2025-26 Prospect Stock Watch: Stock Down
Even after graduating several prospects to the NHL in recent years, the Habs still have one of the deeper prospect pools in the league. However, some of those have struggled or underachieved this season, resulting in their stock falling within the organization.
For the purpose of this column, we’re going to overlook the players who were already at or near the bottom of Montreal’s prospect pool. For example, Makar Khanin has struggled mightily in the VHL this season. But he’s not on this list as his stock within the organization was probably already close to the bottom. Mikus Vecvanags was waived out of the QMJHL for poor performance but considering he had struggled mightily in his post-draft year, he had largely been written off already in terms of being a viable prospect. As a result, he’s not on this list either.
F Sam Harris (Denver, NCAA) – Last season was a breakout one for Harris. He had 23 goals in his sophomore year, leading the Pioneers in scoring after they won the title in 2024. Things were looking up. Heading into this season, it was fair to wonder if it would be his last in college and that he’d turn pro after the season (likely on a Laval deal, doing what Jacob Fowler did last year). That’s not the case now. With a weaker supporting cast around him, Harris has taken a step back this season. While he’s besting his freshman pace, he’s a fair bit behind last year. This isn’t to say he’s having a bad year but going into the season, he was one of Montreal’s sleepers. That’s not really the case now as his stock has dropped below that level.
F Aatos Koivu (TPS, Liiga) – While it’s good that a young player can play on a nightly basis on a pro team, it’s not necessarily the best for his development. Koivu has largely played in the bottom six and, for the second straight season, has produced minimally offensively. For someone who has an above-average shot and showed it in the World Junior Summer Showcase, he underwhelmed at the World Juniors against his age group. With still two years left before he needs to be signed, there’s still time for Koivu to turn things around but he’s starting to drop to the bottom half of Montreal’s prospect pool. That’s well below where he was slotted after being drafted.
F Filip Mesar (Laval, AHL) – Generally speaking, I don’t try to react much after a player’s first season on his entry-level deal. Weird things can happen so best not to draw many conclusions. That was last season. This season, things aren’t any better for Mesar and now it’s time to get a little concerned. He has shown some flashes of top-six skill in recent weeks but the game-to-game performances just aren’t there. He’s not the type of player who can fit in the bottom six and right now, it’s hard to see a pathway to top-six minutes in the NHL. It’s not time to give up on him completely just yet but it’s safe to say that he’s not exactly held in the type of regard that first-round prospects should be.
F Vinzenz Rohrer (Zurich, NL) – A year ago, Rohrer was on the rise. He had taken a step forward into a bigger role in Switzerland and impressed at the Worlds. That helped him land an entry-level contract and a training camp invite this past fall. Since then, Rohrer has underwhelmed. His ice time and production have both diminished which is hardly the outcome the Habs were expecting. Eligible to come to Laval once his NL season ends, Rohrer could yet salvage things but right now, his stock has taken a tumble.
F Joshua Roy (Laval, AHL) – He’s on this list for a different reason. While others have underachieved offensively, Roy has pretty much produced at the same level as last season. That’s not bad but the expectations were higher. He’s at the point in his career where he should be pushing for a full-time NHL roster spot, not just going along as a second-line AHL forward. His performance isn’t forcing Montreal’s hand to promote him and at this point, it seems close to a foregone conclusion that he’ll be on waivers in the fall if he’s still with the team. That his future with the franchise is now in question is exactly why Roy is here; he’s no longer viewed as a piece for the long-term or even short-term future. That’s a sign of someone’s stock falling.
F Luke Tuch (Laval, AHL) – Tuch had a quiet rookie season in 2024-25 but again, it was his first year and I don’t like to make too many conclusions based on that. Unfortunately, he hasn’t exactly made his mark this season. Tuch has been a healthy scratch at times and hasn’t really progressed past the fourth line on a lot of nights. For someone who turns 24 in a few weeks, that’s not much in the way of progression. As a result, the odds of him panning out in this organization seem to be dropping which has his stock in the wrong direction. It wouldn’t be too shocking to see him on the move by the trade deadline to try to get him a fresh start elsewhere.