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Montreal Canadiens Prospect Tracker: Josh Brook is back and Joni Ikonen has arrived

By Omar L |
KELOWNA, CANADA - JANUARY 18: Josh Brook
KELOWNA, CANADA - JANUARY 18: Josh Brook
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KELOWNA, CANADA – Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images)
KELOWNA, CANADA – Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Getty Images) /

We’re continuing to see some of the Montreal Canadiens prospects improve as the weekly trackers pile up especially with Josh Brook returning to action.

The seasons for the Montreal Canadiens prospects is another month older now that we’re in December. It will be a special time for some of them since rosters for World Junior teams will be getting finalized. Joni Ikonen was already named to Finland, and you have to think other players in the Habs system will get interest from their respective national teams.

Additionally, players who were injured before the start of the season are returning to action. Noah Juulsen made his professional debut last week with the Laval Rocket while 2017 2nd round pick Josh Brook played his first set of games with the Moose Jaw Warriors. The original timeline of his injury had him coming back mid-December, so it’s great to see him ahead of the game.

Week of November 27th – December 3rd

Will Bitten

It wasn’t as destructive of a week for Bitten as the previous one. However, he was still able to contribute to the team’s two wins. The 19-year-old had a goal and two assists in the three-game span for Hamilton. His goal against the Flint Firebirds came from a scrum in front of the net as Bitten put it on his backhand. Unfortunately, the Bulldogs lost that game.

Season Total: 7 goals 21 assists

Michael Pezzetta

The Sudbury Wolves only played a single game last week against the Mississauga Steelheads. Pezzetta started things off for his team scoring on the power-play after deflecting Zack Malik’s shot from the point. The 2016 6th round pick also had an assist in the team’s 6-3 win.

Season Total: 13 goals 13 assists

WINDSOR, ON – (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images)
WINDSOR, ON – (Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images) /

Jarret Tyszka

It was a frustrating week for the Tyszka and the Seattle Thunderbirds as they lost three of their four games. Tyszka contributed to the offence against the Vancouver Giants but was held pointless for the other three. His play on Zack Andrusiak’s goal was impressive.

Seattle was spending time in offensive zone, but the Vancouver players managed to clear the puck. However, Tyszka held the puck at the blueline as everyone else started to skate the other way and found Andrusiak alone in front who scored. The 18-year-old also found the back of the net himself, on the backhand after a couple of rebounds headed his way in front of the Giants’ net.

Season Total: 3 goals 13 assists

Scott Walford

Walford is continuing to rack up points for the Victoria Royals. He finished the week with three assists where his backhand pass to Chaz Reddekop on the rush against Medicine Hat stood out. Walford’s play away from the puck is still above average and watching him handle the puck on the blue line at either even strength or on the power-play has been a sight to see.

Season Total: 15 assists

Cale Fleury

It’s been eight games for Fleury on his new team, and he’s established himself as one of their best defencemen. Regina won both of their games, and the 19-year-old had two assists. His shot generation from the point is getting goals for himself or setting up his teammates to score.

Season Total: 7 goals 9 assists

Josh Brook

Ironically, Brook’s first game in almost three months was against a fellow Montreal Canadiens prospect in Scott Walford. You couldn’t tell that he missed so much time based on how effective he was on the ice, not only generating chances but laying some decent hits as well.

It took me 3-4 shifts to get back into it and then once I got back into it, I built confidence throughout the game and it started to get better and better (from mjwarriors.ca)

Brook played well enough to get time in the final minutes of the game to hold the lead. He eventually got an assist on an empty net goal. Brook remained pointless in the other two games from the week, however, based on the season he had last year, that won’t be an everyday thing.

Season Total: 1 assist

DETROIT, MI – (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI – (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images) /

Lukas Vejdemo

There were only assists for Vejdemo last week. However, they were both representations of what kind of player he is. The first came from a hard forecheck along the boards behind the net where Vejdemo got the puck and found Markus Ljungh alone in front.

His second started with a little chaos caused by the 21-year-old. Vejdemo originally received the pass in the slot and tried to score on the backhand, but the Mora goaltender stopped it. Ljungh went for the wrap around and missed as well, but David Bernhardt put it into the open net.

Season Total: 5 goals 7 assists

More from Prospects

Arvid Henrikson

Not too much happened for Henrikson offensively, but that’s not his style. He played in one of Örebro’s two games and was a -2 in the loss. However, he’s played well enough to get attention from the SHL team in the past. It’s hard not to think that he’ll be there again.

Season Total: 5 assists

Joni Ikonen

For weeks, we’ve focused on Ikonen’s lack of production. He was getting shots and chances for the majority of his games, but the puck wasn’t going in for him. That changed as Ikonen had three goals and an assist.

His first career goal with KalPA opened the scoring in the game against Ässät as he ripped home a Matthew Maione pass from the left circle over the glove of the goaltender.

Ikonen also had an assist that game as he was able to fend off pressure from the defending player in the offensive zone and get a shot on net. It’s almost as if he was returning the favour as Maoine got the rebound.

The 2017 2nd round pick scored the first goal in the next game as well from a tap-in off the rush. His second of the game was similar to what we saw from him at the 2017 Summer Showcase as Ikonen riffled a shot through traffic.

Hopefully, this is the beginning of more offensive production for the 18-year-old. He’s playing well enough to stay in the middle, but finishing on those chances is a part of what will make Ikonen a special player for KalPA. See you at the World Juniors!

Season Total: 3 goals 3 assists

BOSTON, MA – (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA – (Photo by Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images) /

Ryan Poehling

Poehling had a goal and assist in one of St. Cloud State’s two games. He had a beauty of a saucer pass to Easton Brodzinski who scored while he put the Huskies up on the board after a power-play shot deflected off his leg. Unfortunately, Poehling missed the next match against Nebraska with an injury.

Season Total: 4 goals 11 assists

Cayden Primeau

Northeastern University needed a wall, and they have one in Primeau. He started in two of their games and played in relief of Ryan Ruck who had a bad first period letting in three goals on eight shots. Primeau only allowed a single goal for the rest of the game. He started the next two games and finished both stopping 28 out of 29 shots.

Season Total: .920 save percentage 2.06 goals against average

Casey Staum

Staum is continuing to build off his play last season in the USHL. He was a -1 and pointless in the Fighting Saints 4-3 win against Cedar Rapids.

Season Total: 2 assists

Hayden Hawkey

Ironically, Hawkey’s best performance from the week resulted in a loss. The 22-year-old was beaten through traffic in the first period of Providence’s second game against UNH but shut the door after. Hawkey finished with a .961 save percentage but couldn’t get goal support from his team.

Season Total: .912 save percentage 2.47 goals against average

Nikolas Koberstein

The Alberta-native beat his point total from last season with an assist in Alaska’s 5-3 win over Lake Superior State. Koberstein put a shot on net from the point and his teammate Van Tetering scored on the rebound.

Season Total: 1 goal 6 assists

Jake Evans

Evans is still making the NCAA his scoring a goal and two assists over the weekend. He started the events that led to his goal by preventing a Michigan State clearing attempt and instead, sent the puck to their net. A scrum ensued, and after a few tries, Evans poked the puck past the goaltender. His assists in both games came off of deflections. Keep in mind, Evans was drafted in the 7th round by the Montreal Canadiens. If he keeps this up and earns himself a contract, it’ll be a huge find for the organization.

Season Total: 7 goals 21 assists

Next: The Team's Biggest Threat

Which prospect stood out to you from the week? Let us know in the comments.

Player stat totals from eliteprospects.com

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