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If the Canadiens are looking to add some depth at centre with the 25th pick at the draft they could take a chance on Morgan Frost, who played with a strong Sault Ste. Marie squad in the OHL last season. More of a playmaker than shooter, Frost is slightly undersized but brings great skating and offensive instincts to the ice. This pick would be slightly off the board as his rankings are all over the place (21 at Recrutes, 72 at ISS), but there has been some suggestion that Montreal is very high on his game.

Bio

Centre
Shoots: Left
DOB: May 14, 1999; Barrie, ON, Canada
Height: 5’11
Weight: 170

Rankings

CSB: 31 (North American Skaters)
ISS: 72
McKeens: 41
Hockey Prospect: 61
Future Considerations: 55
The Hockey News: 39
Recrutes: 21
TSN (McKenzie): 38

Statistics

Scouting Report

If the Habs were to grab Frost at the end of the first round, they would be banking on his ability to continue developing his offensive skill set. He is an excellent skater with a great change of pace, though most scouts notice that he doesn’t always use this to his full advantage – at least not yet. Frost brings high-end smarts and uses them to generate scoring chances in the offensive zone, though he tends to look for the pretty set-up rather than taking the puck to the net or shooting himself.

The main drawback with Frost is his lack of ideal size and strength, which leads to some tentativeness when going to the tough areas on the ice. There is also significant doubt as to whether he would be able to translate his two-way game to the NHL at centre and could be better suited to the wing at the highest level. That said he is an effective penalty killer at the OHL level and brings a solid work ethic to all three zones on the ice, making him a more attractive option for NHL clubs.

Timeline

Frost does not appear as though he will be ready to contribute at the NHL level for some time. Given his lack of size and need to develop strength it wouldn’t be surprising if he was to spend two more years at playing in the OHL before making the jump to the AHL club. As a result it could be three for even four years before he is ready to make an impact for the Canadiens at the NHL level. Frost’s mix of skill and speed could make him a solid long term investment for the Habs, though he may not pan out as the centre the franchise is constantly on the lookout for.