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Habs Wrap: 2022 Draft Review, Demidov, Heineman, 4 Nations

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Habs news: Montreal Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson

MONTREAL — There’s always Montreal Canadiens news to be absorbed on a daily basis, but there are only so many hours in a day. On Sundays, we recap the most exciting and relevant NHL news stories that you may have missed throughout the week so that you can stay in the Canadiens loop.

Monday

Top prospect Ivan Demidov registered yet another two-point effort, helping SKA St-Petersburg beat Severstal 5-3. With the two points, Demidov now has 19 goals and 29 assists in 56 games, good for 9th overall in KHL scoring.

The second assist featured a nice controlled entry, which led to Matvei Korotky’s game-winning goal. He’s yet to score a goal in February, but he has produced eight assists in just seven games.

It takes more than just one player to complete a hockey team, but losing fourth-liner Emil Heineman coincides with the worst stretch of the season for the Canadiens.

The unfortunate accident that led to Heineman’s injury didn’t just line up with the downtick in results from the Habs, it had a significant impact on Jake Evans’ play. Not only has his offence dried up, his underlying numbers have collapsed without Heineman by his side.[The Montreal Canadiens Miss Emil Heineman More Than Expected]

Tuesday

Jacob Fowler recovered from a two-game losing streak, the longest losing streak of his NCAA career. He’s fifth in the league in save percentage, and he’s once again leading the NCAA in wins, with 20.

There’s no doubt he’s one of the top Habs prospects, however, there’s also no rush when it comes to his ascension to the NHL. Spending time in the AHL with the Laval Rocket could lead to better results in the long run.   [Evaluating Jacob Fowler’s Long Term Impact With The Canadiens]

Canada managed to beat Finland  5-3 at the 4 Nations Faceoff, with Canadiens forward Patrik Laine earning one assist in the losing effort. The game featured yet another shaky performance by starter Jordan Binnington. He stopped 23 of the 26 shots he faced, giving him a .892 save percentage throughout the tournament.

Seeing as neither Adin Hill nor Samuel Montembeault have been given a start in the tournament, it’s likely that John Cooper once again turns to Binnington in the next matchup rather than calling on a cold goaltender.

As for the United States, they dropped their final game 2-1 versus Sweden, and will face Canada in the final on Thursday. For the record, American starter Connor Hellebuyck is currently sporting a .957 save percentage.

The good news is that Jared Davidson (17) and Joshua Roy (15) scored for the Laval Rocket on Monday night. The bad news is their rivals, the Toronto Marlies, blew them out of the water by winning 7-2. The Rocket are having a hard time with injuries, and there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight, as Filip Mesar ended up missing Monday’s game, forcing the team to play with 11 forwards and 7 defencemen.

Wednesday

Laval Rocket head coach Pascal Vincent gave an encouraging update as to prospect David Reinbacher’s recovery. Vincent said Reinbacher could be ready to play as early as today’s game versus the Manitoba Moose. He followed it up by saying Reinbacher should be able to play on the weekend if he’s not ready to play on Wednesday, with the worst case scenario being next week’s game against the Toronto Marlies.

Regardless of the exact time frame, it’s welcomed news for an important prospect.

As was the case for Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine, patience is in order once Reinbacher returns to play. [Patient Is In Order For Canadiens Prospect David Reinbacher]


There are plenty of players that have something to prove in the final stretch of the 2024-25 season, including the player who was drafted first overall in 2022. Beyond Juraj Slafkovsky, there are a pair of veterans and a pair of young players with a lot on the line in the final 26 games of the year. [Top 5 Canadiens Players With Something To Prove In 2025]

There was more good news on the injury front, which feels very weird to write when you cover the Montreal Canadiens. Emil Heineman skated with the team for the first time since he was hit by a car in Utah. As expected, he was wearing a non-contact jersey, which means we shouldn’t expect him back in the next few days, but at least he’s on the mend.

Martin St-Louis definitely misses his Heineman in the lineup, but no one misses him more than impending free agent Jake Evans. The fourth-line centre has gone ice-cold without Heineman in the lineup. [The Montreal Canadiens Miss Emil Heineman More Than Expected]

Nick Suzuki discussed his disappointment in not cracking Team Canada’s roster at the 4 Nations Faceoff. Canada is set to face the USA in the championship game on Thursday night in Boston.

Suzuki was given a heads-up by Cole Caufield to expect fireworks before Canada and USA opened the game with three consecutive fights.

The Montreal Victoire are the top team in the PWHL, but they dropped a tough 4-0 game versus the high-flying Minnesota Frost. Montreal holds a five-point lead over Minnesota in the standings, while also having three games in hand. [PWHL]

Thursday

The 2022 NHL Entry Draft was critical for the Canadiens. It was Kent Hughes’ first kick of the can, not to mention the first time they had an opportunity to pick the first overall player since they chose Doug Wickenheiser way back in 1980.

Unfortunately, it was a relatively weak draft, but the Canadiens still managed to pick the best player, it just took them until the 62nd overall pick to get there. [2022 NHL Draft Deep Review: Canadiens Picked The Best Player]

Speaking of the best player from the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, Lane Hutson was unable to keep Canadiens hockey off his mind during the 4 Nations Faceoff, and that’s always a good sign. Not only is he supremely talented, he’s always hungry for more.

2023 fifth-overall pick David Reinbacher made his return to play following a significant knee injury that forced him to miss almost five months of action. He was expected to miss between five and six months, which means he returned ahead of schedule, but patience is still in order for the 20-year-old player.

As for the game itself, the Laval Rocket lost 5-4 to the Manitoba Moose despite outshooting them 34-22. Logan Mailloux provided two of Laval’s goals, though he was caught out of position on several occasions, leading to an unhealthy number of high-danger scoring chances for the Moose.


Connor Hughes had a difficult night, and Reinbacher was on the ice for several Moose goals, but I wouldn’t go as far as criticizing him, because that would be unreasonable given how long he missed. The only thing that came to mind when I saw Reinbacher finally take part in a meaningful game is that it must have been a very difficult, and probably a very lonely recovery, even if he did take part in some activities with the Canadiens.

Nothing is more difficult for an athlete than not being able to play the sport they love.

With that in mind, Reinbacher’s agility was a little better than I expected, and his passing was crisp, which is a good first step. I’d suggest we should consider the final games of the AHL season as a long-term tune-up for the 20-year-old defencemen.

In other Rocket news, Sean Farrell recorded his 10th point in the last seven games, a significant uptick in production from the speedy winger. Farrell is currently playing on the top line with Lucas Condotta and Alex Barre-Boulet due to injuries. The game also featured a brief but spirited fight from Florian Xhekaj and Mark Liwiski.

After putting up absolutely jaw-dropping numbers in the MHL, Russia’s equivalent to the CHL, Montreal Canadiens prospect Yevgeni Volohkin started his KHL career on a shaky note. That’s not exactly surprising given that he’s still just 19 years old, but you never want to see a prospect struggle, regardless of the situatio0n.

Fortunately, Volokhin’s numbers have stabilized recently. He saved 28 of the 31 shots he faced on Wednesday as Sochi defeated Dynamo 5-3.

Friday

With two-thirds of the season already in the books, we have a pretty good handle on what to expect from the Montreal Canadiens from here on out. There’s still a (slight) chance they can make the playoffs, while their draft odds are also in play. The key will be avoiding a finish in no man’s land.[Draft Odds and Playoff Odds: What To Expect From The Canadiens]

The final game of the 4 Nations Faceoff took place in Boston, with Team Canada beating Team USA 3-2 in overtime thanks to Connor McDavid’s game-winning goal.

I have to admit, I missed the mark when they originally announced the tournament. My initial reaction was rather cynical, and I’m glad to say I couldn’t have been more wrong about the level of interest from fans, not to mention the intensity provided by the players.

Full marks to the NHL, it was high-level entertainment from start to finish.

Former Canadiens goaltender Carey Price was among those cheering on Canada as they faced the USA.

We won’t get into the jingoist white-noise that surrounded the tournament, but if you think it didn’t mean anything to either country, the Canadian Prime Minster made it rather clear.

The Habs held an event at the exact same time as Team Canada faced Team USA, but at the very least, they provided a feed for those attending. Josh Anderson certainly appreciated it.

The Canadian players in a great mood following their thrilling win.

If you’re still active on social media and enjoy a great crossover, I strongly suggest following Art But Make It Sports. It’s easily one of the most entertaining accounts out there. And no, he doesn’t cheat. He just seems to have a perfect memory and an impressive knowledge of art.

Samuel Montembeault didn’t get to play at the tournament, but it was surely a great experience for the 28-year-old netminder.

Prospect Oliver Kapanen keeps producing at an impressive rate. The 21-year-old scored a goal and added two assists to help Timra beat Brynas 6-2. He now has 13 goals and 15 assists in 28 games. [Canadiens Prospect Report: Oliver Kapanen’s Potential Impact]

There are no guarantees in life, but I have a sneaking suspicion Lane Hutson is excited about the final stretch of the season. Or maybe he just approaches all hockey games with the enthusiasm of a golden retriever being fed a bowl of spaghetti. Either way, it’s good to see.

Saturday

Rookie Emil Heineman ditched the non-contact jersey at practice, which means he’s ready to play. The 23-year-old forward has been held out of action since he was struck by a car in Utah. It’s great news for the player and the team, but if I had to guess, linemate Jake Evans is probably the most excited to see Heineman return, as his offence has dried up without the Swede by his side. [The Montreal Canadiens Miss Emil Heineman More Than Expected]

Brendan Gallagher knows a thing or two about the importance of working hard, and he seems to agree that losing Heineman was a significant blow to the team’s already fragile forward combinations.

Samuel Montembeault did not end up starting at the 4 Nations, but the mere fact that he was part of Team Canada speaks to his fantastic journey from being placed on waivers to representing his country at the highest level. [4 Nations Faceoff: Montembeault’s Journey Sparks Inspiration]

I have to admit, cheering for Brad Marchand as he hoisted a trophy in Boston wasn’t something I ever thought I’d have to deal with. Weird times.

Boston College beat Vermont, but it was closer than expected. The Eagles ended up winning 6-3, with Montreal Canadiens prospect Jacob Fowler stopping 29 of the 32 shots sent his way.

The Laval Rocket rebounded from their 5-4 loss versus the Manitoba Moose, beating them 5-1 at Place Bell on Friday night. It was a decidedly one-sided affair, with the shots finishing 35-21 in Laval’s favour.

Joshua Roy (16), Sean Farrell (11), Alex  Beaucage (2), Florian Xhekaj (13), and Laurent Dauphin (15) scored for the home team, while Cayden Primeau made 20 saves to earn his 11th win of the year.

Yevgeni Volokhin lost his most recent KHL start, as Sochi dropped a 6-3 game against Torpedo. The 19-year-old netminder allowed six goals while making 35 saves. Fellow Canadiens prospect Bogdan Konyushkov was the busiest Torpedo player, with a little over 21 minutes of ice time.

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