Chisholm	Wpg	D	20	6-1/190	`18(150th)
190	Cole Koepke	TB	LW	22	6-1/195	`18(183rd)
191	Valtteri Puustinen	Pit	RW	21	5-9/185	`19(203rd)
192	Ty Smilanic	Fla	C	18	6-1/175	`20(74th)
193	Patrik Puistola	Car	LW	19	6-0/175	`19(73rd)
194	Justin Barron	Col	D	19	6-2/190	`20(25th)
195	Andrew Peeke	CBJ	D	22	6-3/210	`16(34th)
196	Michael Vukojevic	NJ	D	19	6-3/210	`19(82nd)
197	Alec Regula	Chi	D	20	6-3/200	T(Det-10/19)
198	Connor Corcoran	VGK	D	20	6-1/185	`18(154th)
199	Jeremy Swayman	Bos	G	22	6-1/190	`17(111th)
200	Pyotr Kochetkov	Car	G	21	6-1/175	`19(36th)
201	Mikey Anderson	LA	D	21	6-0/195	`17(103rd)
202	Carter Savoie	Edm	LW	18	5-9/190	`20(100th)
203	Samuel Walker	TB	C	21	5-11/160	`17(200th)
204	William Wallinder	Det	D	18	6-4/190	`20(32nd)
205	Jack Drury	Car	C	20	5-11/180	`18(42nd)
206	Emil Andrae	Phi	D	18	5-9/185	`20(54th)
207	Cal Petersen	LA	G	26	6-3/190	FA(7/17)
208	Jeremie Poirier	Cgy	D	18	6-0/200	`20(72nd)
209	Tarmo Reunanen	NYR	D	22	6-0/180	`16(98th)
210	Simon Holmstrom	NYI	RW	19	6-1/185	`19(23rd)
211	Aleksi Saarela	Fla	RW	23	5-11/200	T(Chi-10/19)
212	Anton Johannesson	Wpg	D	18	5-9/155	`20(133rd)
213	Lauri Pajuniemi	NYR	RW	21	6-0/185	`18(132nd)
214	Morgan Geekie	Car	C	22	6-2/180	`17(67th)
215	Shane Bowers	Col	C	21	6-2/190	T(Ott-11/17)
216	Sasha Chmelevski	SJ	C	21	5-11/190	`17(185th)
217	Ruslan Iskhakov	NYI	C	20	5-8/155	`18(43rd)
218	Cole Schwindt	Fla	RW	19	6-2/185	`19(81st)
219	Hugo Alnefelt	TB	G	19	6-3/195	`19(71st)
220	Nikita Okhotyuk	NJ	D	20	6-1/195	`19(61st)
221	Sampo Ranta	Col	LW	20	6-2/205	`18(78th)
222	Alexander Volkov	TB	LW	23	6-1/190	`17(48th)
223	Alexander True	SJ	C	23	6-5/205	FA(7/18)
224	John Leonard	SJ	C	22	5-11/190	`18(182nd)
225	Carl Grundstrom	LA	LW	23	6-0/195	T(Tor-1/19)
226	Dmitri Semykin	TB	D	20	6-3/200	`18(90th)
227	Cal Foote	TB	D	22	6-4/215	`17(14th)
228	Jean-Luc Foudy	Col	C	18	5-11/175	`20(75th)
229	Alex Barre-Boulet	TB	C	23	5-10/165	FA(3/18)
230	Tristen Robins	SJ	RW	19	5-10/175	`20(56th)
231	Max Gildon	Fla	D	21	6-3/190	`17(66th)
232	Nikita Alexandrov	StL	C	20	6-0/180	`19(62nd)
233	Michael Benning	Fla	D	18	5-9/180	`20(95th)
234	Justin Sourdif	Fla	RW	18	5-11/175	`20(87th)
235	Tanner Laczynski	Phi	C	23	6-1/200	`16(169th)
236	Eamon Powell	TB	D	18	5-11/165	`20(116th)
237	Kaedan Korczak	VGK	D	19	6-3/190	`19(41st)
238	Drew Commesso	Chi	G	18	6-1/180	`20(47th)
239	Nikolai Kovalenko	Col	RW	21	5-10/175	`18(171st)
240	Pius Suter	Chi	C	24	5-11/170	FA(7/20)
241	Wade Allison	Phi	RW	23	6-2/205	`16(52nd)
242	Bobby Brink	Phi	RW	19	5-10/165	`19(34th)
243	Lukas Cormier	VGK	D	18	5-10/180	`20(68th)
244	David Farrance	Nsh	D	21	5-11/190	`17(92nd)
245	Roby Jarventie	Ott	RW	18	6-2/185	`20(33rd)
246	Dmitri Voronkov	CBJ	LW	20	6-4/190	`19(114th)
247	German Rubtsov	Phi	C	22	6-2/190	`16(22nd)
248	Vitaly Abramov	Ott	RW	22	5-9/175	T(CBJ-2/19)
249	Alex Laferriere	LA	RW	19	6-0/175	`20(83rd)
250	Trey Fix-Wolansky	CBJ	RW	21	5-8/185	`18(204th)
251	Isaac Ratcliffe	Phi	LW	21	6-5/200	`17(35th)
252	Kale Clague	LA	D	22	6-0/180	`16(51st)
253	Landon Slaggert	Chi	LW	18	5-11/180	`20(79th)
254	Wyatt Kalynuk	Chi	D	23	6-1/180	FA(7/20)
255	Mikko Kokkonen	Tor	D	19	5-11/200	`19(84th)
256	Kevin Mandolese	Ott	G	20	6-4/180	`18(157th)
257	Daniil Tarasov	CBJ	G	21	6-5/185	`17(86th)
258	Evan Barratt	Chi	C	21	6-0/190	`17(90th)
259	Tyler Benson	Edm	LW	22	6-0/200	`16(32nd)
260	Yegor Korshkov	Tor	RW	24	6-4/215	`16(31st)
261	Hunter Skinner	NYR	D	19	6-2/175	`19(112th)
262	Riley Damiani	Dal	C	20	5-9/165	`18(137th)
263	Ryan McLeod	Edm	C	21	6-2/205	`18(40th)
264	Ilya Konovalov	Edm	G	22	6-0/195	`19(85th)
265	Will Cuylle	NYR	LW	18	6-3/205	`20(60th)
266	Evan Vierling	NYR	C	18	6-0/165	`20(127th)
267	Emil Heineman	Fla	LW	19	6-0/180	`20(43rd)
268	Zayde Wisdom	Phi	RW	18	5-10/195	`20(94th)
269	Hunter Jones	Min	G	20	6-4/195	`19(59th)
270	Ty Tullio	Edm	RW	18	5-10/165	`20(126th)
271	Jordan Spence	LA	D	19	5-10/165	`19(95th)
272	Dmitri Zavgorodny	Cgy	LW	20	5-9/175	`18(198th)
273	Alex Beaucage	Col	RW	19	6-1/195	`19(78th)
274	Matiss Kivlenieks	CBJ	G	24	6-2/190	FA(5/17)
275	Artyom Zub	Ott	D	25	6-2/200	FA(5/20)
276	Urho Vaakanainen	Bos	D	22	6-0/185	`17(18th)
277	Dmitri Samorukov	Edm	D	21	6-2/180	`17(84th)
278	Michal Teply	Chi	LW	19	6-3/185	`19(105th)
279	Colby Ambrosio	Col	C	18	5-8/170	`20(118th)
280	Mads Sogaard	Ott	G	20	6-7/195	`19(37th)
281	Jeremy Lauzon	Bos	D	23	6-3/205	`15(52nd)
282	Dennis Gilbert	Col	D	24	6-2/200	T(Chi-10/20)
283	Trent Frederic	Bos	C	22	6-4/215	`16(29th)
284	Lucas Carlsson	Chi	D	23	6-0/190	`16(110th)
285	Zack Macewen	Van	RW	24	6-3/205	FA(3/17)
286	Brandon Hagel	Chi	LW	22	6-1/175	FA(10/18)
287	Vasily Ponomarev	Car	C	18	5-10/180	`20(53rd)
288	Jakub Zboril	Bos	D	23	6-1/200	`15(13th)
289	Garrett Pilon	Wsh	RW	22	5-11/190	`16(87th)
290	Jeremy Bracco	Car	RW	23	5-9/180	FA(10/20)
291	Dylan Sikura	VGK	RW	25	6-0/170	T(Chi-9/20)
292	Kyle Capobianco	Ari	D	23	6-1/180	`15(63rd)
293	Sami Niku	Wpg	D	24	6-0/175	`15(198th)
294	John Farinacci	Ari	C	19	5-11/185	`19(76th)
295	Jackson Lacombe	Ana	D	19	6-1/170	`19(39th)
296	David Cotton	Car	LW	23	6-3/205	`15(169th)
297	Erik Portillo	Buf	G	20	6-6/210	`19(67th)
298	Jacob Truscott	Van	D	18	6-1/170	`20(144th)
299	Mikhail Berdin	Wpg	G	22	6-2/165	`16(157th)
300	Cam Hillis	Mtl	C	20	5-10/170	`18(66th)

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Montreal Canadiens Top 20 Prospects

Thu, 03 Dec 2020 11:47:51 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Montreal Canadiens prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Cole Caufield, RW (15^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Despite standing only 5-7”, 163, Caufield is built stocky and is very strong for his size, pound-for-pound and inch-for-inch. Some would say that he has an additional black mark – besides his frame - to his prospect status now, despite leading the Big 10 in scoring as a freshman. He had a disappointingly flat performance for Team USA at last year’s WJC, with only two points as the US bowed out early. Caufield was pretty nondescript at the tournament, and his stats were not the result of poor luck. On the other hand, that tournament represented a two-week slice of a fantastic season that showed he was still the world class sniper that Montreal drafted. He times his release to perfection and can place the puck exactly where he wants. More than a one-trick pony, Caufield is a fine skater, with sharp cutting ability and he can play the puck at his top speed as well. He plays almost fearless, although he doesn’t go out of his way to take unnecessary risks. He will be spending next year back in Madison but will likely be ready to go straight to Montreal at the completion of his sophomore season. - RW

Alexander Romanov, D (38^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Romanov is strong as an ox and plays a physical brand of hockey. He hits with authority and punishes opponents with every chance. He puts pressure on quickly and uses his stick well to break up plays. He battles hard in the corners and along the boards. He is alert, focused and very responsible in the defensive zone. He makes a very good first pass out of the zone and sends precise bank passes off the boards. He does not make many plays with the puck that would jump off the page, but he is highly reliable and highly consistent. He has a hard, accurate slap shot from the point and he keeps it low to create rebounds. Romanov is a powerful skater with good balance and footwork. He moves well in all directions and trusts his skating when defending opposing rushes. He will occasionally join the rush to create additional options for his team. He looks NHL ready physically and has a lot of upside as he is terrific in his own end and smart in possession. I think he has a chance to develop into a strong middle-pairing NHL defenseman who contributes in a variety of ways. – MB

Kaiden Guhle, D (16^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

At 6-3”, blessed with strong mobility, and a desire to assert himself physically, Guhle is projected to provide elite level play in the defensive end. In open ice he looks to close his gap and finish plays with a big open ice hit as opponents approach the blue line. He is assertive along the wall, initiating contact and pins effectively to separate players from the puck. He is also a strong mover, which allows him to be more aggressive as he is able to recover. Offensively, he uses his first step quickness to evade forecheckers, start the breakout and push the pace of play moving forward. He uses his size and reach to protect the puck through the neutral zone. Guhle is also effective running the point, with a powerful point shot. He is a good passer and overall facilitator, but not a great one. He has good hands, but he occasionally looks uncomfortable handling the puck under duress. While he is not likely to be a number one powerplay quarterback, his ability and offensive IQ, combined with his defensive prowess, make him a potential minute eater and should be able to help balance out a future top four. – BO

Jesse Ylonen, RW (35^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Ylonen is a highly talented winger whose skating and puck skills are near elite. He has quick hands, and his first touch is excellent: he can corral difficult passes smoothly and get the puck under control quickly. His wrist shot features an accurate and quick release. Scoring goals seems to come naturally to him, yet he is also a good set-up guy with playmaking skill. He moves and skates with his head up to scan the ice and shows awareness with the puck. His offensive numbers declined in the past Liiga season, however he made progress defensively. Ylonen's backchecking has greatly improved, as he uses his strong acceleration to catch opponents. He has shown signs of becoming a more complete player and he has adapted well to the pro game in the last two seasons. He has learned to use his offensive skill set and skating to his advantage, he uses his teammates for passing options and he does not make nearly as many careless decisions as he used to. Therefore, I am confident that he will adapt to the North American game as well and develop into a strong, productive NHL winger. - MB

Mattias Norlinder, D (64^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Norlinder is both fast and elusive on his skates. He travels with ease and is very smooth. He also has strong puck skills and control of the puck. He passes the puck well and has some nice dekes where he goes to his backhand close to his feet and then travels around opponents. He is also a good goal scorer. While he doesn’t possess a dangerous bomb from blueline, he has a quick wrist shot and likes to join the attack and skate across the slot before shooting. Norlinder has been a late developer and is still growing physically. He signed a two-year deal with Frolunda but I he might be able to step over and compete for a spot in North America after the first year. As he can combine his skating with good puck handling, he does not need to play top pair minutes to be effective. His weaknesses are in the defensive zone and he won’t be a shutdown defenseman or a strong penalty killer but could still be an effective second or third pair defenseman as he is a strong possession player and his zone exits are as strong as his entries. – JH

Jan Mysak, C (48^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

While Mysak’s international performances last year left some to be desired, he was a standout in the Extraliga and in the OHL. He was an impact player from day one in Hamilton, playing a near 40-goal pace. He excels playing North-South; is extremely aggressive in taking the puck wide, looking to drive the net. His stride is choppy, but he generates enough separation to make him dangerous. He plays much bigger than his size, protecting the puck through traffic as he looks to drive the middle. When driving wide, consistently gets by defenders, putting them on his back as he cuts back in near the crease, possessing the hands and finishing ability to score on a large majority of these self-generated scoring chances. Mysak is versatile, able to play both center and wing, kill penalties and hold his own defensively, while taking on any power play role. He is a very well rounded player but is better at creating his own scoring chances than creating for his teammates and may profile better as a winger at the NHL level. Engaging more consistently and focusing on supporting linemates would help his development as a playmaker. – BO

Cayden Primeau, G (199^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

At 6-3”, Primeau stands at a good height for modern goaltenders and his in-net composure is better than even some veteran netminders. He may be a little too calm in the crease, but he keeps making saves. Starting for the Laval Rocket the majority of last season, he has been able to better adapt to faster shots and puck movement coming from both AHL and NHL shooters. He will need continued work on rebound control and activation on certain plays off of long shots and net-front scrambles in order to compete better at the highest level. However, until then his focus remains unbreakable and his positioning is strong, he sees the puck and fights well to track the play. He still needs to improve his agility and in playing the puck, both of which he can brush up next season. For a young goaltender it is so important that he get stronger in his lower half which would allow him to push harder to get across the net quicker. With Carey Price still paving the way for the Canadiens, expect Primeau to get some time up as a backup goaltender first before he can challenge for a greater role. - SC

Jake Evans, C (207^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 6)

The Montreal Canadiens have acquired a lot of good forward prospects within the past few seasons and Jake Evans is one of them. He is a smooth skating and skilled forward capable of playing in all situations. The seventh rounder has overcome huge odds and as a player with little to lose, his development within the Montreal organization has been smooth sailing. After leading the Laval Rocket for points this past season, Evans earned a brief call up to the Canadiens and should see more time up in the NHL if he gets off to the same strong start he did last season. He sees the ice well and always keeps his feet moving. He is quick enough and dominant enough on the ice to be depended on to play powerplay and penalty kill. He needs to still work on playing a tough game if he wants to be able to win battles at the next level but the pace at which he plays and skates both with and without the puck will be enough for him to find his way onto Montreal’s roster sometime in the near future as part of a rotating top nine. - SC

Jordan Harris, D (71^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Jordan Harris is one of two Northeastern defensemen in Montreal’s pipeline. He shined during his three years of prep hockey at Kimball Union Academy, impressing as one of the better defensemen in the league and was named to the USHS All-USA Hockey First Team in 2017-18. As a third-round draft pick, Harris is a promising prospect as an offensive defenseman. After joining Northeastern as a true freshman, he has since finished his second year with the Huskies and was named to USA’s World Junior team. A staple on the first power play unit, Harris has a very calm demeanor. He sees the ice well, enabling him to get the puck quickly out of dangerous areas. His quick hands allow for quick takeaways. One of Harris’ most impressive attributes is his skating - his strides are smooth and fluid. He’s still young, leaving even more room for improvement. – JS

Sean Farrell, LW (124^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A depth player in the great USNTDP class of 2019, Farrell took advantage of the chance to play a central role in the league, and blossomed with 17 multi-point games on perhaps the most dominant line in junior hockey, proving that his skill set is of top six strength. The high point of his game is his wrist shot, which is very heavy and accurate and features a tricky release. He reads the game well, allowing him to find gaps in the goalie’s positioning. Farrell carries the puck with speed and skill. He can protect the biscuit in traffic and uses his edges and quick passes to escape pressure, often creating scoring chances. Farrell is quick and agile, playing at a good pace without being a truly dynamic skater. The main drawback he will always carry as a prospect is his size, although he is at least on the stocky side and has a low center of gravity, which aids in puck possession, but he will have to prove that he can hold his own against more physically mature players. – RW

Joni Ikonen, C/RW (58^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 8)

Ikonen's last two seasons have been hampered badly by injuries. In 2018-19, he played only 13 games with KalPa in the Liiga and he then missed the entire 2019-20 regular season due to an injury which occurred in a preseason game. That said, Ikonen has many attributes that could eventually help him succeed in North America. He is a good goal-scorer with a precise wrist shot, his offensive vision is high-end, and he is slick with the puck. Moreover, he is tenacious with a high compete level. He hunts down pucks and does many things that do not show on the scoresheet. He clearly wants to be a difference maker every time he steps on the ice, one way or another. He will move to Ilves for the upcoming season. Ilves is a rising team with many skilled, young players and thus should provide a great environment and opportunity for Ikonen to take his game to the next level. – MB

Cam Hillis, C (66^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

Hillis had an excellent bounce back season for the Guelph Storm after an injury plagued campaign a year ago. It was expected that the Storm would rebuild after winning the OHL Championship in 2019, however thanks to the progression of players like Hillis, they were able to maintain a strong standing. Especially impressive was the fact that Hillis finished second in the OHL in primary even strength assists with 28 (ahead of Marco Rossi, Quinton Byfield, Akil Thomas, and many others). He excels as a playmaker because of how well he protects the puck down low, and because he never gives up on a play. Hillis’ skating took a step forward last year too, allowing him to be more active as a facilitator in transition. Currently unsigned, Hillis seems likely to be signed, but is not a slam dunk. If he can continue to improve his skating and bulk up to withstand injury, he projects as a middle six playmaking center who can provide versatility to a coaching staff. - BO

Gianni Fairbrother, D (77^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Fairbrother is a solid all-around defender. He is a strong, powerful player that controls the boards, as well as his net front, with aggression and skill. He plays the body well but also can use more subtle plays with his feet, or poke checking to create turnovers. He is a great blue line shooter as he can handle either side of the point and is not just a one-timer guy back there. His wrist shot has great accuracy and he is a guy that consistently gets his shot past the first defender. He isn’t an amazing puck handler, but he has pretty good vision and can make passes during the transition and in the offensive zone. There is an edge to his game, but it doesn’t really define his style. He is a capable, sound defensive player with good vision and a shot. If he can find another gear, he will have a real shot at contributing to an NHL team one day. - VG

Jayden Struble, D (46^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 11)

The second Northeastern defensive prospect in Montreal’s system, Struble is a young and promising candidate. The former second-round draft pick is a big, physical defenseman who can still skate well with smooth strides, both forwards and backwards. While playing prep hockey at St. Sebastian’s, he was named to the 18-19 USHA All-USA Hockey Second Team. He entered Northeastern as a true freshman last season and was impressive but unfortunately missed the last nine games due to an injury. Even so, he proved his ability as an offensive defenseman. He has a quick shot that often finds the net from the point. Struble sees the ice well and puts power behind his passes, which helps on the rush. He also possesses quick hands with good puck handling skills. Struble is still very young and he has time to mature his game. - JS

Lukas Vejdemo, C (87^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 12)

When thinking about forward prospects for the Canadiens, Vejdemo is not usually the one that comes to mind first. He is a rather underrated player in the Montreal system as he plays a somewhat quiet game. Not overly physical or terribly aggressive, Vejdemo makes an impact in the way he reads the play and carries the puck. He is a good passer and very good at reading neutral zone plays and forechecking to anticipate interceptions, which makes him a valuable asset to have on the penalty kill. The downside to his play is the fact that he plays a physically small game, meaning that he looks like a smaller player than he is and often loses puck battles. He will most certainly have to get stronger in order to make a safe appearance in the NHL. His hands and skating are definitely assets in his play and make him the good player that he is but he needs to be more physical and aggressive in order to earn a call up as a bottom six forward. – SC

Luke Tuch, LW (47^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A heavy player who plays a heavy game, Tuch’s style is very similar to that of his older brother Alex, who also came up through the USNTDP program. Luke doesn’t quite have his brother’s hands, but they are soft enough for him to be a viable weapon around the crease. To his credit, the younger Tuch manages to play a heavy game without spending much time in the penalty box as he is physical without being dirty. He knows how to maximize the leverage his strength provides, and is very tough to strip the puck from, or to beat in a puck battle along the boards. The Boston University commit can play with skill players, making space with his forechecking, and carrying his share of the load defensively, but is most likely a bottom six contributor at higher levels, as his feet are on the heavier side and he lacks dynamic offensive skills. – RW

Josh Brook, D (56^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

Where Josh Brook was a strong and dominant defenseman in the WHL who led rushes and often skated the puck, his AHL career has been quite different. He now plays a more cautious passing game, he no longer has the time he had in major junior to set up plays and skate, which has been a minor setback in his career as he has changed his playing style a lot. In order to get his footing back and find more success next season, Brook will have to find a way to elevate his competition level and find the confidence to start rushing the puck again. As a player who was drafted due to his points and his eye for offensive plays, he will need to find a way to get to the net, be more present in rushes and in the offensive end in establishing plays if he wants a chance at a prolonged call up. Brook has the potential to scratch out a bottom four role with the Canadiens but it will not be until he can find a higher and more aggressive offensive gear to play the game that got him drafted in the first place. - SC

Noah Juulsen, D (26^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 14)

It is no secret that many think that Noah Juulsen is classic first round bust, however going by points and stats to evaluate him is simply not enough. Juulsen is not a point-producing defenseman, as he plays a great defensive game, but his mindset and playing style is that of a cautious, occasionally offensive blueliner capable of rushing the puck but who prefers to pass it instead. Juulsen has had some bad games with the Montreal Canadiens and has made some bad errors, however his skill is that of an NHL quality defender. He is a smooth and powerful skater, a good passer and a physical force. The only important aspect of his game that remains unpolished is his decision making. Unfortunately, for Juulsen making repeated bad decisions and bad plays has placed him at the bottom of the list for call ups and he will have to be next to perfect with the AHL’s Laval in order to get another chance at cracking the bottom four with Montreal. - SC

Rafael Harvey-Pinard, LW (201^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

Harvey-Pinard has seen his stock rise significantly thanks to his hard work and ability to put points on the board. He will be rewarded as an AHL regular next season, as the farm club in Laval inked him to a one-year deal. While he is undersized for the pro game, he is a smart player, and has shown a willingness to find the dirty areas to score. A strong playoff run in a Memorial Cup championship last season in Rouyn-Noranda and a second one in the making for his hometown Chicoutimi squad would have iced the cake for his amateur career. He was the captain of both teams, which shows his great leadership skills. While Harvey-Pinard might be a long-shot, he is willing to do anything to make it. Alex Belzile just made his NHL debut at 28 in a similar fashion, and Harvey-Pinard has the same desire and work ethic. – MS

Alexandre Alain, C/LW (UFA: Apr. 24, 2017. Previous ranking: 17)

Like Harvey-Pinard, Alain was a oft-overlooked offensive force in the QMJHL, who didn’t really hit his stride until his final, over-aged season in the league, which culminated in shooting out the lights in the postseason, finally earning an NHL contract. He has played more of a supporting role in his two seasons in the AHL since, but he has at least demonstrated some traits that would allow him to fit in the NHL, albeit in a depth role at best. He skates quite well and has shown the ability to read the game at a pro pace, giving him some projection to fit on the penalty kill. He has also flashed solid puck skills, although nothing truly dynamic. On the downside, Alain did not show much progress from his rookie season at Laval to last season and the Canadiens will want to see more in the final season of his ELC before bestowing an extension on him. Without additional assertiveness, his next step could be overseas. - RW

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – MONTREAL CANADIANS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 8

Fri, 25 Sep 2020 14:35:05 +0000

Montreal Canadiens

With our compiled grades for all systems now complete, Montreal finds itself comfortably within the top ten prospect systems. It is quite an accomplishment, given that the Habs were ranked 12^th in our 2019 Ranking prior to last season, and then some of their best prospects graduated, according to our standards.

Nick Suzuki (#2) played every game and was fifth in team scoring when the COVID-19 pandemic halted the season. Neither Ryan Poehling (#3) nor Cale Fleury (#15) were as impactful as rookies, but each also played enough in the NHL to lose prospect eligibility. Development stagnation dulled the glow of some other prospects who had once shined more brightly, such as 2015 first rounder Noah Juulsen (#8), who played only 13 games for AHL Laval, after injuries also limited him to 24 combined games in 2018-19. Former second rounder Jacob Olofsson (#17) was likewise limited to 24 games for Skelleftea in the SHL and failed to make the Swedish WJC roster as a 19-year-old after playing at the prestige tournament the prior year.

Even with those organizational depth hits, the system remains strong. I haven’t even mentioned that Montreal hasn’t even dipped their toes into the prospect free agency pool yet this season.

A lot of the regard in which I hold the Montreal system goes into the positive trajectories many of their prospects have found themselves this season. For every prospect who backslid (more could have been expected during the AHL rookie campaigns Cayden Primeau and Otto Leskinen), at least other Montreal hopefuls exceeded expectations and improved their projected future roles (see the three Europeans near the top of the list below in Romanov, Ylonen, and Norlinder, who all increased their respective projected OFPs between the start and the sudden end of the current season.

A few other players basically held serve, but on the whole the Montreal system saw a lot more success stories in the past season than not. Whereas with a team like the Minnesota Wild, who had the opposite experience, we could pinpoint the weak spot in their development chain to the way players developed once they hit the AHL affiliate, with Montreal the answer is more scattered.

Their AHL affiliate, in nearby Laval, Quebec, was not always seen as a strength, with more than a few AHL veterans badmouthing the coaching staff after walking away from the team. Either way, the recent work by the AHL coaching staff has been fine, with prospects assigned to the level doing more or less what has been expected from them.

The players who have taken notable positive steps this year have been everywhere. When a select group of young prospects from the corners of the hockey playing globe, from Russia, Sweden, Finland, the NCAA, the QMJHL and other stations, all improve in a short period and their only obvious connection is the team that drafted them, the most reasonable answer is that the Canadiens have been scouting and drafting very well, recognizing players with room for growth and a path to achieving it. I, for one, will be paying closer than usual attention to the players the Habs select in the 2020 draft. - RW

BROSSARD, QC - JUNE 26: Look on Montreal Canadiens right wing Cole Caufield (36) during the Montreal Canadiens Development Camp on June 26, 2019, at Bell Sports Complex in Brossard, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire)

Cole Caufield, RW (15^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 1)

Going into last year’s draft, Cole Caufield had one significant black mark next to his name, his size. That was overblown then and it is still overblown now. The Canadiens were fortunate to steal him with the 15^th pick in last year’s draft. He is no bigger now after a year with the Wisconsin Badgers than he was coming out of the USNTDP, but it should never have been a real concern. There was no similarly skilled player in last year’s draft – or really going a number of drafts back – who also had a traditionally solid NHL frame. Despite standing only 5-7”, 163, Caufield is built stocky and is very strong for his size, pound-for-pound and inch-for-inch.

Some would say that he has an additional black mark to his prospect status now, despite leading the Big 10 in scoring as a freshman. At mid-season Caufield was selected to represent Team USA at the Word Juniors and he had a disappointingly flat performance, with only a single goal and one helper as the US bowed out early. It’s a fair criticism. Caufield was pretty nondescript at the tournament. On the other hand, that tournament represented a two-week slice of a fantastic season that showed he was still the world class sniper that Montreal drafted.

He times his release to perfection and can place the puck exactly where he wants. More than a one-trick pony, though, Caufield is a fine skater, with sharp cutting ability and he can play the top at his top speed as well. He plays almost fearless, although he doesn’t go out of his way to take unnecessary risks. He will be spending next year back in Madison but will likely be ready to go straight to Montreal at the completion of his sophomore season. - RW

Alexander Romanov, D (38^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Romanov is strong as an ox and plays a physical brand of hockey. He hits with authority to defend and punishes opponents with every chance. He does not give forwards much room to operate as he puts pressure on quickly. He uses his stick well to poke pucks away and break up plays. He battles hard in the corners and along the boards and shows the willingness to win pucks.

He is alert, focused and very responsible in the defensive zone. He makes a very good first pass out of the zone and sends precise bank passes off the boards. He does not make many plays with the puck that would jump off the page, but he is highly reliable and highly consistent, both of which are important attributes for a defenseman.

He has a hard, accurate slap shot from the point and he keeps it low to create rebounds. Romanov is a powerful skater with good balance and footwork. He moves well in all directions and trusts his skating when defending opposing rushes. He will occasionally join the rush to create additional options for his team.

The 20-year-old blueliner has the makings of an excellent second round pick for the Canadiens. He looks NHL ready as far as his physicality is concerned. He has a lot of upside as he is terrific in his own end and smart in possession. I think he has a chance to develop into a strong middle-pairing NHL defenseman who contributes in a variety of ways. - MB

Jesse Ylonen, RW (35^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

Ylonen is a highly talented winger whose skating and puck skills are near elite. He has quick hands and his first touch is excellent: he can corral difficult passes smoothly and get the puck under control quickly. His wrist shot features an accurate and quick release. Scoring goals seems to come naturally to him, yet he is also a good set-up guy with playmaking skill.

He moves and skates with his head up to scan the ice and shows awareness with the puck. His offensive numbers declined in the past Liiga season, however he did make progress defensively. Ylonen's backchecking has greatly improved, as he uses his strong acceleration to catch opponents. When discussing his point totals, it must be remembered that Pelicans was not a very strong team in 2019-20. They eventually missed the playoffs by a fair margin after selling many of their top players late in the season.

Ylonen has shown signs of becoming a more complete player and I think he has adapted well to the pro game in the last two seasons. He has come a long way from where he was in the U18 league at one point. He has learned to use his offensive skill set and skating to his advantage, he uses his teammates for passing options and he does not make nearly as many careless decisions as he used to. Therefore, I am confident that Ylonen will adapt to North American game as well and ultimately develop into a strong, productive NHL winger. - MB

Mattias Norlinder, D (64^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

One of the best skaters in Swedish hockey. Norlinder is both fast and elusive on his skates. He travels with ease and is very smooth. He can use his skating to his advantage in all situations. He also has strong puck skills and control of the puck. He passes the puck well and has some nice deking moves where he goes to his backhand close to his feet and uses his mobility to travel around opponents.

Norlinder is also quite a good goal scorer. While he does not possess a dangerous bomb from blueline, he likes to join the attack where has a quick release wrist shot. Even in goal scoring the skating helps him as he likes to skate across the slot before shooting.

He played in Allsvenskan this season and had 18 points in 34 games. He had some injury issues and also had a short slump after the WJC, a tournament where he only played in a disappointingly limited role. Norlinder has been a late developer and is still growing physically. He signed a two-year deal with Frolunda but I think he could be able to step over and compete for a spot after the first year.

As he can combine his skating with good puck handling, he does not need to play top pair minutes to be effective. His weaknesses are in the defensive zone and he won’t be a shutdown defenseman or a strong penalty killer but could still be an effective second or third pair defenseman as he is a such a strong possession player and his zone exits are as strong as his entries. – JH

Cayden Primeau, G (199^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

As it stands right now, Cayden Primeau is the future for goaltending in the Montreal Canadiens organization and that is a good thing. At 6-3”, Primeau stands at a good height where modern goaltenders are concerned, and his in-net composure is something that even some veteran netminders have not yet mastered. Some may say he is a little too calm in the crease but as long as he keeps making saves there are few complaints.

Starting for the Laval Rocket the majority of this season and even earning two starts with Montreal, Primeau has been able to better adapt to faster shots and puck movement coming from the AHL and NHL shooters. He will need to continue working on his rebound control and activation on certain plays off of long shots and net-front scrambles in order to compete better in the NHL. However, until then his focus remains unbreakable and his positioning is strong, he sees the puck and fights well for vision.

He has pretty large shoes to fill in Montreal when it comes to agility and playing the puck, both of which he can also brush up heading into next season. For a young goaltender it is so important that he get stronger when it comes to his legs and being able to push harder to get across the net quicker. With Carey Price still paving the way for the Canadiens, expect Primeau to get some time up as a backup goaltender first before stepping into the starter role eventually. - SC

Jake Evans, C (207^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

After leading the Laval Rocket for points this past season, Evans earned a brief call up to the Canadiens and should see more time up in the NHL if he gets off to the same strong start he did last season. He sees the ice well and always keeps his feet moving. He is quick enough and dominant enough on the ice to be depended on to play powerplay and penalty kill.

He needs to still work on playing a tough game if he wants to be able to win battles at the next level but the pace at which he plays and skates both with and without the puck will be enough for him to find his way onto Montreal’s roster sometime in the near future as part of a rotating top nine. - SC

Jordan Harris, D (71^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 16)

A staple on the first power play unit, Harris has a very calm demeanor. He sees the ice well, enabling him to get the puck quickly out of dangerous areas. His quick hands allow for quick takeaways. One of Harris’ most impressive attributes is his skating - his strides are smooth and fluid. He’s still young, leaving even more room for improvement. - JS

Joni Ikonen, C/RW (58^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 12)

He is a good goal-scorer with a precise wrist shot, his offensive vision is high-end, and he is slick with the puck. Moreover, he is tenacious with a high compete level. He hunts down pucks and does many things that do not show on the scoresheet. He clearly wants to be a difference maker every time he steps on the ice, one way or another.

He will move to Ilves for the upcoming season. Ilves is a rising team with many skilled, young players and thus should provide a great environment and opportunity for Ikonen to take his game to the next level. - MB

Cam Hillis, C (66^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 13)

Especially impressive was the fact that Hillis finished second in the OHL in primary even strength assists with 28 (ahead of Marco Rossi, Quinton Byfield, Akil Thomas, and many others). He excels as a playmaker because of how well he protects the puck down low, and because he never gives up on a play.

Hillis’ skating took a step forward this year too, allowing him to be more active as a facilitator in transition. Currently unsigned, Hillis seems likely to be signed, but is not a slam dunk. If he can continue to improve his skating and bulk up to withstand injury, he projects as a middle six playmaking center who can provide versatility to a coaching staff. - BO

Gianni Fairbrother, D (77^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 13)

He is a great blue line shooter as he can handle either side of the point and is not just a one-timer guy back there. His wrist shot has great accuracy and he is a guy that consistently gets his shot past the first defender. He isn’t an amazing puck handler, but he has pretty good vision and can make passes during the transition and in the offensive zone.

There is an edge to his game, but it doesn’t really define his style. He is a capable, sound defensive player with good vision and a shot. If he can find another gear, he will have a real shot at contributing to an NHL team one day. - VG

Jayden Struble, D (46^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 14)

While playing prep hockey at St. Sebastian’s, he was named to the 18-19 USHA All-USA Hockey Second Team. He entered Northeastern as a true freshman last season and was impressive but unfortunately missed the last nine games due to an injury. Even so, he proved his ability as an offensive defenseman. He has a quick shot that often finds the net from the point. Struble sees the ice well and puts power behind his passes, which helps on the rush. He also possesses quick hands with good puck handling skills. Struble is still very young and he has time to mature his game. - JS

Lukas Vejdemo, C (87^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

He is a good passer and very good at reading neutral zone plays and forechecking to anticipate interceptions, which makes him a valuable asset to have on the penalty kill. The downside to his play is the fact that he plays a physically small game, meaning that he looks like a smaller player than he is and often loses puck battles. He will most certainly have to get stronger in order to make a safe appearance in the NHL.

His hands and skating are definitely assets in his play and make him the good player that he is but he needs to be more physical and aggressive in order to earn a call up as a bottom six forward. - SC

Josh Brook, D (56^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 7)

In order to get his footing back and find more success next season, Brook will have to find a way to elevate his competition level and find the confidence to start rushing the puck again. As a player who was drafted due to his points and his eye for offensive plays, he will need to find a way to get to the net, be more present in rushes and in the offensive end in establishing plays if he wants a chance at a prolonged call up.

Brook has the potential to scratch out a bottom four role with the Canadiens but it will not be until he can find a higher and more aggressive offensive gear to play the game that got him drafted in the first place. - SC

Noah Juulsen, D (26^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 8)

He is a smooth and powerful skater, a good passer and a physical force. The only important aspect of his game that remains unpolished is his decision making. Unfortunately, for Juulsen making repeated bad decisions and bad plays has placed him at the bottom of the list for call ups and he will have to be next to perfect with the AHL’s Laval in order to get another chance at cracking the bottom four with Montreal. - SC

Rafael Harvey-Pinard, LW (201^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Harvey-Pinard has seen his stock rise significantly thanks to his hard work and ability to put points on the board. He will be rewarded as an AHL regular next season, as the farm club in Laval inked him to a one-year deal.

While he is undersized for the pro game, he is a smart player, and has shown a willingness to find the dirty areas to score. A strong playoff run in a Memorial Cup championship last season in Rouyn-Noranda and a second one in the making for his hometown Chicoutimi squad would have iced the cake for his amateur career. He was the captain of both teams, which shows his great leadership skills.

While Harvey-Pinard might be a long-shot, he is willing to do anything to make it. Alex Belzile just made his NHL debut at 28 in a similar fashion, and Harvey-Pinard has the same desire and work ethic. - MS

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

McKeens Hockey; Article by Ryan Wagman — Tue, 22 Sep 2020 11:50:55 +0000

I write these words less than 24 hours after the Dallas Stars took game one of the Stanley Cup Finals against the heavily favored Tampa Bay Lightning. Unlike most seasons wherein the end of the Stanley Cup marks the beginning of off-season player movement, this year teams have taken an early start to the transactional Ferris wheel as many expect the upcoming offseason (from the awarding of the Cup, through to the draft in the first week of October to the start of the 2020-21 season perhaps as soon as early December, pending COVID trends in North America) to be especially turbulent.

We have seen a few trades of NHL pieces, one deal which impacted this guidebook, as Toronto sent Kasperi Kapanen to Pittsburgh and Swedish winger Filip Hallander was among those coming back to Toronto. Hallander was our selection for the second-best prospect in the Penguins system and now holds that title for the Maple Leafs. That trade knocked the Penguins down a few slots on our organizational rankings and allowed Toronto to go the other way accordingly.

Of course, with the draft roughly 17 days away, and with it a complete re-shuffling of the organizational rankings, this is just a snapshot in time of how every team’s system shakes up. We will re-run this list, incorporating the drafted players, in our pre-season fantasy guide, where we will expand the lists up to 20.

What you are about to dive into is a comprehensive list of all prospect eligible players on all 31 teams. To hold prospect eligibility, a player needs to 25 or younger, as of September 15, 2020. All skaters need to have played less than 60 career games, with no more than 35 of those games coming in a single season (or 25 for this past shortened season). For goalies, the age criteria remain the same, but the games played benchmark drops to 30 career games and 20 in a given season (or 15 last year). Any cutoff that does not hew exactly to the Calder Trophy award criteria is, by nature, arbitrary, but we aim to be inclusive for all players who have not yet cemented NHL jobs and/or have not had a prolonged chance to prove himself capable – or incapable.

We rank 15 per team, as depth is as important as the high end. Our goal is to identify players who could – if they have an advocate for them within the team’s braintrust – play a role in the NHL. These players were identified through our thorough vetting of each prospect across the globe, assigning scores, or grades, to five areas for skaters (skating, shot, puck skills, smarts, physicality) and six for netminders (athleticism/speed/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, positioning/technique, rebound control, and puck handling). Depending on the position, the grades are run through an algorithm to come up with an overall future projection (OFP).

The OFP, if the scout is being honest, measures the future role we anticipate the prospect being able to hold. A 50 score is the lower threshold to be a regular 4^th line forward, or bottom pairing defender. Grades over 56 are potential top line/pairing skaters. The grades in between, obviously project to the middle of the lineup.

As we are reminded every year, development is not linear. Some players take unexpected sudden leaps forward (see Marino, John), and others stagnate (see Ho-Sang, Josh), and many do exactly what we expect of them when they are given the chance. As much as I trust the analysts in our team, I can also tell you that this exercise is always humbling. There will be at least one player who we rate highly who bombs. There will be at least one player who did not feature on his team’s top 15 who becomes an NHL regular next year. We accept those errors in judgment and promise you, our faithful subscriber, that we will learn from them and refine our work for next year, as we learn just as NHL teams learn.

Until then, please enjoy this snapshot view of the future of the beautiful, frozen game. Putting this together has provided at least some sense of normalcy during this crazy summer.

NHL	RNK	PLAYER	POS	AGE	HT/WT	TM	Acquired
Ana	1	Trevor Zegras	C	19	6-0/170	Boston University (HE)	`19(9th)
Min	2	Kirill Kaprizov	LW	23	5-10/200	CSKA (KHL)	`15(135th)
Col	3	Bowen Byram	D	19	6-0/195	Vancouver (WHL)	`19(4th)
Buf	4	Dylan Cozens	C	19	6-3/185	Lethbridge (WHL)	`19(7th)
Fla	5	Spencer Knight	G	19	6-3/195	Boston College (HE)	`19(13th)
VGK	6	Peyton Krebs	C	19	5-11/180	Winnipeg (WHL)	`19(17th)
Ari	7	Victor Soderstrom	D	19	5-11/180	Brynas (Swe)	`19(11th)
Mtl	8	Cole Caufield	RW	19	5-7/165	Wisconsin (B1G)	`19(15th)
Van	9	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	19	6-1/190	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`19(10th)
Edm	10	Philip Broberg	D	19	6-3/200	Skelleftea AIK (Swe)	`19(8th)
Tor	11	Nick Robertson	LW	19	5-9/160	Peterborough (OHL)	`19(53rd)
Col	12	Alex Newhook	C	19	5-10/195	Boston College (HE)	`19(16th)
Det	13	Moritz Seider	D	19	6-3/185	Grand Rapids (AHL)	`19(6th)
Fla	14	Grigori Denisenko	LW	20	5-11/185	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`18(15th)
Min	15	Matthew Boldy	LW	19	6-1/190	Boston College (HE)	`19(12th)
NJ	16	Ty Smith	D	20	5-10/180	Spokane (WHL)	`18(17th)
LA	17	Alex Turcotte	C	19	5-11/185	Wisconsin (B1G)	`19(5th)
Nsh	18	Philip Tomasino	C	19	5-11/180	Nia-Osh (OHL)	`19(24th)
Pit	19	Samuel Poulin	LW	19	6-1/205	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	`19(21st)
Wsh	20	Connor McMichael	C	19	5-11/175	London (OHL)	`19(25th)
LA	21	Gabriel Vilardi	RW	21	6-3/200	Ontario (AHL)	`17(11th)
NYR	22	Igor Shesterkin	G	24	6-1/190	Hartford (AHL)	`14(118th)
Dal	23	Thomas Harley	D	19	6-3/190	Mississauga (OHL)	`19(18th)
Ari	24	Barrett Hayton	C	20	6-1/190	Arizona (NHL)	`18(5th)
NYR	25	Nils Lundkvist	D	20	5-11/180	Lulea (Swe)	`18(28th)
LA	26	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	19	6-2/190	Hamilton (OHL)	`19(33rd)
Cgy	27	Juuso Valimaki	D	21	6-2/205	DNP - Injured	`17(16th)
Det	28	Jared McIsaac	D	20	6-1/195	Hal-Mon (QMJHL)	`18(36th)
NYR	29	Vitali Kravtsov	RW	20	6-3/185	Hartford (AHL)	`18(9th)
Edm	30	Evan Bouchard	D	20	6-2/195	Bakersfield (AHL)	`18(10th)
NYR	31	K'Andre Miller	D	20	6-3/205	Wisconsin (B1G)	`18(22nd)
Edm	32	Raphael Lavoie	RW	19	6-4/195	Hal-Chi (QMJHL)	`19(38th)
NYI	33	Ilya Sorokin	G	25	6-2/180	CSKA (KHL)	`14(78th)
Det	34	Albert Johansson	D	19	5-11/165	Farjestads (Swe)	`19(60th)
Ari	35	Matias Maccelli	LW	19	5-11/170	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`19(98th)
Van	36	Nils Hoglander	RW	19	5-9/185	Rogle (Swe)	`19(40th)
Ari	37	Jan Jenik	RW	20	6-1/180	Hamilton (OHL)	`18(65th)
Phi	38	Cam York	D	19	5-11/175	Michigan (B1G)	`19(14th)
Phi	39	Morgan Frost	C	21	5-11/180	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	`17(27th)
Ana	40	Lukas Dostal	G	20	6-1/170	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`18(85th)
LA	41	Tobias Bjornfot	D	19	6-0/200	Ontario (AHL)	`19(22nd)
SJ	42	Ryan Merkley	D	20	5-11/170	London (OHL)	`18(21st)
NYI	43	Kieffer Bellows	LW	22	6-0/200	Bridgeport (AHL)	`16(19th)
NYI	44	Oliver Wahlstrom	RW	20	6-1/205	Bridgeport (AHL)	`18(11th)
LA	45	Rasmus Kupari	C	20	6-1/185	Ontario (AHL)	`18(20th)
CBJ	46	Liam Foudy	C	20	6-0/175	London (OHL)	`18(18th)
LA	47	Tyler Madden	C	20	5-10/155	Northeastern (HE)	T(Van-2/20)
Mtl	48	Alexander Romanov	D	20	5-11/185	CSKA (KHL)	`18(38th)
NYI	49	Bode Wilde	D	20	6-2/195	Bridgeport (AHL)	`18(41st)
Ott	50	Jacob Bernard-Docker	D	20	6-0/180	North Dakota (NCHC)	`18(26th)
Cgy	51	Jakob Pelletier	LW	19	5-9/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`19(26th)
LA	52	Akil Thomas	C	20	5-11/170	Nia-Pbo (OHL)	`18(51st)
Wpg	53	Dylan Samberg	D	21	6-3/190	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`17(43rd)
Chi	54	Ian Mitchell	D	21	5-11/175	Denver (NCHC)	`17(57th)
Ott	55	Josh Norris	C	21	6-1/195	Belleville (AHL)	T(SJ-9/18)
NYR	56	Matthew Robertson	D	19	6-3/200	Edmonton (WHL)	`19(49th)
VGK	57	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	19	6-1/170	Magnitogorsk (KHL)	`19(79th)
Dal	58	Jake Oettinger	G	21	6-4/210	Texas (AHL)	`17(26th)
Ott	59	Drake Batherson	RW	22	6-1/190	Belleville (AHL)	`17(121st)
LA	60	Samuel Fagemo	RW	20	6-0/195	Frolunda (Swe)	`19(50th)
Col	61	Justus Annunen	G	20	6-4/215	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	`18(64th)
Bos	62	John Beecher	C	19	6-3/210	Michigan (B1G)	`19(30th)
Phi	63	Egor Zamula	D	20	6-4/175	Calgary (WHL)	FA(9/18)
NYR	64	Zac Jones	D	19	5-10/175	Massachusetts (HE)	`19(68th)
CBJ	65	Kirill Marchenko	LW	20	6-3/190	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`18(49th)
VGK	66	Jack Dugan	RW	22	6-2/185	Providence (HE)	`17(142nd)
StL	67	Scott Perunovich	D	22	5-10/175	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`18(45th)
Bos	68	Jack Studnicka	C	21	6-1/170	Providence (AHL)	`17(53rd)
Dal	69	Ty Dellandrea	C	20	6-0/185	Flint (OHL)	`18(13th)
Min	70	Calen Addison	D	20	5-10/180	Lethbridge (WHL)	T(Pit-2/20)
NYR	71	Julien Gauthier	RW	22	6-4/225	Charlotte (AHL)	T(Car-2/20)
Van	72	Olli Juolevi	D	22	6-3/200	Utica (AHL)	`16(5th)
NJ	73	Nolan Foote	LW	19	6-3/190	Kelowna (WHL)	T(TB-2/20)
NJ	74	Janne Kuokkanen	LW	22	6-1/190	Cha-Bng (AHL)	T(Car-2/20)
Ott	75	Alex Formenton	LW	21	6-2/165	Belleville (AHL)	`17(47th)
Det	76	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	19	5-10/160	Boston University (HE)	`19(54th)
NYR	77	Morgan Barron	C	21	6-2/200	Cornell (ECAC)	`17(174th)
Mtl	78	Jesse Ylonen	RW	20	6-1/185	Pelicans (Fin)	`18(35th)
Car	79	Dominik Bokk	RW	20	6-1/180	Rogle (Swe)	T(StL-9/19)
Nsh	80	Egor Afanasyev	RW	19	6-3/205	Windsor (OHL)	`19(45th)
Ana	81	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	C	20	6-1/195	Hal-Mon (QMJHL)	`18(54th)
Min	82	Alexander Khovanov	C	20	5-11/195	Moncton (QMJHL)	`18(86th)
Det	83	Joe Veleno	C	20	6-1/195	Grand Rapids (AHL)	`18(30th)
NJ	84	Kevin Bahl	D	20	6-6/230	Ottawa (OHL)	T(Ari-12/19)
Car	85	Ryan Suzuki	C	19	6-0/180	Bar-Sag (OHL)	`19(28th)
Van	86	Jett Woo	D	20	6-0/205	Calgary (WHL)	`18(37th)
Mtl	87	Mattias Norlinder	D	20	5-11/180	MODO (Swe 2)	`19(64th)
Min	88	Adam Beckman	LW	19	6-1/170	Spokane (WHL)	`19(75th)
Bos	89	Jeremy Swayman	G	21	6-1/190	Maine (HE)	`17(111th)
Wpg	90	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	21	6-3/205	Manitoba (AHL)	`17(24th)
Tor	91	Filip Hallander	LW	20	6-1/185	Lulea (Swe)	T(Pit-8/20)
Fla	92	Owen Tippett	RW	21	6-1/200	Springfield (AHL)	`17(10th)
Car	93	Jake Bean	D	22	6-1/175	Charlotte (AHL)	`16(13th)
Ott	94	Shane Pinto	C	19	6-2/190	North Dakota (NCHC)	`19(32nd)
Col	95	Martin Kaut	RW	20	6-1/175	Colorado (AHL)	`18(16th)
Van	96	Jack Rathbone	D	21	5-10/175	Harvard (ECAC)	`17(95th)
Tor	97	Nick Abruzzese	C	21	5-9/160	Harvard (ECAC)	`19(124th)
Bos	98	Urho Vaakanainen	D	21	6-0/185	Providence (AHL)	`17(18th)
Wsh	99	Alexander Alexeyev	D	20	6-3/200	Hershey (AHL)	`18(31st)
NYI	100	Simon Holmstrom	RW	19	6-1/185	Bridgeport (AHL)	`19(23rd)
LA	101	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	C	21	5-11/190	Ontario (AHL)	`17(41st)
Car	102	Joey Keane	D	21	6-0/185	Hfd-Cha (AHL)	T(NYR-2/20)
Wsh	103	Martin Fehervary	D	20	6-1/190	Hershey (AHL)	`18(46th)
StL	104	Tyler Tucker	D	20	6-1/205	Bar-Fnt (OHL)	`18(200th)
SJ	105	Yegor Spiridonov	C	19	6-2/195	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL)	`19(108th)
NJ	106	Joey Anderson	RW	22	6-0/195	Binghamton (AHL)	`16(73rd)
Col	107	Conor Timmins	D	21	6-1/185	Colorado (AHL)	`17(32nd)
StL	108	Klim Kostin	C	21	6-3/195	San Antonio (AHL)	`17(31st)
Mtl	109	Cayden Primeau	G	21	6-3/180	Laval (AHL)	`17(199th)
SJ	110	Jonathan Dahlen	LW	22	5-11/185	Timra IK (Swe 2)	T(Van-2/19)
NJ	111	Reilly Walsh	D	21	5-11/180	Harvard (ECAC)	`17(81st)
Buf	112	Oskari Laaksonen	D	21	6-2/165	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`17(89th)
NJ	113	Arseni Gritsyuk	RW	19	5-10/170	Omskie Yastreby (MHL)	`19(129th)
Wsh	114	Aliaksei Protas	C	19	6-5/205	Prince Albert (WHL)	`19(91st)
Cgy	115	Dustin Wolf	G	19	6-0/165	Everett (WHL)	`19(214th)
StL	116	Joel Hofer	G	20	6-3/160	Portland (WHL)	`18(107th)
VGK	117	Ivan Morozov	C	20	6-1/180	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	`18(61st)
Mtl	118	Jake Evans	C	24	6-0/185	Laval (AHL)	`14(207th)
Nsh	119	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	21	5-10/175	Milwaukee (AHL)	`17(30th)
Wpg	120	Ville Heinola	D	19	5-11/180	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	`19(20th)
VGK	121	Lucas Elvenes	RW	21	6-0/175	Chicago (AHL)	`17(127th)
TB	122	Cole Koepke	LW	22	6-1/195	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	`18(183rd)
Ana	123	Isac Lundestrom	C	20	6-0/185	San Diego (AHL)	`18(23rd)
NYR	124	Tarmo Reunanen	D	22	6-0/180	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	`16(98th)
Mtl	125	Jordan Harris	D	20	5-11/180	Northeastern (HE)	`18(71st)
Ana	126	Brayden Tracey	LW	19	6-0/175	MJ-Vic (WHL)	`19(29th)
Phi	127	Tanner Laczynski	C	23	6-1/200	Ohio State (B1G)	`16(169th)
Chi	128	Alec Regula	D	20	6-3/200	London (OHL)	T(Det-10/19)
Buf	129	Mattias Samuelsson	D	20	6-3/215	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`18(32nd)
Car	130	Jamieson Rees	C	19	5-10/175	Sarnia (OHL)	`19(44th)
Edm	131	Olivier Rodrigue	G	20	6-1/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`18(62nd)
Fla	132	Serron Noel	RW	20	6-5/205	Osh-Kit (OHL)	`18(34th)
Det	133	Antti Tuomisto	D	19	6-4/190	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	`19(35th)
Dal	134	Jason Robertson	LW	21	6-2/195	Texas (AHL)	`17(39th)
Mtl	135	Joni Ikonen	C	21	5-10/170	DNP - Injured	`17(58th)
Nsh	136	Rem Pitlick	C	23	5-11/200	Milwaukee (AHL)	`16(76th)
Ott	137	Logan Brown	C	22	6-6/220	Belleville (AHL)	`16(11th)
TB	138	Samuel Walker	C	21	5-11/160	Minnesota (B1G)	`17(200th)
Phi	139	Wade Allison	RW	22	6-2/205	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`16(52nd)
Wpg	140	Declan Chisholm	D	20	6-1/190	Peterborough (OHL)	`18(150th)
NJ	141	Tyce Thompson	RW	21	6-1/180	Providence (HE)	`19(96th)
VGK	142	Connor Corcoran	D	20	6-1/185	Windsor (OHL)	`18(154th)
Ana	143	Jackson Lacombe	D	19	6-1/170	Minnesota (B1G)	`19(39th)
NYR	144	Lauri Pajuniemi	RW	21	6-0/185	TPS Turku (Fin)	`18(132nd)
Car	145	Tuukka Tieksola	RW	19	5-10/160	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	`19(121st)
CBJ	146	Andrew Peeke	D	22	6-3/210	Cleveland (AHL)	`16(34th)
Ana	147	Axel Andersson	D	20	6-0/180	Moncton (QMJHL)	T(Bos-2/20)
Car	148	Patrik Puistola	LW	19	6-0/175	Tap-Juk-Koo (Fin)	`19(73rd)
NJ	149	Michael McLeod	C	22	6-2/195	Binghamton (AHL)	`16(12th)
Car	150	Pyotr Kochetkov	G	21	6-1/175	SKA-VIT (KHL)	`19(36th)
NJ	151	Michael Vukojevic	D	19	6-3/210	Kitchener (OHL)	`19(82nd)
NYI	152	Ruslan Iskhakov	C	20	5-8/155	UConn (HE)	`18(43rd)
Wpg	153	Sami Niku	D	23	6-0/175	Manitoba (AHL)	`15(198th)
TB	154	Hugo Alnefelt	G	19	6-3/195	HV 71 (Swe)	`19(71st)
NJ	155	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	19	6-1/195	Ottawa (OHL)	`19(61st)
NYR	156	Hunter Skinner	D	19	6-2/175	London (OHL)	`19(112th)
LA	157	Mikey Anderson	D	21	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	`17(103rd)
Col	158	Shane Bowers	C	21	6-2/190	Colorado (AHL)	T(Ott-11/17)
NYI	159	Joshua Ho-Sang	RW	24	6-0/175	Bri-SA (AHL)	`14(28th)
LA	160	Cal Petersen	G	25	6-3/190	Ontario (AHL)	FA(7/17)
Col	161	Sampo Ranta	LW	20	6-2/205	Minnesota (B1G)	`18(78th)
Wpg	162	Mikhail Berdin	G	22	6-2/165	Manitoba (AHL)	`16(157th)
Bos	163	Jeremy Lauzon	D	23	6-3/205	Providence (AHL)	`15(52nd)
Nsh	164	David Farrance	D	21	5-11/190	Boston University (HE)	`17(92nd)
Van	165	Will Lockwood	RW	22	5-11/175	Michigan (B1G)	`16(64th)
NYI	166	Sebastian Aho	D	24	5-10/175	Bridgeport (AHL)	`17(139th)
Wpg	167	Logan Stanley	D	22	6-7/225	Manitoba (AHL)	`16(18th)
Buf	168	Ryan Johnson	D	19	6-0/175	Minnesota (B1G)	`19(31st)
Van	169	Michael DiPietro	G	21	6-0/195	Utica (AHL)	`17(64th)
VGK	170	Kaedan Korczak	D	19	6-3/190	Kelowna (WHL)	`19(41st)
Car	171	Jack Drury	C	20	5-11/180	Harvard (ECAC)	`18(42nd)
StL	172	Nikita Alexandrov	C	19	6-0/180	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	`19(62nd)
Col	173	Nikolai Kovalenko	RW	20	5-10/175	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`18(171st)
Nsh	174	Juuso Parssinen	C	19	6-2/205	TPS Turku (Fin)	`19(210th)
Chi	175	Pius Suter	C	24	5-11/170	ZSC Lions (NLA)	FA(7/20)
Fla	176	Aleksi Saarela	RW	23	5-11/200	Rfd-Spr (AHL)	T(Chi-10/19)
Bos	177	Trent Frederic	C	22	6-4/215	Providence (AHL)	`16(29th)
CBJ	178	Dmitri Voronkov	LW	20	6-4/190	Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)	`19(114th)
Ott	179	Lassi Thomson	D	19	6-0/190	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	`19(19th)
Car	180	Morgan Geekie	C	22	6-2/180	Charlotte (AHL)	`17(67th)
CBJ	181	Trey Fix-Wolansky	RW	21	5-8/185	Cleveland (AHL)	`18(204th)
Ott	182	Vitaly Abramov	RW	22	5-9/175	Belleville (AHL)	T(CBJ-2/19)
TB	183	Alexander Volkov	LW	23	6-1/190	Syracuse (AHL)	`17(48th)
Tor	184	Mikko Kokkonen	D	19	5-11/200	Jukurit (Fin)	`19(84th)
Ott	185	Kevin Mandolese	G	20	6-4/180	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	`18(157th)
CBJ	186	Daniil Tarasov	G	21	6-5/185	Assat Pori (Fin)	`17(86th)
LA	187	Carl Grundstrom	LW	22	6-0/195	Ontario (AHL)	T(Tor-1/19)
LA	188	Kale Clague	D	22	6-0/180	Ontario (AHL)	`16(51st)
Ott	189	Artyom Zub	D	24	6-2/200	SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)	FA(5/20)
Edm	190	Tyler Benson	LW	22	6-0/200	Bakersfield (AHL)	`16(32nd)
Det	191	Jonatan Berggren	RW	20	5-10/185	Skelleftea AIK (Swe)	`18(33rd)
Tor	192	Yegor Korshkov	RW	24	6-4/215	Toronto (AHL)	`16(31st)
Dal	193	Riley Damiani	C	20	5-9/165	Kitchener (OHL)	`18(137th)
VGK	194	Zach Whitecloud	D	23	6-2/210	Chicago (AHL)	FA(3/18)
Buf	195	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	21	6-4/195	Cincinnati (ECHL)	`17(54th)
Car	196	David Cotton	LW	23	6-3/205	Boston College (HE)	`15(169th)
Chi	197	Wyatt Kalynuk	D	23	6-1/180	Wisconsin (B1G)	FA(7/20)
Min	198	Hunter Jones	G	19	6-4/195	Peterborough (OHL)	`19(59th)
LA	199	Jordan Spence	D	19	5-10/165	Moncton (QMJHL)	`19(95th)
Cgy	200	Dmitri Zavgorodny	LW	20	5-9/175	Rimouski (QMJHL)	`18(198th)
Col	201	Alex Beaucage	RW	19	6-1/195	Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)	`19(78th)
TB	202	Dmitri Semykin	D	20	6-3/200	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL)	`18(90th)
CBJ	203	Matiss Kivlenieks	G	24	6-2/190	Cleveland (AHL)	FA(5/17)
StL	204	Ville Husso	G	25	6-3/205	San Antonio (AHL)	`14(94th)
Phi	205	Bobby Brink	RW	19	5-10/165	Denver (NCHC)	`19(34th)
NYI	206	Otto Koivula	C	22	6-4/220	Bridgeport (AHL)	`16(120th)
Car	207	Eetu Makiniemi	G	21	6-2/180	KOOVEE (Fin 2)	`17(104th)
NYI	208	Anatoli Golyshev	RW	25	5-8/180	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg (KHL)	`16(95th)
Chi	209	Evan Barratt	C	21	6-0/190	Penn State (B1G)	`17(90th)
Buf	210	Erik Portillo	G	20	6-6/210	Dubuque (USHL)	`19(67th)
Fla	211	Cole Schwindt	RW	19	6-2/185	Mississauga (OHL)	`19(81st)
Chi	212	Michal Teply	LW	19	6-3/185	Winnipeg (WHL)	`19(105th)
Ott	213	Mads Sogaard	G	19	6-7/195	Medicine Hat (WHL)	`19(37th)
Buf	214	Jonas Johansson	G	24	6-4/205	Rochester (AHL)	`14(61st)
TB	215	Cal Foote	D	21	6-4/215	Syracuse (AHL)	`17(14th)
StL	216	Niko Mikkola	D	24	6-5/200	San Antonio (AHL)	`15(127th)
NYI	217	Robin Salo	D	21	6-1/190	SaiPa (Fin)	`17(46th)
Bos	218	Jakub Zboril	D	23	6-1/200	Providence (AHL)	`15(13th)
Buf	219	Will Borgen	D	23	6-2/200	Rochester (AHL)	`15(92nd)
Pit	220	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	D	21	6-2/170	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	`17(23rd)
SJ	221	Sasha Chmelevski	C	21	5-11/190	San Jose (AHL)	`17(185th)
Ari	222	Kyle Capobianco	D	23	6-1/180	Tucson (AHL)	`15(63rd)
Det	223	Keith Petruzzelli	G	21	6-5/180	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	`17(88th)
Wsh	224	Garrett Pilon	RW	22	5-11/190	Hershey (AHL)	`16(87th)
NJ	225	Nikola Pasic	RW	19	5-10/185	Karlskoga (Swe 2)	`19(189th)
TB	226	Alex Barre-Boulet	C	23	5-10/165	Syracuse (AHL)	FA(3/18)
Edm	227	Ryan McLeod	C	20	6-2/205	Bakersfield (AHL)	`18(40th)
NYI	228	Samuel Bolduc	D	19	6-3/210	BLB-She (QMJHL)	`19(57th)
Ott	229	Joey Daccord	G	24	6-2/195	Belleville (AHL)	`15(199th)
StL	230	Hugh McGing	C	22	5-9/180	Western Michigan (NCHC)	`18(138th)
Edm	231	Cooper Marody	C	23	6-0/180	Bakersfield (AHL)	T(Phi-3/18)
Tor	232	Jeremy Bracco	RW	23	5-9/180	Toronto (AHL)	`15(61st)
Phi	233	German Rubtsov	C	22	6-2/190	Lehigh Valley (AHL)	`16(22nd)
Wsh	234	Brian Pinho	C	25	6-1/195	Hershey (AHL)	`13(174th)
Col	235	Logan O'Connor	RW	24	6-0/170	Colorado (AHL)	FA(7/18)
Buf	236	Casey Fitzgerald	D	23	5-11/190	Rochester (AHL)	`16(86th)
NJ	237	Daniil Misyul	D	19	6-3/180	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	`19(70th)
Ari	238	John Farinacci	C	19	5-11/185	Harvard (ECAC)	`19(76th)
Edm	239	Aapeli Rasanen	C	22	6-0/195	Boston College (HE)	`16(153rd)
Pit	240	Anthony Angello	RW	24	6-5/205	Wilkes-Barre (AHL)	`14(145th)
Mtl	241	Cam Hillis	C	20	5-10/170	Guelph (OHL)	`18(66th)
Cgy	242	Mathias Emilio Pettersen	RW	20	5-9/170	Denver (NCHC)	`18(167th)
SJ	243	Alexander True	C	23	6-5/205	San Jose (AHL)	FA(7/18)
NYI	244	Reece Newkirk	C	19	5-11/175	Portland (WHL)	`19(147th)
Dal	245	Dawson Barteaux	D	20	6-0/180	RD-Wpg (WHL)	`18(168th)
Bos	246	Jack Ahcan	D	23	5-8/185	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	FA(3/20)
Det	247	Seth Barton	D	21	6-2/175	Mass-Lowell (HE)	`18(81st)
Fla	248	Max Gildon	D	21	6-3/190	New Hampshire (HE)	`17(66th)
Ari	249	Aku Raty	RW	19	6-0/175	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	`19(151st)
Wpg	250	David Gustafsson	C	20	6-1/195	Winnipeg (NHL)	`18(60th)

Jake Evans – McKeen's Hockey

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – McMann surprising source of offense for Leafs, Fowler making a difference in St. Louis, Holloway cooking since the Blues’ coaching change, Foegele has found a fit in Los Angeles, and much more!

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Team Preview

FORWARD

DEFENSE

GOAL

NHL: CULLEN – 20 FANTASY POINTS – Sean Monahan moves to Winnipeg, Troy Terry is streaking, Jonathan Quick is earning more playing time, Nazem Kadri is leading the way for Calgary, Dylan Cozens is starting to heat up in Buffalo, and much, much more!

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – MONTREAL CANADIENS – Team Preview – Player Profiles

Forwards

Nick Suzuki - C

Cole Caufield - LW

Josh Anderson - RW

Kirby Dach - RW

Christian Dvorak - C

Brendan Gallagher - RW

Alex Newhook - LW

Sean Monahan - C

Juraj Slafkovsky - LW

Defense

Mike Matheson - D

David Savard - D

Kaiden Guhle - D

Goaltending

Samuel Montembeault - G

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – MONTREAL CANADIENS – NHL Player Profiles

FORWARDS

NORTH DIVISION PLAYOFF PREVIEW: Montreal Canadiens vs. Winnipeg Jets – Hardworking Underdogs Meet

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Top 300 Prospect Rankings

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Montreal Canadiens Top 20 Prospects

Cole Caufield, RW (15th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Alexander Romanov, D (38th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Kaiden Guhle, D (16th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Jesse Ylonen, RW (35th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Mattias Norlinder, D (64th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Jan Mysak, C (48th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Cayden Primeau, G (199th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Jake Evans, C (207th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 6)

Jordan Harris, D (71st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Sean Farrell, LW (124th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Joni Ikonen, C/RW (58th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 8)

Cam Hillis, C (66th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

Gianni Fairbrother, D (77th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Jayden Struble, D (46th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 11)

Lukas Vejdemo, C (87th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 12)

Luke Tuch, LW (47th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Josh Brook, D (56th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

Noah Juulsen, D (26th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 14)

Rafael Harvey-Pinard, LW (201st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

Alexandre Alain, C/LW (UFA: Apr. 24, 2017. Previous ranking: 17)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – MONTREAL CANADIANS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 8

Montreal Canadiens

Cole Caufield, RW (15th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 1)

Alexander Romanov, D (38th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Jesse Ylonen, RW (35th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

Mattias Norlinder, D (64th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

Cayden Primeau, G (199th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Jake Evans, C (207th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

Jordan Harris, D (71st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 16)

Joni Ikonen, C/RW (58th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 12)

Cam Hillis, C (66th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 13)

Gianni Fairbrother, D (77th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 13)

Jayden Struble, D (46th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 14)

Lukas Vejdemo, C (87th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Josh Brook, D (56th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 7)

Noah Juulsen, D (26th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 8)

Rafael Harvey-Pinard, LW (201st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)

Harvey-Pinard has seen his stock rise significantly thanks to his hard work and ability to put points on the board. He will be rewarded as an AHL regular next season, as the farm club in Laval inked him to a one-year deal.

MCKEENS 2020 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT – TOP 250 PROSPECTS

Cole Caufield, RW (15^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 1)

Alexander Romanov, D (38^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 2)

Kaiden Guhle, D (16^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Jesse Ylonen, RW (35^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 3)

Mattias Norlinder, D (64^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 4)

Jan Mysak, C (48^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Cayden Primeau, G (199^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 5)

Jake Evans, C (207^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 6)

Jordan Harris, D (71^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 7)

Sean Farrell, LW (124^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Joni Ikonen, C/RW (58^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 8)

Cam Hillis, C (66^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 9)

Gianni Fairbrother, D (77^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 10)

Jayden Struble, D (46^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 11)

Lukas Vejdemo, C (87^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 12)

Luke Tuch, LW (47^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Josh Brook, D (56^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

Noah Juulsen, D (26^th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 14)

Rafael Harvey-Pinard, LW (201^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 15)

Cole Caufield, RW (15^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 1)

Alexander Romanov, D (38^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Jesse Ylonen, RW (35^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 4)

Mattias Norlinder, D (64^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 10)

Cayden Primeau, G (199^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Jake Evans, C (207^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 11)

Jordan Harris, D (71^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 16)

Joni Ikonen, C/RW (58^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 12)

Cam Hillis, C (66^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 13)

Gianni Fairbrother, D (77^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 13)

Jayden Struble, D (46^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 14)

Lukas Vejdemo, C (87^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Josh Brook, D (56^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 7)

Noah Juulsen, D (26^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 8)

Rafael Harvey-Pinard, LW (201^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: UR)