Did Montreal Canadiens prospect Filip Mesar feel he was too good to play in the Ontario Junior Hockey League last season?
In an interview with Slovak media, CH’s 2022 first-round pick tried to explain the reasons for his lower-than-expected performance after the organization decided to return him to his junior club.
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“When I was trying to create something, my teammates were there a little late and that frustrated me slightly, but I had to get over it,” he said.
Despite playing on the same club as Carson Rehkopf (52 goals) and Hunter Brzustewicz (92 points as a defenseman) in Kitchener, Mesar struggled to dominate offensively as a 19-year-old in the OHL. He was limited to 52 points, including 19 goals in 45 games despite playing an offensive role.
He also admitted to having difficulty accepting his release from the Laval Rocket last fall, but the organization made him understand that players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield were not playing in the NHL at the same age.
It was only in the playoffs that he managed to establish himself as the offensive engine of his team by collecting 16 points in just 10 games.
Although he is still considered a rookie, Mesar confirmed that he will not participate in the CH development camp which should take place in the days following the draft. However, he will be present at the rookie camp in September.
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