Top-5: CH prospects in the news

2. Hayden Paupanekis

Hayden Paupanekis may be the Habs’ most intriguing prospect.

At 6’5 and 205 pounds, he impresses with the fluidity of his skating stroke, and we would have loved to have seen him in action at the Canadiens’ practice camp a few weeks ago.

The center was unable to attend because he was battling mononucleosis.

That said, things have been going relatively well for him since the start of the WHL campaign. Paupanekis scored four points in his first six games of the season, but we know he’s best known for his defensive play too.

Seeing him produce at 18 in the WHL is still good news. And if he can add even more offense to his game, he’s going to be one of the really important prospects in Montreal because of his size.

3. L.J. Mooney

When we saw L.J. Mooney dominate the development camp this summer in Brossard, we all said the same thing.

Has the Canadiens just found Cole Caufield or Lane Hutson 2.0?

We know that his small size scared some clubs at the draft. And we know that this is a recurring “problem” for players as tall as 5’7, as is the case with Mooney.

But we also know that talent comes out of both ears…

Mooney is in his first NCAA season with the University of Minnesota and he’s been quieter lately. The diminutive forward has five points (two goals) in ten games so far, and while he’s able to stand out on the ice, it doesn’t always convert into a goal or an assist.

It’s worth mentioning one thing, though: things aren’t going great for his club either. The team has been struggling to score goals since the start of the season, and that’s understandable when you consider that Mooney is his team’s third-highest scorer with five points.

I have a feeling he’ll get his act together. And let’s not forget that not all youngsters dominate the NCAA at 18…

4. Bryce Pickford

I LOVED Bryce Pickford’s performance at the Habs rookie camp in early September. He’s mobile, he’s got great vision for a defenseman and he’s got a really good shot.

The proof?

In 14 WHL games this season, Pickford scored no less than seven goals (!). He has 13 points in 14 games and is one of the top defensemen in the league in his 19th year.

The youngster has some interesting qualities. And he’s clearly putting those qualities to good use in Medicine Hat, where he’s his team’s third-highest scorer – even though he’s not a forward.

5: Aatos Koivu

Canadiens fans know him well.

You know, when your father’s name is Saku and he’s worn the “C” on his jersey for so many years in Montreal… Hehe.

No joke, Aatos’ second season is going much better than his first in Finland. In 24-25, he scored one goal in 31 games (and added seven assists)… and he already has six points in 18 games so far this season.

Would we like to see more? The answer’s definitely yes.

But let’s not discount the fact that he’s only 19 and it can take time for a youngster to acclimatize to the professional level.

He’s showing great flashes and that’s what’s interesting at the moment. Games like this… it’s worth sharing :

Alexander Zharovsky, Michael Hage, Jacob Fowler, David Reinbacher, Owen Beck, Joshua Roy… these guys often get a lot of attention when we talk about the Habs’ top prospects.

But I thought it would be a good idea to take a look at what’s going on with some of the organization’s other youngsters. Because they’re talented too.

Overtime

– Nice line-up.

– Beautiful.

– The result is sickening.