3 Canadiens Prospects to Watch at 2026 Rookie Camp

The Montreal Canadiens season is on the horizon and soon they will hit the ice for training camp. First up, youngsters enter the spotlight as rookie camp is set to begin on Friday, September 11. A handful of these players will get the invite to main camp, but most are destined to be sent back to their Junior teams in short order.

Last year’s rookie camp featured big names like Ivan Demidov, David Reinbacher, Owen Beck and Jacob Fowler. The previous year we saw Beck, Reinbacher, Lane Hutson and Logan Mailloux hit the ice with a Canadiens jersey on. This year’s list does not have the same crop of flashy names.

There are some limitations to rookie camp that are not allowing the Canadiens’ top prospects to attend. The fact that it takes place in the middle of September means European leagues are already underway and college hockey players are on campus in the United States. That means we will not see Michael Hage, L.J. Mooney, Alexander Zharovsky or Gleb Pugachyov. The Canadiens are also giving a pass to players with a couple of pro seasons under their belt as well so Reinbacher, Beck, Fowler, Florian Xhekaj and Adam Engstrom are not attending another rookie camp.

While the roster may not be as star studded as recent seasons, it is still always interesting to get to see some talent from the pipeline get together to kick off a new season. This year, 23 players will gather at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard and the Slush Puppie Arena in Gatineau for the annual kickoff event. They will be on the ice in Brossard Friday before playing exhibition games against Winnipeg Jets prospects on Saturday night and Ottawa Senators prospects on Sunday night in Gatineau.

We may not witness the next Canadiens superstar take the ice at this year’s rookie camp, but there are some interesting propects to keep an eye on. Here are three players worth watching at the Canadiens 2026 Rookie Camp.

Tyler Thorpe

Tyler Thorpe should really stand out at this year’s rookie camp. Not because of slick hands or speed, but he should literally stand out due to his size. The 6-foot-5 and 220 pound winger was drafted by the Canadiens in the fifth round of the 2024 NHL Draft. He had decent production at the Western Hockey League (WHL) level, but was mostly desired for his enormity and physicality.

Thorpe was eligible for the 2023 NHL Draft but was passed over. He followed that up with 23 goals and 44 points in 51 games for the Vancouver Giants which caught the eye of the Canadiens. After being selected by the Habs, Thorpe returned to Junior and scored 27 goals and 52 points in 68 games. Last season was Thorpe’s first with the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). He scored four goals and 16 points in 68 games, but his main strength remains his stature.

Look for Thorpe to dominate this rookie camp physically. He has the potential to become a physical, fourth-line presence with the Canadiens. If that is going to happen, he should be able to stand out at rookie camp as a 21 year old with one year of pro experience already. He won’t wow anyone with skill and finesse, but he should look like a man amongst boys in this event.

Luke Mittelstadt

Luke Mittelstadt is another player the Canadiens drafted recently after he was originally passed over in the NHL Draft. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2023 NHL Draft when he was 20 years old, after representing the United States at the 2023 World Juniors where he scored three points in seven games.