Marc Dumont
Our overview of the top 20 Montreal Canadiens prospects begins in earnest, as we have reached the first in-depth profile of the series, goaltender Alexis Cournoyer.
The rankings were established by a vote, with well over 1000 ballots submitted by our fantastic community of Canadiens fans. Don’t forget to take a look at the players who just missed the cut according to the fans, Habs prospects ranked No.25 to No.21.
20 – Alexis Cournoyer – 20 – Goaltender – Catches Left – 6’4″ – 205lb – University Of Wisconsin (NCAA) – Drafted 145th Overall In 2025
It’s quite encouraging to see Cournoyer voted as one of the top 20 Habs prospects, as it feels like most young goaltenders in the system tend to be ignored, unless they happen to be named Jacob Fowler.
To make matters more complicated, even though Fowler clearly represents the best chance a goaltending prospect will become an NHL starter, there are several other counterparts in play. Beyond Jakub Dobes and Fowler, the Canadiens also have Yevgeni Volokhin, Quentin Miller, Arseni Radkov, Emmett Croteau, and Mikus Vecvanags in the system.
With that in mind, it must be said that Cournoyer has done a fantastic job improving his perception in 2025-26, finishing his season with Cornell (NCAA) as the goaltender for the ECAC First-All Star Team. This was mainly due to his excellent stats, which saw him establish an 18-10-0 record, a 2.05 goals against average, and a .915 save percentage.
He has the ideal frame for a professional netminder, and does a solid job using his size advantage whenever an opponent is given a high-quality shooting opportunity. His puck tracking is well above average, he’s technically sound, and is well known for having a positive attitude.
Cornell University Situation
Even though Cournoyer’s season with Cornell should be considered a successful entry into the NCAA, the Trois-Rivières native opted to enter the transfer portal, bringing his talents to the Wisconsin Badgers, a team that was one win shy of capturing the National Championship.
Given his history, perhaps another change in address was to be expected.
Nothing about Cournoyer’s journey is what you’d consider typical.
He played for the Shawinigan Cataractes (QMHJL) in 2022, though most of his time was spent with the Estacades (QM18AAA). He then split the 2023-24 season with the Laflèche Dragons (QCHL) and the Truro Bearcats (MJAHL).
The following year, Cournoyer returned to the QMJHL, playing for the Cape Breton Eagles. He then made his move to Cornell, before eventually transferring to Wisconsin. That’s seven teams in five years, the epitome of a tumultuous development path.
However, it should also be pointed out that Cournoyer has managed to produce encouraging numbers at almost every level, including a .942 save percentage for Cape Breton throughout the 2024-25 season.
Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks
His results in 2026-27 will go a long way in establishing whether his performance for Cornell was simply a good year, or a sign that Cournoyer is developing into a goalie with legitimate NHL potential.
The fact that he won the MAC Goaltending Ken Dryden Goalie of the Year award means he already has a strong foundation in place when it comes to improving his perceived value among fans and management.
You could even argue that he deserves to be ranked higher than No.20 in our fan vote, but we’re discussing a prospect pipeline overflowing talent, not to mention young goaltenders, which will mitigate his opportunities.
Simply put, there are always more goaltending prospects than jobs available in the professional hockey landscape, but we’d be foolish to ignore Cournoyer’s interesting potential moving forward. Immediately finding your rhythm in the NCAA is quite difficult, especially when there’s culture shock in play.
