Montreal Canadiens - CHL prospect report

The Montreal Canadiens have had varied success drafting from the three leagues that operate under Canadian Hockey League umbrella.

If you look at the current Canadiens roster, they have Brendan Gallagher, who played for the Vancouver Giants in the Western Hockey League. Kaiden Guhle also played major junior in the WHL, splitting time between the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Prince Albert Raiders. The two Habs draft picks are the only current roster players drafted out of the WHL, while Michael Pezzetta, a former Sudbury Wolve is the only OHLer drafted by the Habs on the roster.

Montreal is full of CHL alumni drafted by another organization, with Nick Suzuki, Christian Dvorak and Josh Anderson, who played for Guelph, Owen Sound, and the London Knights, all OHL teams. Arber Xhekaj is a former Hamilton Bulldog and Kitchener Ranger, and Kirby Dach played for the WHL's Saskatoon Blades.

For Montreal locals, there are some QMJHL talents on the Canadiens right now, too. Starting goaltender Samuel Montembeault played his major junior career with the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. While David Savard played in the QMJHL with the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, and the Moncton Wildcats from 2007-08 to 2009-10.

Alexandre Carrier also played four season in the QMJHL for the Gatineau Olympiques.

The CHL has the bragging rights of developing guys like Connor McDavid (OHL - Erie Otters) and Nathan MacKinnon (QMJHL - Halifax Mooseheads. Connor Bedard of the Chicago Blackhawks is another CHL prospect (WHL - Regina Pats). The 2025 NHL Draft also has some promising draft-eligible talents (Matthew Schaefer and Michael Misa).

The prospects, lets talk about the prospects

Montreal's current CHL prospect group is comprised of just three players, so the club will need to fix that. You can't argue that their are plenty of NHL prospects who honed their craft playing major junior in the Great White North.

Lets dive in.

Owen Protz is a bully of a defenseman, playing a tough, stout defensive game. Protz is much like Guhle back in his WHL days, and Arber Xhekaj. Protz likes to victimize opponents with well-placed hits, meeting them at the blueline upon zone entries. Kent Hughes drafted Protz in the fourth round of the 2024 draft.

He projects as a 5-6 defensemen at the NHL level, who defends the rush well with great mobility, and steps up at the blueline meeting attackers with thunderous body check. Protz mobility and aggressiveness serve him well with the puck as well, as he looks to attack the middle of the ice. He has great vision, and a creative mind - his offence is a work in progress.

In 5-23-28 in 56 games, playing big minutes in Brantford, a solid upgrade from his 19 points through 66 games in 2023-24. I don't expect that he will ever be a big point producer, but his two-way game has grown exponentially. So long as he transports the puck well, make a good first pass and defends the rush and his net front, that's what matters.

Tyler Thorpe is a six-foot-five, and 214 pounds, who is a right-shot power forward that loves to shoot the puck on the rush. Off-the-catch, Thorpe's one-touch shot comes off quick and heavy, beating goalies clean. Luckily for the Canadiens, Thorpe plays a feisty net front game much like Vancouver Giant alumni Brendan Gallagher, but he is seven inches taller, and 35 pounds heavier.

I think offensively there is a big question mark with Thorpe, it's not his competitiveness, but whether or not he has the details to be a top six player. I think he will be an impactful player at the professional level, because he skates well, and he can handle the physical nature of the game. His positioning, and in-between checks create chaos for opposing goalies, which he exploits with deflections.

Kent Hughes drafted Thorpe in the round of the 2024 draft, taking a risk drafting a big forward. It's been tough in Montreal - Michael McCarron was a bust, but Thorpe wasn't drafted in the first round.

Mikus Vecvanags, a project goaltender in the Canadiens system, has spent his draft-plus-one season split between the BCHL and the QMJHL. Hughes drafted Vecvanags in the 2024 draft in the fifth round. Now playing with the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, Riley Kidney's junior team, Vecvanags has played six games with the Titan, recording a 1-4-0 record with a 4.44 goals against average, and a .861 save percentage.

Vecvanags started he season in the BCHL, where Alex Newhook played his junior hockey. With the Brooks Bandits, Vecvanags had a 4-1-0 record, which was much better, but his numbers weren't great - 3.18 (g.a.a) and .881 (sv%). The Riga, Latvia native is committed to the University of Maine for the 2026-27 season, which will be a boost to his development.

I think there won't be much noise surround the 2024 fifth round selections for a few years yet. Focusing on the weightroom, and working close with the University's hockey coaching staff will be huge for his mental and physical game. I suspect a great goalie coach will also help him hone his style and skills.

Hughes doesn't have much quantity-wise from the CHL leagues, but he, like the rest of us is hoping the quality reigns superior.