Montreal Canadiens: Scouting the competition for the Rookie Showdown

The Montreal Canadiens have Jesperi Kotkaniemi as their top name at the Showdown, but the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators have stars of their own.

After Friday’s practice in Brossard, the Montreal Canadiens will be suiting up to kick off the first match of the 2018 NHL Rookie Showdown. We’ve been talking about the players the Habs have brought to camp in length.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi is the star at the tournament for Montreal and will be watched heavily given his determination and goal to make the NHL this season. Jake Evans is 100% healthy and eager to show management what kind of player he can be in a Habs uniform after four years of success at the University of Notre Dame. Lukas Vejdemo, a third-round pick from 2015, chose to play in North America this year after signing his entry-level contract instead of playing another season with Djurgårdens IF in the SHL. 

Additionally, some of the free agent signings could turn some heads. Michal Moravcik and David Sklenicka, European free agents from the Czech Republic, will be at the top of the list. But Hayden Verbeek may also be someone who stands out. Verbeek was signed out of the OHL in the post-season and had his playoffs cut short due to a broken wrist. He plays a style of game similar to that of Brendan Gallagher, so it will be interesting to see how he comes out of the gate after missing time away from the ice.

But who will the Montreal Canadiens be facing? That’s going to have an impact on how well the players perform as names on the other side will want to stand out and show what they can do as well.

First Round Talent

The Ottawa Senators are going to be fairly top-heavy heading into the tournament. Three of their last four first-round picks are participating in Brady Tkachuk (2018 – 4th overall), Logan Brown (2016 – 11th overall), and Colin White (2015 – 21st overall).

White made his professional debut at the end of the 2016-17 season playing in three AHL games with the Belleville Senators and two games in Ottawa. The same split of playing time occurred this past season seeing him play 47 AHL games, scoring 11 goals and 16 assists, and 21 NHL games putting up six (6) points.

Brown is a massive player at 6’6″ and uses that size effectively to win battles down low and hold on to the puck in pressure-filled situations. Injuries cut his season down short unable to crack the 20-game mark with either team he played within the OHL. However, his performance in the playoffs with the Kitchener Rangers was very impressive with 27 points in 19 games. Brown is a player can be a serious threat considering how well he plays at both ends of the ice. And to add on to that, he’s one of the Sens prospects itching to make it to the next level.

Then there’s Tkachuk who is the new guy in town. Habs fans should be familiar with him as for months there was the debate about whether he should’ve been drafted instead of Kotkaniemi. Similar to his brother in Calgary, Tkachuk plays a relentless power game and likes to wear down opponents. He can score goals and show up in those trying moments to give his team a boost.

After forgoing returning to Boston College for a shot to crack the NHL, he’ll be another determined player for Ottawa.

To the Next Level

Filip Chlapik and Christian Wolanin will be two players to keep an eye on as well. The former made his professional debut in the minors last season after playing three years in the QMJHL with the Charlottetown Islanders. Chlapik was one point shy of leading Belleville in scoring with 11 goals and 21 assists in his rookie year. He also played 20 games in Ottawa that saw him score his first NHL goal, but only add three (3) more assists to it.

The nitty-gritty elements of Chlapik’s game need some work (defence and skating), but he’s continued to show sparks of a highly skilled playmaker.

Wolanin, on the other hand, is in a similar camp as Brown and Tkachuk. The 23-year-old completed his NCAA career at the University of North Dakota and will be looking to extend that 10-game window he got at the end of last season. Wolanin is an offensive-minded defenceman who likes to carry the puck and jump up in the oncoming rush. That could work with skilled forwards ahead of him, but consistency has been an issue for him so far.

The rest of the roster may also be looking to duplicate what Parker Kelly did last year. Kelly was an undrafted player out of the WHL last year who worked his way to a contract with the Senators last September after an impressive performance at camp. Ottawa has nine invitees attending who may follow suit including Nicolas Mattinen from the Hamilton Bulldogs.

A Calder Atmosphere

A lot of the Leafs roster will be featuring players who were on last season’s Calder Cup-winning Toronto Marlies team. In particular, Jeremy Bracco, Andrew Nielsen, Adam Brooks, Carl Grundstrom, Mason Marchment and Timothy Liljegren. Including Liljegren, the Leafs are only sending two first-round picks to the tournament.

Grundstrom is going to be an interesting draw as he’s yet to play a full AHL season. The 2016 second-round pick has been the end of the season addition for the Marlies two times in a row, and it’s worked both times. His performance in the playoffs last year was a marker of what he could do on a long-term basis as he’s aggressive on the puck and score as well once he establishes position.

Bracco and Brooks are in interesting positions after making their debut with the Marlies. Brooks walked into the AHL as a WHL destroyer coming off back-to-back 100+ point seasons with the Regina Pats. He overcame a slow start to the year and displayed more of a well-rounded game.

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The same story goes for Bracco who came off a Memorial Cup championship with Habs prospect Jeremiah Addison with expectations to be as flashy. Limited minutes cut that short so he’ll be someone looking to show off more of his skill and vision.

The Leafs also have a fairly mobile blueline headed by Liljegren and 2018 picks Rasmus Sandin and Sean Durzi. Sandin played the majority of the year with Hayden Verbeek as part of the Sault St Marie Greyhounds. His playmaking along the blueline is another one of his weapons.

Durzi is a little more dynamic on the ice. He was selected in the second round after being past in the 2017 draft by every team. The Toronto native likes to rush the puck out of his own end and generate a lot of pressure through shots and finding teammates for chances.