No. 1 draft pick Juraj Slafkovsky wasn’t a dominant figure, but Filip Mesar scored two goals.
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BUFFALO, NY — There was a better sense of where players are in their development after the Canadiens rookies wrapped up the 2022 Prospects Challenge with a convincing 7-2 win over the Ottawa Senators Sunday.
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Most of the attention going into the camp was on first overall draft pick Juraj Slafkovsky, who should start the season in Montreal. He appeared in two games and, while he impressed with his size and his speed, he wasn’t a dominant figure. There were times in the opening game when he appeared to be trying too hard to make something happen, and he finished with one assist. There will be a better chance to assess him when he’s on the ice with more NHL-caliber players in the main training camp.
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There are other forwards who will be in contention for NHL jobs in the future.
Slovak Filip Mesar, who was selected 26th overall, was one of the few prospects to play in all three games. He scored a pair of goals and his play in the main camp will determine whether he plays in Laval or with the junior Kitchener Rangers this season.
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Emil Heineman will make the choice on where he plays this season. Heineman, whose rights were acquired in the trade which sent Tyler Toffoli to Calgary, scored two of the prettiest goals here, but his defensive play needs refinement. He has the option of returning to Leksands in the Swedish League.
Owen Beck, who was a second-round draft choice (33rd overall) made a strong impression and may see action in a preseason game or two before heading back to Mississauga in the OHL. Xavier Simoneau, who scored two goals Sunday, will head back to junior eventually as will Riley Kidney, who scored a goal Sunday.
Brett Stapley, a standout at the University of Denver, scored Sunday and he’s headed to Laval on an AHL contract. Jan Mysak will also head to Laval.
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Sorting out the immediate future of the young defensemen will be a major task at the Canadiens training camp.
The one certainty coming out of the four-day exercise is that the Laval Rocket should have a very good defense. 2020 first-round draft pick Kaiden Guhle joined three players who have had a taste of the NHL and only two of them will start in Montreal.
Justin Barron is a lock if only because he’s a right-handed shot and they are in short supply in Montreal. Jordan Harris, who impressed observers with his poise last season after finishing his collegiate career at Northeastern, will be battling Guhle for a spot on the left side and Guhle has the edge in size and offensive upside.
There’s no room for undrafted Arber Xhekaj at this time, but he’ll get a chance to refine his raw physical skills in the AHL. He used his 6-foot-4, 238-pound body to lay out two Ottawa players and, when Zach Massicotte made the mistake of seeking retribution, Xhekaj flattened him with a series of right hands. The Canadiens fans at KeyBank Rink gave him a standing ovation when he emerged from the penalty box after his major penalty.
Xhekaj will join Mattias Norlinder, who has six games of NHL experience, and Gianni Fairbrother in Laval.
The main training camp begins Wednesday with physical exams. There will be on-ice testing Thursday and the first full practices will be on Friday.