Introduction
Filip Mesar headed to Sweden in mid-December for the 2024 World Junior Hockey Championship as one of the most impressive prospects in the Montreal Canadiens’ system. Starting the season with two games in the AHL before being assigned to the Kitchener Rangers, he amassed 32 point in 20 OHL games, enjoying 11 multi-point performances in that time.
An alternate captain on a very good Team Slovakia (despite not having his friend and fellow Habs prospect Juraj Slafkovský), Mesar carried his offensive success into the WJC, notching six assists as the Slovaks got out to a 3-0 record. He was one of two players to score in a convincing 10-2 defeat at the hands of Team USA on the final day of the preliminary round, and perhaps that result unsettled Slovakia as the team with high expectations for a medal lost in overtime of the quarter-finals to Finland. Mesar’s final appearance at the under-20 level ended with two goals and five assists in five games to co-lead his team in points.
Returning to Kitchener for the second half of his draft-plus-two season, his role changed following a trade meant to balance the team’s attack. He dropped down from the top line with Carson Rehkopf to play with the new addition, Eduard Sale. The move didn’t help either player, as Sale’s already underwhelming rate of offence in Barrie dropped a few ticks lower with his new team, and he and Mesar didn’t find the chemistry expected when the move was made.
Something finally clicked into place just in time for the post-season. Sale potted five goals versus the eight he’d scored in 25 games of the regular season. Mesar, meanwhile, was well over the point-per-game mark once again, racking up 16 points, 15 of them assists, to pace all Rangers players. The synergy wasn’t enough to get Kitchener past the powerhouse London Knights, but Mesar did have six points in that series as his team was swept out of the post-season. His season ended much like it had started, earning him our honour as the North American prospect of the month for April.
Offence was a critical area for him to show improvement last year. When you break down the season into parts, there’s clearer progress than when looking at the campaign as a whole. On the surface, an increase from 51 to 52 points, even in seven fewer games, isn’t a great deal of progress for a player who turned 20 in early January.
Voting
Outside of that late-season slump, it was an encouragingly strong year for the 26th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft. Just one panellist had him ranked outside of their Top 25, the last such placement we will see in this countdown.
It’s generally believed that Mesar deserves a spot around 20th on the list, but not to be ranked higher up in the classes reserved for top prospects and NHL players. This type of sheared distribution will be seen several more times this series as tiers become apparent.
Top 25 Under 25 History
| 2023: #18 | 2022: #10 |
It’s a drop for a second consecutive year for him, two spots this time around. In total he’s descended 10 spots over his time in the project.
History of #20
| Year | #20 |
|---|---|
| 2023 | Jesse Ylönen |
| 2022 | Logan Mailloux |
| 2021 | Michael McNiven |
| 2020 | Brett Stapley |
| 2019 | Jayden Struble / Joni Ikonen |
| 2018 | Joni Ikonen |
| 2017 | Joe Morrow |
| 2016 | Jake Evans |
| 2015 | Jeremy Grégoire |
| 2014 | Daniel Audette |
| 2013 | Gabriel Dumont |
| 2012 | Blake Geoffrion |
| 2011 | Mark Mitera |
| 2010 | Ian Schultz |
Strengths
While we all scrutinize his offence, it’s Mesar’s play on his own half of the rink that he excels in. He’s active in the defensive zone, with the awareness to be in proper defending position to break up plays. He’s always engaged to try to win pucks, even though his small stature makes those battles difficult. His third or fourth attempt at thwarting an opponent will be successful as his relentlessness pays off.
Thanks to his top-end skating ability, he can catch players on the backcheck and use his stick to end their attacks. He’s also able to shadow most players, directing them away from the middle of the ice toward the boards as they try to break up ice.
He is an excellent transition player, carrying the puck with speed but also making quick moves to shake backcheckers, beat overaggressive defenders one-on-one, and open up passing lanes. Always aware of what’s open to him, he’ll usually choose the right play to get out of his zone in control of the puck.
When he does get into the offensive zone, his assist totals are proof of his vision and playmaking talents, but he’s also just as driven to get the puck off the boards as he is in his own zone. He’ll set up plays from the breakdowns in coverage he helps to create.
Ultimately, these various abilities add up to his desire and ability to control the 200 feet of the ice. He’s either in possession of the puck or expending his energy to get it back. Everything points to a ceiling of an impact centre in the NHL. Everything, except his size.
Weaknesses
As is the case with the previous player profiled this year, there is one vital ingredient missing. For Bogdan Konyushkov, it’s his skating that threatens to hold him back. For Mesar, it’s the fact that he is listed at 5’10” and 172 pounds.
With space to work in, he looks like a player destined for big things with what he can do with his feet and hands. When that space closes, he can be completely neutralized by bigger players. Those defenders made up a large portion of his OHL competition, and would be nearly the full complement of his NHL opposition.
He’s unable to fight through contact, which is tough for a player who thrives in possession like he does. Even with his quick feet and good hands, a bigger player can somewhat easily get between him and his designs of carrying the puck deep into the offensive zone.
The slightly improved goal total was a nice development this season, but he does possess a strong shot that needs to be used more often. There are times when some of his rushes could end with a shot from medium range rather than with him trying to escape past a defenceman, and the greater threat of him putting a puck on target would force the defence to prepare for that additional possibility.
Projection
Drafted as a centre and playing as one in the OHL, that’s the position that his skill set is most suited for. His profile is very similar to that of Kirby Dach, players whose game is built from the defensive end and like to control the game with possession. But Dach is 6’4″ and 217 pounds, showing even in his limited action in a Canadiens jersey that he can play the position, and handle it well.
Mesar’s lack of size will likely prevent him from playing in the middle in the NHL, and possibly even at the AHL level. It won’t be the end of his journey if he can’t make it work. There are places in the professional ranks for wingers with his skills. In that case, he would become more of a complementary player in a lineup rather than the playdriver he has all of the talent to become.
We saw in the OHL how important linemates were to his offensive success. There won’t be any future superstars as options in the AHL, but there will be a few good offensive players he can grow comfortable with, and should play a big part in getting the power play working. It’s going to be an important year for him with the Laval Rocket to see how he handles the increase in competition level, where hopefully he’ll be allowed to stay at centre and have the chance to adapt.
Brock Otten of McKeens Hockey joins the podcast to talk about Filip Mesar.
Timestamps:
1:00 – Going back to juniors, Kitchener an enigma?
4:30 – Mesar in the World Juniors
9:00 – Expectations in the AHL this season?
11:30 – Setting up a player for success, could he go to Europe?
14:30 – Trade Mesar?
18:50 – Commercial Break
19:00 – Extra: Michael Hage – what if he had a full season like he had a second half?
