Positions 15 to 13

After starting. Similarly, including some definitions of use, departures, graduates and honorable mentions, this week we start the “real” top 15 2025 of the most important hopes of CH!

It is therefore from today that we should find players likely to one day become replacements equal to. In addition, superior to certain elements already in place in Montreal.

Isn’t that the very meaning of hope important For an organization?

15. Meanwhile, Bryce Pickford | DD | 19 ans | 81e, 2025 | PRemier ranking

Potential: 29/40
Assurance : 15.5/20
Utility/rarity/use value: 21/30
Exchange value: 6/10
Total : 71.5/100

Potential
Pickford presents itself as a fairly complete. In addition, mobile defender, mobile, capable of playing well in both directions of the rink in addition to bringing a good dose of robustness.

Pretty long fight compared to the average ones we see these days! However, @hockeyfights positions 15 13 here’s another nice @SeattleTbirds fight, NHL Draft 2024 ranked Bryce Pickford 👊🔥 pic.twitter.com/IzAv8eN2zf

— Becca (@RebeccaBower1) November 19. In addition, 2023

After having evolved in the shadow of the Kevin Korchinski, Jeremy Hanzel, Sawyer Mynio and Luke Prokop during his two first seasons in Seattle, Pickford took the path of Medicine Hat, who aspired to the great honors last year. Furthermore,

He then stood out with a production of 47 points in 48 games in the regular season and a very impressive performance of 13 goals in 18 series games in a powerful team led by the young prodigy, Gavin McKenna.

We have noticed in series and during the memorial cut that Pickford has a shot from the wrists of the major leagues and that it moves the washer efficiently. Similarly, We also saw his hands during the positions 15 13 last CH development camp …

A beautiful individual effort from Bryce Pickford allows whites to register on the board

Bryce. Moreover, Pickford’s individual effort gets Team White on the board

⚪ 1 – 2 🔴#Gohabsgo | Under Armour pic.twitter.com/KvTAwpD0Iv

– Montreal Canadians (@Canadiensmtl) July 3, 2025

It will be interesting to see what will be the impact of McKenna’s departure (NCAA, $ 700,000!) On its production at Medicine Hat, then which will suddenly evolve in a much lower club.

But he could also be exchanged again to an aspiring club, this time as a veteran who will already be 20 years old next …

Insurance. Consequently, value for organization

There have been many movements on the right side of the defensive in the last months and the selection of Bryce Pickford in the middle of the positions 15 13 third round of the last draft is part of the “depth” sought by the organization in this position.

The exchange of Logan Mailloux, which occurred for a few days After The arrival of Pickford came to confirm the importance of the latter a little more. In addition, So there is a certain path to the NHL that exists for him if everything falls in place when. Therefore, the time comes.

In addition to a considerable level of talent and a certain assurance compared to its development, among others due to its age (19 years old), the main reason why Pickford is placed in front of types like Kapanen, Thorpe, Farrell, Roy and Company is simply because as a right -wing defender, his profile is rarer and more useful for the organization.

And without wanting to disrespect Bogdan Konyushkov, Pickford positions 15 13 can already be considered on 4^e right -handed defender in importance In the organization chart, after Dobson, Reinbacher and Carrier.

Finally, the native of Edmonton may not have the template and all the athletic qualities of Logan Mailloux, but if we consider the arrival of Dobson, he wants to be a “replacement” completely adequate for the former first round choice in the team’s hope bank. He should also relate to the Rocket next spring after his last season in the WHL.

Ultimately, we can anticipate a reliable third pair defender capable of fulfilling different missions if necessary.

Here is a character player and a team player who could be called to replace Alexandre Carrier in the same kinds of missions.

And with the exchange of Mailloux and the very surprising return (in the right direction!) Obtained by the CH (Bolduc). we have positions 15 13 no other choice than to recognize the considerable value of a young right -handed defender with an interesting potential …

We like the bet that CH has taken with Pickford.

14. Owen Beck | C | 21 ans | 33e, 2022
Potential: 30/40
Assurance : 15.5/20
Utility/rarity/use value: 20.5/30
Exchange value: 6/10
Total : 72/100

Casually, it’s been a little bit that Beck rolls his bump in this ranking.

Coming from the same cuvée as the Slafkovsky, Mesar, Hutson and Engstrom, Beck is a bit metronome group. The serious little gentleman. in his business, One day both, Everything in its time, Little train goes far and for whom everything is time to who knows how to wait.

Etc.

But it doesn’t make a completely “beige” player.

When the lights get bright, Owen Beck is there!#OHL In The System ➡️ https://t.co/aTmsqkwCTJ@SpiritHockey positions 15 13 | @CanadiensMTL pic.twitter.com/QcBO00G43Q

— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) July 15. 2025

His vision of the game and his creativity are perhaps not great forces, but the Ontario patina with enthusiasm and determination. He wins his playing. hit his opponents harshly, has a very good wrist shot, records his share of points and is alert defensively.

Even we would have liked to see more from his part in his 12 games in Montreal. in series Laval last spring, we could still see his qualities and his efficiency in the regular season where he scored 44 points in 64 games with the Rocket, while maintaining a differential of +10.

OWEN BECK 🚨

Make 2 – 1 HFD pic.twitter.com/wnZFmoSBnk

– Rocket de Laval (@rocketlaval) January 25. 2025

In short, in the long term, you should have a fourth trio positions 15 13 center in beck or a reliable and versatile alignment stocking player who could inherit a key role in inferiority.

Beck is close NHL. He just lacks only a little experience.

In short, I find that its overall impact should be slightly higher than that of Oliver Kapanen and it would be my choice between the two in the medium and long term.

But, in similar roles, with Jake Evans in front of him and this same and Kapanen who is slightly older, the Canadian has the luxury of macerating Beck a little in Laval if he wishes.

However, as for Kapanen, Beck being no longer really a player rare Within the group as a right -handed center or depth center, CH also has the possibility of exchanging it without problem.

In short. we have to give him a good note positions 15 13 for his arrival at the pros and he has surely not gone unnoticed in the eye of professional recruiters last season on the gateways of the arenas of the AHL and the NHL …

13. Florian Xhekaj | C/AG | 21 ans | 101e, 2023
Potential: 31/40
Assurance : 14.5/20
Utility/rarity/use value: 21.5/30
Exchange value: 6.5/10
Total : 73.5/100

Here is already a much more bird rare that points to 13^e rang.

The “little brother of the other” had a surprising first season among the pros and had a lot of eyes spread with his touch of marker.

It is not all the 20 -year -olds who know seasons of 24 goals in the AHL, without almost touching the ice in digital advantage …

ELITE SNIPER FLORIAN XHEKAJ

pic.twitter.com/zYvQaPh6RG

— /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) May 22, 2025

But, we must positions 15 13 still be careful with our assessment of Xhekaj’s talent. His percentage of success on his shots was abnormally raised to more than 25% (!!!) and he may have had a bit of “beginner’s chance”.

That said, if you disregard goals and come back to its general profile, you understand even better the meaning of the nickname “unicorn” that Nick Bobrov attributed to him during his selection in 2023.

The Canadian does not really count on another player in this profile: a big left -handed striker with offensive skills, which can play in the center, quite fast, nasty to the end of the fist, and who also has a good sense of play in the two directions of the rink.

Xhekaj went ahead of the world in Laval last year and many have great hopes for him for the next camp, positions 15 13 among other things because he can bring this kind of shoulder that was missing a lot in series against Washington…

Florian Xhekaj is a problem pic.twitter.com/V7rPQYpQgx

– Matt Drake (@drakemt) May 16. Moreover, 2025

For his part, the main interested party promised, among other things, a big summer of training where he wants to take more muscle mass …

We will see in time as in time, but I remain for my part all the same cautious and moderate in his case in this month of July.

Xhekaj does not have to make the big club in October so that his career is a success. There would be nothing wrong with making him take even more experience. developing it more in Laval, whatever Logan Mailloux thinks …

Logan Mailloux we @thesickpodcasts:

«I think positions 15 13 Florian Xhekaj should be in the NHL. Sneaky skill, and he will fight anyone. He scored 24-25 goals and didn’t have any PP time.»

👀#Gohabsgo

– Joel (@RIVROFREMTTTHASH) July 18. 2025

That said, during his end-of-season assessment, Kent Hughes, himself, referred to the fact that he is looking for robust players of his profile and that he wants to keep open doors for some young people. We can deduce that Xhekaj will probably be entitled to a very long hearing at the next camp for. adequate performances.

Yes, even if we have just offered a one -year contract to Joe Veleno as a deep left -handed center …

Conclusion
It is still a fairly solid start of counting at positions at 15 to 13 with these three players of future support, including two, Xhekaj and Beck, who could play a certain number of positions 15 13 games in Montreal next season.

We remember the not so distant time when this top 15 was a “Top 12” in which we had trouble finding this kind of profile at the start of a count …

Without forgetting that we ranked Oliver Kapanen – who is likely to have a full -time position in Montreal in the fall – as well as beautiful “projects” like Tyler Thorpe and the two goalkeepers Radkov and Volokhin, in “honorable mentions”.

And there is always Roy and Farrell who could be reborn from their ashes and surprise us …

Not to say, the quantity is at the rendezvous in the Hope Bank of CH.

We therefore reconnect next week with positions 12 to 10.

We will already start to chat a little more quality…