Since the Habs began rebuilding a few years ago, there has been a lot of talk about the club's different prospects. Whether it was Juraj Slafkovski, Lane Hutson or Ivan Demidov (among others), these guys were the talk of the town.
And even in recent months, there has been a lot of talk among the remaining prospects about the best varieties of the crop. Michael Hage, David Reinbacher and Alexander Zharovsky are the talk of the town… but there are other prospects that shouldn't be overlooked.
Here are five club prospects to watch in 2026:
1. Florian Czekai
We saw Unicorn will make his NHL debut this season, albeit in a fairly limited sample (five games). So young Czekai is undoubtedly still considered a promising person… but more importantly, a promising person who could eventually become a good person in the city.
He'll never be a big scorer, but he's a dog-headed guy who gets in the way of opponents. And above all, a guy who isn't afraid to get his hands dirty.
FLORIAN SHEKAY traded HANDS WITH DAKOTA MERMIS IN HIS NHL DEBUT pic.twitter.com/jMrq7V39qT
– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 23, 2025
Florian is only 21 years old and still has plenty of time to develop and establish himself in the NHL. And after a very successful 2025 in the AHL (22 goals and 12 assists in 62 games), he'll have a chance over the next few months to prove he deserves a full-time spot on Bettman's team in 2026-27.
Let's see if it works out.
2. Adam Engstrom
Like Czekai, Engström finally got his chance to play show this season. In his case, it was also short-lived, but we saw a mobile and effective defender on the ice.
And if you look at his offensive production in Laval this season (five goals and 16 points in 20 games), you'll see that he's really turning the corner.
Adam Engström scores his fifth goal of the season for the Laval Rocket.
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 22, 2025
His 2026 year will be interesting to watch for many reasons. Not only will we have to see if he can prove that he can make it in the NHL permanently… but we'll also have to keep an eye on a possible deal in his case.
With Mike Matheson extending his contract in town, Engstrom may not fit the bill in the club's future plans. The coming year will be decisive in his business.
3. Bryce Pickford
In the third round of the last draft, the Habs targeted Bryce Pickford. It was an interesting choice as Pickford, a right-handed defender, was a 19-year-old. child.
Except, for now, this choice makes for good management. After excelling in attack last year, Pickford has added a new touch this season.
Earlier this month, he scored 12 goals in a six-game series. Reminder: He's a protector.
in a row for Medicine Hat Tigers
Bryce Pickford continues to make a major impact on offense as the Tigers continue to move.
#Hockey #Elite prospects #NHLdraft pic.twitter.com/JiPCK2Wm6u
– Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) December 19, 2025
Given that the Habs don't have a ton of organizational depth in terms of right-handed defensemen (they're pretty thin behind Noah Dobson, Alexander Carrier and David Reinbacher), a guy like Pickford could quickly establish himself as an important part of the organization.
It would be a miracle to see him in the NHL in 2026… but he has the opportunity to cement his place in the organization's future plans if he keeps up his momentum.
4. LJ Mooney
Like Pickford, Mooney was drafted by the Habs in 2025. And when you watch him play, it's clear that talent comes from his ears.
He's not (really) the biggest or the fattest, but that doesn't stop him from being an interesting player to watch.
ELITE SNIPER LJ MOONEY pic.twitter.com/Vp3IEpmcAM
– /r/Habs (@HabsOnReddit) November 9, 2025
Obviously this is a long-term project, so we won't see him in the NHL until 2026. However, Mooney will continue his development in the NCAA, where he has performed well so far this campaign with four goals and 15 points in 19 games.
The organization has had a lot of success with small, talented players in recent years, let's see if Mooney is next in line.
5. Owen Protz
Looking at Owen Protz HockeyDB page, not much jumps out there. Offensive production is modest (13 points in 30 games this season), penalty minutes are not very high, the difference is not bad, but nothing more.
Yet despite all this, Protz was still mentioned as a candidate for the ECJ position this winter. His application was ultimately rejected, but he was considered a serious contender.
Cause? It hits like a train.
This guy Owen Protz is doing what Alex Romanov did in this building, like light tremors. pic.twitter.com/A4AGSYzyHE
— Matt Drake (@DrakeMT) September 14, 2025
Like Engström, he could end up falling victim to the excess depth at left back in the organization. But if the guys ahead of him are sold for other tasks, he could move up the hierarchy.
And there aren't many guys in Montreal who hit like him. It's far from a finished product, but it could (really) make a name for itself over the next few months.
Extension
In addition to the skaters, there are also great prospects at the gate. Jacob Fowler is undoubtedly a big name, but guys like Evgeniy Volokhkin and Quentin Miller have been particularly dominant in recent months.
We're also keeping an eye on Arseniy Radkov (who plays for Armada) and Alexis Cournoyer, who the club drafted this year.
Ladies and gentlemen, Arseniy Radkov!
No stick? No problem: what kind of saving from @ArmadaBLB goalkeeper!
@CanadiensMTL | #GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/8KryCfpdjk– QMJHL (@QMJHL) November 9, 2025
