Welcome to the 7th edition of “Notes” on Montreal Canadiens prospects in their respective leagues. Below are general notes and total statistics for the end of the season on Habs prospects playing in the CHL.
C Cam Hillis is a skilled passer with excellent playmaking abilities and high-end vision. His skating stride is above average as he gets low and explodes through his lower body. He moves really well laterally and makes quick cut turns while keeping with the pace of play. Hillis’ tenacity and aggressive forecheck coupled with his never-ending engine make him an effective player on the offense. His vision is excellent which attributes to his great playmaking abilities. Hillis can make deceptive passing plays or send a saucer pass cross-ice through the penalty killer box like it’s nobodies business. He also really excels around the goal line which allows him to use his great vision but also his aggressive drive the net plays. He’s an effective penalty killer as he always keeps his feet moving and uses his stick well to break up and anticipate plays. Hillis has a below-average shot and finishing touch as most of his goals come from inside the hash marks of the rebound or tap in variety. Hillis suffered multiple injuries throughout the year including a broken collar bone which held him out of the Guelph Storm playoff run. Cam Hillis player profile page.
2018-2019 Regular Season Statistics
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|
| 33 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 27 | -10 |
C/LW Allan McShane is an excellent playmaker and a pinpoint sniper that is especially dangerous on the special teams. His release is fantastic, he can fire one-timers with good velocity and uses his wrist shot to beat goalies cleanly from anywhere in the offensive zone. McShane’s puck skills are utilized in a variety of ways, he can dangle through multiple defenders and still has the presence in mind to find his teammate off to the side. He also shows off his high end scoring touch either on the break-away or from below the goal line with slick puck handling abilities. His vision and passing abilities are top-notch as he’s able to complete timely passes. He utilizes both his forehand and backhand effectively to make crisp high-end plays. McShane’s skating is well below average, in particular, his speed is what holds him back. He displays quality edgework when handling the puck and moving in the offensive zone which helps him escape checks from time to time. He requires much more of an explosive first step and full extension through his skating stride in order to gain more speed. Allan McShane player profile page.
2018-2019 Regular Season Statistics
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|
| 62 | 34 | 35 | 69 | 18 | 22 |
C/RW Nick Suzuki is an elite offensive player who also has great defensive abilities an overall complete package. Suzuki’s smarts are off the charts, he reads and anticipates plays better than most prospects in the game. His ability to be deceptive with his playmaking and shot are two of his greatest assets offensively. His speed has greatly improved over the course of the season and his acceleration has followed along. He’s first steps are quick and shifty, his edgework is also really great which attributes to his elite stick handling skills. Suzuki tends to be three or more steps ahead of the play and sometimes too far ahead for his teammates to catch onto. His one-on-one puck handling skills can be very deceptive and slick but it’s also the determination to keep the puck on his stick even when the deke doesn’t favour his way. He stays with the play and is very good at improvising to extend puck possession. Suzuki’s release is fantastic, he hides his release point very well and can bring excellent power behind a free-flowing snapper. Accuracy is another great component of his shot as he usually finds the open spot. Suzuki showed well 5-on-5 defensively coming back deep in his own zone and using is ridiculously high-level IQ to always position himself accordingly. He also worked as a dual-threat on the penalty kill while efficiently defending but also providing unsuspecting opponents with surprises while a man down. Suzuki’s game overall has grown quite a bit over the last couple of years and has also been leaned upon as a leader due to his great character and demeanor. Nick Suzuki profile page.
2018-2019 Regular Season Statistics
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|
| 59 | 34 | 60 | 94 | 12 | 40 |
C Samuel Houde is a flashy highly skilled offensive player who loves to pull off the highlight-reel plays. He’s a good skater who doesn’t always push the pace but rather sits back and glides with the play. His acceleration is really good he can reach top speeds within a couple of steps which helps him break away from defensive plays by opponents. He tends to move east-west rather than north-south and moves quite well laterally while maneuvering through defenders. Houde possesses an accurate wrist shot with great velocity that he can rattle off rather quickly. He uses his wrist shot or quick snapshot much more effectively than a slapshot. He likes to use defenders as screens or simply pull the puck either towards or away from him to change the angle of his release point. He has decent vision but doesn’t always utilize the full width of the ice when making plays. His playmaking abilities are more than fine as he can pull off high-end passes through sticks and skates or thread a saucer pass from blue line to blue line. Houde owns natural stick and puck handling abilities as evident through many of his one-on-one plays as mentioned he thrives to make the fancy dangles. His defensive game is cloudy as he doesn’t put enough effort in to get back defensively. He tends to stay stagnant and watch the play than to get involved. Samuel Houde player profile page.
2018-2019 Regular Season Statistics
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|
| 64 | 16 | 27 | 43 | 32 | -9 |
LW Joël Teasdale is a hard-working two-way player that exudes a pro-type game. Teasdale has average speed and overall a well-rounded skater with just okay acceleration. He shows great edges and the ability to use his strong balance to make plays or win battles along the boards. Teasdale is strong on his stick which enables him to pickpocket opposing players defensively and win stick battles around the opposing net. He has a nose for the net and can score goals in a variety of ways; either using his stick to redirect the puck or his soft hands to make quick maneuvers in tight areas. His shot is quite heavy, he gets down low to gain leverage in tight areas or sharp angles. He can also use his great puck handling skills to drive the net with possession or make flashy dekes every once in a while. He’s not just a heavy physical workmanlike player but can make good plays using his hockey sense and amiable playmaking abilities. His defensively play greatly benefits from his smarts and his ability to read the play, anticipate and act rather than react. A go-to penalty killer and a reliable two-way player who also brings great leadership qualities. Joël Teasdale player profile page.
2018-2019 Regular Season Statistics
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|
| 66 | 43 | 37 | 80 | 48 | 38 |
RD Josh Brook is a creative and efficient puck-moving defenceman with great offensive skills. Brook is a smooth skater with above-average skating skills, he moves effortlessly in all four directions. His acceleration or mid-stride is excellent he also can make sharp turns while keeping balance. His top-end speed is just above average, his sense and ability to shift gears and turn to use his body is what sets him apart. A smart defenceman who displays elite vision and passing skills. He can stretch the ice from his own zone to the offensive blueline and execute tape to tape passes. Brook has great puck handling and puck skills he also has good puck protection ability. He often doesn’t force plays though if pressured uses his escapability to keep possession and wait for the right play. Offensively Brook can be efficiently effective with his elite vision and passing skills to find his teammates in opportune positions. His shot-pass play is one that he used quite often and had great success. His wrist shot can also be quite good as he can place the puck with great accuracy but his slapshot lacks velocity. He’s also not afraid to pinch in and circle the wagons looking for the back door pass. Brook’s defensive play is really good for being labeled as an “offensive defenceman”, once again his skating and hockey IQ is what makes him effective. He uses his edges and stick positioning to angle off opponents towards the perimeter. Although sometimes he can get caught puck watching or be a little soft on one-on-one battles. Josh Brook player profile page.
2018-2019 Regular Season Statistics
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|
| 59 | 16 | 59 | 75 | 89 | 24 |
LW/C Cole Fonstad is an offensive dynamo, a great playmaker that sees the ice at an elite level. Fonstad’s skating is average at best he doesn’t move that well and his acceleration is not great either. He has the skill to make high-end passes that many opposing defenders have trouble picking up. His vision is well advanced, he can pick out players and read their next move and saucer a pass on a platter. He can be quite deceptive with his next move when handling the puck at a standstill or cutting through the neutral zone entering the offensive zone. His puck skills are special, he’s showed on numerous occasions that he can make great stickhandling plays and maneuvers. Fonstad’s release developed over the course of the season displaying good accuracy and decision making while utilizing it more often. Fonstad has a good understanding of the two-way game, he’s a smart player that puts his stick in good positions to break up plays either 5-on-5 or on the penalty kill. Cole Fonstad player profile page.
2018-2019 Regular Season Statistics
| GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|
| 67 | 29 | 44 | 73 | 12 | 32 |
Next up will be my Habs prospects rankings where I will release some explanations along with these scouting reports for about 20 or so prospects. The ranking itself was already released on twitter a few weeks ago, check it out here.
Canadiens Prospects 