Montreal Canadiens: Emil Heineman, Joshua Roy, Jesse Ylonen Will Fix Lack Of Scoring Depth

MONTREAL, CANADA - MARCH 11: Jesse Ylonen #56 of the Montreal Canadiens takes a shot during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at Centre Bell on March 11, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
MONTREAL, CANADA - MARCH 11: Jesse Ylonen #56 of the Montreal Canadiens takes a shot during the second period against the New Jersey Devils at Centre Bell on March 11, 2023 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The New Jersey Devils defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-1. Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
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Montreal Canadiens, Emil Heineman
Sep 28, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Montreal Canadiens forward Emil Heineman. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Emil Heineman

Emil Heineman is the lone player on the list who wasn’t drafted by the Canadiens but was acquired via trade from the Calgary Flames along with Tyler Pitlick, a 2022 first, and a 2025 fifth-round pick in exchange for Tyler Toffoli. This marked the second time that the Leksand, Sweden native was traded, as he was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft, but they dealt him to the Flames for Sam Bennett. He has spent his time overseas in the Swedish Hockey League with Leksands IF since his selection.

In Sweden, Heineman worked on his speed, strength and shot, all of which were good, but with some polish, could be the difference between playing at the top or the bottom of the lineup. Surely Kent Hughes or the Canadiens’ Swedish scout had done their due diligence on Heineman, because he was coveted, along with the first-round pick in any deal involving Toffoli. His play in the SHL is very indicative of why he was drafted early in the second round of the ’20 Draft.

Heineman spent the three seasons following his selection, with Leksands, and over 116 games, he scored 44 points (26 goals &18 assists), a testament to his versatility, with an onus on shooting. Oddly enough he never made his North American debut, until he was a part of the Canadiens organization. He made his debut in the AHL with the Rocket, during the second half of the 2022-23 season, and he didn’t waste any time showing off his great shot and speedy skating, scoring seven goals and two assists through 11 games.

Because the Canadiens lack goalscoring depth behind Caufield, Suzuki and Dach, there is a need for more pure shooters in the lineup, Heineman’s shot is a bullet, and he has no issue teeing it up. He is a versatile shooter, with a variety of great shot styles, all of which are powerful and accurate. He auditioned alongside Suzuki and Caufield during the inter-squad scrimmages and looked comfortable, and while he isn’t likely to play on the top line, he would remedy any scoring issue in the bottom six.