A new development just came in regarding Filip Mesar: the verdict is already known

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David St-Jean
July 3, 2023 (9:53)

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An important and interesting news has emerged in the past few hours regarding the Montreal Canadiens, involving the 26th pick of the 2022 draft, Filip Mesar.

After making the transition to North America last year to adapt to the style and rinks here, playing the last season in the OHL with the Kitchener Rangers, the Slovak forward is now setting his sights on the American Hockey League (AHL).

While currently at the organization's development camp, Mesar revealed on Sunday that he would be making the jump to the Rocket for the upcoming season.

"When the Rocket sent me back to the Kitchener Rangers in October, I spoke with the Canadiens' management and they told me I would be playing in Kitchener for only one season. They want to see me in Laval this year. My agent had the same message."

"I played against men for two seasons in Slovakia before the draft, so I already have that experience. For my first year in North America, I wanted to adapt to the hockey here. The ice is smaller in Canada. I really hope to play with the Rocket this year." - Filip Mesar

This is an interesting development for fans who will be able to assess the progress of the 19-year-old with the upcoming edition of the Laval Rocket, which will be filled with rookies and talent.

Where I have some difficulty with Mesar's assertion is that he didn't excel during his time in the OHL, quite the contrary. For an offensive-style player, in his post-draft season, he accumulated a rather disappointing record of 51 points in 52 games. He was also very quiet in the playoffs, tallying only four points in nine games.

Having watched several of his games, even though he played against men in Slovakia before, the smaller ice surface and the fact that he constantly played on the periphery prevented him from standing out.

It's possible that it was a major adaptation season, but I would have liked to see him truly dominate a junior campaign before seeing him move up to professional hockey.

However, depending on his performance in training camp in September, he could take a significant step in his development and be ready for the AHL. We will see how it unfolds in the upcoming season.

Source: HabsetLNH.com