Three Montreal Canadiens Just Playing Out The String With Organization

Jesse Ylonen

Jesse Ylonen was a promising prospect for the Canadiens and looked to be a future steady two-way winger who could play on a third line and contribute some offense while also playing great defensively at the same time.

He quickly showed he could be a top line player at the AHL level with the Laval Rocket. His last stint in the minors saw him score 11 goals and 32 points in 39 games in the 2022-23 season. He also had 16 points in 37 NHL games, showing a bit of a scoring touch on a team we all remember was decimated by injuries and just not that good last season.

He is now waiver eligible and can not be sent down to the Laval Rocket so he has been on the NHL roster all season. He has played 51 of the team's 64 games, but just has not been that effective this season. He has scored three goals and seven points and doesn't look like the same smart, defensive wizard we thought he could become when he was younger.

Ylonen had to wait a really long time last offseason before finally signing a one year contract with a cap hit of $775,000. With his production dropping off dramatically, and several veterans wingers signed long term that will be playing bottom six roles next season, there really isn't a spot for Ylonen on a healthy roster right now.

There would be if he played well enough and forced someone else, like Josh Anderson or Brendan Gallagher, down the lineup. But he jsut hasn't and he is starting to look like a player who could be moved for a late draft pick or a different young prospect to see if a change of scenery can help.