Introduction
Getting closer to the top players in the organization, we find a group that is neither on a track to play in the NHL nor appearing hopeless to do so. These prospects have all performed better than those we just discussed as Long Shots, or have at least established their style of play somewhat versus first-year eligible players who don’t have as much experience.
Five of the eight players in this group play or are set to compete in the NCAA, taking a long route in their development, and that makes sense with games that need major improvements to become something close to what can work in the NHL. There is also one player who took a shorter route to the professional ranks and has been in the system for four years now, and he kicks off this section of the countdown.
#43 Riley Kidney
Forward – 22 – Laval Rocket (AHL)
Riley Kidney was a late second-round pick by the Canadiens in 2021 just weeks after they had lost in the Stanley Cup Final. He was only able to play 33 games in his draft year, but recorded 38 points. When he put together a 100-point season in 2021-22, he jumped a couple of spots on our list from the 17th he debuted at to 15th. He wrapped up his Junior career with a 110-point season split between the Acadie-Bathurst Titan and the Gatineau Olympiques, then moved on to play in Laval.
His first season in the pros was merely okay, and he lost a place among the Top 25 as a result. The concerning part is that last year, with a season of experience in the AHL under his belt, he didn’t only fail to improve, but actually regressed in terms of production with just 16 points on the season. He was held out of the lineup as the Rocket rode a first-place finish in the league to the Eastern Conference Final.
The result is a drop of 16 places, one of the biggest the project has ever seen, and a total of 24 places over the last two years, as faith in his game rapidly evaporates. The Canadiens currently have enough forwards in the system that they don’t need to invest resources in helping one of their second-rounders, so it will be up to him overhaul his game and pull out of this tailspin.
#42 Luke Mittelstadt
Defenceman – 22 – University of Minnesota (NCAA)
Luke Mittelstadt turned 18 in January of 2021, but it wasn’t until the 2023 NHL Draft that he got selected by an NHL team. He wasn’t capturing the attention of scouts in the league with his 5’11” frame, even with point totals atypical of a defenceman.
The opinion changed at least a little bit after he completed his first season in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota. A 20-point freshman season would be impressive for even a forward to achieve, and Montreal took a chance on him in the seventh round.
His last two seasons weren’t quite as good for him from an offensive standpoint, but his defensive play continues to develop, to the point where head coach Bob Motzko feels that will be his ticket to the big leagues. After starting out the season playing about 17 minutes per night, he was regularly trusted with more than 20 as the season came to close.
The Canadiens reportedly offered him a minor-league contract for this season, so there’s clear interest in bringing him into the fold. This could be the last year he plays in the NCAA before that becomes the decision.
#41 Alexis Cournoyer
Goaltender – 19 – Cornell University (NCAA)
Alexis Cournoyer is the only first-year player found in this section, a bit of a feat for a goaltender selected in the fifth round. He had very few placements below this point in the order from the panellists, already elevating above a couple of netminders in the system.
He’s a player who had to bounce around various teams and leagues chasing his dream, from just a brief time in the QMJHL to Quebec’s collegiate league, to a stop in Truro, Nova Scotia to play in the Maritime Hockey League, and finally heading to Cape Breton for a second chance in the Q at the end of last season.
All the while he was touring Eastern Canada, he was leaving impressive numbers on his résumé, He may have only played a total of 68 games over the past two seasons, but never dipped under a .906 save percentage, and saved his best for his time in Sydney holding a .942 mark with the Eagles. Those performances had caught the attention of the Nashville Predators who invited him to their development camp, but Montreal went one step further with a draft selection that will give him access to the organization’s development staff and a clear goal to strive for.
Cournoyer is about to head off on yet another adventure in the coming weeks when he sets off for Ithaca, New York to start his time at Cornell University. He will join several other inexperienced goalies vying for starts this season, but he won’t shy away from this latest challenge.
#40 Quentin Miller
Goaltender – 20 – University of Denver (NCAA)
Quentin Miller was also a goalie just waiting for his shot while stuck behind William Rousseau while a member of the Quebec Remparts early in his QMJHL career. After a good performance with Quebec and Rimouski two years ago which saw him rise to 35 on our list, he made the decision to play Junior A in Chilliwack. Though he had strong numbers with the Chiefs in the BCHL, the drop in competition level led to a drop of five places.
Thanks to the new rules, he’s permitted to play in the NCAA despite his previous experience in the Q, and will join Denver University this season. Like Cournoyer’s Cornell, Denver is also looking for a new starter after Matt Davis, NCAA Tournament MVP in 2023 when his school claimed the national title, moved on to the AHL’s San Jose Barracuda.
Where Miller ranks a year from now will be decided by where he slots into the pecking order with his new team. A good showing, even if it comes in limited time in the crease, could see him start to rise again.
#39 Rasmus Bergqvist
Defenceman – 20 – Skellefteå AIK (SHL)
It was a surprise to almost everyone outside of EOTP’s Patrik Bexell when Rasmus Bergqvist was named to Sweden’s roster for the 2025 World Juniors. Bergqvist doesn’t have the stats profile of the players you typically see from a nation that regularly produces dynamic defencemen. In his case, it was familiarity with one of those skilled blue-liners, Axel Sandin-Pellikka, that provided a ready-made pairing for the short tournament in Ottawa.
Sandin-Pellikka made a brief appearance in the AHL to end last season and you have to think the Detroit Red Wings will want them on their roster to try to help snap a long playoff drought for the team. That means Bergqvist will be left more to his own devices in Skellefteå on a team with no other drafted defencemen.
It would of course be nice to see his offensive game blossom, though that’s not the type of player he is. He’s a steady complementary piece, but it’s going to be hard for him to rise up the ranks when the Canadiens have many other defencemen with more to offer.
#38 Logan Sawyer
Forward – 19 – Providence College (NCAA)
The fourth of five players going the NCAA route in this section, Logan Sawyer recently finished his first year with Providence College, contributing 16 points in 37 games. His season performance sees him hold fairly steady after last year’s debut at 37.
His work ethic despite a slight build got him drafted in the third round in 2024, ending Montreal’s run of four players with centre qualities to open the draft class. He was fairly young when he began his freshman season, just turning 18 last May, so playing every game and getting more minutes as the season went on was a strong start.
His 16 points don’t turn any heads, but when put in the context of the team lead being just 24 points by a 24-year-old Logan Will they shine under a different light. Progress for Sawyer will be moving up the scoring list from eighth place in his sophomore year. The club is about to get an injection of offence with the just-announced commitment of Anaheim Ducks prospect Roger McQueen, which might create more opportunities for Sawyer.
#37 Sam Harris
Forward – 21 – University of Denver (NCAA)
Quentin Miller is about to get his first experience at Denver University but Sam Harris has already reached the peak with the team by hoisting the NCAA trophy. That happened in 2024, a year after he won the World Junior A Challenge with Team USA, so he’s enjoyed the feeling of winning in recent seasons.
His team didn’t repeat as national champions in 2025, losing in the semifinals to eventual champion Western Michigan, but Harris himself significantly improved his performance, scoring 23 goals and increasing his assist total to 12 as well.
Offence is only half of his game; he’s just as strong on the defensive side of things pressuring opponents and winning pucks back. He has all the traits you look for in a bottom-six forward, so I was surprised to see him finish this low in the ranking. I predict he cracks the Top 25 in 2026 with several players set to graduate, continuing a steady climb from his debut at 48th two years ago.
#36 Filip Eriksson
Forward – 20 – Luleå HF (SHL)
Last season, Filip Eriksson burst onto the scene following a very impressive showing in HockeyAllsvenskan with the Nybro Vikings. He had 24 points in 21 games in Sweden’s second tier while also dressing in 29 SHL games as a 19-year-old.
I think it’s fair say his spot here at 36th is based more on that performance than the one he had last season. While he played more games in the SHL, his point total remained the same at six, even if that did include a couple of goals after only recording assists in 2023-24. Nine points in 16 playoff games while on loan to Djurgården may have prevented his fall from being more than the 10 spots we see this year.
He is a smart player who plays responsibly on defence, but a year ago he was also one who showed a lot of offensive promise. The quality of the players in the organization is too good to have such a drop in play and still retain a high spot, and Eriksson will need to look like something closer to his 2024 self to remain even this high next year.
Click the play button below to listen to our latest podcast episode, where Matt Drake, Patrik Bexell, and Jared Book discuss all of the players in our projects category.
Normally in this project’s history, the next tier, the Near Misses, was comprised of just five or so players who missed the cut. As the pool of prospects has grown, the number in this category has had to rise as well, and this year that group will consist of 10 players, all of whom could yet make it to the NHL. The gap from Eriksson in 36th to the player who finished 35th is 3.25 spots in the ranking average, the largest difference in the entire order.
