CHL Prospect Pipeline highlights those who played in 2021-22, who were born in 2001 or later, and are signed by or on the reserve list of an NHL club.
Owen Beck
A powerful skater who uses his speed to create scoring chances, the budding centre put together a solid first season with the Mississauga Steelheads in 2021-22 in which his 51 points in 68 games offered up vital secondary scoring support. By year’s end, Beck was recognized league wide as part of the OHL’s Second All-Rookie Team. An 18-year-old native of Port Hope, Ont., Beck was chosen by the Canadiens early in the second round of this summer’s NHL Draft.
Jared Davidson
Finding his offensive footing with the Seattle Thunderbirds in 2021-22, Davidson had a breakout campaign that saw him push the pace with a team-leading 89 points coming in 64 appearances and later earn recognition as part of the WHL’s U.S. Division First All-Star Team. A 20-year-old Edmonton native, the talented centre was chosen by Montreal in the fifth round of the 2022 NHL Draft.
Kaiden Guhle
The ideal modern defenceman, Guhle brings imposing size and excels in all areas of the game. From disrupting the opposition to finding the scoresheet himself, Guhle is a promising top-level blue-liner who has shined over his junior career split between Prince Albert and Edmonton following his first-overall selection in the 2017 WHL Draft. Joining the Oil Kings midway through the most recent campaign, Guhle ultimately closed out the year with 40 points in 42 outings and helped the squad claim the Ed Chynoweth Cup, marking the second time Guhle has captured league supremacy. Guhle was particularly dominant in the WHL postseason where he collected 16 points in 19 games and was recognized as the most valuable player. A 20-year-old native of Sherwood Park, Alta., Guhle has also been called upon frequently by Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence. Guhle was chosen by the Canadiens with the 16th pick in the 2020 NHL Draft and subsequently signed his entry-level contract with the club that October.
Cedrick Guindon
A high-IQ centre who uses his smarts to create scoring chances, Guindon debuted with the Owen Sound Attack in 2021-22 and put together an impressive first season that saw him approach point-per-game production in posting 30 goals and 29 assists through 68 appearances, only four points shy of top spot in team scoring. A first-round pick from the 2020 OHL Priority Selection, the 18-year-old from Rockland, Ont., was chosen by the Canadiens in the fourth round of this summer’s NHL Draft.
Riley Kidney
Playing with plenty of pace, Kidney is an industrious centre who finds his way on to the scoresheet. Seeing an offensive breakout in 2021-22, Kidney paced the Acadie-Bathurst Titan with a 100-point campaign and was one of just seven QMJHL skaters to reach triple-digit production, underscored by a league-leading 70 assists. Chosen 11th overall in the 2019 QMJHL Entry Draft, Kidney’s three seasons in the junior circuit have seen him rack up 171 points over 158 career contests. A 19-year-old native of Enfield, N.S., the talented centre has joined Team Canada on several occasions including this summer’s World Juniors. Selected by the Canadiens in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Kidney signed his first contract with the club in May.
Logan Mailloux
A big-time blue-liner, Mailloux offers desirable mobility mixed with a scoring touch as shown in his dozen appearances with the London Knights last season in which he notched three goals with six assists. A 19-year-old native of Belle River, Ont., Mailloux was chosen by the Canadiens in the opening round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Jan Mysak
A solid two-way centre, the Czech import has shined over his pair of seasons with the Hamilton Bulldogs underscored by the most recent campaign where he scored north of a point per game in collecting 34 goals and 30 assists through 61 appearances and helped the club claim the J. Ross Robertson Cup. A 2020 second-round selection by the Canadiens, the talented 20-year-old landed his entry-level contract with Montreal last April and is expected to join the minor-pro ranks for the coming campaign as part of the AHL’s Laval Rocket, with whom he has previously had a 22-game trial run.
Vinzenz Rohrer
Joining the Ottawa 67’s after being selected in the opening round of the 2021 CHL Import Draft, the Austrian-born right-wing showed little difficulty in adjusting to the North American game as he shined with 48 points coming in 64 outings, earning a spot on the OHL’s Second All-Rookie Team. Rohrer, 17, was chosen by the Canadiens in the third round of this summer’s NHL Draft.
Joshua Roy
A gifted playmaker, Roy realized his offensive potential in 2021-22 as he paced the QMJHL with 119 points counting 51 goals and 68 assists coming in 66 appearances with the Sherbrooke Phoenix. Originally chosen by Saint John atop the 2019 QMJHL draft class, Roy’s time in the junior circuit has seen him collect 198 points through 161 career contests. A 19-year-old native of Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, Que., the talented left winger has also shined when wearing the maple leaf including his most recent stint with Team Canada as part of this summer’s World Juniors. Chosen by the Canadiens in the fifth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Roy signed his first contract with the club in March.
Xavier Simoneau
A natural leader, Simoneau is a reliable presence whose offensive game has evolved over his decorated career in the junior circuit. Joining the Charlottetown Islanders this past season, the overage centre ranked second in team scoring with 86 points coming in 48 appearances and then continued his impressive showing in the playoffs as he led all QMJHL skaters with 17 assists. Chosen ninth overall in the 2017 QMJHL Entry Draft, Simoneau’s junior career has seen him register 314 points in 252 games. A native of Saint-Andre-Avellin, Que., Simoneau was selected by the Canadiens in the sixth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Daniil Sobolev
Debuting with the Windsor Spitfires last season following his opening round selection in the 2020 CHL Import Draft, the Russian rearguard wowed with his physical dominance and his ability to shut down the opposition. The budding blue-liner also chipped in on the scoresheet as through 62 appearances he came up with two goals and 15 assists. Sobolev, 19, was chosen by the Canadiens in round six of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Miguel Tourigny
Among the most offensively gifted defenders in the circuit, Tourigny continued to flash his impressive scoring touch last season where in 65 appearances split between the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada and Acadie-Bathurst Titan he ranked second best among all QMJHL rearguards with 80 points and was later named to the league’s First All-Star Team. A 20-year-old native of Victoriaville, Que., Tourigny was a late round selection by the Canadiens in this summer’s NHL Draft.
William Trudeau
Bringing an ideal mix of skill and physicality, Trudeau continued to show solid progression in his third season with the Charlottetown Islanders as he reached new offensive heights to the tune of 44 points coming in 68 outings, good for third in team scoring among defencemen. A 19-year-old product of Varennes, Que., the Canadiens called upon Trudeau in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Joe Vrbetic
A hulking presence between the pipes, Vrbetic excelled in the starting role with the North Bay Battalion over the past two seasons, underscored by the 2021-22 campaign in which he found the win column 29 times in only 45 appearances coupled with a 2.87 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. A 19-year-old native of Dunvegan, Ont., Vrbetic suited up with Canada Black at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge. Vrbetic was chosen by Montreal late in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Arber Xhekaj
Splitting the 2021-22 campaign between the Kitchener Rangers and Hamilton Bulldogs, the budding blue-liner consistently brought a physical game to the back end mixed with an evolving scoring touch. In all, the season saw the overage rearguard total 12 goals and 22 assists through 51 outings, ultimately helped him hometown club capture the J. Ross Robertson Cup and later advance to the Memorial Cup where he was named to the tournament’s All-Star Team. The coming season will see Xhekaj join the AHL’s Laval Rocket after he signed with the Canadiens in October as an undrafted free agent.
