Canadiens: Top Five Habs Roster Players Under 25

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The Montreal Canadiens have gone through quite the whirlwind of events dating back to the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Injuries piled up, the team went to the Stanley Cup finals in 2020, and the then head coach, Dominique Ducharme was fired, and so too was the general manager, Marc Bergevin. Carey Price sits on long-term injured reserve, and Shea Weber suffered the same fate, which resulted in the Canadiens trading his contract to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for forward Evgenii Dadonov.

In November 2021 Habs owner Geoff Molson brought in Jeff Gorton and appointed him the role of VP of hockey operations. Gorton then began his gm search and decided to hire player agent, Kent Hughes on January 19 to take on the duty of turning the Canadiens around, with a proper rebuild. The first task on the to-do list was bringing in a new head coach, and while the recycled carousel of head coaches seemed like the likeliest route, Hughes opted to sign Quebec native and Hockey Hall of Famer, Martin St. Louis on February 9, 2022.

While there have been ups and downs, as would be expected, the team has taken on a new culture. The days of the team looking old and sluggish are a thing of the past, and the roster is much more competitive. The youthful exuberance and never die attitude has seen an uptick in the team’s morale and fewer lopsided losses.

The team has turned a new leaf and the prospect pool has benefitted from the new player development staff that the Canadiens have put in place. Hughes has been clearing out the mess the former Habs regime left behind. And a new captain was named at the Canadiens’ annual golf tournament in 2022, just ahead of their first campaign under new management, with Nick Suzuki earning the honours.

August was when the staff at A Winning Habit ranked the top 31 Canadiens prospects. But September means we’re in the midst of training camp, and the regular season is inching closer and closer. So with that, we will dive into the top five players in the organization that are under 25 years old.

We kickstart the top five rankings at number one. And who better to start the countdown, than our 5-foot-7 sniper?

Cole Caufield

Not only is Cole Caufield one of the highest potential players in the Canadiens system, but he is one of the league’s most exciting young goal scorers. Drafted in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft, Caufield dominated at the USNTDP, before making the jump to the NCAA with his home state University of Wisconsin Badgers. He posted back-to-back point-per-game seasons, along with a Hobey Baker award and a plethora of other NCAA individual awards.

He made the jump to the professional ranks with the American Hockey League’s Laval Rocket at the end of his sophomore season with the Badgers. Caufield didn’t waste much time showing everybody that he was well-prepared for the pro game; as he notched four points (two goals and three assists) through six games with the Canadiens affiliate. He was then promoted to the Habs, and he played 10 games before the Stanley Cup playoffs started, and he scored half a point per game (four goals and one assist).

The diminutive winger formed a great duo with Nick Suzuki, and the pair were dynamite for the Canadiens during their run to the Stanley Cup final. Through 20 playoff games, Caufield posted 12 points (four goals and eight assists) flashing his explosive speed, soft hands and elite shot. While the Bell Centre was empty because of the COVID-19 clutches, the crowd outside the arena was ready to explode each and every time Caufield touched the puck.

He struggled to get back to his goalscoring ways during the following season, but once Dominique Ducharme was fired, a new coach breathed life into Caufield. Martin St. Louis gave Caufield free rein, and he ran with it, flying down the ice and providing the Habs with a constant scoring threat. The higher the pressure, the better; as Caufield elevated his play, and provide the Habs’ brass with some exhilarating overtime goals and last-minute game-tying tallies.

In 2022-23 Caufield was on pace to become the first Canadiens player to score 40 goals, since Vincent Damphousse during the ’93-’94 season. Unfortunately for the Canadiens and Caufield, a season-ending shoulder injury cut his campaign short; as he required surgery to repair it. The sample size hasn’t been huge, but all signs point to Caufield rekindling his chemistry with Suzuki and bringing the Habs’ faithful back to their feet in 2023-24 like only he can.

Nick Suzuki

As clutch as he was skillful, Suzuki was a cheat code in junior, and aside from his rookie campaign in the OHL, he averaged just under 100 points per season. Again, aside from his rookie year, Suzuki was a point-per-game player in the playoffs also. At the midway point of the 2018-19 season, Suzuki was dealt from Owen Sound to Guelph, and he was far and beyond the best player in the OHL playoffs that year.

Suzuki’s high IQ, clutch play and elite skillset paired with his leadership qualities allowed him to look nearly untouchable. He led the Storm, and the entire playoff leaderboard in assists with 26 and points with 42, on route to earning the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award, as playoff MVP. He helped the Storm to the OHL championship and was also awarded CHL Most Sportsmanlike Player honours and the Memorial Cup Most Sportsmanlike Player award.

Fortunately for the Vegas Golden Knights, Suzuki saved his best for the season after the 2017 Draft, which played perfectly into their hands. He slipped to 13th overall, and I would have to think that the 12 teams selecting ahead of the Knights are kicking themselves for passing on him. They didn’t get much professional play out of him, however, as he was dealt to the Canadiens in a package for Max Pacioretty.

Vegas’ loss was certainly the Habs’ gain, as Suzuki has fit right in with the Canadiens. He began his career with the Canadiens the season preceding the trade, and he would suit up for 71 games, getting his feet wet in the NHL. He posted 41 points in his rookie season, then the following season in 15 fewer games, he was able to match his previous season totals.

He has carried over his playoff performer success from junior to the NHL, posting nearly point-per-game numbers in back-to-back Canadiens postseason runs. In just two Stanley Cup playoff seasons he has accumulated 23 points (11 goals and 12 assists) through 22 games. Over the past three seasons, he has improved upon his previous point totals, finishing this past year with 66 points, 36 of which were without his trigger man, Cole Caufield, which should provide some optimism heading into Canadiens training camp.

Kirby Dach

Kirby Dach looks to be the late bloomer whose former team gave up on him a little bit too early, and that could come back to bite the. The 6-foot-4 skilled centre was selected third overall in the 2019 Draft by the Chicago Blackhawks, a draft that was loaded with talent at the top end. His junior numbers didn’t leap off of the stats sheet, but, to be noted a good portion of bigger-bodied prospects take a little longer to hit their stride.

The Canadiens and Hawks both gambled in the Dach trade and in a good trade, both teams come out as winners. Certainly, it has looked as though the Canadiens are enjoying what Dach has brought thus far, and the Hawks are still awaiting the NHL arrival of the prospects they selected with the draft picks they received, Frank Nazar and Gavin Hayes.

Dach’s acquisition paid dividends immediately, as he gave a glimpse of what he could provide the Canadiens down the middle. While he dealt with injury trouble, he was able to post the best point totals of his young career, 38 in 12 fewer games than his previous season when he scored 26. And the 22-year-old’s confidence just oozed from him, as the leniency that St. Louis gave him allowed him to play his best game.

The highly anticipated first meeting of the season against the Blackhawks surely delivered. Dach buried a sweet shootout tally, before mocking the crowd with a hand to his celebration. A true display of raw emotion, Dach was able to show his former team what they let slip away.

After a healthy offseason, his first in Montreal, Dach will go into training camp with a full offseason to recover under his belt. The Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta., native will look to best his 38 points, and should he stay healthy and play a consistent role in the top six, I wouldn’t bet against him. The options for linemates are quite intriguing, and Dach might just elevate his game to another level, cementing a strong one-two punch for the Canadiens at center, something they have long pursued.

Kaiden Guhle

Kaiden Guhle was a physical menace in the Western Hockey League, first with the Prince Albert Raider, then with the Edmonton Oil Kings. He was a physical specimen, and his well-timed bone-crushing body checks aided his stout defensive game masterfully. He was relied upon in all situations, and trusted to defend when most needed. He scored 15 points in 17 games with the Raiders before he was dealt to the Oil Kings, and he put up point-per-game totals (25 points in 25 games), but he saved his best work for the playoffs.

The WHL playoff run for the Oil Kings was the second of Guhle’s junior career, as the Raiders failed to qualify for the offseason in two of his three seasons. His first postseason stint was 23 games, but his 19-game showing in 2021-22 was the young defender’s best work. His 16 points (eight goals and eight assists) helped him win WHL playoff MVP honours and aided the Oil Kings’ championship win.

Guhle rounded out his game following his selection at 16th overall in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft by the Canadiens, using his strong skating and poise to fuel his offensive game. The physical aspect came naturally and was a mainstay in his defensive approach, but his offensive game came a long way post-draft. His two-way mobility at the blue line, and hard, accurate shot along with great vision allowed him to be a threat for a one-timer or give-and-go.

His rookie game continued the upward trend in Guhle’s development, and amongst a young group of Canadiens blue liners in 2021-22, he played a mature game, beyond his years and he never looked rushed or uncomfortable. Guhle showed great mobility for his size, and he was able to escape pressure regularly, either with a smart pass, swift skating or a dump up the boards. He lets his play do the talking, and he is a gamer, who just consistently improves because he is so coachable.

44 games were all that Guhle was able to play during his rookie NHL campaign, but he played crucial minutes in all situations. With a full offseason to rest and recover, with the added experience, he should show up at training camp and look dominant. His steady game and consistent strong play will complement his smooth skating beautifully, and he will be a very important piece of the Habs blue line.

Alex Newhook

Given up on by the franchise that drafted him, Alex Newhook will look to follow Kirby Dach, by posting the best point output of his career. Selected in the exact same draft as Cole Caufield and Kirby Dach, he is very young and struggled to emerge as a top-six centre behind Nathan MacKinnon in Colorado. The high expectations and a low tolerance for mistakes proved to disrupt the young St. John’s, Newfoundland., native’s development.

His speed and confidence with the puck are his calling card, and he is able to work the give-and-go with ease, burning past defenders, before receiving breakout passes. Newhook’s game is predicated on many of the things that his new head coach, Martin St. Louis used during his Hall of Fame career. Fast skating and brilliant puck skills allow him to find open ice to put his great shot to use, and his feisty style isn’t on par with St. Louis’, but he has a great toolkit.

Newhook was acquired by the Canadiens just ahead of the 2023 Draft, in a trade that saw the Canadiens send a 2023 first and second-round selection to the Avalanche. Along with Dach, Caufield and Rafael Harvey-Pinard, Newhook was also selected in the 2019 Draft at 16th overall, providing the Habs with four 22-year-olds to help with the rebuild.

The 2022-23 season was just Newhook’s second in the NHL, so he certainly didn’t get much time to prove to the Avalanche what he could be. A la Dach, Kent Hughes took a bit of a gamble, but Newhook will have ample opportunity under St. Louis’ tutelage. With some freedom to play his game, the former Boston College product will have ample time to renew his confidence.

It’s yet to be determined whether he will play on the wing or at centre, but you have to think that Hughes gave up a significant package for a reason, so a top-six role seems likely. Certainly, Caufield, Suzuki and Dach will fill three spots in the top six, but Newhook could form a nice duo with Dach, which would certainly benefit both players. The fifth and sixth forwards are also unknown, but the young group will welcome him with open arms, and I think it’s a fair bet that he will become an important part of the Habs’ future.

These five players, lead a group of promising young talent set to join Laval and the Habs, as early as this year, with some strong prospects developing in junior, the NCAA and across Europe. Training camp is upon us, and soon the young talent will battle for their spot on the Canadiens roster. And not all of them will make it, but the Rocket will have some great pieces that land there, which is going to help them in the bid for a playoff berth.

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