The Montreal Canadiens rebuild is taking hold and the team’s top prospects are on full display this week.
The Habs best prospects are currently taking part in the rookie showcase tournament in Buffalo. They will play three games this week leading up to NHL training camp that begins in Montreal next week.
Among those players taking part are the team’s first round picks from the 2022 NHL Draft. The Canadiens drafted Juraj Slafkovsky first overall and, with their second pick of the opening round, they took Filip Mesar.
Now, the team has to decide where each of those first round picks are going to play next season. Slafkovksy, being taken first overall, will get the chance to play in the NHL, but may need some AHL seasoning before taking on the best players in the world on a nightly basis. The coaching staff will have a close eye on him during training camp as they work towards making that decision.
It sounds like the team is already more confident they know where Mesar is going to play. According to Jeff Marek of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Mesar will be playing this season with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL.
Marek brought that up early in the latest 32 Thoughts Podcast, when he mentioned he and co-host Elliotte Friedman will be touring Ontario for their podcast in the coming weeks. When he mentioned Kitchener as a destination, he also added a little tidbit that he heard Mesar is heading to the Rangers.
He also mentioned the Rangers have the inside track to host the 2024 Memorial Cup, perhaps hinting that Mesar could be a big part of that team in his second season in Kitchener.
Since Mesar was drafted out of Europe, Slovakia to be precise, he is eligible to play in the AHL right away. He is a highly skilled forward who scored 16 points in 37 pro games in Slovakia last season. The 18 year old could play for the Laval Rocket but at his age, is likely best suited in Junior.
It sounds like the Canadiens are not going to rush this first round pick, which is always the wise way to develop young talent.
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