Canadiens Prospect Watch: Farrell and Hutson and Kidney, Oh My!

It’s always difficult to get a read on Montreal Canadiens prospects playing in the NCAA, primarily due to the elevated quality of competition and the lower-scoring pace involved in college hockey.

But there’s a pair of players in the Canadiens prospect pool that is making it a lot easier on Canadiens fans, and they’re the focus of this week’s Prospects Watch.

Farrell For The Win

Sean Farrell started the season on the right foot for the Harvard Crimson and is showing no signs of slowing down any time in the near future.

With 10 goals and 15 assists in just 17 games, Farrell currently ranks fourth overall in the NCAA with an impressive 1.47 points per game.

He also scored one of the nicest goals by a Canadiens prospect in recent memory in Harvard’s 5-0 win against St.Lawrence, his first of two goals on the night.

Sean Farrell: end 2️⃣ end

Might wanna check this out #SCTOP10🔥
📺 https://t.co/OPMcWcxJ7v#GoCrimson | #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/ukvSRoi5Id

— Harvard Men's Hockey (@HarvardMHockey) January 15, 2023

He followed it up with a smart goal scored from a borderline impossible angle, his third goal in Harvard’s last two games.

At 21 years old, Farrell is much more senior than the majority of the players in the Canadiens prospect pool, therefore an uptick in production is expected, but we must also keep in mind he missed an entire year of development in the NCAA during the pandemic when he was forced to remain with the Chicago Steel of the USHL 2020-21.

It’s also worth remembering how Farrell is scoring.

Be it regular strength, overtime, the penalty kill or the power play, Farrell is making an impact for Harvard in every situation possible.

When it comes to prospects on the verge of making the jump to professional hockey in the Canadiens organization, few players match up favourably to Farrell.

Sean Farrell from no angle 👀

He's got two in the opening frame‼️
📺 https://t.co/OPMcWcxJ7v#GoCrimson | #OneCrimson pic.twitter.com/RUSZgs1zB5

— Harvard Men's Hockey (@HarvardMHockey) January 15, 2023

Always More Points

Last week we discussed Riley Kidney playing the hero for his new team, the Gatineau Olympiques.

Canadiens fans are well aware Kidney led the charge for the Acadie-Bathurst Titan, but there’s value in seeing how a player performs when he doesn’t necessarily always have the puck on his stick.

And in Kidney’s case, the numbers keep getting better, verging on ridiculous.

In his last three games with Gatineau, Kidney has produced 10 points (!), including a five-point effort on Saturday night against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada.

Kidney now ranks 7th overall in QMJHL scoring, with 16 goals and 42 assists in 36 games, which equates to over 1.6 points per game.

Riley est fumant!

Riley is smoking!#goOLgo♠️ pic.twitter.com/xGRHCaTLfK

— Olympiques de Gatineau (@OlympiquesGAT) January 14, 2023

He Did What?

This will shock you, but it turns out Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson has an affinity for scoring, and once again showed a penchant for contributing when the game is on the line.

With two points in his last two games, Hutson now has 8 goals and 14 assists in 20 games, maintaining the point-per-game pace he established in the very first game of the season.

His latest heroics involve a game-winning goal against Cornell which secured Boston University’s 15th win of the season.

YOU GOTTA LOVE SPORTS!!!!! pic.twitter.com/cZRpuoYJRf

— BU Men's Hockey (@TerrierHockey) January 14, 2023

More Canadiens Prospect News And Highlights

• It took Owen Beck one game to find his rhythm following a trade to the Peterborough Petes.

Now thats a RIP#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/7T9WQ2lZs6

— Peterborough Petes (@PetesOHLhockey) January 15, 2023

• Emil Heineman scored his fourth goal of the season for Leksands IF (SHL).

Emil Heineman jumps in on the play, knocks the ice a few times, gets the pass and scores with a beauty of a shot down low. #Habs #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/PCoDal7aVP

— Patrik Bexell (@Zeb_Habs) January 14, 2023

• Goaltender Jakub Dobes lost his first game since Dec.2, 2022.

MUST READ: Canadiens Prospect Power Rankings, The Jakub Dobes Show!