NHL Player of the Month: Cole Caufield
After being one of the best teams through October, last month presented the Montreal Canadiens with a large dose of adversity. On November 13, Alex Newhook sustained an ankle injury in a hard crash into the boards. One game later, Kirby Dach’s foot was broken while blocking a shot, knocking out a second member of Montreal’s middle six and forcing a significant shakeup to the lines. While all that was going on, both goaltenders were struggling to make saves, ending the month with the 31st-ranked team save percentage of .859. Despite it all, Montreal posted a 5-5-3 record to hang on to a playoff spot as the calendar flips to December.
Cole Caufield played a critical role in helping the Canadiens achieve the level of success they did. He was affected by the injury situation when regular linemate Juraj Slafkovský was taken off his line to try to balance the top six, and Nick Suzuki was also clearly dealing with an ailment that affected his ability to play the puck. That may have affected Caufield’s goal-scoring as he didn’t have any of the two-goal games that featured in the first few weeks, but he still finished with five goals, the most points with 13, and a team-leading 10 points at even strength, where all of his goals were scored. He currently has not only a seven-game point streak, but a six-game assist streak, the longest of his career, as he adapts to the situation.
It took a few games, but the top line seems to be figuring things out with Zachary Bolduc joining. while Juraj Slafkovský is taking over the second trio (and is my prediction to claim this honour at the end of December). In the next month both Bolduc and Caufield should be regular scoring threats.
Honourable mention: Nick Suzuki
Limited Suzuki may have been (by what I think is a left arm injury), but what he lost in playmaking ability he made up for in finishing, throwing himself into the puck to match Caufield’s five goals. He still led all forwards in ice time at over 20 minutes and finished with a +5 goal differential, a feat in itself considering Montreal was outscored 52-42 in November. He rides a five-game point streak into December, and we can only hope his issue is a minor one that heals itself over time.
— Justin Blades
AHL Player of the Month: Jacob Fowler
It was a strong month for the Laval Rocket across the board as the offence hit its stride, and the Rocket won nine of the 11 games they played in November. While Laurent Dauphin and Alex Belzile drove the bus offensively, the real star of the show was rookie netminder Jacob Fowler.
With a 5-2-0 record, one shutout, and a .923 save percentage, the rookie looked like a grizzled veteran between the pipes. He makes everything look almost comically easy when he’s in net for Laval, covering space with ease and with movements that remind me plenty of Carey Price. No movement is wasted, he gets set in position to make the save and smothers any second-chance opportunities.
Well how do you do Jacob Fowler
— Scott Matla (@scottmatla.bsky.social) November 29, 2025 at 8:23 PM
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Even when he has to scramble, Fowler is never out of control as he looks to make diving pad stops, or flashing the leather against opponents. While the Canadiens goaltending is shaky at best right now, they’re primed to have a top prospect coming up the ranks sooner rather than later.
— Scott Matla
European Prospect of the Month: Bogdan Konyushkov
It is clear that one of the most ready prospects in Europe is Bogdan Konyushkov who has had a great November by anyone’s standard with six points (2G, 4A) and a +2 rating in November. Last season Konyushkov had 14 points; he almost recorded half of that in November this year, while playing less than normal.
Konyushkov does a lot of things right in the KHL, but it is an easier league than that of old. Still, Konyushkov could be ready for North American pro hockey, but he is betting on himself to avoid the AHL with another year in the KHL after this.
Bogdan Konyushkov celebrated 200th KHL game with a bang 💥 pic.twitter.com/oX6sVlkqpM
— KHL (@khl_eng) February 15, 2025
There are improvements in his defensive game. His positioning is better and he doesn’t chase the puck as much as he did last year. This is also helped by the team being better.
The development is going the right way and Konyushkov is a player that is intriguing, even if he gets lost in the defensive surplus of the Canadiens. Still, with every offensive prospect in Europe having a tough November, Konyushkov stood out for all the right reasons.
Honourable mention: Rasmus Bergqvist
Bergqvist is part of one of the most solid defences in the SHL at the moment. As two opposing coaches said after having played Skellefteå this month “He plays tough. Not dirty, but damn tough!”
— Patrik Bexell
North American Prospect of the Month: Alexis Cournoyer
Often forgotten in the netminder pipeline for Montreal is Alexis Cournoyer, who is quietly putting up monster numbers in the NCAA’s ECAC conference for Cornell University. The Canadiens’ fifth-round pick in 2025 had an incredible run in November, posting a 1.39 goals-against average and a .947 save percentage in eight games to start his NCAA career.
The 6’4”, 205-pound goaltender has seen an exceptionally vertical trajectory over the past three campaigns. In his draft year in 2024, Cournoyer split his time between the Québec Collegiate Hockey League and the Maritimes Junior A Hockey League, posting decent-at-best numbers and failing to put himself on the QMJHL radar, nevermind the NHL’s. Then, after some astounding performances for Truro in his return to the MJAHL, the Cape Breton Eagles gave him a shot, and he ran with it. A 1.82 GAA and .942 save percentage saw him land on the Habs’ radar, and he now stands as the NCAA’s top-performing netminder with five or more games played.
Cournoyer’s technical strength is a major factor in his impact at the NCAA level. His post integration is a clear strength, as he effortlessly seals the short side on wall plays and clogs the top corner with his large frame from an RVH position. Meanwhile, his tracking and footwork allow him to adjust to net-front screens when Cornell’s defence fails to clear them out. From there, his rebound control takes over. Even against a tough opponent like Boston University, Cournoyer effortlessly absorbed heavy shots and comfortably redirected better-placed releases into the corner.
Despite not earning a shutout this month, Cournoyer did not allow more than two goals a single time — points for consistency. A larger sample is required, but Cournoyer passes the eye test comfortably so far, and the stat sheet also plays in his favour.
— Hadi Kalakeche
PWHL Player of the Month: Ann-Renée Desbiens
This easily could have been someone like Abby Roque, who had a goal and two assists in the team’s home-opener, including a highlight-reel between-the-legs goal. However, with only two games in November for the Victoire, it has to be the best player in both games.
DESBIENS 😱 pic.twitter.com/5o5RwsWZFY
— Victoire de Montréal (@PWHL_Montreal) November 26, 2025
Desbiens made 26 saves on 28 shots in the season-opener, a 2-0 loss to Boston that could have been a lot worse if not for some of her saves. She followed that up with a 33-save shutout against New York, only her second career PWHL shutout and first since the league’s first season. She carries a 1.03 goals-against average and .967 save percentage into December.
In a year she’s expected to lead Canada at the Olympics, you couldn’t have asked for a better start.
— Jared Book
