Montreal Canadiens: Top 10 prospects entering 2019

Led by what might be the deepest prospect pool in the NHL, the Montreal Canadiens have a very bright future. Here are their top 10 prospects following the 2019 NHL Draft.

The Montreal Canadiens have the best of both worlds. They have an NHL roster ready to compete for a spot in the postseason. On top of that, the Canadiens have arguably the deepest prospect pool in the NHL.

This gives the Habs an extremely bright future. With Carey Price and Shea Weber getting older, the Canadiens will need to pass the torch onto a younger generation of players fairly soon. Which of their prospects will be a part of that?

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Before I begin my list of the top 10 Canadiens prospects, I’d like to clarify a few things. First of all, everyone has a different definition of “prospect”. Mine is about as simple as it gets. A prospect is anyone who is under 25 years old and has yet to find a consistent spot in the NHL.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Noah Juulsen, for example, aren’t prospects. Kotkaniemi has a clear spot and Juulsen has at least 20 games with the Canadiens in each of the past two seasons. Ryan Poehling, however, is one. Potential and upside are weighted heavily with these rankings.

Let’s take a look at the Habs top 10 prospects following the 2019 draft. But first, a quick look at the goaltenders because I like to keep them separate from the skaters.

Goaltenders

1. Cayden Primeau

Acquired: 2017 seventh-round pick

Age: 19 (turns 20 in August)

Stats: 36 games, 2.09 GAA, .933 save percentage (Northeastern University, NCAA)

Before last year, Charlie Lindgren was believed to be the heir to Carey Price’s throne. One year later, it appears it will be Cayden Primeau. He fell to the Canadiens in the seventh round of the 2017 draft despite many experts ranking him as a third-round or fourth-round talent.

At Northeastern, Primeau has been quite dominant. He won the Mike Richter Award as the top collegiate goaltender. Primeau did great during the WJC as well, posting a .936 save percentage in five games. He recently signed his entry-level contract, so expect him to get some time in the ECHL or AHL this season.

Primeau’s athleticism stands out to me. His positioning is very good for someone who’s about to turns 20 years old, but he’s still a few years away from being NHL ready. If I ranked him with the skaters, Primeau would probably be in the top three.

2. Michael McNiven

Acquired: Undrafted (Signed in 2015)

Age: 22 (on July 9)

Stats: 30 games, 2.52 GAA, .902 save percentage (Laval Rocket, AHL)

The Canadiens have traditionally had pretty good luck with goalies, especially with those drafted in later rounds or not drafted at all. Michael McNiven is their latest success story. He was the backup goalie in Laval last year and continues to improve each year.

McNiven isn’t that athletic, but his positioning is solid. He’s a few years removed from being one of the best goalies in the OHL. Considering he’s still one of the youngest goalies in the AHL, McNiven’s on a good path for NHL success. I don’t think he has what it takes to be a starter, but I could see him being a decent backup.

Honorable Mention: Frederik Dichow

I honestly didn’t get to see much of goaltender Frederik Dichow, the Canadiens’ fifth-round pick of the 2019 draft. The only time I saw him was during the WJC-18 D1A tournament. Dichow was great for Denmark during that tournament. It’s only five games, though. But still, I think he’s someone worth keeping an eye on because of his athleticism and quickness.

Honorable Mention (skater): Cale Fleury

I’m not huge on Cale Fleury, but I think he’s got the makeup of an NHL defenseman. He’s mobile and is impressive in the defensive zone. I’m concerned about Fleury’s work in transition and on offense, but I definitely saw some growth there last season with him. He’d easily be in the top 10 for most other organizations and would probably be top five on a good portion of them.

10. Rhett Pitlick

Acquired: 2019 fifth-round pick

Age: 18

Position: Left Wing

Stats: 25 games, 28 goals, 33 assists, 61 points (Chaska High, USHS-MN)

The Canadiens are going to play the long game with Rhett Pitlick. He’s going to take a while to develop. That said, there’s a lot to like about him. Pitlick has terrific awareness in the offensive zone and can create plays for both himself and for others. His skating is great as well.

He plays with a lot of energy, but sometimes, he can be a bit too physical for my liking. Pitlick is 5’9″ and 161 pounds, so he’s going to have to adjust his style of play to make it in the NHL. I’ve never seen him dominate against impressive competition, which is a bit concerning. He’s a project, but I really love his upside.

9. Joël Teasdale

Acquired: Undrafted (signed in 2018)

Age: 20

Position: Left Wing

Stats: 37 games, 19 goals, 19 assists, 38 points (Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL);  29 games, 24 goals, 18 assists, 42 points, 20 postseason games, 14 goals, 20 assists, 34 points (Rouyn-Noranda Huskies, QMJHL)

The Canadiens signed Joël Teasdale as an undrafted free agent back in September of 2018. He rewarded them for their faith with a very impressive 2018-19 season, which saw him dominate the QMJHL. 80 points in 66 games is nothing to sneeze at. Teasdale took over during the postseason, as he averaged over 1.5 points per game there.

I love his skill, but I’m not sold on his skating. It’s why he wasn’t drafted. Teasdale will have to adjust to their professional game as well. But I like his skill set and his willingness to go to the crease. I think he has a legitimate shot at being a full-time NHLer. The Canadiens can afford to be patient with him.

8. Jake Evans

Acquired: 2014 seventh-round pick

Age: 23

Position: Center/Right Wing

Stats: 67 games, 13 goals, 32 assists, 45 points (Laval Rocket, AHL)

The Canadiens have been very patient with Jake Evans. They finally started reaping the benefits last season, as he was one of the Rocket’s best forwards. Only Alex Belzile, who turns 28 in about a month, had more points than him.

Evans offense needs to develop a bit more, but I think his two-way play is good enough to stick in the NHL. He projects to be a bottom six forward, but he should be one who can chip in on offense. Evans is a high-character guy and it wouldn’t shock me if he gets a cup of coffee in the NHL during the 2019-20 season.

7. Joni Ikonen

Acquired: 2017 second-round pick

Age: 20

Position: Center

Stats: 13 games, 5 goals, 5 assists, 10 points

The 2018-19 season was mostly a lost one for Joni Ikonen thanks to injuries. But when he did play, he was darn good. Ikonen averaged nearly a point per game in Liiga, which is one of the toughest leagues in the world.

A huge change I noticed is he used his creativity much more effectively. Ikonen set up chances for his teammates and opened up passing lanes. His skating was improved as well. But what I love is he started to be more trigger happy. Ikonen has a great shot and it looks like he finally has some confidence in it.

His floor is low because I don’t think he’ll ever be a fourth-liner in the NHL. Ikonen simply doesn’t play that kind of game. But his upside could lead him to be a second-line center. I’d have him higher, but I’m taking his 13 game sample size last year with a grain of salt.

4. Alexander Romanov

Acquired: 2018 second-round pick

Age: 19

Position: Defense

Stats: 43 games, 1 goal, 3 assists, 4 points (CSKA Moskva, KHL)

Alexander Romanov is a great example of why you have to consider context with prospects. On paper, his stats aren’t impressive at all. But keep this in mind. Romanov was one of the youngest defensemen in the KHL. And he was on a good team who didn’t really use him that much.

What’s important is Romanov has been playing against grown men for a full season. I saw 20 games of his, and I can’t recall him ever looking out of place. Romanov belonged in one of the world’s most competitive leagues.

Hopefully, we’ll see him get more playing time. I love his shot and his offensive instincts. His defense has improved quite a bit, which is promising to see. This is quickly becoming a theme, but the Canadiens can afford to be patient with him. It wouldn’t surprise me if he makes the jump to North America after this season.

3. Ryan Poehling

Acquired: 2017 first-round pick

Age: 20

Position: Center/Wing

Stats: 36 games, 8 goals, 23 assists, 31 points (St. Cloud State University, NCAA); 1 game, 3 goals (Montreal Canadiens, NHL)

Ryan Poehling is the most NHL ready prospect in the Montreal Canadiens system. There’s a good chance he’ll be on the Opening Night roster. He’s already made his NHL debut, and got a hat trick during it.

Poehling isn’t the best skater, but he’s got enough skill to make up for it. I’d rank him slightly above-average at skating. The Canadiens power-play wasn’t good last year and Poehling should be able to help there.

2. Cole Caufield

Acquired: 2019 first-round pick

Age: 18

Position: Right Wing

Stats: 64 games, 72 goals, 28 assists, 100 points (USNTDP)

Cole Caufield can score goals like a mad man. He’s got terrific offensive instincts and knows how to get open. Granted, Caufield’s numbers were a bit inflated because he got generous deployment with Jack Hughes, who I’m convinced could make me look good. But still, Caufield was not a passenger on that line.

His shot is obviously terrific. But what I love is how he thinks about the game. Caufield gets to open areas before they exist. He knows where he needs to be. His hockey IQ, combined with his shot, is almost unfair.

My lone concern about him is that I’ve never seen him drive his own line. Even if he can’t, that’s fine. He’ll score goals. That’s important. But if Caufield can drive his own line, he could be a top-line forward for the Canadiens. I’m curious how he does away from Hughes next season. I think he’ll be fine.

1. Nick Suzuki

Acquired: 2017 first-round pick of the Vegas Golden Knights (sent to Montreal in the Max Pacioretty trade)

Age: 19 (turns 20 in August)

Position: Center

Stats: 59 games, 34 goals, 60 assists, 94 points, 24 postseason games, 16 games, 26 assists, 42 points (Owen Sound Attack/Guelph Storm, OHL)

Nick Suzuki has what it takes to be a star in the NHL. He’s not the best skater, but his skill and hockey IQ are both off the charts. He narrowly missed his second straight 100 point season and his third straight 40 goal season. Suzuki has the ability to take over games with his offense.

He’s a quick thinker who can be hard to defend because he’s become equally proficient at passing and shooting. Suzuki isn’t the best defensively, so I’m not 100% sure he sticks at center. Especially with the Canadiens. But he’s got the tools to be a threat at wing as well.

The biggest difference between Caufield and Suzuki? I’ve seen Suzuki drive his own line. Ultimately, that’s why I put him over Caufield. It was very close though, which is a testament to how great Caufield is.