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Montreal Canadiens Prospect Pledges to Model His Game After Brad Marchand With NHL Hopes on the Line

Originally posted on House of Hockey | By Tom Banks | Last updated Sep 11, 2025 2:33 PM ET

Filip Mesar was a first-round pick of the Canadiens back in 2022, and he's now revealed the change he is making to get a chance in the NHL.

Back in 2022, the Montreal Canadiens used the No. 26 overall pick on winger Filip Mesar out of Slovakia, but thus far, he's yet to make a genuine push at cracking their NHL lineup.

Things may be changing however, as he posted a solid 18 points over 42 games in his first full season with the Laval Rocket, as the Canadiens see some future potential in the 21-year old.

Mesar models his game after Brad Marchand to make the NHL

This off-season, Mesar revealed how he is going to get to the next level, recalling a conversation with the front office where they told him he'll need to be more gritty to make a run at the NHL.

Now, he has noted his inspiration to get to that next level, opening up on how he watches Brad Marchand videos to learn and model his game after, and at 5-foot-10, there's no better person for a smaller, gritty forward to watch in order to learn.

Now, he'll head into another full season with the Rocket as he looks to find his consistency at the professional level, and with the Canadiens needing some grit up front in the NHL, if watching Marchand can help him, the team may be looking at a future NHLer.

Only time will tell if the film study of the two-time Stanley Cup winning Canadian can help Mesar produce on the ice, but with good talent and a clear goal moving forward, Mesar will be a name to watch this season in Montreal/Laval.

This article first appeared on House of Hockey and was syndicated with permission.

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