Canadiens: 4th best NHL prospect bank according to McKeen’s Hockey

May: the month when (the weather’s starting to warm up and) you watch teams other than your own play in the playoffs… and look forward to the draft and the transactions that usually come with it.

Let’s just say that the habs fan in me doesn’t have a lot to look forward to on July 1. Kent Hughes isn’t the type to be tempted by overpricedplayers… especially not in the middle of his rebuild.

But May is also the month when you start analyzing four or five things you don’t always have time to do during the regular season, including the quality and depth of your team’s prospect bank.

McKeen’s Hockey, a media outlet specializing in NHL prospects and young players, is in the process of completing an analysis of the prospect pools of all 32 NHL teams. The full analysis should be available in the next few days in McKeen’s 2024 NHL Prospects Pool…

But we already know that the Canadiens’ prospects occupy fourth place in this ranking. And that David Reinbacher is at the top of the list of Montreal prospects.

Montreal Canadiens fans have a lot to be excited about with the 4th best prospect pool in the NHL, led by the 5th overall pick in the 2023 Draft, David Reinbacher.

For in-depth scouting reports and exclusive hockey insights, stay tuned for the upcoming release of McKeen’s 2024… pic.twitter.com/MPMkbYUeql

– McKeen’s Hockey (@mckeenshockey) May 19, 2024

1. David Reinbacher
2. Lane Hutson
3. Joshua Roy
4. Logan Mailloux
5. Jacob Fowler
6. Owen Beck
7. Sean Farrell
8. Jakub Dobes
9. Oliver Kapanen
10. Bogdan Konyushkov

I personally would have ranked Sean Farrell lower, Jakub Dobes higher… and Adam Engstrom inside the top 10. But perhaps the McKeen’ Hockey gang preferred to wait and see Engstrom play in Laval before getting their feet wet?

From what I hear, David Reinbacher should start the 2024-25 season in Laval. There will probably be room in Montreal for Lane Hutson or Logan Mailloux (if he isn’t traded). However, it’s Reinbacher – even though he’s just had a difficult season, unlike Mailloux and Hutson – who is ranked first in McKeen’s Hockey rankings. The important thing, when we dare to talk about hopes, is the long term, not the 2024-25 season.

We have to ask ourselves who will be the best player in five or ten years’ time, not next October.

It’s worth noting that Joshua Roy is the only other player with a real chance of starting next season in the show. I believe he will.

It will also be interesting to follow the development of Jakub Dobes, who has just had a superb season in the American League…

As will the identity of the guys the Habs will be drafting in a month’s time in Vegas.

Oh yes… Filip Mesar, Riley Kidney, William Trudeau, Luke Tuch and Mattias Norlinder didn’t crack the top 10. And I think it’s been assumed that Jayden Struble is an NHLer, which I personally wouldn’t have done.

In bursts

– While we’re on the subject of Habs prospects, Jacob Fowler is highly regarded by Mason Black(NHL Rank King).

– Laurent Courtois spoke at length to his players before this morning’s practice. #CFMTL

– Classy!

We’ll come back stronger. https://t.co/CkGwGPYOZ3

– laurent courtois (@laurentcourtois) May 20, 2024