Habs first round pick criticized his teammates and it doesn't go very well
With the additions of Ivan Demidov and Michael Hage in the 2024 draft, and with Juraj Slafkovsky's breakout in the second half of the season, all hopes are allowed for the Tricolore.
On another note, Filip Mesar's fate seems increasingly uncertain in the top-6 or even the top-9 picture in the coming years.
Even though the Canadiens chose him in the first round of the 2022 draft, the 26th overall pick did not impress last season. The young Slovak forward has not impressed the Canadiens' management since his selection, and NHL prospect experts no longer rank him among the organization's top prospects. He's being pushed out of the top 8 or even top 10 prospects of the team. That says a lot about his last two campaigns!
In 2023-2024, Mesar had a fairly good season with the Kitchener Rangers, collecting 52 points in 45 games and adding 16 points in 10 OHL playoff games. Although his contribution exceeds a point per game, it remains modest for a first-round pick two years after his draft.
Filip Mesar's Peculiar Attitude
While his performance is acceptable, his attitude is concerning. As reported by the site Go Nordiques, the young man's attitude is, let's say, rather questionable, as he did not hesitate to openly criticize his teammates during an interview with a Slovak media outlet.
Reading between the lines, Filip Mesar was playing with players who were not as good as he was! In short, his ego is huge!
Ouch! Such a statement speaks volumes about the young man's personality. In a team sport, one must avoid focusing on individual performance and embrace the team concept. You win as a team and lose as a team! This notion seems poorly understood by the Canadiens' prospect!
Mesar has not taken well to being cut by the Laval Rocket to continue his journey in the OHL.
Putting things into perspective, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield did not play in the American Hockey League at the start of their second season after being drafted. At the same age, both young men were superior!
During a segment presented on TVA Sports, the media confirmed that Filip Mesar has confirmed he will not attend the Canadiens' development camp, despite still being a rookie.
He snubbed Kent Hughes' invitation nearly nine months after his cut from the Laval Rocket. The kid has a long memory!
While prospects like Lane Hutson, Logan Mailloux, Owen Beck, and even Oliver Kapanen are on everyone's lips since the end of the Canadiens' season, it seems that Filip Mesar is far down the hierarchy of the Canadiens' top prospects. With his recent antics, it would be surprising to see him rise in the good graces of Kent Hughes or even the fans.
Credit: Go Nordiques
Habs: A Known Prospect Criticizes His Teammates and Closes the Door on Kent Hughes
| POLL | ||
According to you, at his prime, what is the role of Mesar in the Montreal Canadiens organization? | ||
| Top-6 forward | 44 | 9.9 % |
| Top-9 forward | 163 | 36.5 % |
| 4th line | 76 | 17 % |
| Not regular in the lineup | 163 | 36.5 % |
| List of polls | ||
