Montreal Canadiens: 3 Prospects Who Could Force Their Way Into Habs Lineup Next Season

The Montreal Canadiens finished 32nd in the NHL standings this season. That puts them right at the bottom of the pile of NHL teams.

They are not likely to contend for a Stanley Cup next season. Going from last to the Stanley Cup Final is much more difficult than going from the Stanley Cup Final to last. We though even that was nearly impossible until the Habs pulled it off in 2021-22.

So, next season promises to be a year of transition. There are a number of veteran players on the team who won’t be around in a year’s time. Some will be dealt this offseason, others will be moved at the trade deadline, and a couple of depth veterans will just walk away as free agents after the 2022-23 campaign.

It would make sense to let the younger players that are on the cusp of the NHL just play big minutes in a lower league next season. If the Canadiens are not going to compete for a playoff spot, why bother having a 20 year old on the team in a dept spot when he could be playing a pivotal role for the Laval Rocket in the AHL?

Why burn the first year of an entry-level deal that could slide ahead for another season if the player plays in Junior? The team isn’t going to perform any miracles, so let the fringe veterans play and let the kids develop.

Of course, if a kid proves he is just too good to play in Junior any longer, you don’t want him to be stuck there for another season. Some younger prospects will show that they have outgrown the AHL and are fully ready to compete at the NHL level.

These three prospects are worth keeping an eye on as the roster is built for next season. It wouldn’t make sense to have them in the NHL if they are going to be healthy scratches, but these players just may prove to be good enough that they deserve a big role at the NHL level next season.

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard

Rafaël Harvey-Pinard was a 7th round draft pick of the Canadiens back in 2019, but he was far from a throwaway selection. He had just scored 40 goals and 85 points in 66 QMJHL games and followed it up with 27 points in 20 playoff games.

The Jonquière, Quebec native played his first AHL season in 2020-21 and fit right in at the pro level. He scored 20 points in 36 games but he played a gritty, physical game for a player his stature.

The 5’9″ and 183 pound winger quickly earned comparisons to Brendan Gallagher and earned the moniker “Lavallagher” from the local press. It is an apt description of the 23 year old’s game as he brings far more to the team than just points. He is outweighed in just about every puck battle, but he doesn’t let it slow him down.

He scored 21 goals and 56 points in 69 games for the Laval Rocket this season, proving he does have plenty of offence to bring at the pro level. He also earned his first NHL call-up and though it lasted just four games he potted his first career goal.

The Canadiens wings are crowded with overpaid veterans, but Harvey-Pinard is good enough that he might just steal a third line role away from a player who makes far more money than he does.

Joshua Roy

Joshua Roy is a little more boom or bust than Guhle. While Guhle could sneak onto the bottom end of the roster and play third pairing minutes with Chris Wideman to start the season, it would make no sense to start Joshua Roy on the fourth forward line.

But, he is so skilled and so talented that he might just steal a job from someone in the top six. He is certainly poised to do that at some point in the near future, but he has the best chance of any of the Habs current prospects to show up at training camp next season and carve out a big role for himself.

Roy was a 5th round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft but committed himself much more off the ice by working out more frequently and being much more careful with his diet. The result was a QMJHL scoring crown with 119 points in 66 games for the Sherbrooke Phoenix. He added 23 points in 11 playoff games.

The St. Georges-de-Beauce native has all the offensive skills you could ask for from a prospect. He can skate, stickhandle, create plays, buy time and space with his agility and puck control and also fire a laser of a shot into the top corner. He overwhelmed defences all season in the QMJHL, averaging just under two points per game.

The only problem, if you can say that, is his age. This was Roy’s 18 year old QMJHL season so he is not old enough to play in the AHL next season. He will either stay on the Canadiens roster or be sent back to the QMJHL.

After scoring 119 points in Junior, there isn’t a lot more for him to prove at that level. All that is left for him to prove is that he is ready to take on a top six role at the NHL level. The Canadiens have a lot of veteran wingers making a lot of money, but there four best right now are probably Cole Caufield, Josh Anderson, Brendan Gallagher and Evgeni Dadonov.

Roy is skilled enough that if he is given the opportunity to line up alongside, oh I don’t know, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield in training camp, he just might stick there all season long.

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