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5 Canadiens prospects who could realistically make the team next season

Al Sciola
Al Sciola
|
Mar 27 2024, 2:51 pm
5 Canadiens prospects who could realistically make the team next season
David Kirouac/USA TODAY Sports

We’re still a long way from rookie camp but the Montreal Canadiens will likely see some new faces join the lineup next season.

After loading up on draft picks for the past few seasons, the Canadiens’ prospect pool is among the deepest in the entire NHL. As a result, there are more than a few players who appear ready to make the jump.

With that said, here are five players who could be NHL-ready come next season.

Lane Hutson

2023-24 stats (Boston University – NCAA): 13 G, 33 A, 46 PTS, 35 GP

With the NCAA playoffs close to concluding, star Boston University defenceman Lane Hutson may not have to wait long to make his NHL debut as he could very well get some games in with the Canadiens this April.

But whether he does or not, the 20-year-old, selected 62nd overall by Montreal in the 2022 Draft, doesn’t have anything left to prove at the Junior level after being named a Hobey Baker Award finalist and winning gold with Team USA at this year’s World Juniors.

Smooth skating and offensive prowess are just some of the positive attributes the 5-foot-10 defender brings to the ice.

“He’s a dual threat who is equal parts shooter/distributor. Hutson is elusive with the puck on his stick,” Cap Friendly wrote in its December report on Hutson. “He has elite escape ability from his zone. He’s also not shy defensively.”

And while the Habs are expected to end up with another pick in the top this year, Hutson remains Montreal’s most exciting and promising prospect.

David Reinbacher

2023-24 stats (EHC Kloten – NL): 1 G, 10 A, 11 PTS, 35 GP

Selected fifth overall by Montreal in 2023, defenceman David Reinbacher did not have the best season with Swiss club HC Kloten. But to be fair, it wasn’t easy to excel on a club that hired three head coaches while trying to avoid relegation.

Now that Reinbacher’s in the AHL with the Laval Rocket, Montreal’s AHL affiliate, management can better assess his skill level.

And so far, the transition to North American hockey has looked smooth for the 19-year-old Austrian, who already has a goal and an assist over three AHL games.

And while it’s been a small sample size, it’s worth noting that the 6-foot-2 blueliner is also a +2 in the +/- column and has not taken any penalties.

If Laval makes the playoffs and Reinbacher gets the chance to shine, it may improve his odds of earning a spot on Montreal’s crowded blue line in October.

“Top pairing NHL upside continues to be possible in time,” wrote NHL scout Jason Bukala, who observed Reinbacher at last year’s training camp.

Logan Mailloux

2023-24 stats (Laval Rocket – AHL): 14 G, 28 A, 42 PTS, 63 GP

If there’s one word to describe Logan Mailloux’s first season with the Laval Rocket, it’s “phenomenal.”

Taken by the Canadiens in the first round of the 2021 Draft, Mailloux transitioned from OHL to AHL at the beginning of the year. Luckily for the Rocket, the adjustment was virtually seamless with Mailloux picking up points early on.

Finding chemistry with Arber Xhekaj during his respective AHL stint also saw the Belle River, Ontario, native use his 6-foot-3, 200-pound frame to his defensive advantage.

He was selected as the club’s lone AHL All-Star Game participant back in February and currently ranks third in the AHL for points among defencemen.

Cap Friendly’s report on the blueliner refers to him as a “good skater” who can “attack off the rush in open ice and has the ability to beat opponents off the edge.”

“Defending detail will evolve as he matures.”

Owen Beck

2023-24 stats (Peterborough Petes, Saginaw Spirit – OHL): 33 G, 47 A, 81 PTS, 57 GP

Arguably Montreal’s most NHL-ready forward prospect, Owen Beck has already seen some action with the Canadiens at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Since returning to the OHL, though, the 6-foot tall centre has exploded offensively, exceeding his previous season point totals by more than 30 points.

Currently riding a 20-game point streak, Beck, 20, seems to be equally comfortable shooting the puck and setting up teammates.

“He’s a powerful skater with a good mix of crossovers and gets to his top speed quickly. He uses that speed to back defenders up and even rush right past them on some sequences. Beck uses that speed to provide constant support at every corner of the ice,” EliteProspects wrote of Beck in its 2022 Draft Guide.

“He’s the ultimate play connector, always offering his teammates a passing option and showing a great knack for linking defence to offence.”

Florian Xhekaj

2023-24 stats (Brantford Bulldogs – OHL): 34 G, 31 A, 65 PTS, 63 GP

Another OHLer having a career year is feisty forward Florian Xhekaj.

Coming off a 25-point campaign in 2022-23, Xhekaj has more than doubled his yearly point total this season, adding more offensive components to his physical game.

Along with taking his offence up a notch, the 19-year-old has also seen an improvement on the defensive end of things, finishing the year as a +17 in the +/- column ā€” a far cry from last yearā€™s -17.

Selected in the fourth round of last year’s draft, EliteProspects’ scouting report had Xhekaj pinned as an imposing net-front presence.

“Around the net, Xhekaj looks like a professional player,” one scout wrote of the 6-foot-3 winger. “Tricky one-timers and high-skill deflections are his scoring tools, complemented by those off-puck reads.”

Like his brother Arber, who went undrafted, Florian can very well surprise people with a standout performance at Montreal’s camp this year.

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