Another Kent Hughes pick is starting to look like the kind of move that can pay off in a big way.
While a lot of the attention around the Canadiens’ draft work has gone to names like Lane Hutson, Michael Hage and Jacob Fowler, L.J. Mooney is forcing his way into the conversation too. The fourth-round selection is drawing notice again, and there’s a growing sense that Montreal may have landed a real steal.
Mooney, a 20-year-old forward, has been excellent at camp with Team USA as it prepares for the World Junior Championship. He’s been one of the most visible players on the ice, and what stands out most is how steady he’s been from shift to shift.
The buzz around him isn’t just about flashes anymore. It’s about how often he keeps showing up.
The biggest question surrounding him has always been the same: can his size hold up at the next level? So far, he’s answering that in a way that plays to his strengths instead of fighting against his frame. He uses mobility, anticipation and speed to create space, in a way that brings to mind Lane Hutson.
Martin Thériault has had plenty of good things to say about him.
"He isn't big, but he can do everything.
When he goes into the corners, he avoids contact."
"He's extremely agile and very smart when it comes to escaping pressure."
That mix of evasiveness and offense has become a real calling card for Mooney. It also helps explain why he put up 30 points in 34 games in his first college season.
What’s been just as encouraging is how his game has expanded. Mooney isn’t only a crafty offensive player anymore. He’s getting more involved in battles around the crease, winning more pucks back, and finding ways to turn second chances into something dangerous.
That growth has clearly impressed Team USA’s coaches, who have trusted him more during camp. And with the way he’s been performing, the question now isn’t whether he belongs in the conversation. It’s how high he can climb.
In Other News...
Quiet Canadiens Trade Just Became A Real Roster Problem
The Canadiens swap of Joshua Roy for Maksymilian Szuber looked like a straightforward depth move at first, but it may be a little more complicated now that the season is getting closer. Montreal added Szuber from the Utah Mammoth with an eye toward shoring up its blue line, and the appeal is clear enough: he brings a steady defensive game, plays a reliable style and profiles as the kind of player coaches tend to trust in a bottom-pairing or extra-defenseman role.
The wrinkle is roster management. Szuber is not waiver-exempt this season, which gives the Canadiens a real reason to think twice about where he starts the year. If Montreal wants to keep him in the organization, it may have to carry him on the NHL roster instead of trying to stash him in Laval, and that can quickly create a numbers crunch for a team still sorting out its defensive picture. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Costly Zachary Bolduc Decision This Summer
Zachary Bolducs contract situation is already shaping up to be one of the more delicate decisions on the Canadiens summer docket. The young forward remains unsigned for the coming season, and there is growing debate around whether Montreal should steer him toward a bridge deal or jump into a longer-term commitment while his place in the lineup is still being defined.
The hesitation is easy to understand from the Canadiens side. Bolducs rookie year was uneven, and the organization still has to weigh his development against the kind of role it believes he can eventually handle. Before the club commits real money and real term, it wants a clearer read on where he fits, which means this negotiation could take some time before the picture comes into focus. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Face A Tough Dylan Larkin Trade Dilemma
Dylan Larkins trade request has put the Detroit Red Wings in an awkward spot, and it has also created a tricky one for Montreal. Any serious talks around a deal would naturally draw interest from a Canadiens front office that has often preferred to build its exchanges around prospects and draft capital, a formula that has helped preserve the long-term runway of its roster.
The problem is that Detroit is looking for a different kind of return this time, and that changes the calculus for Montreal. The Red Wings want players who can step in and help right away, which makes the negotiations far less straightforward for a team that usually leans on future assets, especially when the other side is trying to manage the message it sends to young core pieces already in place. [Read more 🡒]