Canadiens Prospect Rankings: Skilled Forwards On The Cusp

Welcome back to the Montreal Canadiens summer prospect rankings. Unlike our Canadiens prospect power rankings, which are published during the season, this list is based on overall value, including perceived potential. To qualify for the list as a Canadiens prospect, players must be 23 years old or younger, and have fewer than 100 NHL games under their belt.

We’ve already listed 20 Canadiens prospects, which means we’re starting to discuss some of the most important prospects in the organization, including the five players profiled in this article.

Previously Published Rankings

Players Who Missed The Cut And Prospects Ranked No.40 to No.31

Top Montreal Canadiens Prospects: Ranked No.30 to No.26

Top Montreal Canadiens Prospects: Ranked No.25 to No.21

20. Logan Sawyer, 18, Left Wing, Brooks Bandits (AJHL/BCHL), Picked 78th overall in 2024, 6’1″, 174 lb.

The Canadiens stole the show at the 2024 NHL Entry Draft by inviting legend Celine Dion to announce they picked top prospect Ivan Demidov. And while the selection certainly merited a little fanfare, you could argue it overshadowed a few great picks on Day 2, including forward Logan Sawyer. The 18-year-old winger finished with 35 goals and 43 assists in 59 games for the Brooks Bandits last season, a rather impressive output for a third-round pick. It’s also worth pointing out he scored an additional 15 points in 12 playoff games, putting a fine point on his ability to generate offence when it matters most.

Sawyer uses elite anticipation and an active stick to life easier on his teammates in both the offensive and defensive zone. His work rate is excellent, as is his endurance, which means he quickly gains the trust of his coaches wherever he plays. On that note, the BCHL is far from the strongest league in Canada, which means the true test will come in 2025-26, as he’s committed to playing college hockey for Harvard (NCAA). The main skill he must improve is skating, though you’d be hard-pressed to suggest it was an issue that has held him back and ruined his ability to facilitate his team’s transition game.

19. Florian Xhekaj, 20, Left Wing, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL), Picked 101st overall in 2023, 6’4″, 190 lb.

It’s starting to become evident a lot of people overcorrected when it came to evaluating Florian Xhekaj’s long-term potential. Yes, he’s older than most of his teammates, but no, that does not erase his value. He’s a late bloomer who really came into his own last season by scoring 34 goals and 31 assists in 63 games, though you could argue he simply needed a little more ice time to find his rhythm and increase his production threefold compared to the previous season. Regardless, he seized his chance, and it led to great things, including Xhekaj’s ascension as one of the most interesting prospects in the system.

The main reason Xhekaj is getting so much attention is that it’s rather easy to see a player with his skill set should be able to transition his game to the professional level, and that goes beyond his impressive frame. If you go back and watch how Xhekaj improved his scoring with Brantford you’ll notice there was no secret to his sauce. He scored beautiful end-to-end goals on one night, only to outwork two opponents and slam home a rebound the next night. In other words, it wasn’t a matter of David Clarksoning his way to success by enjoying an unreasonable amount of luck. Xhekaj worked hard, but also gave plenty of evidence to confirm he’s more than just a stronger player dominating younger opponents in the OHL.

Here’s the Florian Xhekaj goal in the shootout. Smooth hands from the forward. #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/4N6pT7J7Lt

— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) July 5, 2024

18. Emil Heineman, 22, Left/Right Wing, Laval Rocket (AHL), Picked 43rd overall in 2020 (Florida Panthers), 6’2″, 194 lb.

Heineman put the AHL on notice when he joined the Laval Rocket late in the 2022-23 season. While I was busy telling people to temper their expectations given that he had already played an entire professional hockey season in Sweden, Heineman was busy scoring at will, as evidenced by his seven goals in 11 games.

Unfortunately, a concussion that occurred when a linesman tried to jump over him and consequently hit him with a flying knee derailed the start of his season, but once he returned to action in early December he confirmed that his offensive instincts, not to mention his excellent shot, were intact. Of course, his production also levelled out to a certain extent, but given that it was his essentially his first full year of professional hockey in Canada, scoring 15 goals and 14 assists for the Laval Rocket should be considered a successful year.

Heineman is among the group of players that will look to take advantage of the job opening that came with Rafael Harvey-Pinard’s latest lower-body injury. He only played four games in the NHL, which means he has limited experience to bank on, but we also have to remember Heineman has been playing professional hockey in Sweden since 2019-20, giving him the ideal insight to take advantage of the opportunity.

He adds more offensive firepower to the lineup, which will be difficult to ignore for the Canadiens and their goal-starved lineup, but he will have to play a more responsible defensive game if he’s to convince Martin St-Louis that he’s ready for a promotion.

17. Sean Farrell, 22, Centre/Left Wing, Laval Rocket (AHL), Picked 124th overall in 2020, 5’9″, 174 lb.

Farrell is another player who is in the mix when it comes to absorbing Harvey-Pinard’s ice time, though as of now he’s probably on the outside looking in. It’s not that he played poorly last season. In fact, you could argue he had a very underrated rookie season with the Rocket, as evidenced by his nine goals and 19 assists in 47 games, giving him a production rate that was very similar to Heineman’s.

But unlike Heineman, this was Farrell’s first season of professional hockey, which means he still has a lot to learn, especially when it comes to his defensive play. He’s also a playmaker first and foremost, though I expect he will stop deferring to his teammates whenever a shooting opportunity arises as he gains confidence in the league.

I consider him to be a ‘crock pot’ prospect, in the sense that there’s no rush to get him to the big show. A slow and steady development path is in order. Set it and forget it. Though it is worth mentioning Farrell did enjoy instant chemistry while playing alongside Joshua Roy, something to monitor as both players look to take the next step in their careers.

16. Bogdan Konyushkov, 21, Defenceman, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL), Picked 110th overall in 2023, 6’0″, 175 lb.

Our loyal readers will quickly point out my affinity for Russian prospect Bogdan Konyushkov. I’ve gone on at length about his interesting skill set, which combines smooth skating, quick hands, strong positioning and natural offensive talent. It’s understandable that some have pushed back on the idea that he should be considered a top prospect, especially since he signed a three-year contract extension in the KHL shortly after he was drafted. This means it will take a little time for him to make his way across the pond, but in the meantime he’s enjoying an all-you-can-eat ice-time buffet playing for head coach Igor Larionov.

Beyond being one of the busiest players in the KHL, he was also tapped to serve as Torpedo’s captain midway through the season, adding an important element of leadership to the mix. He’s not perfect, few prospects are, but given his growth is being monitored by a coach that doesn’t hesitate to trust younger players, Konyushkov’s development seems to be in great hands. He projects to eventually be a good fit in the top four, with the potential to move up the lineup should the opportunity arise, a little like Jeff Petry did during his many great seasons with the Canadiens.

Do you agree or disagree with the Montreal Canadiens prospect rankings posted above? Let us know in the comments below!