Sean Farrell in, Joshua Roy out?

Have we seen the last of Joshua Roy with the Montreal Canadiens? Sean Farrell is dominating in the American Hockey League and looks like a safe bet to usurp Roy in short order.

I don't think that Roy is done with the Habs, but I do think that he needs to significantly improve his footspeed, or else he could fall into a bottom-six option. Roy is far too skilled to play on the third or fourth line long-term for the Canadiens, however, his play right now does little to warrant a different role.

Farrell, though, has looked like an offensive stud, and a pillar for the Rocket to lean on for the remainder of their regular season schedule. Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent has to be thrilled with the 23-year-olds recent play, with the playoffs fast approaching. Laval has some talented young players, but with youth sometimes comes uncertainty, but Farrell has taken the reigns, and looked like a core piece alongside veterans like Alex Barré-Boulet, Laurent Dauphin and captain Lucas Condotta.

With a significant piece like Brandon Gignac out with an injury, Farrell has carried the boat, stepping up Gignac's absence. More recently, but you get the point.

Farrell has been a revelation, and the things he was doing in the NCAA with the Harvard University Crimson, has emphatically translated to the professional ranks. The five-foot-nine winger, has been dynamic - leveraging his fantastic vision, and puck skills with an elite ability to process plays - to annihilate the competition for the Rocket.

Roy is more of a natural penalty killer, defensive-type, but Farrell's footspeed, and engagement in all three zones, have me feeling very little concern about losing Roy for Farrell. I think that Farrell does so many things right, and his speed is not an issue. I like Roy, a lot actually, but something seems to be holding him back, and I think that he might benefit from finishing the year with Laval and playing in the playoffs.

Both will end up there at some point, I would have to think, I mean they are important pieces for Laval. But if Montreal needs a forward, Roy isn't doing a good job convincing anybody that he deserves to stay up with the Habs. Farrell, on the other hand, while in a different league has been a dominant presence for the Rocket, and the Habs have undoubtedly taken notice.

A promotion has got to be in order, both Owen Beck and Roy have had theirs, and even Logan Mailloux has played with Montreal this season. I think that Farrell should get the nod, at least for a couple of games, if nothing else.

The confidence that a call-up could instill in Farrell, might be the exact reason why Martin St. Louis should make the move. Laval would benefit from Farrell getting some games in with the Habs, it should only up his intensity, when he goes back for the playoffs.

Or maybe he stays with the Habs, and helps them with their playoff push.

Michael Hage earns rookie NCAA honours

Michael Hage remains a project, not in that there is so much to do that he will take forever to become an impact player for the Habs. But in that he has to work on his play away from the puck, more-so on the backcheck, and when defending.

Hage looks like a future transition nightmare, who will be the ideal centre, in my opinion, to pair with Ivan Demidov to create magic? The missing element for the line would just be a power forward, though Patrik Laine is an intriguing option.

Any way that you cut it, Hage had a fantastic season for a freshman, registering above a point-per-game pace after 33 games. He slowed down in the back half of the year. The schedule may have caught up to him, and the level of competition, which is normal.

But a big offseason, with a targeted plan from Canadiens director of player development Adam Nicholas, shoud serve him well. Adding some muscle, getting strong and more explosive specifically will allow Hage to dominate the college ranks.

Adam Fantilli's lone season with the Wolverines (2022-23), he scored 65 points (30-35-65) in 36 games. I expect that Hage is going to have an explosion, and don't think that he couldn't potentially score 60-plus points.

That will be put in the to be determined pile for now.