Year after year, as the Montreal Canadiens soldier on through their rebuild, the organization continues to add piles of prospects to its already full cupboards. Compared to previous years, that means prospects who would have been in the Top 25 might have fallen down the rankings through no fault of their own. There are some valuable prospects in this range, and that speaks to how skilled and deep this group has become.
#33 Yevgeni Volokhin
Goalie – 19 – Mamonty Yugry (MHL)
The Canadiens have continued to stockpile goalies in recent drafts, picking at least one in each of the last few years, or in the case of Volokhin’s draft year, three in one NHL Draft. It is hard to grade a goaltender who is still so young, and one who plays in a league where the competition might not be the highest. To Volokhin’s credit, he took the opportunity in the MHL when his platoon mate was promoted up to the VHL.
Posting a .938 save percentage along with a 1.57 goals-against average with a 22-4-4 record was an incredible feat for any goaltender. If his platoon mate Yegor Zavagrin continues to jump up levels from the VHL to the KHL, it opens a window for Volokhin to take the leap from the MHL to the VHL as well.
Standing an imposing 6’3″, he uses his size effectively to cover his net, displaying very good skating ability for a large goalie. In the instance that he is caught out of position, he battles for every save.
It’s a crowded goaltending pool, but in the early going, it looks like Volokhin could be a home run for the Canadiens.
#32 Xavier Simoneau
C – 23 – Laval Rocket (AHL)
I won’t disguise my love for this particular prospect, as I was the highest on Simoneau in this year’s vote. Originally drafted as an over-ager in the 2021 NHL Draft, Simoneau has battled his way up the rankings and firmly into the spotlight with the Laval Rocket. Last season saw him finish top-five on the team in scoring and second in penalty minutes, while also being forced to miss the final months of the season due to shoulder surgery.
Despite being the smallest man on the ice almost every shift, Simoneau continues to play like a honey badger on skates. He is relentless around the net, constantly digging out pucks, swatting for rebounds, and making life hell for opponents. There has never been an opponent that Simoneau was afraid to square up with, and any absence from the Rocket lineup is incredibly noticeable.
With a huge chip on his shoulder and an underrated offensive game, there is a chance for Simoneau to be a ready-made replacement for the injured Rafaël Harvey-Pinard to start this season. At the AHL level, Simoneau is a nailed-on top-six option who could very likely wear a letter for the Rocket. If he has recovered from his surgery and puts together a strong pre-season, there is a chance we could see Simoneau rising up the rankings rapidly once again.
#31 Luke Tuch
LW – 22 – Laval Rocket (AHL)
One of the newest members of the Laval Rocket is Luke Tuch, who made the jump from Boston University to the pro ranks at the end of last season. Tuch has slid slightly down the rankings due in part to lacklustre seasons and the depth being added into the prospect pool. Still just 22 years old and with some tantalizing physical gifts, it feels like he is primed to be a breakout candidate with Laval this season.
Injuries slowed Tuch down during his time at BU, but in his final season it looked like he was turning a corner in terms of health and production. With 30 points in 39 games, he finished sixth on the team in scoring while also wearing the A for the Terriers alongside fellow Hab Lane Hutson.
Thanks to the Canadiens’ heavy investment in player development programs, someone like Tuch can benefit immensely. With his size and shooting talent, an investment into improving his skating and awareness can turn Tuch into a promising power forward. The biggest question around him is if he has hit his ceiling or if there is another step forward he can take in his development.
If he can find that next level, there may be a middle-six NHL role for him, otherwise it seems that Tuch might be destined to be a checking forward despite his high draft status.
#30 William Trudeau
LD – 21 – Laval Rocket (AHL)
Entering the final season of his entry-level contract, William Trudeau finds himself on the cusp of making that leap from a quality AHL defenceman to an NHL-calibre player. At just 21 years old, Trudeau thrust himself into the professional ranks with a strong pre-season showing in 2021 and hasn’t looked back since. Since making the Rocket roster, Trudeau has been trusted with whatever situation the team has found itself in.
Even after a disastrous start to the AHL season last year, Trudeau rebounded into form, leading the way on defence once again. Unsurprisingly, once Trudeau found his footing, the rest of the Rocket defence settled into place as the team got red-hot to start the 2024 calendar year.
With Trudeau, you’re not getting the flashiest player in the prospect pool, but you are going to get a player who has a well-rounded base to work with. His skating is fluid and smooth, allowing him to cover ground in the defensive zone easily or to join the rush with ease in order to create odd-man rushes. He’s an ideal partner for just about anyone due to his versatility, and could be the ideal candidate to work alongside David Reinbacher or Lane Hutson at the AHL level this year.
For Trudeau to take that next step and jump up in the rankings, he has to continue to grow as an on-ice leader and showcasing why he forced the hand of the Canadiens to earn his ELC early. He has the skill set to make the jump to the NHL level this year, but the biggest issue facing him is not his own talent, it’s that there is a mountain of other young blue-liners in the system as well.
#29 Riley Kidney
C – 21 – Laval Rocket (AHL)
Riley Kidney is a fascinating prospect to judge in the Canadiens’ farm system right now. He made the jump to the AHL last year after back to back 100-point seasons in the QMJHL with Acadie-Bathurst and Gatineau. At the Junior level he piled up points as one of the QMJHL’s best playmaking forwards, but in his first full professional season the adjustment period was a rough one.
Many thought both Kidney and fellow rookie Joshua Roy would grow along the same path as they started the year together in Laval. Roy, of course exploded and soon found himself on the NHL roster, while Kidney bounced up and down the Rocket lineup, even spending time as a healthy scratch during the playoff push. In his first professional season, Kidney posted seven goals and 13 assists in 65 games; not the worst effort, but well below what many might have envisioned for him.
It wasn’t for a lack of trying on his part. He radiates skill when operating with space and time. He’s constantly working with his head up in the offensive zone, looking for options while often working the puck along the goal line back toward dangerous areas in front of goal. He’s able to fit pucks into tight windows for his teammates to finish off, or even catch and release feeds in stride.
The biggest concern with Kidney has never been his skill, it’s whether he can put it together at the next level against men. Too often last year he seemed a step off and was pushed around physically as he tried to pull off things he had done in the QMJHL. However, it was just a single rookie season on a very young Rocket team, and there is every chance Pascal Vincent will be able to bring more out him this year.
#28 Vinzenz Rohrer
C – 19 – ZSC Lion (Swiss NL)
When it comes to smart prospects, there are very few that can match the level that Vinzenz Rohrer has hit since being drafted by the Canadiens. Originally playing in the OHL with the Ottawa 67’s, Rohrer made the move back to Europe and signed with Zürich, his original Junior home, in Switzerland. It was a major gamble as Zürich is a premier-level club, and spots in the starting lineup are far from guaranteed.
Yet the young forward suited up in 49 games for the Lions, tallying seven goals and 12 assists while playing primarily third-line minutes. Given the difficulty of the Swiss League, it’s a solid bit of production from a 19-year-old player. Given that head coach Marc Crawford loved Rohrer’s instant coachability, it can be assumed that the young Austrian might be given a chance at bigger responsibilities this season.
Rohrer understands how to use positioning and leverage to make him much more effective against his opponents. He lowers his centre of gravity, keeps his legs constantly moving, and forces opponents to either take a penalty or outwork him. That skating ability, along with his defensive acumen, is going to continue to drive his ability to make the NHL full-time more than anything else.
What is holding Rohrer back is that he hasn’t quite taken that next step on the offensive side of the puck after two solid but not earth-shattering years in the OHL. Part of that could be adjusting to the Swiss League from the OHL, but his ceiling might also just be that he is a really solid two-way forward. There is always a place for a smart, defensively responsible winger with good skating on any NHL team, but without an uptick in the offensive numbers we might not see Rohrer rise a great deal higher.
#27 Emil Heineman
W – 22 – Laval Rocket (AHL)
It remains very hard for me to get a full read on what Emil Heineman’s ceiling and future with the Canadiens will be. Upon arriving last season in Laval after wrapping up his SHL season, he shot the lights out with seven goals in 11 games for the Rocket. This past year, he posted a respectable 15 goals in 48 games, good enough for fourth on the team. The difference however is that it felt like Heineman was more of a passenger than a driver when the team needed goals.
His best asset continues to be his ridiculous shot, which is precise along with being absurdly heavy regardless of which shot style he picks. The emergence of Joshua Roy and Logan Mailloux took away some of the opportunities that Heineman was getting previously, forcing him down to the second wave on the Rocket power play. That didn’t stop him from being a dangerous threat, and with Roy likely headed for a full-time NHL role, it’s the perfect time for Heineman to reclaim his old spot.
Another added wrinkle that I noticed a lot more in his game is a willingness to use his body as a tool of destruction when the time is right. Heineman is 6’2″ and 194 pounds, and his ability to leverage his strength along the boards grew in leaps and bounds last year.
The biggest reason however that Heineman finds himself falling down this list is that he couldn’t find the consistency needed to push for a regular NHL role like many fans had hoped he might. His shooting talent and physical play are absolutely NHL quality, but he needs to continue working on the deficiencies in his defensive game. The time for Heineman to make the jump is right now. While he might not become a top-unit power-play option, the talent is there to be a solid secondary contributor.
26 Filip Eriksson
C – 19 – Växjö Lakers (SHL)
It was a tale of two teams for Filip Eriksson in 2023-24, and it ended up leading to Eriksson jumping 17 spots in this year’s voting. While he didn’t seem out of step with the Växjo Lakers in the SHL, the ice time available to him throughout the season was rapidly dwindling, leading to a move to Nybro in HockeyAllsvenskan.
From the minute he took the ice for the Vikings, Eriksson was a player possessed as he posted an incredible 24 points in 21 games, along with three points in five playoff games. Those numbers saw him outproduce 2024 first-round pick Michael Brandsegg-Nygård despite playing 20 fewer games.
Thriving thanks to his hockey IQ and uncanny knack for reading opposing defences, Eriksson showcased a lot of on-ice talent that was passed over due to a serious injury in his draft year. He constantly makes the right read, putting sharp passes onto his teammates’ sticks and easily operating off the half-wall as a power-play threat.
The caveat to this performance is that Eriksson was clearly too good to be in HockeyAllsvenskan last year, but getting playing time was crucial for him after missing most of his draft year. The good news is that Eriksson never looked out of place in the SHL, and was one of Växjo’s top players in their playoff run as well.
With a new year rapidly approaching and Eriksson emboldened by the strong showing last year, he could also continue his rapid ascent on this list as well. He has the tools. It’s up to him to continue to use them in a way that boosts his profile even further.
Patrik Bexell has two special guests as the podcast discusses the players closest to the Top 25.
4:05 – Yevgeni Volokhin
9:00 – Xavier Simoneau
11:00 – Luke Tuch (and Patrik’s stupid mistake)
16:05 – William Trudeau
19:20 – Riley Kidney
23:00 – Commercial Break
23:00 – Vinzenz Rohrer, with guest Thomas Roost of Central Scouting.
35:25 – Emil Heineman
40:15 – Commercial Break
40:20 – Filip Eriksson, with guest Jörgen Jönsson coach of Växjö Lakers.
Now that we’ve looked at the 29 players who didn’t actually make the Top 25 Under 25, we’re ready to begin the official countdown. The reveal begins Monday, with a profile every weekday for the next five weeks.
