NHL.com’s latest Canadiens prospect list turned a few heads, and for good reason: it put David Reinbacher at No. 1. That’s not the order I’d use right now.
There’s a case to be made that Reinbacher belonged near the top when Montreal took him fifth overall in 2023. But the picture has changed since then.
Injuries have slowed his progress, and while the organization still believes in him, the shine has worn off a bit. He was drafted to become a top-pairing defenseman and Lane Hutson’s partner, but three years later, that looks unlikely.
He’s not a bust, just a player whose development has been interrupted enough that others have passed him.
If Montreal has one prospect who clearly fills a major need, it’s Michael Hage. The Canadiens are searching for a top-six center, and Hage is the name that fits that description best in the system.
He’s also the prospect Kent Hughes is probably asked about most often. Even though he passed on jumping to the NHL at the end of last season, the organization’s belief in him hasn’t cooled, and Jeff Gorton has already kept the door open for him to arrive this season.
Jacob Fowler belongs right behind him. The goaltender has already shown he can handle himself at the NHL level, and the calm, clean technique he brings in net makes him look like a pro already. Whether his future lands in Montreal or elsewhere, Fowler looks like an NHL starter in the making.
After that, I’d slide Alexander Zharovsky into the third spot. He was a second-round pick, but Montreal had him graded as a first-round talent, and the buzz around the league suggests he may have been a steal.
He won rookie of the year in the KHL last season and arrives with a bright future. He’s still raw, though he showed some encouraging flashes at development camp.
His skating still needs work, but the Canadiens have the right people to help him there. Ivan Demidov is the reminder: his skating wasn’t great when he joined the Habs either, and that has since been cleaned up.
Reinbacher, for me, drops to fourth. That’s not a knock on his ceiling so much as a reflection of how much ground others have gained while he’s been dealing with missed time. He may have something to prove at training camp, but the likeliest outcome is another season in Laval.
Gleb Pugachyov rounds out the five. He’s the youngest player in the group, and the reports on him point to a middle-six forward projection rather than a sure-fire top-six ceiling. He hasn’t yet played a full season against grown men, and while his MHL season was solid, he still needs to show more before climbing any higher on a list like this.
In Other News...
Arber Xhekaj Just Put One Canadiens Decision Under The Microscope
Arber Xhekajs place in the Canadiens lineup has become one of those quiet roster questions that can carry real salary-cap weight. An analyst recently argued that Montreal should think of him as a sixth or seventh defenseman, a player whose appeal comes from his physical edge and willingness to make life uncomfortable for opponents, but not one whose role automatically warrants a major raise.
The debate gets sharper because Xhekajs contract situation is still unresolved, and his usage is part of the conversation. If he remains in that limited role, the market for him may not climb as high as some would expect, which puts Montreal in an interesting spot as it weighs toughness, ice time and future value on the blue line. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Need To Sacrifice A Top Prospect For Bigger Upgrade
With the Canadiens looking to reshape the roster around more immediate help, reports have them exploring trade discussions that could eventually lead to a significant prospect piece changing hands. Montreal already has multiple defensemen under contract, which gives the front office some flexibility if it wants to turn a young blue-liner into a more established NHL contributor and address a couple of longer-term needs at once.
Adam Engstrom is one of the names believed to have real value in those talks, and that alone says plenty about how the market views him. The bigger question for Montreal is how far it is willing to go in pursuit of an impact forward and a proven right-shot defenseman, with the kind of upgrade it wants likely requiring a notable sacrifice before anything actually gets over the line. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens May Finally Have A Real Montembeault Trade Opening
The goalie market in Columbus just got a lot more interesting, and Montreal has to be paying attention. With Elvis Merzlikins sidelined after shoulder surgery, the Blue Jackets are suddenly looking at a situation where Jet Greaves is carrying the load and Pheonix Copley is at least part of the conversation if more help is needed. For a Canadiens front office that has long had to weigh what to do with Samuel Montembeault, that kind of opening is the sort of development that can change the temperature around a potential deal.
Montembeault is also in the final year of his contract, which adds to the intrigue around his future. After a rough statistical season, he still profiles as the type of goalie a team in Columbus's position could examine if it wants stability or insurance, and Montreal would have to at least consider whether this is the right moment to explore value. No trade has been confirmed, but the fit is obvious enough that this is now one of those situations worth watching closely. [Read more 🡒]