Prospect Info: My Top 20 Hab Prospects List (Updated #538)

[Sam de Mtl]

He is a Lehkonen with deadly shotting skills, I will take it over Roy or Farrell who both have much higher bust potential.

That's fine with me. Roy and Farrell may become better than Heineman. Or not. It all remains to be seen. Anyone can agree or disagree.

 

[montreal]

Anyone who watched the recent Seattle games at the Memorial cup should have very few qualms about Davidson's strength and skating. This guy will be a solid NHL player and perhaps a winger who can pitch in on draws. I like him better and find him more involved than Rohrer who frankly sucked for the 67's against Beck and the Petes.

I watched it and still have lots of questions, we'll see how he does next year.

As for Rohrer, he should be compared to Davidson's age 18 season.

Heineman 7th? 7 goals in 11 games with Laval, I have him 3rd after Hutson and Engstrom.

He did have a hot run there, we'll see how it goes for him next year, I was very impressed but he's been tough to get to see much of so I'm still not sold on the offensive upside. Now that he'll be over here though I can get to see a ton of him.

 

[badfish]

The hardest thing is projecting how good the league will be in 2-4 years when most players on this list are ready to make it. After 20 years on HF I have come to learn no matter how optimistic you are about a teams top-20 prospects you are lucky if 3 have a lasting impact on the organization.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Anyone who watched the recent Seattle games at the Memorial cup should have very few qualms about Davidson's strength and skating. This guy will be a solid NHL player and perhaps a winger who can pitch in on draws. I like him better and find him more involved than Rohrer who frankly sucked for the 67's against Beck and the Petes.

His skating is still a problem and very likely always will be.

 

[DAChampion]

The hardest thing is projecting how good the league will be in 2-4 years when most players on this list are ready to make it. After 20 years on HF I have come to learn no matter how optimistic you are about a teams top-20 prospects you are lucky if 3 have a lasting impact on the organization.

Not all top-20s are created equal. The underlying fundamentals here are that from around 2018 onwards the Habs have had more picks and better picks.

As an example this year they are picking 5th, 31st, 37th, and not say, 26th then 86th or whatever.

Or, @montreal had Lane Hutson first (acquired from a pick from Edmonton), Adam Engstrom 4th (acquired from a pick from Carolina ... From the offer sheet?), Heinemen 7th (acquired from Calgary in Toffoli trade), Filip Mesar (acquired from Calgary in Toffoli trade), and probably more players that were not acquired as native Montreal draft picks.

Aside from that you might argue that the development team is better now. I won't, I think it's too early to tell.

But the Habs will have roster spots available in the next few years as Hoffman, Gallagher, Armia, Edmundson, Gurianov, Drouin, Tierney, Belzile, Dvorak, etc depart the team.

 

[Wateredgarden]

The hardest thing is projecting how good the league will be in 2-4 years when most players on this list are ready to make it. After 20 years on HF I have come to learn no matter how optimistic you are about a teams top-20 prospects you are lucky if 3 have a lasting impact on the organization.

Yes, I've learn to wait and see when it comes to prospects. But since Timmins 20 years long reign is finished, we can at least be more hopeful than the previous years.

Roy and Engstrom are my two bets at a long NHL career.

 

[WinterLion]

I graduated RHP, Baron, Ylonen, Primeau. I left out Fairbrother, Biondi due to injury and Croteau because I didn't get to see him at all.



Top 20

1. Lane Hutson
2. Logan Mailloux
3. Sean Farrell
4. Adam Engstrom
5. Owen Beck
6. Joshua Roy
7. Emil Heineman
8. Filip Mesar
9. Mattias Norlinder
10. Jakub Dobes
11. Riley Kidney
12. Jayden Struble
13. Cedrick Guindon
14. William Trudeau
15. Vinzenz Rohrer
16. Oliver Kapanen
17. Xavier Simoneau
18. Luke Tuch
19. Joel Teasdale
20. Jared Davidson

HM - Nicolas Beaudin, Jan Mysak, Dmitri Kostenko, Rhett Pitlick

Great work as usual.

What do you think of the pool as a whole?

My biggest observation is that we could definitely use some more big F's in the system. Also the two grittiest F's on your list are probably Tuch & Kapanen way down. It would be nice to get some players with skill size and sandpaper.

 

[Egresch]

Aside from that you might argue that the development team is better now. I won't, I think it's too early to tell.

I guess we can agree that improving from zero is very manageable

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Great work as usual.

What do you think of the pool as a whole?

My biggest observation is that we could definitely use some more big F's in the system. Also the two grittiest F's on your list are probably Tuch & Kapanen way down. It would be nice to get some players with skill size and sandpaper.

Barlow would be so perfect....just not at 5 OA

 

[montreal]

Great work as usual.

What do you think of the pool as a whole?

My biggest observation is that we could definitely use some more big F's in the system. Also the two grittiest F's on your list are probably Tuch & Kapanen way down. It would be nice to get some players with skill size and sandpaper.

It's too early to really say since we have so much new going on, new GM, new development team, new scouts. I was not overly thrilled with some of the picks last year and some of the decisions they have made like rushing several prospects to the NHL the say way MB did. We'll see how it works out though cause for the first time in a long time, I have 100% confidence in MSL to be able to develop offensive talent unlike past coaches where I had almost zero confidence they could develop offensive talent other then teaching them to dump the puck off the glass and grind grind grind.

With Slaf and Mesar you really have to have major concerns about this new management team, since Kulich is looking like a massive miss so it's troubling although of course it doesn't mean that Slaf and Mesar can't be very good for us or not as it's just too early to say but so far it's not looking as good as you would want it.

This farm system has some very interesting prospects but most have serious warts that will need to be improved, so the test will be can this new development team get the job done or not as with this group they have their work cut out for them but if they get it right then the Habs should be in much better hands then they have been in a long time.

 

[Rapala]

His skating is still a problem and very likely always will be.

We shall see how it plays out next season. I'm not saying Davidson is a gazelle but I don't think his skating will be a huge issue in the role I see him in.
We are talking about a fourth line player here. The thing for me is there are better skaters who ultimately do less for the team and it was on full display last evening on Seattle's top line.

 

[montreal]

We shall see how it plays out next season. I'm not saying Davidson is a gazelle but I don't think his skating will be a huge issue in the role I see him in.
We are talking about a fourth line player here. The thing for me is there are better skaters who ultimately do less for the team and it was on full display last evening on Seattle's top line.

I think fans often look at CHL players and think their skating is fine, as it's CHL fine but not NHL. With prospects it's always about the amount or lack of progress, so we are talking many years in most cases and that's why imo the ones that put their time in can say in some cases change their opinion as it sounds easy but if you think about it how often do you see posters on this board change their opinion on anything ever.

Hopefully Laval is going to be very good next year so hopefully the competition at camp is great and then we see who does what, where they go and how they do. It's a long process and now that he's a pro I will get to see a lot of him (unless he's in 3R, still haven't seen a full game of theirs yet I don't think)

 

[HuGort]

Not all top-20s are created equal. The underlying fundamentals here are that from around 2018 onwards the Habs have had more picks and better picks.

As an example this year they are picking 5th, 31st, 37th, and not say, 26th then 86th or whatever.

Or, @montreal had Lane Hutson first (acquired from a pick from Edmonton), Adam Engstrom 4th (acquired from a pick from Carolina ... From the offer sheet?), Heinemen 7th (acquired from Calgary in Toffoli trade), Filip Mesar (acquired from Calgary in Toffoli trade), and probably more players that were not acquired as native Montreal draft picks.

Aside from that you might argue that the development team is better now. I won't, I think it's too early to tell.

But the Habs will have roster spots available in the next few years as Hoffman, Gallagher, Armia, Edmundson, Gurianov, Drouin, Tierney, Belzile, Dvorak, etc depart the team.

How did we get Canes 4th in the offer sheet?

 

[FrankMTL]

How did we get Canes 4th in the offer sheet?

Ya, Engstrom was picked 92nd which is actually the Hurricanes 3rd round pick. We got a 1st and a 3rd for the Kotkaniemi offer sheet....Maybe he just made a mistake with the 4th.

 

[HuGort]

Ya, Engstrom was picked 92nd which is actually the Hurricanes 3rd round pick. We got a 1st and a 3rd for the Kotkaniemi offer sheet....Maybe he just made a mistake with the 4th.

I was thinking we made trade. But that explains it

 

[montreal]

 

[26Mats]

We shall see how it plays out next season. I'm not saying Davidson is a gazelle but I don't think his skating will be a huge issue in the role I see him in.
We are talking about a fourth line player here. The thing for me is there are better skaters who ultimately do less for the team and it was on full display last evening on Seattle's top line.

Just to note: RHP was once pegged as having the ceiling of a 4th liner, in part due to his skating issues.

He may yet prove to be a top 9 guy. Not sure if the same applies to Davidson.

 

[montreal]

Just to note: RHP was once pegged as having the ceiling of a 4th liner, in part due to his skating issues.

He may yet prove to be a top 9 guy. Not sure if the same applies to Davidson.

For most prospects it's a long process. Most won't make it, I just try and see who shows progress and who doesn't. I never fully bought into RHP due to the skating, lack of size, strength but always admired the way he played the game and always felt like the coaching staff were doing a great job with him and Ylonen since they played a lot together. I still can't believe how badly he looked early on in Laval and then just starts scoring goals left and right in the NHL. Next year will be very interesting to see how he and the other young players do. I got to find a way to watch more Hab games next season.

 

[26Mats]

For most prospects it's a long process. Most won't make it, I just try and see who shows progress and who doesn't. I never fully bought into RHP due to the skating, lack of size, strength but always admired the way he played the game and always felt like the coaching staff were doing a great job with him and Ylonen since they played a lot together. I still can't believe how badly he looked early on in Laval and then just starts scoring goals left and right in the NHL. Next year will be very interesting to see how he and the other young players do. I got to find a way to watch more Hab games next season.

Yeah I'm excited to see RHP and also Ylonen. RHP may not be the 30 goal scorer he's been on pace to be. But I think he's something.

Ylonen is talented but has a cautious and timid personality when in a new situation. I look forward to seeing what he'll become over the years with more and more NHL experience. Confidence will be key. He could come out of his shell if he gets more confidence. I hope MSL focuses on bringing up his confidence as he develops him.

 

[montreal]

 

[dcyhabs]

It's too early to really say since we have so much new going on, new GM, new development team, new scouts. I was not overly thrilled with some of the picks last year and some of the decisions they have made like rushing several prospects to the NHL the say way MB did. We'll see how it works out though cause for the first time in a long time, I have 100% confidence in MSL to be able to develop offensive talent unlike past coaches where I had almost zero confidence they could develop offensive talent other then teaching them to dump the puck off the glass and grind grind grind.

With Slaf and Mesar you really have to have major concerns about this new management team, since Kulich is looking like a massive miss so it's troubling although of course it doesn't mean that Slaf and Mesar can't be very good for us or not as it's just too early to say but so far it's not looking as good as you would want it.

This farm system has some very interesting prospects but most have serious warts that will need to be improved, so the test will be can this new development team get the job done or not as with this group they have their work cut out for them but if they get it right then the Habs should be in much better hands then they have been in a long time.

Might be stylistic. The habs have some snipers, they need puck distributors. Still better to get the better player but Hughes seems to value fit. We’ll see how it works long term.

 

[Habs13]

That first post from 2015 is SO depressing

 

[Nicko999]

That first post from 2015 is SO depressing

Let's not act like this year's list is better...
I agree Joshua Roy is our best prospect but he is not a game breaker. Hutson is still a big question mark despite his historic season. He looks to be the only prospect that has game breaking ability.

Reinbacher could become a 2nd pairing guy but let’s keep in a mind that although, he played in a pro league, the Swiss League isn't exactly the strongest.

Owen Beck is the safest to make the NHL most likely but will be a third or 4th loner most likely, nothing to write home about.

So let's calm down, today's list is just as depressing as 2015 and lacks the game breakers.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

That first post from 2015 is SO depressing

Funny the HM Evans is the only one left on the team and Lehky is the only other one that didn’t bust - that is sad

 

[That Habs Fan]

Reading that fist post is my Vietnam flashback