Montreal Canadiens: Top 8 prospects worth getting excited about
The Montreal Canadiens’ future looks pretty bright thanks to these special prospects.
It is no secret that the Montreal Canadiens have been an extremely disappointing and frustrating franchise for quite some time now. Despite having arguably the best goaltender in the game for a long time, they have often missed out on the playoffs, and when they have made it, have not been able to do much damage.
A big reason for this problem has been the organization’s inability to draft high impact players. It appears that is changing, as they have some solid prospects that look like they have the potential to turn into impactful NHLers.
Though some of them still have a ways to go, the future appears bright in Montreal. With that being said, here are the top eight prospects in their system.
8. Cameron Hillis
After an injury-riddled 2018-19 season that limited him to just 33 games, Cameron Hillis bounced back in a big way this year. The 20-year-old, playing in his third OHL season with the Guelph Storm, had a terrific year with 24 goals and 83 points in just 22 games.
The Habs selected Hillis with the 66th pick at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft after his rookie season with the Storm. While he remained a project then and certainly still does now, his improvement, especially after multiple injuries last year, is certainly impressive.
It will take some time to see how he adapts to the physicality of the professional game as he is listed at just 174 pounds, but there is no doubt he has the skill set.
7. Josh Brook
Josh Brook was taken in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft by the Canadiens and struggled in his first season as a pro.
The high scoring defenseman for the Moose Jaw Warriors of the WHL was taken 56th overall after his second season with the Warriors which saw him put up 40 points in 69 games. He stayed with the team for two more seasons following the draft and put up a career-high 16 goals and 75 points in 59 games in his last season with the club.
Finishing his junior career with 157 points, many expected Brook to be able to post solid numbers in the AHL this season. Unfortunately, that ended up not being the case as he had just four goals and 13 points in 60 games.
While it was certainly a disappointing first season, he is still very young, especially for a defenseman. Fans need to give him more time before writing him off as a prospect.