Canadiens’ prospect everyone is sleeping on heading into the season

The Montreal Canadiens roster is largely set heading into training camp, but a couple of spots remain up for grabs. There will be a couple of prospects fighting for that last spot on the opening day roster. So far, all the buzz has been around whether one of Florian Xhekaj, Oliver Kapanen, or Owen Beck will be the man to win the job. However, there might be another prospect hoping to throw his name into the fold, Luke Tuch.

If you are looking for someone with offensive upside, then he may not be your pick. However, what Tuch lacks in scoring, he makes up for in physicality, a quality the Canadiens are missing in their lineup. The team makeup is around speed and skill, with their lone physical presence being Arber Xhekaj. Tuch would give the team some much-needed grit, which could do wonders late in the season.

For those unfamiliar with Tuch, he was the Canadiens' second-round pick in 2020. He played four seasons with Boston College, and his production steadily increased over his four years there, but not to the point where you could see him one day becoming a serious scoring threat. His career high came in his final season, where he recorded 10 goals and 30 points in 39 games. Following the end of his collegiate career, Tuch signed his entry-level contract with the Canadiens and played in two games with the Laval Rocket. Tuch played the entire 2024-25 season with the Rocket, having a pretty good rookie season. In 44 games, Tuch had six goals and 14 points, while primarily being deployed on the team’s bottom-six.

Tuch would likely start behind Xhekaj, Kapanen, and Beck in the pecking order when training camp opens up, but could show that he is the man to fill the spot on the roster. He might be a long shot to crack the Canadiens' opening day roster, but stranger things have happened. What is true is that he fills a glaring hole in the Habs lineup. Whether it is this season or the next, Tuch’s physical style makes him a name to watch as the Canadiens look to round out their lineup with some grit.