Some of the Montreal Canadiens' hopefuls could cause a big surprise during the rookie camp

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Elias Edmonson
September 9, 2023 (3:23 PM)

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Montreal Canadiens fans will finally have some hockey to sink their teeth into soon, as the rookie camp kicks off next Wednesday. Many prospects from the organization will be in action during the rookie tournament, facing off against the best young players from the Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Ottawa Senators.

This will be a golden opportunity for them to showcase their talents to the leadership of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, hoping to cause a surprise during the training camp. The excellent Marc Antoine Godin has compiled a list of six players to watch in the coming days.

"This will be an opportunity for some high-level prospects to show that they can dominate the competition, and for others, less known, to improve their position in the organization's hierarchy." - Marc Antoine Godin

Here is the list of six Montreal prospects to watch closely during the rookie tournament:

David Reinbacher

The fifth overall pick in the last draft will undoubtedly try to stand out during this competition, as he could potentially secure a spot in Martin St-Louis' lineup at the beginning of the season. Having been accustomed to playing against men in the Swiss first division, the defender will have to prove that he has a superior level of play and would be able to compete against the best players in the world. One thing is certain, Montreal fans will be closely watching his performances, as Reinbacher is undoubtedly destined for a very promising future.

Logan Mailloux

Although his development was greatly affected by Covid and his suspension in the OHL, the 6'3", 208-pound defenseman had a remarkable season with the London Knights this year. Scoring 33 goals and 44 assists (77 points) in 80 games, Logan Mailloux will aim to demonstrate to the management that he is ready to make his debut in the professional ranks in 2023-2024. It will certainly be very interesting to see how well this Tricolore prospect can excel against the best young players from the other teams in the NHL.

William Trudeau

The Quebec defenseman was one of the biggest revelations at the Rocket de Laval last year. Starting his first season in the American league as the seventh defenseman, William Trudeau quickly climbed the ranks to become Jean-François Houle's go-to man. Furthermore, the 20-year-old ended up leading the team's defenders in points, registering 27 points in 60 games. He will aim to continue his momentum and move up the organization's hierarchy, potentially playing a few games with the club this season.

Filip Mesar

Filip Mesar is possibly the prospect with the most to gain in view of the rookie camp and the Montreal Canadiens' camp. Although he has repeatedly stated that he would make the jump to the AHL this season, it would not be surprising if he returned to the Kitchener Rangers when the regular season takes off. The 26th overall pick in 2022 has exceptional offensive skills, but unfortunately, these have not translated into consistent offensive production in his first year in North America last year.

Riley Kidney

Despite the fact that the former center for the Gatineau Olympiques and the Acadie-Bathurst Titan completely dominated in his last two seasons in the junior ranks (232 points in 139 games), Kidney struggled immensely during the 2022 rookie camp. He will need to be much more convincing this year and mature if he hopes to secure a prominent role with the Rocket de Laval.

Ty Smilanic

When the Montreal Canadiens announced the 27 players who would participate in the rookie tournament, a very big surprise made the list. Indeed, the third-round pick in 2020, Ty Smilanic, who was not supposed to be eligible to participate due to his status as a college player, was still present. Surprisingly, the University of Wisconsin forward decided not to return to the NCAA, thus attempting to secure a contract with the organization. Once seen as a promising prospect, Smilanic's progress took a hard hit last season, collecting only two points in 14 games. This will be a moment of truth for him, aiming to earn a spot with the Rocket de Laval or the Trois-Rivières Lions.

Note that several other prospects such as Owen Beck, Joshua Roy, Sean Farrell, and Emil Heineman will be closely monitored by the Tricolore management and CH fans during these three games.