Montreal Canadiens: Top Prospect Countdown: No. 15-11

No. 15 – Will Bitten / C / 5’10” / 168 lbs / Ottawa, ON, CAN

Bitten was a third round pick, 70th overall by the Canadiens in 2016.

The centre was taken seventh overall by the Plymouth Whalers in the 2014 OHL Priority Selection.

He played his full rookie season and finished with decent numbers. He scored 31 points in 63 games, which was good for seventh in team scoring.

Bitten stayed with the Whalers, who became the Flint Firebirds in 2015-16. He led the team in scoring that season, finishing with a career-high 65 points, 17 points more than the second highest scorer on the Firebirds.

Then, prior to the 2016-17 season, Bitten was on the move once again. This time to the Hamilton Bulldogs via trade.

Bitten finished with 57 points on the year and helped the Bulldogs to the fifth seed in the OHL’s Eastern Conference.

They were eliminated from the playoffs in seven games by the Kingston Frontenacs. Bitten finished the series with three goals and eight penalty minutes.

Here’s what EliteProspects.com had to say about Bitten.

A smart offensive catalyst that consistently displays outstanding work ethic, elite hockey sense, and an ability to stay ahead of the play in all three zones. Very naturally gifted skater who moves around the ice with ease. Excels in pressure situations and uses his vision to predict where the puck is going to be, and proactively gets his body into a position where he can either take it away or take off up the ice. Offensively, he has a very creative streak, and knows what kinds of plays he can make in all situations; he also has an exceptional release on his shot, which he can get off quickly. Defensively, he is a buzzsaw that will not let up on the opposition, creating problems for them by causing turnovers and playing strong positionally. Will Bitten has all of the tools to become a very dangerous two-way forward that can produce strong numbers at the next level.

As a 2016 pick, the logical choice for Bitten is another year in the OHL. It will give him the chance to bulk up some more and play as a top six forward on Hamilton.

He has the chance to be a very good centreman in the future, but at his size, he can use another year of development rather than rushing him to the AHL in 2017.

No. 14 – Martin Reway / LW / 5’8″ / 170 lbs / Praha, CZE

Reway is the oldest of this bunch at 22 years old. The Czech/Slovakian international was taken in the fourth round, 116th overall by the Canadiens in 2013.

The smallish forward played in the QMJHL with the Gatineau Olympiques during his draft year. They took Reway with the fourth overall pick in the 2012 CHL Import Draft.

Prior to that, he played for HC Sparta Praha at both the under-18 and under-20 levels.

During the 2012-13 season, Reway scored 50 points in 47 games, which was good for fourth in scoring on Gatineau.

He improved his point production the next season, scoring 62 points in 43 games.

Reway decided to leave the CHL in 2014 to play with the senior team for Sparta Praha. Reway missed part of the season, but still managed to score 37 points in 34 games, which was third best on the team.

He played half a season with Praha in 2015-16 but signed with Swiss club HC Fribourg-Gottéron. In the second half of the year, Reway finished strong against better competition with 21 points in 19 games.

Reway didn’t play last season. He was shut down before training camp after being hospitalized during the summer with health issues concerning his heart.

He looks as though he is clear to play going into training camp. If he can stay healthy, he should be a very solid weapon for the Laval Rocket this season. He should see top six, or at least top nine minutes in the AHL this year.

No. 13 – Cale Fleury / RD / 6’1″ / 201 lbs / Carlyle, SK, CAN

We see the second 2017 Habs draft pick on the list with Fleury. He was taken in the third round, 87th overall back in June.

The younger brother of Carolina first-rounder Hadyn, the 18-year-old blueliner has spent his entire time in junior with the Kootenay Ice, who took him in the fourth round of the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft.

In his rookie season, Fleury finished with only 13 points but had an impressive eight penalty minutes in total over 70 games.

Before the 2015-16 season, Fleury was named the captain of Kootenay. He led all defenders in scoring with 25 points, which was also fifth best on the team.

Last season, Fleury set his career high in points with 38 over 70 games. Unfortunately, Kootenay finished with a WHL worst 14-46-10 record.

Here’s a scouting report on Fleury from Future Considerations.

A pass first, defensively accountable blueliner that also features some offensive upside… isn’t an overly enthusiastic straight line skater…uses his lateral footwork to avoid being turned around and keeping plays to the perimeter and away from the zones interior…manages the puck effectively and is a strong possession player who does not cough up the puck when he is pressured…is primarily a pass first guy offensively, taking a few strides up the ice before firing a connecting pass….has an intense edge to him and is a competitor who doesn’t back down physically and throws hits without taking himself out of the play…well positioned defensively and locks horns with anyone who tries to get to the front of his net…strong ability to follow the play and uses quick bursts to get into the play…has an active stick and constantly hacks at the puck carrier, being an irritable presence…shows great composure when under pressure and displays smarts when creating quick breakout plays…has the upside of a good top four two-way defenseman.  (November 2016)

From all indications, Fleury seems to be one of the better grabs in the third round. He was rated 74th for North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting. He plays a very smooth game and is a dependable player on the back end. With the Canadiens going through a makeover of sorts on the back end, Fleury will be one of the centrepieces to look forward to in the future.

This next season will be crucial for his development. Kootenay will be looking to improve on their dismal campaign in 2016-17 and Fleury will be a huge part of their success.

No. 12 – Josh Brook / RD / 6’1″ / 183 lbs / Roblin, MB, CAN

From one 2017 pick to another in Josh Brook, who was taken by the Habs with the first of their two second-round picks in the draft.

He was the fourth overall pick of the Moose Jaw Warriors in the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft.

After being drafted, he returned to AAA to play for the Notre Dame Hounds. He played one game for Moose Jaw in 2014-15, where he had two penalty minutes.

In his first WHL season, Brook had 10 points in 30 games. His first full season came last year where Brook had 40 points in 69 games. The Warriors made the WHL playoffs but were bounced in seven games by the Swift Current Broncos. Brook finished the series with seven points, two of them being goals.

Here’s a scouting report on Brook from Future Considerations.

A smart play reader who can be a shutdown cornerstone as well as an offensive contributor…overall speed game isn’t flattering but the edge work and quick bursts of acceleration allots him the amount of time he needs to be effective…not a big puck rusher who skates the puck up ice consistently, but with his vision and ability to consistently hit the tape of teammates with hard passes makes him effective at moving the puck…handles himself in a composed manner with the puck and shows patience when making a play out of his own end.

Brook also was a part of the Canadian U-18 World Championship team in 2017. He appeared in five games and managed two points. It wasn’t the first time he donned the red and white though. He was a member of Team Canada Red at the 2015 World Under-17 Hockey Championships, where he had three goals over the six games he appeared in.

Like Fleury, Brook will be returning to the WHL for the upcoming season. It will be fun to see both young defensive prospects go head to head in the Eastern Conference for their respective teams.

Brook will have top four — if not top two — minutes for Moose Jaw in 2017-18. He has a good chance to turn pro after that, but he has the time to figure out his game before he’s forced into a prominent role on either Laval or Montreal.

No. 11 – Jake Evans / C / 6’0″ / 185 lbs / Toronto, ON, CAN

Evans is a story that is exciting to see on any team in the NHL, but especially when he is on your team.

The centre was the fourth last player taken in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Evans was coming off a season with the St. Michaels Buzzers where he scored 63 points in 49 games.

Evans committed to play at the University of Notre Dame. In his first two seasons, he totalled 50 points over 78 games. In his junior season, Evans set a career high in points with 42 and goals with 13 in 40 games with the Fighting Irish.

The 2016-17 season was filled with several highlight reel goals from Evans. He showed off his skill and scoring touch against Northeastern and Providence respectively.

But by far the best individual effort from Evans this season came in Notre Dame’s first meeting with Providence, where he walked around a defender and proceeded to snapped the puck top shelf.

Evans will be returning for his senior year in South Bend this upcoming season. He has yet to sign an entry level deal with the Canadiens, but at 21-years-old, the centre could be ready for the AHL right out of college. He has the skills to be a diamond in the rough for the Canadiens.

They’re hoping that he can be the next late-round pick to make a splash in the NHL.

Next: Montreal Canadiens: Can Paul Byron Score 22 Again?

What do you think of these prospects? Do you think that any of them were ranked too high or too low? And how do you think their respective seasons will go? Let us know in the comments below.