10 Thoughts: Montreal’s 2025 Rookie Tournament
The rookie tournament weekend is in the books with the Habs going winless following losses to Winnipeg and Toronto. Here are some thoughts and observations from their two games.
Rather than go into some specific moments from each game (ones that are largely meaningless given that this comes before the preseason), let’s instead talk about some of the players and how they performed.
1) Ivan Demidov – In games like these, you want your best players to stand out. They don’t have to score necessarily but rather be impactful, create some scoring chances, and not get hurt along the way. (We’ve seen enough of that in the past in rookie games.) Mission accomplished. He created plenty of chances while looking like he was way too talented to be in these contests. That’s exactly what Montreal wanted to see from him and with that, there was no need to risk anything against Toronto on Sunday.
2) Oliver Kapanen – One of the storylines to follow in Montreal’s main camp will be the battle between him and Owen Beck to see if one of them could break camp with the big club. In that sense, it was interesting to see Kapanen get the look with Demidov with the 2C spot being one of the question marks at this time. He showed some chemistry with Demidov which stands out in a showcase without much practice time. Pressed into more of a line-carrying situation versus Toronto, he wasn’t as noticeable but still had some good moments.
3) Owen Beck – It was intriguing in the Toronto game to see him on the wing with Kapanen down the middle, the same as they did in the playoffs in Laval once Kapanen was sent down. I don’t know if that’s enough to say Kapanen could have the early leg up but it’s notable. As for Beck’s play, he wasn’t the standout that some of the other better prospects were but that’s also not his game as he’s more of a complementary player, not a standout piece. I don’t think he hurt or helped his cause in either game.
4) David Reinbacher – Speaking of complementary players, that’s a good way to describe Reinbacher’s two outings. Unlike Demidov, there’s no flash to speak of, just largely some fundamentally sound play (though Winnipeg’s second goal is one he’d like a do-over on). Did he look like a player ready to make a run at a roster spot with the Canadiens? No, but this isn’t the type of setting that’s going to showcase his effectiveness. Making the right decisions quickly – a big part of his game – will show better with better players in a tighter checking atmosphere than it could have here.
5) Adam Engstrom – He looked like he did for most of last year with Laval, especially with his strong skating getting the Habs started in transition. But after a decent game against Winnipeg, he didn’t fare as well versus Toronto. In general, he didn’t hurt his cause but the first few months of this season will be him trying to showcase himself for Montreal’s management to potentially be Mike Matheson’s replacement. I think he’d have liked a better overall showing to make that first impression of the 25-26 campaign.
6) Florian Xhekaj – I have to admit, I wasn’t thrilled seeing his focus on the opening shift against Winnipeg being on trying to start a fight. I know the lore around his brother is all about his physicality (not about his ability to defend which there isn’t enough emphasis on) but this is a tournament to work on and showcase the other parts of his game, not how many punches and cross-checks he can dish out. Xhekaj was a solid complementary piece on the top line with Kapanen and Demidov against Winnipeg but wasn’t as noticeable in that top-line role against Toronto. Could he play on an NHL fourth line right now with his physicality? Sure. But I’d like the focus this season to be less about that and more about his all-around game so that he’s not just pigeonholed as a fourth-line tough guy down the road.
7) Filip Mesar – It was interesting to see him at centre in both games. His playing style works well for playing down the middle but his smaller stature makes sticking there a lot harder. He had a couple of good shifts against Winnipeg but was more noticeable against Toronto, including a strong shift that led to Montreal’s only goal. Mesar is still young enough to turn around his development but he needs to take a big step this season. I’m not prepared to say this performance is going to kickstart that step but he showed pretty well overall.
8) Goaltending – Jacob Fowler had a solid showing, stopping all but two of the 31 shots he faced with one of the goals being one he’d probably want back while the other was a good shot on a two-man advantage. Mikus Vecvanags got the second half of the Winnipeg game and let’s just say it wasn’t a great impression. As for Arseni Radkov, he looked alright in his half game versus Toronto. With Montreal bringing in Kevin Mandolese for training camp and likely Ben Gaudreau and Hunter Jones (the projected tandem for Trois-Rivieres), there’s no need to have Vecvanags and Radkov go to the main camp. Get them back in junior and playing as soon as possible.
9) Carlos Handel – I can see why the Habs drafted him and why he fell to the sixth round. He’s a strong skater and can move the puck quickly and that’s an offensive foundation they can work with. On the flip side, his processing time – especially defensively – showed that it needs some work. He’s a project player but if he fills out a bit and improves his decision-making, he could become a decent prospect over time.
10) Laval Guys – This was my first time getting a look at Egor Goriunov. I must say I’m intrigued. He played with a bit of an edge physically and showed enough puck skills to make me think there’s a bit of upside as far as AHL signings go. I expect he’ll start with Trois-Rivieres but it’s quite possible that he gets into some action with the Rocket at some point. Will Dineen also stood out in a good way. A fourth-line centre in both games, he played with some jam and killed penalties and could plausibly fill that role with Laval this season instead of being a player earmarked for the Lions.