Even if the CH season doesn't necessarily go smoothly, it's easy to look to the future and say that good times are coming.
Obviously, that doesn't mean, if you are a big prospect, that you will necessarily have an immediate impact in Montreal. But still: Canadian supporters still need a little positivity and optimism.
Here are the young hopes of the team who will be knocking on the door from 2025.
Ivan Demidov
The team's best prospect and the one who is most anticipated is certainly Ivan Demidov.
Believe me, not only will Demidov knock on the door, but – barring a major turnaround – he will come home. Unfortunately, he will not play in Montreal at the end of the 2024-2025 season, but in preparation for the 2025-2026 season, he will be in training camp and will start the season in Montreal.
We need a guy in the top-6…
Even if he doesn't have the most playing time in Russia, he has already demonstrated that he has his place in a professional team. No, the KHL is not the NHL, but Demidov has a unique, even generational, talent.
And for those who are worried about his playing time with St Petersburg, in Montreal, the situation will be greatly different.
Michael Hage
Michael Hage is one of those who could play with the Canadian this season.
Indeed, he could do like Lane Hutson and sign his entry contract at the end of his season at Michigan. This scenario is not cast in stone: after all, he is only 18 years old and he could very well begin a second university season with a roster that is likely to be very powerful for the 2025-2026 season.
If it is not at the end of the 2024-2025 season, his arrival in the metropolis will be at the end of the 2025-2026 season.
This season with his University, he dominates.
David Reinbacher
David Reinbacher should play in Laval next season. If he hadn't gotten injured during a preseason game against the Leafs earlier this season, my last sentence would have been different, but oh well.
No matter what I think, the Austrian will still get his chance in training camp. David Savard should no longer be there and Justin Barron, with his inconsistency, ended up being traded, but was replaced by Carrier who will certainly be present for him. With a very strong camp, Reinbacher could potentially steal a position. But getting back to 100% after a serious knee injury is a lot to ask. Talk to Kirby Dach…
And even if the right-hander does not start the next season with the big club, he could be recalled during the year 2025, who knows?
Logan Mailloux
Logan Mailloux has already tasted the NHL (six games) and if there is a right-handed defenseman who is not currently playing in Montreal and who has a chance of breaking into the club in 2025, it's him.
He will then have two full years in the AHL, where he will have left a nice mark.
Looking ahead, we feel that it's the NHL or nothing for Mailloux, who, in my opinion, has nothing more to learn down there. Well, it's certain that in Montreal, he won't have the same role as with the Rocket, but as I said earlier: David Savard is leaving, which will free up a position on the right of the defensive.
Jakub Dobes
Jakub Dobes will certainly knock on the door, because the more the 2024-2025 season progresses, the more we realize that Cayden Primeau's future is not in Montreal.
The American will become a restricted free agent on July 1st and I have the impression that Kent Hughes will make another call. In Laval, Dobes is doing well and he will eventually have his chance to show what he can do against a higher level.
While waiting for Jacob Fowler, why not try it? Perhaps in a few years, he would be, with great professional experience, the perfect number two goalkeeper for Fowler.
I see him knocking on the door, but having a real chance to establish himself as the team's number two goalie in the medium term. Maybe he could even have a chance this season…
Oliver Kapanen
Oliver Kapanen is an interesting prospect, as he has already had a taste of the NHL. Against all odds, he started the 2024-25 season in Montreal, but after 12 games he was sent back to Europe.
In my opinion, the optimal thing would have been to send it to Laval, but unfortunately it doesn't work like that…
Kapanen will finish the year in Sweden and will have his chance in the NHL again for next season. The departures of Christian Dvorak and Joel Armia, among others, will perhaps allow him to carve out a permanent position in the metropolis.
He is a good defensive player, who can show good offensive flashes, but who will be limited to a role of bottom-9.
Owen Beck
Owen Beck's success in his first professional season is very promising for the future.
In Montreal, he won't have as much offensive success as in Laval, but still. His development does not disappoint and next year, he will have his chance to be with the Canadian at the start of camp. Like Kapanen, the expected departures of Christian Dvorak (especially) as well as Joel Armia (probably) will help him lead one of the last two trios.
And if Jake Evans does not extend his contract in Montreal, Beck would have even more chances to play for the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge next season.
Who knows: maybe at the end of the 2024-2025 season he could be recalled…
mention honorable
I've talked about all the prospects who have a real chance of making the roster, but I'd like to finish by saying a word about Adam Engstrom.
The left-handed defenseman has some pretty good potential to play in the NHL one day, but I don't think it will be this season. He'll only have one professional season in North America under his belt and it's not like he's a high first-round pick (like Reinbacher).
I think he has to play another season in Laval, but he will still be at the next training camp and will have a chance to show off. Maybe I'm wrong and like Mattias Norlinder a few years ago, he could surprise everyone…
Note that I did not talk about Joshua Roy, because I no longer consider him a prospect and he should/must break into the lineup next year.
Filip Mesar had a good start to the season with the Rocket, but his injury quite suddenly slowed down his chances of playing with CH next year.
His chances are almost zero despite the fact that his injury did not last the entire 2024-2025 season.
Better luck later?
