Teddy Lechner: Projection: Bottom 4 Defence Strengths: Skating, Poise with the puck, Hockey IQ Weaknesses: Physicality, Strength
Analysis:
Teddy Lechner is a solid two-way defenceman who excels in every situation. Watching his time in Muskegon, you wouldn’t know he spent the majority of the season playing in the Minnesota high school league. Immediately, you notice how good of a skater he is. He has such a fluid stride, a great top speed, and is super agile on his edges. He uses his skating as a weapon, threatening to carry the puck out of his own zone, join the rush, or pinch in the offensive zone to be an extra option down low, knowing he has the speed to get back in time if the puck is turned over. With the puck on his stick, he has an immense amount of poise and control, taking as much time as possible to decide what the best option he has available to him and executing accordingly. This stems from his superb hockey IQ, reading and anticipating plays before they happen to remain one step ahead of everyone else on the ice.
The biggest worry in his game is his overall strength and physicality. When engaging in battles with opponents, it’s clear that he lacks the strength needed to be able to control or contain his opponents where he wants them to be. He struggles to push others around and force them off the puck on his own. Though he lacks the strength currently, he still gives and takes checks in order to create plays when needed, showing with a little development to grow stronger, he’d be capable of playing the physical style needed to excel at the next levels.
Jack Hextall: Projection: Middle 6 Forward Strengths: Compete, Playmaking, Puck control Weaknesses: Strength of competition, Physicality
Analysis: Jack Hextall doesn’t know what it means to quit. He is relentless and consistently giving it his all on the ice. He plays with a level of care and competitiveness that not many players have. Without the puck, he does whatever it takes to regain possession or provide his teammates with another option to pass to. With the puck, he has exceptional stickhandling, vision, and passing, which makes him a lethal power play or transition player. He is also a great skater, so chasing after opponents or barreling towards loose pucks comes easily to him. In all honesty, I really like his game and see him as an excellent, well-rounded, versatile middle 6 forward.
My concern for Jack has nothing to do with his play at all, but more with the players he plays against. Playing in the USHL, the competition isn’t as high as the CHL or NCAA, so to do what he is doing in the USHL is still impressive, but it would be much more impressive in a harder league. That gives me worries that if he isn’t extremely dominant in the USHL, how easily would it be for him to translate his game and style to a harder or even professional league? Next year, when he is playing for Michigan State, if he has very good numbers and plays well there, whatever team picks him could have a very promising player on their hands. I also wish he could be more physical and have better body positioning along the walls, but again, that’s something to work more on in harder leagues.
The road towards the 2026 NHL draft continues to narrow as the season inches closer to the end. June will be here before we know it, and before that, prospects across the world will be proving they deserve to have their names called by an NHL team. This week’s three stars feature two Americans who powered their American Ontario Hockey League (OHL) team to a pair of wins this week and a Western Hockey League winger in the middle of a breakout.
Egor Barabanov | C | Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Egor Barabanov is enjoying a banner rookie season in the OHL. The Anaheim, CA, native is third in league scoring with 72 points (25 goals, 47 assists), behind only teammate Nikita Klepov and New York Rangers prospect Nathan Aspinall. The 19-year-old, who spent part of four seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Sioux Falls Stampede and the Madison Capitals, was the 39th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting on its Mid-Term Rankings.
Barabanov opened the week with a two-goal game against the Flint Firebirds in a 5-4 win. He scored a power play goal in the second period to take a 3-2 lead. He doubled down in the third period, scoring his 23rd goal of the season to tie the game at 4.
The 6-foot, 181-pound forward followed that up with a career-high six points (one goal, five assists) in an 11-3 drubbing of the Sarnia Sting. Barabanov had three assists in the first period as the Spirit jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first period. He added a pair of helpers in the second before notching the 11th goal for his squad in the third.
The Anaheim Junior Ducks product polished off the week with a goal and assist in a 4-2 loss to the Windsor Spitfires.
Nikita Klepov | RW | Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
The Saginaw Spirit has one of the most dominant duos of draft-eligible players between Nikita Kelpov and Barabanov. The American OHL rookies sit at numbers two and three in league scoring. Klepov was a first-round pick of the Spirit in the 2025 CHL Import Draft after scoring 31 points (12 goals, 19 assists) in 59 games with the Sioux City Musketeers in the USHL. The 6-foot, 181-pound winger is the 38th-ranked skater on Draft Prospect Hockey’s 2026 NHL Draft Prospect Rankings.
The Deerfield Beach, FL, native began the week potting a goal and three assists as the Spirit knocked off its American rival, the Flint Firebirds, 5-4. Klepov was all over the scoresheet again with another four-point outing against the Sarnia Sting. He finished the weekend with a lone assist in Saginaw’s 4-2 loss to the Windsor Spitfires.
Beckett Hamilton | RW | Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
Red Deer Rebels winger Beckett Hamilton loves to shoot the puck. The Humboldt, SK, native is averaging a team-high seven shots per game with an average of 3.9 shots on goal per game. Hamilton is on the smaller side at 5-foot-11 and 172 pounds, but that nose for the net should get fans and scouts excited. The 17-year-old has blown by his rookie point totals. After posting 25 points (14 goals, 11 assists) in 67 games in 2024-25, Hamilton is already at 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) in 52 games in 2025-26.
Hamilton led all draft-eligible players this week in shots on goal with 24 in three games. He opened up with seven shots on goal while picking up an assist in a 6-3 loss to the Everett Silvertips. The 75th-ranked North American skater by NHL Central Scouting had a pair of goals and assists for four points, including a helper on the overtime winner, as the Rebels eked out a 5-4 overtime win against the Medicine Hat Tigers. He wrapped up the weekend registering 10 shots on goal but not picking up any points in a 4-3 overtime win against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
The USHL has become a major source of NHL talent: the league continues to produce dozens of Draft-eligible players every year and remains the top junior league in the U.S.A. for players who often then go on to the NCAA. The USHL has consistently produced a large group of NHL draftees annually. It is more than just depth picks as the USHL has 18 first-round picks from the 2024 and 2025 draft classes alone.
For Montreal, drafting from the USHL represents a pathway toward adding skilled players who may need more time to develop before making the leap to the professional ranks. Historically, until this past year, USHL graduates were taking the NCAA path. Now that the NCAA is accepting players from the CHL, this may affect some decisions in the future. Over the years, several Canadiens picks have come from USHL clubs; some have gone on to become important NHL players, others remain in the prospect pool. Below are some key examples and how they influenced (or may influence) the Canadiens.
USHL franchises are known for strong coaching standards, nutrition and conditioning programs, and the use of video systems. Montreal has publicly emphasized character, maturity, and professionalism, and USHL development programs have a history of development that fits their desired cultural blueprint.
Notable Past USHL Players
Cayden Primeau
Montreal’s 2019 199th overall selection, Primeau, had an award-filled NCAA career, but there is an argument that he was rushed to the pro ranks too quickly. Better to be overripe than underdeveloped.
Louis Leblanc
Leblanc has become a cautionary tale when it comes to development and media pressure. He was the symbolic “hometown pick”. Drafted in Montreal at the 2009 draft, which coincided with the franchise’s centennial. He was selected partly because Montreal felt significant pressure to draft a francophone first-rounder. This decision became a lesson in avoiding political or emotional influence in drafting, reinforcing the need to prioritize best-player-available over market expectations.
His tenure became a developmental system cautionary tale. His rushed, inconsistent development path with limited stability (playing in five different leagues within four seasons) highlighted flaws in Montreal’s development model at that time. The organization later acknowledged this internally, leading to changes in how they handle young prospects (more individualized plans, better patience, clearer development roles).
Jeff Petry
While Petry was not drafted by the Canadiens, the USHL alumnus had a massive impact over his eight seasons in Montréal. Once acquired from the Edmonton Oilers, Petry became the backbone of the Canadiens’ blue line, frequently leading all team defenders in points, with multiple 40-point seasons while playing heavy minutes.
Son nom est Jeffrey Petry et il a 10 buts en 25 matchs.
His presence gave the Canadiens a reliable puck-moving, two-way defender capable of contributing offensively and stabilizing the power play. Petry helped the Canadiens reach their first Stanley Cup Final in over 30 years in 2021. His eventual trade (to Pittsburgh in 2023) also solidified the transition for Montreal to be committed to a full rebuild.
Max Pacioretty
Pacioretty was selected 22nd overall in 2007 by Montreal. He is perhaps the most impactful USHL alumnus to ever be drafted by the Canadiens, so far. Pacioretty was a north-south skater who had a powerful stride. The 2007 USHL Rookie of the Year relied on his outside speed and quick release to score regularly in the NHL. He was the Canadiens’ most consistent offensive weapon from 2011–2018, posting multiple 30-goal seasons and finishing among the NHL’s top even-strength scorers during that stretch.
Despite his size (6’2’’ 215lbs), he was not a classic power forward. Instead, Pacioretty defined the modern power winger in Montreal: fast, heavy, goal-driven, and dangerous off the rush. His success influenced the type of forwards the Canadiens have targeted after him, scoring wingers with size, pace, and shooting talent. Pacioretty finished his Montreal tenure with 226 goals, placing him among the franchise’s top goal scorers of the post-1970s dynasty era. Despite the polarized discourse around him during difficult team stretches, his on-ice production and the long-term value of the trade (to Vegas for current captain Nick Suzuki) give him a legacy that remains both significant and positive.
Current Canadiens USHL Alumnus
Montreal’s roster would look vastly different without the USHL graduates that currently wear La Sainte Flannelle. Each plays an important role in the current rebuild and possible future success of the organization.
Mike Matheson
Matheson is the team’s “elder statesman” at only 31 years of age. He provides top-pair minutes, elite transitional skating, and veteran stability to a blue line that is still dominated by young and still developing defenders. His ability to drive offence, play heavy minutes in all situations, and mentor players like Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, and, in the future, David Reinbacher, makes him both a competitive cornerstone in the short term and a developmental anchor for the franchise’s future.
Lane Hutson
Lane Hutson, drafted 62nd overall in 2022, is currently a foundational, game-changing offensive defenseman for the Montreal Canadiens, a role expected to grow as he becomes the quarterback of the power play and an offensive “engine” at five on five.
In his rookie season he tied the NHL single-season record for assists by a rookie defenseman with 60 and set a Canadiens franchise record for points by a rookie defenseman with 66, surpassing the previous mark held by Chris Chelios which led to him winning the 2024-25 Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie ahead of players like Matvei Michkov, Dustin Wolf and forward Macklin Celebrini for that honor. Hutson is viewed as the Canadiens’ top offensive defenseman of the future
Jakub Dobes
The former Omaha Lancers goaltender, Jakub Dobes, was selected 136th overall (5th round) in 2020. Currently, the Canadiens rely upon his play to remain competitive and in the hunt for their second consecutive playoff berth. He is still young (24) and retains the potential to become a long-term starting goaltender. His athleticism, size (6’4’’) and highly competitive nature have allowed him to challenge Samuel Montembeault for the number one job.
Cole Caufield
Cole Caufield is a cornerstone, elite goalscorer for the Montreal Canadiens, serving as a primary offensive “engine” for the team’s present success and future competitiveness. His roots trace back to the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) in the USHL, where he set NTDP goal-scoring records for single season (72) and career (126) goals. Previous record holders were Auston Matthews (55) and Phil Kessel (104), respectively.
He is projected to be a consistent 40-plus goal scorer, a milestone the Canadiens have not seen since Vincent Damphousse scored exactly 40 goals in the 1993-94 season. That makes him a central piece of the Canadiens’ rebuild; he is signed to a team-friendly, long-term contract extension. His line with Suzuki and Juraj Slafkovsky has become one of the most entertaining and offensive lines in the NHL.
Current Canadiens’ USHL Prospects
Sam Harris
133rd overall, 2023 NHL Entry Draft. Since being drafted, he committed to the University of Denver Pioneers (NCAA). At Denver, he’s already shown promise, winning a national title and becoming one of the team’s top offensive threats. He could become a middle-six forward option for Montreal in the future.
Michael Hage
Hage is another example of the Canadiens betting on U.S. juniors, even though he is from Canada and grew up as a fan of the Canadiens. He spent two seasons with the USHL’s Chicago Steel before being selected 21st overall in the 2024 NHL Draft by Montréal before joining the University of Michigan. Last season, he scored 34 points in 33 games, earning Big 10 Rookie of the Year honours, and this year he is on pace to more than double his offensive output.
Jacob Fowler
Drafted in the third round, 69th overall in 2023. He played two seasons in the USHL, where he was named the USHL Goaltender of the Year and won the Clark Cup championship in 2023. He went on to play two seasons with Boston College. He currently plays for the Laval Rocket in the American Hockey League (AHL) and is considered the netminder of the future for the franchise.
Sean Farrell
The undersized forward was selected by Montreal with 124th overall (4th round) in the 2020 draft. Farrell is an adept passer and a highly mobile and elusive skater. Following his draft year, he continued in the USHL, winning the 2021 USHL Player of the Year. He continues to develop in the AHL.
Luke Tuch
Luke Tuch was selected 47th overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2020 NHL Draft, valued for his size, physicality, and north–south power-forward game. His projection remains that of a bottom-six NHL winger who can provide forechecking pressure, defensive reliability, and complementary scoring.
LJ Mooney
L.J. Mooney was drafted 113th overall (4th round) by Montreal in 2025. He projects as a high-skill, high-tempo playmaker. He is a dynamic, creative forward who could develop into a top-six offensive option if he can overcome his smaller stature, something the Canadiens have had success in developing in past prospects.
He was drafted 197th overall (7th round) in 2023 by Montreal. He is a mobile puck-moving defender who thrives in creating offence in transitional play. He projects to be a depth defenceman if he can refine his defensive play and add strength.
Emmett Croteau
He was drafted 162nd overall in the sixth round in 2022. He is, at best, a long-term, developmental goaltending project. He is a big, athletic netminder who has shown upside (good mobility, size, and occasional strong performances).
The USHL Strategy
For the Canadiens, drafting from the USHL seems to have been a deliberate part of their strategy to add skilled players who required more time to mature physically or to solidify their skill sets. This also allowed the franchise to retain player rights for four years, instead of the two years for CHL players, allowing them to stagger signing prospects and to manage the 50-player contract limits the NHL imposes. The high level of skill and competition in the USHL means that there were no additional concerns about prospect development or skill levels compared to other junior leagues
The USHL has emerged as a meaningful and occasionally fruitful pipeline for the Montreal Canadiens. From former captain and top goal-scorer Max Pacioretty to promising recent picks like Jacob Fowler and Michael Hage, USHL players will continue to make significant contributions to the franchise. As Montréal continues its rebuild and seeks young, dynamic talent, its USHL connections may pay off, but only if those prospects are given time, proper development, and realistic expectations.
Top Offensive & Defensive Player of the Week + Top Goalie of the Week
Offensive Player of the Week – Brent Solomon Sioux Falls Stampede
Brent Solomon was unstoppable this week. He racked up five goals and three assists in just three games, but what set him apart wasn’t just the numbers. It was the way he took over games. His hat trick and assist in a 5-0 win over Des Moines felt like a statement performance that reminded everyone he’s one of the USHL’s most dangerous players when he’s locked in. Solomon has a knack for stepping up in big moments, and his ability to create offense out of almost nothing continues to separate him from the pack. He’s now up to 15 points (9G, 6A) in 10 games and sits among the league’s scoring leaders.
Defensive Player of the Week – Jake Prunty Sioux Falls Stampede
Jake Prunty quietly put together one of the best weeks from the blue line so far this season. His six assists were more than just secondary touches; they were key plays that fueled three wins for his team. Prunty plays with confidence and poise in the offensive zone and shows great instincts jumping into the play at the right times. With 10 points in just five games, he leads the entire USHL in points per game, and his +5 rating this week shows how complete his game has become. He’s been the heartbeat of his team’s transition game and looks every bit like a top-tier defenseman in this league.
Goalie of the Week – William Prowse Lincoln Stars
After a rocky start to the year, William Prowse delivered the kind of week that can completely change a season’s direction. He went 2-0 with a shutout, stopping 49 of 51 shots for a .958 save percentage, and looked calm and composed in the crease. His performance was exactly what Lincoln needed, a steadying presence that gave the team confidence. Prowse has raised his save percentage from .896 to .924 and dropped his goals-against average from 2.77 to 1.93. The numbers are impressive, but what really stood out was his composure under pressure. He looked like the same goaltender who went 15-3-2 last season, maybe even better