2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Montreal Canadiens’ Top 10

Jul 27, 2026, 08:42 EDT

2026-27 NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown: Montreal Canadiens’ Top 10

Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Welcome back.

It’s time for Daily Faceoff’s third annual NHL Prospect Pool Breakdown, looking at the best all 32 teams have to offer. We’re highlighting the top 10 prospects for every franchise, their biggest strengths and weaknesses, and so much more.

Here are the criteria for being labeled a prospect: players generally have to have played in 50 or fewer NHL games or spent more time outside of the NHL than in it last year. Players over 23 years old are not included. Goaltenders are a bit more subjective, but they must be 25 or under and have played fewer than 20 games in the past season or fewer than 30 games over their career.

Today, we’re breaking down the Montreal Canadiens.

After further growth in 2025-26, the Canadiens are finally legit contenders.

The Habs were always expected to make the playoffs this past season. But they probably didn’t find themselves leading the third round of the Stanley Cup playoffs against the eventual champions, the Carolina Hurricanes. By all accounts, it was a highly successful campaign for a team coming off one of the best rebuilds in recent NHL memory. We even saw three rookies take on key roles with the club this year, with Ivan Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, and Jakub Dobeš all becoming impact players. Demidov, was a finalist for the Calder Trophy, while Dobeš was one of the team’s top playoff performers.

Even with those promotions, the Canadiens have a strong pipeline that made some of the cuts on the top 10 list below quite difficult. That’s not something most contending teams can say, but it shows you the true strength of the team’s scouting department.

Biggest Strength

The Canadiens have their fair share of players who can move the puck. Three of the four defenders listed below (sorry, Timofei Runtso) are what I’d call proficient puck-players, with Bryce Pickford, in particular, having perhaps the best shot of any prospect in the system. I’m still a believer in David Reinbacher, and Adam Engstrom has been quite productive in Laval. We’ll see how many of these defenders crack the NHL, but that’s a ton of depth to have on the back end.

Biggest Weakness

The Habs could definitely use some help on the left side. Most of Montreal’s wingers play on the right side, and while it’s not too difficult to move guys around, it wouldn’t hurt to have some natural LWs to choose from. Given Montreal’s depth, this might feel a bit nitpicky, but that’s not bad given the situation they’re in.

Fast Facts:

NHL GM: Kent Hughes
Dir. Amateur Scouting: Martin Lapointe
Co-Dir. of Amateur Scouting: Nick Bobrov
Dir. of Hockey Development: Adam Nicholas
AHL Affiliate: Laval Rocket
ECHL Affiliate: Lions de Trois-Rivières
Recent NHL Graduates: Ivan Demidov, RW; Oliver Kapanen, C; Jakub Dobeš, G

TOP 10 PROSPECTS

*Michael Hage (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

1. Michael Hage, C, 20 (University of Michigan, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 21st overall, first round in 2024

Many – myself included – expected Hage to go straight to the NHL out of college this coming year. Instead, he decided to chase after a national college title, and given Michigan’s strength, it’s hard to disagree with the decision. Hage has never been the most skilled player in the world. But you’ll find few centers with as complete a package as he has. He has high top-end speed and the awareness to make quality plays on the fly. Hage is a tremendous puckhandler who consistently makes near-perfect passes. He’s deceptive, sharp and while he’s not massive, he’s built strong and lets opponents know that along the boards and in front of the net. Teams covet centers who can hit, skate, and make quality passes consistently. Hage does all of that – and more.

2. Jacob Fowler, G, 21 (Montreal Canadiens)

Acquired: Drafted 69th overall, third round in 2023

Goalies typically develop much slower than regular skaters – but don’t tell Fowler that. The 21-year-old was called up midway through the season and battled for the starter’s gig with Dobeš for a while. Fowler nearly disqualified himself for this list by playing too many games. It was an absolute blast watching Fowler go through the ups and downs of an NHL partial rookie season, while also seeing some brief NHL playoff action. Fowler is the best goaltending prospect in the game thanks to his incredible play reads, his quick movements and fantastic hands and skating. This feels a little like watching a young Carey Price break through the noise as a youngster – Fowler is easily the most skilled Canadiens goaltender they’ve had in close to 20 years.

3. Alexander Zharovsky, RW, 19 (Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL)

Acquired: Drafted 34th overall, second round in 2025

Zharovksy already looks like one of the top value picks of the 2025 NHL Draft. It’s hard to produce as a junior-aged KHLer, but Zharovsky put up a whopping 42 points in 59 games with Ufa last year. Only one other U-20 player (Yaroslavl’s Yegor Surin) had more than 15 points (37) last season, and it was the highest output by an 18-year-old in league history. Funnily enough, the gold standard among U-20 seasons was Demidov’s 2024-25, when he had 49 points in 65 games. There’s a legitimate argument that Zharovsky’s production primarily came against weaker competition. But he was five points off the team lead, which is still insane regardless of what angle you’re looking at. Zharovsky is a highly skilled winger who is always looking to create damage with the puck, and I’m excited to see him (hopefully) come over to North America on a full-time basis after his KHL deal ends in 2027.

4. David Reinbacher, RHD, 21 (Laval Rocket, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted fifth overall, first round in 2023

Reinbacher’s struggles have been well-documented over the past few years. Injuries and general inconsistent play have made the 2023 fifth-overall pick look like a poor value choice. I’m not willing to give up on Reinbacher yet, because we know it’s tough for defenders to develop quickly (especially those who dealt with as many injuries and ice-time issues as he did post-draft. This past year finally felt like a step in the right direction for the Austrian, which included watching him register his first career point in his NHL debut in late April. Reinbacher had 24 points in 57 games with Laval, and it’s entirely possible he could reach the 40-point mark this coming season. The Canadiens can still afford to be patient with Reinbacher, and, hopefully, he’ll get a more extended look with the big club this year.

5. Gleb Pugachyov, RW, 18 (Chaika Nizhny Novgorod, MHL)

Acquired: Drafted 26th overall, first round in 2026

Pugachyov turned some heads with his play with the Russian U-17 team last year and then impressed scouts with some early-season KHL action this year. If you’re looking for flash, you won’t find it here. But Pugachyov is a big, 6-foot-3 forward who played well against men even in limited action. He can physically dominate his own age group, and he has done so this year without getting himself into too much trouble. Pugachyov plays a solid two-way game and won’t stop moving, even if he doesn’t have high-end top speed yet. I’m not 100 percent sure his offensive game will translate to the NHL outside of a third-line role. The Canadiens clearly like him, though, and after betting high on Zharovsky a year ago, I could see Pugachyov working out for them. Trust their European scouts.

6. Adam Engström, LHD, 22 (Laval Rocket, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 92nd overall, third round in 2022

*Adam Engstrom (John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images)*

Engström built upon a strong AHL rookie campaign with an even better sophomore effort. He had 10 gals and 34 points in 45 games this past year, and also played in 15 NHL games with Montreal, registering a single assist. The Swedish defender has always been quite solid with the puck, but he also showed signs of being better under pressure this past year, too. Engström is mobile, has good size and has the makings of a decent third-pairing defenseman. There’s lots of competition in Montreal’s system, even if he is the best LHD in the pipeline. Don’t be surprised if he ends up splitting 2026-27 between Montreal and Laval.

7. Bryce Pickford, RHD, 20 (Laval Rocket, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 81st overall, third round in 2025

What an utterly insane season from Pickford. He had 45 goals and 83 points in 55 games with the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers this past year, which marked one of the most impressive outputs by a CHL defenseman in the 21st Century. Seriously, he was one of the top goal-scorers in the CHL… and he’s a defender. Critics want to see him prove he’s capable of high-quality offense at the next level, but I’m a believer. His game has become much more complete over time, but his shot is still the driving force behind his game. There might not be a more entertaining defensive prospect in Montreal’s system, and I hope he continues to dominate offensively (as long as he doesn’t sacrifice anything defensively to make it happen at the pro level).

8. Owen Beck, C, 22 (Laval Rocket, AHL)

Acquired: Drafted 33rd overall, second round in 2022

Beck had a bit of a down year offensively, falling from 44 points as an AHL rookie to 33 this past year (albeit in six fewer games). He also had his longest NHL stint to date, scoring his first career goal during a 15-game stretch. Beck’s game has never been about offensive dominance; instead, he’s a stout two-way center who wins a ton of faceoffs and can kill penalties. You’re never too worried about him when he’s on the ice because he rarely makes mistakes with the puck under pressure. I also really like Beck’s work ethic – few AHL centers seem to want to win individual battles as much as he does. I still think Beck can be a bottom-six NHLer, but I think Montreal wants to see more high-end decision-making first.

9. L.J. Mooney, RW, 19 (University of Minnesota, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 113th overall, fourth round in 2025

*L.J, Mooney (Steven Ellis/The Nation Network)*

As one of the smallest players in the 2025 draft class at 5-foot-8, Mooney has had to work even harder to make sure he gets noticed. Between his playmaking and skating on display, Mooney was one of USA’s top forwards every time he hit the ice at the 2026 World Juniors. I love how he exploits open ice and he’s got quick hands to make both great passes and great shots. One question I had heading into 2025-26 was whether the smaller forward could withstand the physical pressures of playing against college kids. In the end, he had 30 points in 34 games while also playing some of the most physical hockey I’ve ever seen from him. I’ve had a soft spot for Mooney and his natural skill for a few years now, and I’m still a believer. I think he’ll be one of the competitive smaller forwards who makes it work.

10. Timofei Runtso, RHD, 19 (Miami University, NCAA)

Acquired: Drafted 57th overall, second round in 2026

Runtso was passed over in 2025, but quickly established himself as a second-round pick in 2026. Runtso wasn’t on anyone’s radar a year ago while playing with the NAHL’s St. Cloud Norsemen. He played around 15-17 minutes a night early on in the season but ended up playing north of 20 routinely. Runtso recently had a strong showing at the WHL Prospects Game midway through the season, which definitely helped his stock. Runtso’s offensive game continues to improve, and I think it’s because he’s shown a greater willingness to be aggressive on the attack. He’s fearless, and you notice him (positively) nearly every time he hits the ice. I can see him becoming a tough-as-nails bottom-pair defenseman with some offensive upside.

Other Prospects: Vinzenz Rohrer, C (21), Tyler Thorpe, RW (20), Filip Mesar, RW (22), Parker Trottier, LW (18), Wesley Royston, RW (18), Tyler Deakos, RW (19), Hayden Paupanekis, C (19), Florian Xhekaj, RW (22), Makar Khanin, RW (21), Aatos Koivu, C (20), Ben Merrill, C (20), Logan Sawyer, C (20), Filip Eriksson, C (21), Sam Harris, LW (22), Luke Mittelstadt, LHD (23), Bogdan Konyushkov, RHD (23), Owen Protz, LHD (20), Ethan Samson, RHD (22), Maksymilian Szuber, RHD (23), Cooper Cleaves, RHD (20), Brayden Klimpke, LHD (18), Jean-Samuel Daigneault, LHD (18), Carlos Handel, RHD (19), Maxon Vig, LHD (20), Andrew MacNeil, RHD (18), Rasmus Bergqvist, LHD (21), Dmitri Kostenko, RHD (23), Danill Sobolev, RHD (23), Evgeni Volokhin, G (21), Quentin Miller, G (21), Mikus Vecvanags, G (20), Alexis Cournoyer, G (20), Arseni Radkov, G (18)

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