Marc Dumont
The voting for the top 20 Montreal Canadiens prospects has concluded, and now we turn our attention to the players who were ranked by our fantastic community of Habs fans.
Before we get going, I’d like to extend a genuine note of thankfulness for all the support over the course of the season. It was a long year, but it overflowed with excitement, due to the fact that the Canadiens are one of the youngest teams in the league, with one of the brightest futures.
It’s truly a privilege to cover this team.
We’ll produce in-depth articles for all the prospects ranked in the top 20, however, we must first discuss the players who just missed the cut. We had well over 1000 forms submitted for this edition of the prospect rankings. In total, 44 prospects were ranked. The players who missed the cut were ranked 21st-25th.
Montreal Canadiens Prospects Who Missed The Cut
25 – Filip Eriksson – 21 – C/W – Shoots Left – 5’9″ – 179lb – Lulea HF (SHL) – Drafted 165th Overall In 2023
Eriksson enjoyed his best season in the SHL, to the tune of 15 goals and 14 assists in 52 games for Lulea. This is following a relatively frustrating 2024-25 season, which saw him split time between the Vaxjo Lakers (SHL) and Djurgardens (HockeyAllsvenskan).
He only managed to score two goals and four assists in 37 games in the SHL, while producing three goals and 2 assists in the Allsvenskan. Simply put, it was the epitome of an underwhelming season, though he did have to deal with a bout of mononucleosis, which surely complicated matters.
His move to Lulea was a good one, as he saw his ice time rise to an average of 14:50, enough to support his improved scoring pace. On the flip side of the coin, he only managed to produce one assist in 14 playoff games while playing over 15 minutes per night, a significant red flag when discussing his potential.
He’s a hard worker with flashes of brilliance, but like most players, finding some consistency would go a long way in helping Eriksson catch the attention of Canadiens management.
24 – Cooper Cleaves – 20 – Defenceman – Shoots Right – 6’3″- 205lb – Dartmouth (NCAA) – Selected 93rd Overall In 2026
Admittedly, I was a little surprised to find Cleaves so low in the rankings, especially since he was a third-round pick in the most recent NHL Entry Draft.
But perhaps that’s simply evidence that we did not do a good enough job introducing Cleaves to the fan base. Or maybe I overrate his potential vis-à-vis the community consensus.
Either way, Cleaves clearly fit the script as the Canadiens looked to combine size and skill with their 2026 picks. The 6’3″ defenceman is an overeager, having been ignored at the previous two drafts. In other words, the Canadiens felt that he had progressed enough this time around to use a third-round pick. It’s also important to note they invited Cleaves to the team’s development camp in 2025, therefore they clearly spent a lot of time evaluating his overall potential.
As a rookie, Cleaves scored four goals and six assists in 30 games for Dartmouth (NCAA), where he served as a two-way defenceman. He’s a right-handed blue liner, which means he carries more value than most, especially since he also brings size to the table.
As for his style of play, Cleaves did a great job of describing it in his post-draft interview. “I move the puck up the ice quick,” he said. “Can pitch in offensively, and can skate pretty well.”
I’d argue he needs to improve his offensive output if he’s to one day make it to the NHL, but that’s putting the cart way ahead of the horse. For now, he’s heading back to Dartmouth for his sophomore season, where his excellent shutdown presence will play a crucial role for the Big Green.
Once that season is over, don’t be surprised if he quickly climbs up the updated Montreal Canadiens top-20 prospects vote.
23 – Emmett Croteau – 22 – Goaltender – Catches Left – 6’4″ 209lb – Dartmouth (NCAA) – Chosen 162nd Overall In 2022
I’ve been writing prospect analysis for over a decade, and have compiled many, many lists. This is the first time that two prospects who are set to play for the same team are listed in consecutive order. To add to the uncanny situation, I’d once again put forth an argument to suggest Croteau deserves a higher placement on the list, due to his improved numbers for Dartmouth this season.
He produced 15-5-4 record, combined with a fantastic 1.93 goals against average, and a .922 save percentage. He also won the ECAC Championship, and was named to the Second All-Star Team.
Among goaltender prospects not named Jacob Fowler, Croteau certainly did a great job pushing his way to the front of the potential list, but his lack of solid numbers in past years is holding him back in this particular vote. Simply put, he’s enjoyed one great year in the NCAA.
If Croteau can maintain his excellent numbers in 2026-27, he’ll surely be discussed with more frequency by fans and analysts alike. That being said, netminding is not an area of weakness for the Habs, which will make Croteau ascension to the NHL rather difficult.
22 – Filip Mesar – 22 – RW – Shoots Right – 5’10”, 185lb – Laval Rocket (NCAA) – Picked 26th Overall in 2022
This is the second year in a row in which Mesar was left out of the top 20, a clear-cut sign that his stock has essentially fallen out of favour with the majority of the fan base.
Even the fans who are holding out hope that Mesar will one day find a new gear are starting to accept that he has not developed into a player with legitimate NHL potential.
And at 22 years old, the developmental runway is limited, to say the least.
The good news is that he improved his output, and was given slightly more ice time last season, resulting in a nine-goal, 18-assist scoreline in 71 games. He also has one season left on his entry-level contract, therefore he will have one final opportunity to prove his worth to the organization, before important decisions must be made.
If Mesar can improve his work rate, engagement, and affinity for heading into high-traffic areas, he will have an opportunity to show that he has erased some weaknesses since joining the Rocket, and perhaps even extend his tenure with the Canadiens.
But we must forget about his draft ranking if we’re to analyze Mesar properly, because it hangs over him like an even more vicious edition of Damocles’ sword.
He’s not going to be an impact player in the top six, but there’s a still a chance he can provide some value to the organization, most likely as a secondary-source of scoring in the AHL.
21 – Aatos Koivu – 20 – C/RW – Shoots Right – 6’0″, 170lb – TPS (Liiga) – Picked 70th Overall In 2024
A smart player with solid defensive acumen, Koivu scored just four goals and five assists in 47 games for TPS last season, while mostly facing older, stronger, and more experienced opponents.
His international play for Finland (U-20) bore much more fruit, leading to seven goals and four assists in 17 games, though he was scratched at the World Junior Championship following a very difficult game versus Canada, where he was caught out of position for a pair of goals.
If I had to give Koivu odds of one day making it to the NHL, I’d say they were non-zero, while also tempering any expectations that he will make the same type of impact as his father, Saku.
He has a better shot, but his puck handling, and defensive work will never reach Saku-esque levels
He’s signed a one-year extension with TPS, and will once again serve as a bottom-six player, with a chance that he’ll receive a promotion should he start to produce with regularity, or injuries occur.
All Montreal Canadiens player statistics via Elite Prospects.
Do you agree or disagree with the rankings or write-up? If so, please leave us a reply in the comments below.
