The Canadiens have reached a new stage in their build, and that changes everything for the prospects still trying to break through. Montreal is no longer just stockpiling talent and waiting for the future to arrive. After last season’s trip to the Eastern Conference Final, the organization is in contender mode, which means the margin for young players is shrinking fast.
That’s why this season looms so large for three names in the pipeline: Andrew MacNiel, Florian Xhekaj and Owen Beck. Each is at a different point in his development, but all three are running into the same reality. The Canadiens have options, the prospect pool is deep, and patience is not unlimited.
MacNiel is the newest of the group, taken by Montreal in the sixth round of the 2025 NHL Draft. At the time, it was a bit of a surprise.
He had only 33 OHL games behind him and had not scored a goal, finishing with three assists. Offense isn’t his calling card anyway.
The right-shot defenseman is built around steadiness, physical play and handling his own end.
At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, he still has some filling out to do, but the projection is clear: a stay-at-home defender. Last season with the Kitchener Rangers, he was buried in a deep lineup and still got a piece of a championship run, helping the team win both the league title and the Memorial Cup. He finished with seven points in 48 regular-season games and added two more in ten playoff games.
This year gives him a different kind of opportunity. MacNiel should see a bigger role with the Rangers, and that’s where the Canadiens will be watching closely.
He does not need to become a scorer. What Montreal wants to know is whether he can be a legitimate top-pairing shutdown defender.
If he does that, an entry-level contract could be next. If he struggles in a larger role, the Canadiens can give up his rights next June.
Xhekaj’s path has been more dramatic. He went undrafted in 2022, then posted 13 goals and 25 points in 68 OHL games before Montreal took him in the fourth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. Those numbers did not scream future NHL finisher, but the Canadiens clearly liked the package: size, compete and overall game.
Then came the offensive jump. He scored 34 goals and 65 points in his final OHL season, followed by 24 goals in his first AHL season with the Laval Rocket.
Last season, though, the production backed off a bit. In 64 games with Laval, he had 17 goals and 29 points.
He did earn his first NHL call and appeared in five games with the Canadiens, which put him right on the edge of a full-time job.
But that edge can disappear quickly. Xhekaj is entering a season that matters not just because he needs to keep climbing, but because of the roster mechanics around him.
He will need waivers for the first time in the fall of 2027, so this is the last season Montreal can send him to Laval without that risk. If he doesn’t grab an NHL spot before then, the Canadiens would be far less comfortable moving him up and down.
Beck’s situation feels similar, even if his profile is different. For a while, it looked like he would already have carved out a place in Montreal.
The second-round pick from the 2022 NHL Draft followed two strong OHL seasons with a solid first pro year in Laval, where his two-way play, hockey sense and defensive work stood out. He also chipped in 15 goals and 44 points in 64 games, which made him look ready for a more permanent NHL look.
Last season slowed that momentum. Beck finished with 13 goals and 33 points in 58 AHL games, and while he has appeared in 28 NHL games for Montreal, the results there have been modest: one goal and one assist.
There is still a path for him, but it may not be the one many expected. The more realistic role now seems lower in the lineup.
Like Xhekaj, Beck is entering his final season before waivers become a factor. Montreal will have to decide whether he earns a roster spot or risks being lost for nothing at the start of the 2027-28 season.
There is also the possibility that, if he posts another season like the last two, the Canadiens could move him for another prospect once he becomes a restricted free agent at season’s end. And with 12 returning forwards already in the mix, Beck has real work to do just to get into the lineup.
If he does, he still has a shot at settling in as a bottom-six center. If not, the window may close.
That’s the common thread for all three players. MacNiel has to prove he deserves an entry-level deal.
Xhekaj and Beck have to show they can hold down NHL jobs on a team that expects to win now. Montreal has already shown it will move on from prospects who stop progressing, as it did this offseason with Joshua Roy and Sean Farrell.
The same could happen again if these three do not take a meaningful step forward.
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Vegas got useful production from Pacioretty before moving on from him in 2022, but the long view is what keeps the debate alive. Suzuki has since become the Canadiens captain and first-line centre, won the Selke Trophy and played a major role in the teams recent success, giving Montreal a centerpiece it did not have when the deal was made. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Goalie Situation Just Got More Complicated Than Fans Expected
Goaltending has become one of the quieter pressure points for the Canadiens as the roster takes shape, and Sam Montembeault remains right in the middle of it. Montreal explored the market for the veteran over the summer, but the club never found an offer it was willing to accept, leaving one of its more established options still in place as teams around the league continue to sort out their own crease situations.
There is still a path where Montembeaults name comes back into play if the right outside interest develops, especially with other clubs monitoring injury news and reassessing their depth. For Montreal, though, the issue is no longer just about whether there is a market. It is about whether a move can be made without forcing the Canadiens into a corner on value, timing and the rest of their goaltending picture. [Read more 🡒]