With the NHL Draft wrapping up a few weeks ago, The Athletic's Scott Wheeler put together a new Top 100 of NHL prospects. There really isn't much surprise that the top of these rankings are predominantly some of the more recent draft picks like Gavin McKenna at number one, followed by Ivar Stenberg at two and Chase Reid at number 5.
However, what might be surprising is that the Montreal Canadiens, a franchise considered to have a deep prospect pool, only had three players on this list of skaters. Those three players were:
- Michael Hage (21st overall)
- Alexander Zharovsky (33rd overall)
- David Reinbacher (48th overall)
While the Canadiens had only three, it is important to note that all three were in the top half of these rankings. It shows that these players can certainly be difference makers once they reach the NHL and Reinbacher looks to be the closest at this point in this group.
Who should have been included in the Top 100 for the Montreal Canadiens?
Among the skaters, there is two players who immediately jump out as omissions that should have been included in the Top 100, Bryce Pickford and Adam Engstrom.
Pickford has now had two incredibly productive seasons in the WHL, and last season had 45 goals and 38 assists in 55 games. He continued his strong play into the playoffs with 12 points in 15 games and was even named CHL Defenceman of the Year.
As for Engstrom, he has bounced a bit between the AHL and the NHL this past season, with 15 games with the Canadiens. Entering training camp, he should be competing with Reinbacher and some of the other players on the Canadiens roster for one of those final spots on the blueline.
Both players deserved to be in the final 20 spots of this Top 100 prospects list and could prove so this season if Engstrom makes the NHL and Pickford makes the jump to Laval.
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