The Montreal Canadiens management team will have a keen eye on their games during the six-team rookie camp in Buffalo, and it will mark the first viewing of a nice crop of prospects playing other NHL clubs’ best young players.
A strong performance during the outing won’t be the principal determining factor in earning an invite to the Canadiens main training camp, but it will help. Most of the players will go back to their respective leagues, and some will head to Laval, but there is a trio of guys that I believe could shine during the rookie tournament.
A major factor that will have the Canadiens faithful swooning, is the fact that the organization has been able to stockpile some high picks and add some nice pieces through the draft over the last handful of years. Most fans are already chomping at the bit to get a live viewing of the famous Canadiens sweater being donned again for the 2023-24 campaign.
So, it’s a safe bet that the attendees will be looking to make a great impression right away, and a pair of defensemen, along with a winger should be right at the top of everyone’s viewing list.
With solid depth at most of the positions in the NHL, the right side of the blueline stands out as an area that is wide open for a young guy or two to grab a spot. That will be particularly exciting news for the two defenders that I believe will be most impressive out of the bunch that attend camp since they both shoot right. Rounding out the trio is a left-shot winger, whose brilliant shot and strong offensive awareness make him a great option to fill a role in the Habs top-nine, and be an immediate contributor on the power play.
So, without further ado, we will dive into the three players who will impress during the rookie games, and prove they are more than ready for their first NHL training camp.