Latest Updates on the Top Prospects for the Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are off to a great start to the 2014-15 NHL season. A year after reaching the Eastern Conference Final, the Habs are once again one of the top teams in the league.
The team is focused on winning now, but it's also set up well for the future. As of last spring, the Canadiens had the 10th-ranked prospect system in the NHL, at least according to HockeysFuture.com. Since then, they've added Nikita Scherbak and others via the 2014 draft.
So where are the Habs' best youngsters and how are they doing this season? Here are the latest updates on the top prospects for the Montreal Canadiens.
C: Jacob De La Rose
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Jacob de la Rose was Montreal's second-round pick in the 2013 entry draft. The 19-year-old center is playing his first full season of North American hockey with the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Through 14 games of the AHL season, de la Rose has just one goal and one assist to go along with a minus-three rating. His first goal as a Bulldog was a shorthanded marker against the Adirondack Flames on Nov. 8.
De la Rose is a three-zone player, according to Pat Paeplow at HockeysFuture.com, and is being used in all situations by the Bulldogs. But considering his performance in training camp and the fact that he was the last cut made by the Canadiens, the offensive numbers have to be considered a bit of a disappointment so far.
Should a Canadiens center get hurt, it will be interesting to see if de la Rose gets the call. The Habs could bring him up as a reward for his hard work in the preseason. They could also choose to move a current roster player to the middle if they feel he hasn't adjusted well enough to the North American game.
De la Rose is eligible for the 2014-15 World Junior Hockey Championships. He'll likely suit up for Team Sweden for the third straight tournament, assuming he's still in the AHL come Christmas.
RW: Sven Andrighetto
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Right-winger Sven Andrighetto is a 5'9", 188-pound native of Switzerland. He was Montreal's third-round pick (86th overall) in 2013.
According to TheHockeyNews.com, Andrighetto is a smart player who can score at lower levels of hockey while holding his own defensively. Because of his size, he needs to prove he can score in the North American game, however.
Last season was Andrighetto's first with the Bulldogs. He had a very successful rookie season, putting up 44 points (17 G, 27 A) in 64 games, proving that his small stature isn't going to stop him from scoring goals. His impressive numbers ranked second in team scoring.
Andrighetto is back with the Bulldogs this season. He leads the team in goals scored with six in 14 games. He has also contributed six assists and is a plus-five on the season.
He is playing well statistically but seems to have run into problems with Hamilton head coach Sylvain Lefebvre recently. Andrighetto, who had just tallied three points in his last four games, was made a healthy scratch on Nov. 14, as the coach was sending a message to the youngster, according to Andre Berkshire of Habs Eyes on the Prize.
Andrighetto was back in the lineup on Nov. 16 and apparently got the message his coach was trying to send him. He assisted on three first-period goals, leading the team to a 5-4 win.
He is one of Hamilton's top offensive weapons and could very well get his first crack at the NHL level later this season.
RW: Mike McCarron
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Mike McCarron gave Canadiens fans a bit of a scare last season, as the 2013 first-round pick had a very disappointing first OHL season. He scored just 34 points in 66 games, which is simply not good enough for an offensively talented player drafted 25th overall.
But the 6'6", 225-pound right-winger seems to have found his game and is putting up big numbers this season with the London Knights.
In just 13 games, McCarron already has 11 goals and 13 assists for 24 points. His 1.85 points per game is second on the team behind Max Domi. His 0.85 goals per game leads the Knights. He has obviously figured out the OHL game and appears to be on pace for a dominant season.
Canadiens fans will be hoping that McCarron's hot start to the season will earn him a spot on Team USA at the WJHC, but he's by no means a lock for the squad. He was, after all, cut from the evaluation camp back in August, as reported by Stu Cowan of Hockey Inside/Out.
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RW: Nikita Scherbak
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Nikita Scherbak, the Habs' first-round pick at last year's draft, is having a great season with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL.
The 18-year-old leads his team with 26 points (11 G, 15 A) in just 17 games. He currently sits 12th in WHL scoring, and all but one player ahead of him in the scoring race has played in more games than he has.
Scherbak also led Team Russia in the Subway Super Series for the two games against Team WHL. He was held off the scoresheet in both games but did manage a shootout goal in Game 1.
He will be hoping his performance in the Subway Super Series, and his big WHL numbers, are enough to earn him a spot on Team Russia for the upcoming WJHC. He is eligible for both the 2014-15 and 2015-16 tournaments.
LW: Charles Hudon
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Charles Hudon, the Canadiens' fifth-round pick in 2012, is playing the 2014-15 season with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the AHL.
The 20-year-old is enjoying a solid rookie season with 14 points (4 G, 10 A) in 15 games. He is leading the team in points and is tied for second in AHL rookie scoring.
Hudon is also showing he can play in his own end of the rink, too. He's an impressive plus-11 on a team where no one else exceeds plus-four.
There is a slight chance that Hudon's play could earn him a call-up if the Habs are desperate for offense later in the season. It's more likely that he'll play out the year in Hamilton, however.
LW: Artturi Lehkonen
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Montreal drafted Artturi Lehkonen in the second round of the 2013 draft. He is a 5'11", 163-pound skilled winger from Piikkio, Finland.
Lehkonen has made the move from the Finnish Elite League (SM Liiga) to the Swedish Hockey League for the 2014-15 season. He is now playing for the Frolunda Indians in the SHL, where he is enjoying a solid season.
After 21 games, the 19-year-old is fifth in team scoring with four goals and seven assists. He is also tied for the team lead with a plus-11 rating.
Canadiens fans will get an up-close view of Lehkonen at the 2015 WJHC, where he'll suit up for Team Finland and should be one of their top offensive options.
D: Jarred Tinordi
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Unfortunately for Jarred Tinordi, he's still on this prospect list, meaning he's not in Montreal—where he wants to be.
Tinordi seems to be the odd man out at the moment, as the Habs seem content to roll with Nathan Beaulieu as their seventh defenseman after the Sergei Gonchar acquisition.
The 6'6", 225-pound defender has appeared in Hamilton's last five contests. His best game during that span came in a 3-2 loss to St. John's, where Tinordi had an assist, two shots and a plus-two rating.
Assuming Tinordi continues to work hard in Hamilton, he'll be back in Montreal the next time the Canadiens need a D-man.
G: Zachary Fucale
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Statistically, it hasn't been a great start to the season for prospect Zachary Fucale. The Halifax Mooseheads goaltender has an ugly 3.27 goals-against average and a .892 save percentage through 17 games in the QMJHL.
But considering the 19-year-old's career resume, it's probably safe to just chalk those numbers up to a slow start. After all, he has already won a Memorial Cup, a gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup and was the starter for Team Canada last year at the WJHC.
Fucale will be just fine and could already be showing signs of getting back on track. He started in goal for Team QMJHL against Team Russia in the Subway Super Series on Nov. 18 and made 40 saves, including 22 in the third period, for the win.
Team Canada is expected to announce its selection camp on Dec. 1, and Fucale will be one of the goalies invited. He will be given every opportunity to earn the No. 1 goaltender position.
All stats from HockeyDB.com.
Follow me on Twitter: Follow @brandondubreuil
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