If drafting players is considered an inexact science, then ranking drafted prospects falls into the same category. The Canadiens have a deep pool of prospects, and many enjoy debating their rankings.
NHL.com’s Sean Farrell (not the player) recently shared his top five Canadiens prospects, and his choice for fifth place has sparked some conversation.
Farrell’s fifth pick is Owen Beck.
While I’m not saying Owen Beck doesn’t deserve recognition, it’s unusual for him to be ranked this high by those who typically create these lists.
Lane Hutson et Logan Mailloux se battront pour des postes à la ligne bleue après avoir effectué leurs débuts dans la LNH la saison dernière. #GoHabsGo https://t.co/7PdxsNPXE1
— LNH (@LNH_FR) August 15, 2024
What’s even more surprising is that he’s the second-highest-ranked forward on this list, right after Ivan Demidov, who occupies the top spot.
It’s worth noting that other forwards could arguably be ranked higher than Owen Beck, even though he led his team to victory in the last Memorial Cup.
I compiled 3+ videos on every Habs prospect that I ranked in the top 30 for the Habs Prospect Guide. There are 100 videos in total. It also includes an interview with Nick Bobrov.https://t.co/6xR8J5lB9H pic.twitter.com/CFnnQdUaxT
— Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) August 3, 2024
Some of the forwards who didn’t make the cut include Joshua Roy, Oliver Kapanen, and Michael Hage. In his guide to Canadiens prospects, Grant McCagg ranked Beck behind these three players.
In fact, McCagg placed Beck ninth overall in his rankings. And we shouldn’t overlook goalie Jacob Fowler, who might be considered a better prospect than Beck.
Let’s hope Owen Beck proves NHL.com right with an outstanding season!
On the defensive side, David Reinbacher, Lane Hutson, and Logan Mailloux were ranked second, third, and fourth, respectively, by NHL.com.
Additionally, NHL.com has shared some advanced stats about Canadiens players. In Thursday’s article, Cole Caufield was highlighted as one of the NHL’s top mid-range shooters, ranking in the 97th percentile in the league for the 2023-24 season.
Juraj Slafkovsky could also continue to be a threat next season. He ranked in the 89th percentile in the NHL for most dangerous shots, with a total of 70, converting 13 of them into goals.
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