The Canadiens have the two best prospects in the league who aren’t in the NHL

The Canadiens have one of the best teams in the NHL right now. They also have a young core with several players signed to long-term contracts.

But even so, a team can never have too many top-tier prospects.

And on that note, when you read a Sportsnet article about young players across the NHL, you realize that the Canadiens are way ahead of the pack when it comes to prospects who aren't yet in the NHL.

With the Stanley Cup Playoffs just around the corner, this time of year also brings prospects into focus.

Scout Jason Bukala of @ProHockeyGroup ranks the top 32 NHL-affiliated prospects who have yet to play a game in the world's top league. https://t.co/UCM0t34mh7

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) April 8, 2026

Obviously, I'm not telling anyone anything new when I say that Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky have interesting potential. But the point today is to put it all into perspective.

How? By comparing them to the rest of the NHL.

According to Jason Bukula (Sportsnet), James Hagens, Zharovsky, and Hage are the top three NHL prospects who haven't yet played in the big league. But since his article was written before Hagens signed with Boston… that puts the Habs' young players in the top two.

Obviously, Hage's name is being talked about quite a bit around town right now. After all, in a few days, he too could be leaving that list behind as he makes his NHL debut.

Where could Michael Hage play? Do the Canadiens' reshuffled lines give us any clues? https://t.co/hR6jsUTHFi

— Nicolas Cloutier (@NCloutierTVA) April 9, 2026

We also know that Zharovsky, despite a slump in the second half of the season, turned heads in his first full season in the KHL.

There's no doubt about his talent.

overtime

These are two players who have the talent to one day play in the Canadiens' top six. And that's good news: there appear to be two spots, in the short or medium term, to fill in the top six.

Things don't always go exactly as a club wants, but Kent Hughes has stacked the odds in his favor to bolster his top-6 lineup in the long term by drafting these guys.