Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. As we go through the summer of 2024, each day our LWOS Prospects Writers will bring you a look at one NHL team’s top prospects or other topical article. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow Ben Kerr and Frederik Frandson on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! You can find all the articles here as well as our extensive NHL Draft preview. Today, we look at the 2024 Montreal Canadiens Top Prospects.
For those wondering, the cut-off for what is or isn’t a prospect is typically about 50 NHL games played (including playoff games) or is 25 years old. These are not hard or fast rules though, and we may make some exceptions depending on the circumstances.
2024 Montreal Canadiens Top Prospects
1.) The Best of the Canadiens Prospects: Ivan Demidov
While they already had one of the deepest prospect groups in the NHL, the Habs went into the 2024 NHL Draft looking for a potential superstar forward. Russian youngster Ivan Demidov fell right into their laps. A dynamic player with a great shot and outstanding release that can fool goaltenders. Demidov also has the soft hands to beat goalies in tight and is not afraid to carry the puck to the net. He is a threat to score every time he steps on the ice.
Demidov is also an incredible playmaker. He uses his silky smooth hands to get by defenders and to open up passing lanes. He is a creative player who will try things that other players can only dream of executing. Demidov has a bit of an awkward skating style but it gives him incredible agility and side to side movement. He is the type of offensive talent the Habs have lacked since Alex Kovalev. No matter how pressured he is, he keeps calm and allows his puck handling to get him out of trouble. His movements are fluid and beautiful to watch, and he has a great mix of patience and creativity. He’s also not bad in his own end of the ice.
2.) Lane Hutson
The best of several Canadiens defence prospects is Lane Hutson. In order to succeed as an undersized defender, one must have dynamic skating ability. Hutson definitely has that as he is one of the smoothest skaters in college hockey. While he might not be the fastest out there, his edgework and agility are off the charts. He also has very good acceleration. Hutson can push the pace offensively and still get back into position defensively. When carrying the puck, his ability to quickly change speeds is a weapon that can fool defenders. His shot is accurate and he gets it off with a very quick release.
Hutson marries his skating with outstanding puck handling. He can lead the rush through the neutral zone, creating effective zone entries. He also creates offence off the rush with his ability to beat defenders wide and make plays. This forces defenders to back off and creates passing lanes. Hutson controls the puck extremely well in the zone. He shows poise at the blue line and can speed the play up or slow it down to create offensive chances. His vision and passing skills are excellent. When a teammate gets open, Hutson can make a quick lateral move on a defender, combining this with a quick deke in order to open up a passing lane. A very creative player, Hutson can put the puck through tight passing lanes or saucer the puck over an opponent’s stick.
3.) David Reinbacher
Reinbacher comes to North America after spending last season in Switzerland. While he played well, there were not a lot of statistical results due to the fact he played on such a weak team. Reinbacher is showing ability in both ends of the ice. He showed good passing and high-end hockey IQ in the Swiss League. He has poise beyond his years.
A strong skater, Reinbacher can start the rush up the ice or make a smart pass to a teammate to advance the transition game. In the offensive zone, his stickhandling allows him to control the puck and open up passing and shooting lanes. He has good vision and the ability to set up teammates for scoring chances. His skating ability also allows him to be strong in the defensive end. He maintains solid gap control and forces attackers to the outside and away from prime scoring areas. Reinbacher plays a physical game. He’s not a huge hitter but will use his size to take his man out of the play. He is also willing to take a hit to make a play.
4.) Logan Mailloux
A pure offensive force for the Laval Rocket last season, Mailloux has an absolute cannon of a slapshot. He had one of the best point shots in the AHL last season. He also has an excellent one-timer and is able to adjust his feet to get it off even when the pass isn’t the greatest. On top of that, Mailloux has an excellent wrist shot. He can sneak into the top of the circles to let it go. Mailloux is also able to use it off the rush. He has a quick release. Additionally, Mailloux is able to toe-drag the puck and change his release angle.
Mailloux is a decent stickhandler and can carry the puck through the neutral zone. This helps him to lead the rush as well as get effective zone entries on the power play. Mailloux makes a good first pass out of the zone and can quarterback the play at the blue line. He has the poise to hold the puck and the vision and passing skill to create scoring chances from the point. Mailloux is aggressive in joining the rush and pinching in from the blue line to keep the play alive. There are times when he is overly aggressive though, and this can lead to chances against him. His defensive game improved throughout his rookie season with the Rocket, but there are still steps to take.
5.) Michael Hage
Hage is a tall, lanky centre who plays with incredible pace. His skating ability creates problems for opponents. He can beat opponents to the outside and cut to the front of the net. Hage also gets in quickly on the forecheck, creating issues for opposing defenders. Hage also has a very good shot and release. He loves to force defenders to back off, respecting his speed, and then use them as a screen to shoot off the rush. His speed also creates passing lanes. Hage is able to control the puck while moving at top speed and has the creative playmaking and passing skills to take advantage and set up teammates.
6.) Jacob Fowler
Fowler, one of the top goalies in the NCAA last year and a member of Team USA at the World Juniors, has all that one would want in a top goalie prospect. Coming in at 6-foot-2, he has adequate size. His strong skating allows Fowler to get out of crease and cut down angles. His strong legs also give him a solid push and he is able to get side to side quickly. Fowler gets in and out of his butterfly quickly, and his powerful legs take away the bottom of the net. A quick glove and blocker handle shots up top. He has very good rebound control for a goalie his age. Fowler may need a couple more years at Boston College. While the Canadiens have many goaltending prospects in the system, Fowler currently sits a tier above the rest.
7.) Joshua Roy
After being taken in the fifth round of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Roy exploded in the QMJHL and is starting to fulfill the potential that made him the first overall pick in his QMJHL draft year. He has really improved his skating as well as his endurance. His defensive game has also taken great strides and he was a key two-way player, helping Team Canada win back-to-back World Junior gold medals in 2022 and 2023. Roy has shown off his high-end hockey sense since being drafted. He almost always makes the right play with the puck. Roy combines those instincts with an excellent shot, and very good vision and passing skills. He had a strong first season in Laval and impressed in a late season call-up for the Habs. Pencil him in to graduate to the Canadiens and end his time as one of their prospects this season.
8.) Owen Beck
Beck is able to marry his skating ability with good puckhandling skills. With his speed, he poses a real problem for defenders when he has room to skate. He uses the space he creates to make plays in transition. Beck creates scoring chances off the rush, both by driving the net to create for himself or with a heads-up play to set up a teammate. He also does a good job of protecting the puck down low and keeping the cycle going. However, once he is in the zone, he prefers a short pass to keep possession rather than trying to make a creative play to set up a teammate.
Beck brings his high-end work ethic in all three zones. He uses his speed to get back to his own zone and provide back pressure against an opponent’s rush. He is also willing to work and support the defence down low. Beck is not afraid to play a physical game. While he is not a big hitter, he battles in the dirty areas of the ice, fighting for loose pucks and keeping the front of the net clear. His quickness is also an asset in the defensive zone. He projects as a 200-foot player in the NHL.
9.) Oliver Kapanen
Offensively, Kapanen is known for his goal-scoring ability. He has a decent wrist shot. It is both accurate and powerful. He also has a quick release which makes things difficult for goalies. His quick hands change the angle of that release as well. Kapanen can also get to the front of the net where he uses his quick hands to pounce on rebounds and tip in pucks. He is able to quickly get the puck elevated and into the tight spaces that a goaltender might leave uncovered. Kapanen has a knack for getting open without the puck and is almost always in a position to take a pass from a teammate and fire it on the net. Kapanen shines as a two-way player though. He is a key penalty killer and plays against opponents top lines. His defensive ability should help him make the NHL in the near future.
10.) Adam Engstrom
The Canadiens have a very strong group of defence prospects. Drafted in the third round of the 2022 draft, Engstrom is part of that group. He got better and better over his last two seasons in the SHL, eventually becoming one of the best players on his team. Engstrom is another excellent skater. This helps him to play a strong two-way game. He can get forward, joining the rush or pinching in at the blue line and still get back to play defence in his own end. Engstrom can create plays with good vision and passing skills. He can control the puck at the blue line and exploit passing lanes to set up teammates. He also has a decent shot from the point. Engstrom combines this with above average defence against the rush and excellent instincts. He will make his way to North America and should play for Laval this season.
Honourable Mention (fourth round pick or later, not necessarily #11 Prospect): Sean Farrell
Farrell is best known for his playmaking ability. He moves the puck quickly and finds open space, as he is very good at running a give-and-go with a teammate. Farrell sees the ice well and can thread a pass to an open teammate. His ability to make quick moves with his feet and his hands also help to open up passing lanes. He sees the ice extremely well, anticipating the movements of his teammates and getting them the puck when they get open. Farrell protects the puck well with his strong stickhandling. He can extend the play and buy time for his wingers to get open. He needs to stay healthy and show that he can produce at the AHL level to progress in a deep Canadiens Prospects group.
Main Photo Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
