Now that the Montreal Canadiens have added some elite talent to the mix, it’s time to take a look at how their numerous prospects rank in terms of their NHL potential.
As we all know, very few prospects will eventually make the NHL, and even fewer will make an impact. With that in mind, there’s certainly some space for a healthy discussion regarding certain players, but we must be careful when it comes to overrating prospects in the Canadiens system. It should also be noted this experiment is based on projections and opinions, which means there’s a decent chance some prospects mentioned will surpass expectations and make me look (more) foolish.
Forward prospects who are 22-years-old or younger with fewer than 50 games of NHL experience will be considered. Goaltender prospects who are 23-years-old or younger with fewer than 25 games will be considered.
A stick tap goes out to Steve Dangle, as he has been producing the Toronto Maple Leafs ‘Prospect Pyramid‘ for nearly a decade.
The Montreal Canadiens prospect tiers are as follows:
Tier 1 includes players who possess elite talent. They are potential game changers in the NHL.
Tier 2 includes players who have high-end talent or a high likelihood of eventually making the NHL.
Tier 3 includes players who possess above-average skills. They will have a decent opportunity to make the NHL.
Tier 4 includes players who will need to work hard to make the NHL.
Tier 5 includes all the remaining prospects in the system.
Tier 1 – Players With Elite Talent, Potential Game Changers
There are only two players who fit into this category however, it’s rather rare to have more than one elite prospect in the mix, which means Canadiens fans can sleep soundly knowing their favourite team finally has an above average quantity of potential game changers. More importantly, drafting Demidov led to the prospect pool being described as ‘nearly perfect‘.
Tier 1 Prospects: Lane Hutson, Ivan Demidov.
Tier 2 – High-End Talent, Likely To Make NHL
Five prospects fit the bill in this tier, as they all project as players who aren’t guaranteed to make the NHL, however, it will take an unfortunate series of events to keep them out. They’re not necessarily among the elite prospects in the NHL, but they aren’t far off. Joshua Roy could already be considered an NHL player, though given the parameters, he qualifies as a prospect in our ranking.
Tier 2 Prospects: Joshua Roy, David Reinbacher, Michael Hage, Jacob Fowler, and Owen Beck.
Tier 3 – Above Average Talent, Can Make NHL If They Reach Their Maximum Potential
This tier is a mix of players developing overseas, as well as a few prospects who are expected to play for the Laval Rocket next season. Some may suggest that both Logan Mailloux and Adam Engstrom should be in tier 2, but I’d argue their defensive game still requires a lot of work before they’re NHL ready. Both Filip Mesar and Oliver Kapanen are listed in this tier, though they’re working with a very different skill set. Mesar needs to improve his defensive acumen, while Kapanen needs to prove he can maintain a solid production rate for an entire season before we can reconsider his ranking.
Tier 3 Prospects: Logan Mailloux, Adam Engstrom, Filip Mesar, Oliver Kapanen, Vinzenz Rohrer, and Bogdan Konyushkov.
Tier 4 – Some NHL Potential
This tier is reserved for players who may one day have a chance to make the NHL, but they will have to work quite hard to achieve their dream. There will be mistakes in this Canadiens prospect tier ranking, and if I had to guess, I’d suggest this is the tier that will produce the most surprises. That being said, there’s a finite number of opportunities available in the NHL. We have to be realistic when it comes to the list of prospects. If any of the prospects mentioned below do make the NHL it should be considered a bonus, as the odds of making the NHL for players drafted outside the first round are quite low. You could also argue a player like Florian Xhekaj has above average odds of making the NHL since he’s projected to play on the third or fourth line. Personally, I believe he needs to provide a healthy amount of offence for one more year before I’d propose he’s in Tier 3.
Tier 4 Prospects: Sean Farrell, Emil Heineman, Luke Tuch, Florian Xhekaj, Jakub Dobes, Florian Xhekaj, Aatos Koivu, Tyler Thorpe, Owen Protz, and Yevgeni Volokhin.
All the remaining prospects are considered to be in Tier 5. Do you agree or disagree with our Montreal Canadiens prospect tiers?
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