Welcome, Montreal Canadiens fans, to the 2015 edition of Eyes on the Prize’s Top 25 Under 25 series. This is the sixth summer edition of the ranking. Last year P.K. Subban, Max Pacioretty, and Lars Eller graduated from the list, which means this year we have a clearer view on where the younger players rank, as we’ve had a year to mull over the remaining prospects.
I’m very pleased to announce that this year’s ranking features input from large panel of Eyes On the Prize editors, writers, and contributors. 16 ballots were submitted by EOTP staff. We have a wide range of opinion on these players and their potential impact for the main team going forward, as you’ll see from the actual votes.
For the first time in T25U25 history, we added two ballots submitted from members of the community, as to give a voice to our fantastic readers. That placed the total ballots to 18, a record for this project.
Here’s our list of 41 players who are under the age of 25 (as of September 15, 2015):
Alex Galchenyuk is once again the man to beat from last year’s ranking. But did our panel still feel as strongly about Galchenyuk this year as they did a year ago, when he finished first? Did Brendan Gallagher make a case to be considered at the top after a very successful season? What about 2014 top draft pick Nikita Scherbak, could he crack the top two? After a strong rookie AHL season, where does Charles Hudon land on the ranking? And how do we properly rank Michael McCarron following his breakout season in the Ontario Hockey League?
Let us help you through the last six weeks before training camp with this ranking, as we unveil the top 25 prospects throughout a series of articles. Enjoy!
