Thirteen scouts to observe Canadiens’ prospects

On Sunday afternoon, the Canadiens’ rookies were back on the ice at the Bell Centre for their second match-up in as many days against their Toronto rivals.

However, spectators weren’t the only ones in attendance, with thirteen scouts from opposing teams in the stands.

Plenty of scouts in Bell Centre press box for this afternoon’s Prospect Showdown game between rookies from Canadiens and Maple Leafs #Habs #HabsIO pic.twitter.com/oD33IV3vix

– Stu Cowan (@StuCowan1) September 15, 2024

Despite the loss, several of the Canadiens’ young players stood out, and scouts were able to see several of our prospects show that they’re ready for the National League.

Let’s not forget that the Canadiens have one of the best pools of young players in the NHL, and it’s understandable that many teams should be interested in our prospects.

The team’s blue line could quickly become congested if both Hutson and Mailloux start the season with the team, who had two good games in the rookie games this weekend.

Does the presence of so many scouts indicate that teams are potentially interested in making an offer for a Canadiens prospect? Among the eleven teams present, the Penguins and Stars sent two scouts to observe this afternoon’s game.

If so, could the Montreal team be interested in sacrificing one of its young defensemen to seek immediate reinforcement?

Up until now, Habs management has hardly deviated from its rebuilding plan, taking care to put in place a solid band of hopefuls in order to build a competitive team for the long term.

One of the few exceptions was the recent trade that brought forward Patrik Laine to Montreal in exchange for Jordan Harris, a defenseman who no longer seemed to be in the team’s short-term plans. The Alexander Romanov transaction is another, of course.

Could Kent Hughes be tempted by a trade to improve the Habs’ chances of being competitive this year and making the playoffs? It’s hard to say, and we can only speculate.

Moreover, let’s not forget that the rookie showdown included two teams, and some scouts were possibly present for Maple Leafs players.

Nevertheless, the presence of so many scouts for a prospect game is a positive sign that our young players are attracting attention across the NHL.

In

– Friends for life!

The Kent Hughes & Jeff Gorton bromance is stronger than ever folks https://t.co/3Ro8XsKWeB

– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) September 16, 2024

– A first in the WNBA.

ANOTHER MAJOR MILESTONE.

A’ja Wilson is the first WNBA player to score 1000 points in a single season. pic.twitter.com/ROwwoOjlkn

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 15, 2024