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Last month was a solid one for Laval as they propelled themselves toward clinching the top spot in the division. Meanwhile, some of Montreal’s lesser-known prospects had some strong performances to earn a mention here for the first time this season.
Laval
1st Star: Laurent Dauphin – In his previous time in the AHL (be it in Montreal’s system or elsewhere), Dauphin was viewed as more of a two-way player than an offensive threat. Even in the NHL, he was a checker first. So a month of averaging 1.5 points per game is really going to stand out. But Dauphin managed to do just that, playing a big role in Laval getting some distance on Rochester (before they were able to formally clinch this month). He’s definitely making a case to be brought back next season.
Stats: 12 GP, 8 goals, 10 assists, 18 points, +9 rating, 12 PIMS, 33 shots
2nd Star: Cayden Primeau – Somewhat surprisingly, the Rocket went back to a platoon last month. But the extra rest didn’t seem to slow Primeau down as he was simply dominant in his limited action. He’s at the point where he’s showing he’s a bit too good to be in the AHL full-time but as we know, he has struggled when given NHL opportunities. It’s a hurdle not everyone clears but Primeau is certainly approaching that threshold.
Stats: 6 GP, 5-0-1 record, 1.16 GAA, .956 SV%
3rd Star: Alex Barre-Boulet – I’ve had the same general comment for most of the year. For someone who has been among the AHL’s top scorers at times, I thought there would be more flashes from him than he has had. But Barre-Boulet’s consistency has been quite impressive. We know that top scorers can often be streaky but he has been about as steady of a top liner as there can be, a trend that continued last month.
Stats: 12 GP, 7 goals, 5 assists, 12 points, +6 rating, 4 PIMS, 40 shots
Honourable Mention: Sean Farrell – What a turnaround. After being at the point of being unplayable for the first couple of months of the season, Farrell has become a fixture on the top line. He’s not the primary driver of that unit although that’s not his game; he has always been more of a complementary piece in the pros. I’d still like to see him shoot more but what he has been doing lately – and last month – has worked quite well.
Stats: 12 GP, 4 goals, 9 assists, 13 points, +2 rating, 4 PIMS, 21 shots
Other Prospects
Note that stats include any playoff play unless otherwise indicated.
1st Star: Jacob Fowler (Boston College, NCAA) – Like Primeau, his playing time was somewhat limited compared to the other prospects on the list. However, like Primeau, his play was dominant enough to land on the list. Fowler’s team couldn’t make it through to the Frozen Four but on the bright side, it allowed him to sign a little earlier and get to Laval.
Stats: 5 GP, 2-2-1 record, 1.20 GAA, .955 SV%
2nd Star: Oliver Kapanen (Timra, SHL) – Sometimes, players just need to have big minutes in order to bring out the best in them. He got that with Timra all season long and that continued to be the case in the playoffs. In doing so, he changed the original plan for him to go to Laval and earned a promotion back to Montreal. It was a bit of an up-and-down year overall but development-wise, there are definite signs of encouragement.
Stats: 11 GP, 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points, -2 rating, 10 PIMS
3rd Star: Ben Merrill (Penticton, BCHL) – It has not been a great year for Merrill at all. Production has been hard to come by and his lack of speed has stood out at times. However, he certainly finished the year strong, averaging a point per game while putting up a good showing in the playoffs. That’s at least something to build off of heading into next year when he’s expected to go to Harvard.
Stats: 8 GP, 3 goals, 5 assists, 8 points, 4 PIMS
Honourable Mention: Rasmus Bergqvist (Skelleftea, SWE J20) – When Skelleftea’s main team was eliminated, they sent the 2024 seventh rounder down and let’s just say he took advantage of the extra playing time and a chance to play a bigger offensive role. After managing just one point in 25 SHL games, Bergqvist played at nearly a point-per-game level last month, including the playoffs. It’s clear that offence won’t be his calling card if he makes it to North America but it’s encouraging to see him be more dominant against his age group.
Stats: 11 GP, 3 goals, 7 assists, 10 points, +11 rating, 8 PIMS (excludes SHL/Allsvenskan stats)
