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Canadiens Prospect Power Rankings: Lots of Movement In Top-10

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1 year ago

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Montreal Canadiens prospect Sean FArrell Habs News

When we started the Montreal Canadiens Prospect Power Rankings, it was relatively easy to come up with sensible rankings that would satisfy most prospect aficionados.

Now that we’re three weeks into the project, it’s become a much more difficult task.

Not only because the different schedules across various leagues, or because the strength of opponents and teammates varies wildly from player to player, but also because there’s an abundance of Canadiens prospects that are outperforming expectations.

This week we have a significant shift among the top prospects, some fantastic performances from players closer to the bottom of the top-10, and a few harsh decisions about players that probably deserve a higher ranking.

Reminder: 

These power rankings will be based on the overall season, as well as the most recent week of action. Factors such as the strength of their team, the league in which they play, their age, and expectations related to their draft position will also be considered.

Seeing as Juraj Slafkovsky has earned a job in the NHL thanks to some solid play, he will not be considered for the power rankings at this time. Prospects playing in professional leagues based in Europe, will, however, be included.

Week 1: Lane Hutson Takes Top Spot

Week 2: Owen Beck Jumps to First

Canadiens Prospect Power Rankings Week 3

1. Owen Beck, 2nd round, 32nd overall (2022) Centre, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)

Last Week: 3 GP, 3 G, 0 A.  Season Totals: 15 GP, 13 G, 9 A, 22 PTS.

Previous Ranking: 1st (No Change)

Beck was held off the scoresheet in his first two games, which had him at risk of falling off the top of the prospect mountain, but he quickly rallied to put together a hat-trick performance against the Kingston Frontenacs.

Seeing as he’s maintained his excellent defensive play and has won over 60 percent of his faceoffs this season, the slight hiccup in production can easily be overlooked.

His reign at No.1 continues for the time being, however there are a pair of NCAA players that are hungry for the throne.

 

2. Lane Hutson, 62nd overall (2022), Defenceman, Boston University (NCAA)

Points This Week: 2 GP, 0 G, 2 A. Season Totals: 9 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 10 PTS.

Previous Ranking: 3rd (+1)

Hutson continues to produce at over a point-per game, extremely impressive for any freshman in the NCAA.

It’s even more impressive given that Hutson is a true freshman, not a redshirt. Not to mention the 18-year-old is a defenceman.

He’s still absorbing a lot of information in the NCAA, and he’s doing so at an accelerated rate, but we probably shouldn’t expect him to earn a point in every game going forward.

 

3. Sean Farrell, 124th overall (2020), C/LW, Harvard University (NCAA) 

Points This Week: 3 GP, 3 G, 3 A.  Season Totals: 7 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 10 PTS.

Previous Ranking: 7th (+4)

Farrell makes the biggest jump this week, owing to a great performance against both Union and New Hampshire.

Only one of his four goals on the season has come at even-strength, although it’s worth mentioning two of them came during shorthanded situations.

Farrell has exploded up the rankings since he was eligible to be rated and is knocking at Hutson’s door for the No.2 spot.

If he maintains his scoring pace, he may end up even higher.

 

4. Riley Kidney, 63rd overall (2021), Centre, Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)

Points This Week: 2 GP, 1 G, 1 A. Season Totals: 19 GP, 10 G, 19 A, 29 PTS.

Previous Ranking: 2nd (-2)

Kidney fell from second overall to fourth, but it’s a rather harsh drop considering his season point totals. It’s even harsher when you consider he maintained a point per game pace since the last rankings.

Again, the competition is stiff and we’ve come to expect consistent production in his case.

Such is life as a Canadiens prospect these days. In a more shallow prospect pool he’d surely rank higher.

 

5. Oliver Kapanen 64th overall (2021), Centre, Kalpa (Liiga),

Points This Week: N/A.  Season Totals: 20 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 10 PTS.

Previous Ranking: 6th (+1)

Kapanen did not play any games for Kalpa since we last checked up on him, but there’s a very good reason for that.

He’s currently busy with the Finnish U-20 team playing in a warm-up tournament for the World Juniors Championship.

Even though he’s used to playing against men in a professional hockey league, the WJC will play a key role in evaluating Kapanen’s skill level against similarly aged opponents, as to gauge his overall progress.

For what it’s worth, he’s been finding the back of the net with regularity in the warmup tournament.

 

 

6. Joshua Roy, 150th overall (2021), Right Wing, Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMHJL)

Points This Week: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A.  Season Totals: 16 GP, 9 G, 17 A, 26 PTS.

Previous Ranking: 5th (-1)

Roy only played one game this week. He fell ill and was kept out of action in Sherbrooke’s 3-1 loss to the Rimouski Océanic.

His overall season is still very solid, but there has been a slight downtick in production of late from the player who led the QMJHL in scoring last season.

Roy is still one of the most talented players in the league, and it would be unwise to bet against a resurgence in the near future.

 

7. Filip Mesar, 26th overall (2022), Right Wing, Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Points This Week: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A. Season Totals: 9 GP, 6G, 5A, 11 PTS.

Previous Ranking: 4th (-3)

After an incredibly hot start to his OHL career, Mesar has cooled off in recent weeks.

He was held off the scoresheet in Kitchener’s first two games, but did manage a two-point effort to close out the week.

As a first-round pick the expectations are quite high in his case, and he’s still above a point per game, but he probably needs to increase his production if he’s to reappear among the top-5 Canadiens prospects in the power rankings, because the competition is heating up.

 

8. Vinzenz Rohrer, 75th overall (2022), C/RW, Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

Points This Week: 3 GP, 1 G, 5 A. Season Totals: 17GP, 7G, 16A, 23 PTS.

Previous Rank: 8th (No Change)

We probably don’t talk about Rohrer’s potential enough. He’s constantly scoring and many of those plays end up in highlight reels.

As an 18-year-old, his progression is incredibly encouraging, and he’s quickly becoming a darkhorse candidate to crack the top-5.

Not only did he have a six-point week, he took 18  shots in just three games, which probably should have led to a couple extra goals.

 

9. Cedrick Guindon, 127th overall (2022), Centre, Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

Points This Week: 3 GP, 3 G, 3 A. Season Totals: 18 GP, 9 G, 16 A, 25 PTS.

Previous Ranking: 9th (No Change)

Guindon is yet another 18-year-old Canadiens prospect that has managed to maintain a fantastic level of offence throughout the season.

Much like Rohrer, Guindon did not enter the power rankings due to pedigree, but rather, he forced his way in with excellent play.

The Franco-Ontarian has nine multi-point games on the season, and there seems to be no end in sight to his four-game scoring streak.

 

10. Jared Davidson, 130th overall (2022), Centre, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Last week: 2 GP, 1 G, 4 A. Season Totals: 12 GP, 8 G, 15 A, 23 PTS.

Previous Rank: 10th (No change)

10. Logan Mailloux, 31st overall (2021), Defenceman, London Knights (OHL)

Last Week: 3 GP, 1 G, 3 A. Season Totals: 11 GP, 5 G, 7 A, 12 PTS.

Previous Ranking: Unranked

Usually, I’d avoid giving two players the same ranking, because it’s incredibly cowardly and goes against the whole point of power rankings.

However, that’s exactly what I am going to do in Mailloux and Davidson’s case.

They both enjoyed good weeks, they’ve both had solid seasons, and neither of them should be left off the top-10.

Cowardly? Yes.

Final decision? Also yes.

 

Honourable Mentions/On the Cusp: Adam Engström, Xavier Simoneau, Petteri Nurmi, Justin Barron,

Players that fell out of the rankings this week: none

Do you agree or disagree with the prospect rankings? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll take it into consideration for next week’s list.

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