Montreal Canadiens Pre-Season Prospects Rankings

Montreal Canadiens Prospect Rankings for all prospects that have played less than 82 NHL games and are under the age of 25.

Current players like Charles Hudon, Charlie Lindgren, Michael McCarron and Victor Mete have not been included as they are expected to graduate by season’s end. Likewise with Nikita Scherbak but I’ve decided to include him in these rankings as he’s played less than 40 NHL games.

Ranking Criteria is as follows from most valuable to least valuable.

Position Value: 1st/2nd line center, 1st line winger, 1st/2nd pairing defenseman, Starting goalie, 2nd line winger, 3rd line center, 3rd line winger, Backup goalie, 4th line center, 3rd pairing defenseman, 4th line winger.

Rankings are weighted by NHL or professional league probability, skating, and skills as being the most valuable attributes. I’ve also added a “player attributes” description for each player noting they’re key features.

---

1. Jesperi Kotkaniemi

Player Attributes: Hockey IQ, Playmaking/Vision, Puck Skills, Puck Protection

2. Ryan Poehling

Player Attributes: Hockey IQ, Two-Way Play, Playmaking/Vision, Powerful Stride

3. Noah Juulsen

Player Attributes: Smooth Skating, Heavy Release, Breakout Pass, Gap Control

4. Nikita Scherbak

Player Attributes: Puck Skills, Puck Handling, Accurate Release, Playmaking

5. Jesse Ylönen

Player Attributes: Speed/Acceleration, Puck Handling, Hockey IQ, Playmaking/Vision

6. Joni Ikonen

Player Attributes: Puck Skills, Playmaking, Accurate Wrist Shot, Shifty Skating

7. Josh Brook

Player Attributes: Acceleration, Vision, Outlet/Stretch Passing, Puck Handling

8. Cayden Primeau

Player Attributes: Vision, Rebound Control, Positioning, Movement/Athleticism

9. Jacob Olofsson

Player Attributes: Hockey IQ, Two-Way Play, Puck Handling, Puck Skills

10. Cam Hillis

Player Attributes: Hockey IQ, Playmaking/Vision, Puck Skills, Skating

11. Allan McShane

Player Attributes: Playmaking/Vision, Heavy/Accurate Release, Hockey IQ, Puck Handling

12. Jake Evans

Player Attributes: Puck Skills, Hockey IQ, Two-Way Play, Playmaking/Vision

13. Cale Fleury

Player Attributes: Skating, Puck Carrying, Heavy Slapshot, Physicality

14. Will Bitten

Player Attributes: Speed, Hockey IQ, Puck Handling/Protection, Wrist Shot

15. Alexander Romanov

Player Attributes: Powerful Stride, Heavy Release, Physicality, Outlet Passing

16. Cole Fonstad

Player Attributes: Playmaking, Vision, Hockey IQ, Puck Handling

17. Lukas Vejdemo

Player Attributes: Skating, Two-Way Play, Hockey IQ, Puck Handling

18. Jarret Tyszka

Player Attributes: Smooth Skater, Hockey IQ, Vision, Puck Carrying

19. Michael McNiven

Player Attributes: Movement/Athleticism, Rebound Control, Vision, Glove Hand

20. Jordan Harris

Player Attributes: Speed, Puck Carrying, Puck Handling, Vision

21. Brett Lernout

Player Attributes: Physically Aggressive, Smooth Skater, Heavy Slapshot, Defensive Positioning

22. Rinat Valiev

Player Attributes: Vision, Hockey IQ, Puck Skills, Physicality

23. Hunter Shinkaruk

Player Attributes: Skating, Puck Skills, Puck Handling, Wrist Shot

24. Jeremiah Addison

Player Attributes: Acceleration/Speed, Puck Protection, Puck Skills, Wrist Shot

25. Jack Gorniak

Player Attributes: Speed, Vision, Puck Skills, Two-Way Play

26. David Sklenička

Player Attributes: Skating, Vision, Puck Carrying, Puck Skills

27. Michal Moravčík

Player Attributes: Heavy Release, Hockey IQ, Outlet/First Passing

28. Alexandre Alain

Player Attributes: Wrist Shot, Skating, Puck Skills, Playmaking

29. Daniel Audette

Player Attributes: Playmaking, Puck Skills, Vision, Skating

30. Hayden Verbeek

Player Attributes: Speed, Two-Way Play, Aggressive Forechecking

31. Scott Walford

Player Attributes: Smooth Skating, Breakout Passing, Physicality

32. Samuel Houde

Player Attributes: Speed, Puck Handling, Puck Skills, Two-Way Play

33. Brett Stapley

Player Attributes: Speed, Puck Skills, Shooting

34. Michael Pezzetta

Player Attributes: Physicality, Two-Way Play, Skating

35. Antoine Waked

Player Attributes: Accurate Release, Puck Skills, Hockey IQ

36. Nikolas Koberstein

Player Attributes: Physicality, Aggressive Defensively, Skating

37. Arvid Henrikson

Player Attributes: Defensive Positioning, Physicality, Skating