Now that we’ve introduced our Montreal Canadiens prospect rankings, voted upon by fans, it’s time to move onto the players ranked between 20th and 16th.
On Friday, we profiled prospects ranked 25th to 21st, including Logan Sawyer, Filip Eriksson, and Luke Tuch.
While there’s still a chance the players listed may make it to the NHL, it’s fair to say they face an uphill climb. Those included in this article will face a similar challenge, even though some of them were drafted as early as the first round.
Montreal Canadiens Prospects Ranked 20-16
20. Vinzenz Rohrer, Centre/RW, Shoots Left, 21, ZSC Lions (NL), 5’10″, 165 lb. Picked 75th overall in 2022.
After a strong showing at camp, Vinzenz Rohrer returned to Switzerland in a bid to improve his relatively impressive scoring rate in 2024-25, which saw him 15 goals and 10 assists in 52 games, as well as four goals and three assists in 13 Champions Hockey League games.
The hard-working player has developed into a solid third-line player for the Lions, a roster that features its fair share of talent. It’s also important to remember Rohrer is facing players with much more experience.
With that in mind, Rohrer’s scoring pace this season has been somewhat underwhelming. He has three goals and six assists in 35 games, representing almost a 50% dip in his production.
Given his work rate and his cerebral approach, we shouldn’t dismiss the possibility that Rohrer will arrive in Montreal at next training camp, and perhaps even earn a roster spot, but the most realistic projection would see him play in the AHL throughout the 2026-27 season.
19. Filip Mesar, Right Wing, Shoots Right, 22, Laval Rocket (AHL), 5’10″, 185 lb. Picked 26th overall in 2022.
While there’s no doubt Mesar is highly talented, he’s yet to find his rhythm in the AHL, a concerning situation for a first-round pick.
We should note that he improved his scoring rate this year, but only slightly, and not enough to push him up the Canadiens prospect rankings.
On the flip side of the coin, he has found a little chemistry alongside Joshua Roy and Owen Beck in the last stretch of match-ups, to the tune of one goal and three assists in the last three games. If he manages to finish the season on a high note, he will have an opportunity to present himself as a player who still has an interesting amount of untapped offensive potential, but that will necessitate a level of consistency that Mesar is yet to establish in professional hockey.
18. Alex Cournoyer, Goaltender, Catches Left, 20, Cornell University (NCAA), 6’4, 205 lb. Picked 145th overall in 2025.
After a brief tenure in the QMJHL that saw Cournoyer produce a .942 save percentage, he made his way to the NCAA, where he’s managed to do a great job Cornell, to the tune of a .922 save percentage. Simply put, despite not being one of the best-known prospects in the system, he’s performing at the same level, or better, than some players ranked ahead of him. He also has a 15-4-0 record, having been given almost every start this season.
His size, anticipation, and wingspan allows him to cover more net than most. Agility is not his greatest strength, but I wouldn’t go as far as calling it a weakness. His tracking is above average, and he’s quite aggressive when there’s an opportunity to play the puck.
Like most goaltenders, Cournoyer is a long-term project, but his numbers suggest he does potentially have a professional career ahead of him.
17. Quentin Miller, Goaltender, Catches Left, 22, University Of Denver (NCAA), 6’3″, 190 lb. Picked 128th overall in 2023.
Cournoyer is not the only netminder that went through the QMJHL before heading to the NCAA. Miller spent two years with the Quebec Remparts and Rimouski Océanic, not to mention a year in the BCHL, before making his way to Denver University. His numbers with the Remparts were far from encouraging, but it’s key to note that it was a very weak Remparts lineup, and that Miller faced more than his fair share of shots.
He’s played well for the University of Denver, with a 12-10-2 record, and a .916 save percentage, however, one of his teammates currently has a .914 save percentage, while Johnny Hicks, an undrafted netminder, has managed a ridiculous .967 save percentage in nine games.
Miller’s agility is above average considering his size, but he’ll have a lot of competition once he’s ready to make the jump to professional hockey.
16. Aatos Koivu, C/RW, Shoots Right, 19, TPS (Liiga), 6’0″, 170 lb. Picked 70th overall in 2024.
The most important thing to remember is that Aatos is not the same player as his father, Saku. He hits more often, and owns a much better shot, but lacks the same finesse as the former Montreal Canadiens captain.
To crack the top 10, he needs to capitalize on his scoring chances with a higher frequency than he’s shown in Liiga, where he has scored five goals and 12 assists in 77 games.
Seeing as he’s just 19 years old, there’s plenty of time before we must worry about his NHL potential, but the current projection suggests he may have a role in the bottom six should he improve his production. As it stands, some extended time in the AHL is in order, so that Koivu can acclimatize to the lack of time and space in North America.
All Montreal Canadiens prospect statistics via Elite Prospects.
