Top 30 Prospects: #15-11

Welcome back to my rankings of the Montreal Canadiens’ top 30 prospects. This is part five of seven, which will cover prospects ranked 15-11. It’s important to keep in mind that this is entirely my opinion and I am not a scout. In many cases, the difference between two prospects is minimal. The season breakdown and talent analysis for each prospect is meant to be as concise as possible, while still maintaining a high level of detail and information. Each profile will also be accompanied by a explanation ranking, in efforts to provide a fair and objective rationale behind my ranking.

Series Navigation:

Introduction and Honourable Mentions

#30-26

#25-21

#20-16

#15-11

#10-6

#5-1

15) Dustin Tokarski

Acquired via trade with Tampa Bay (February 14, 2012)

G | 5’11” 198 | Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL)

Stats: 41GP 20W 16L 3SOL, .919 SV%, 2.38 GAA

Tokarski was finally given the keys to the crease in Hamilton after splitting starter’s duties with Robert Mayer for the first half. Tokarski was named one of two goaltenders to the AHL All-Star Classic and was arguably the ‘Dogs best player. Tokarski then made himself known around the hockey community (again) following a tremendous performance in the playoffs once Carey Price went down. Tokarski continued to be his steady self and appears ready to become an NHLer.

What Tokarski lacks in size, he makes up in technical ability. Tokarski is a fantastic technical goaltender and rarely makes a mistake. Despite standing at just 5’11”, it’s hard to beat Tokarski up high, because he aggressively challenges shooters and reads them incredibly well. His angles are fantastic, he doesn’t get caught out of his crease too far. Tokarski possesses an excellent blocker side, as well as glove hand. Tokarski’s technical flaws are very limited and there has been continual improvement in that area. He has the ability to make incredible stops and flash the leather. Tokarski’s five-hole is the most glaring flaw at this point, but he closes it quite quickly.

Despite his incredible technique, it’s his poise and mentality that make him special. Tokarski never seems phased. He has the rare knack of being able to rebound from a costly mistake. Tokarski rarely loses focus, even while facing shots. On breakaways and odd man rushes, Tokarski’s patience and poise allows him to make more saves than most goaltenders. Strangely enough, that poise doesn’t translate to the shootout, where he struggles quite a bit. Those struggles aren’t limited to just one area either, he gets beat all over the place.

Tokarski is not the best puckhandler. In fact, he rarely ventures out and when he does good things typically don’t happen. Additionally, Tokarski doesn’t have an incredible level of athleticism, which, when combined with his below-average frame, is quite concerning. Sometimes he isn’t able to get across and make a save that bigger, more athletic goaltenders would. Describing Tokarski as a hard worker is an understatement, but there’s no denying those two things are very concerning.

Tokarski brings an excellent technical game with outstanding poise. The lack of size and elite-level athleticism are concerning, but he appears to have the mentality to overcome them. Tokarski could possibly be Price’s back up next season.

Ranking Explanation: Tokarski’s track record and ability obviously propels him way ahead of Mike Condon and Hayden Hawkey. Although he’s much closer to reaching the NHL than most, if not all of the prospects on this list, I have a tough time seeing him as anything more than a good back up. Factor in the wild variance among goaltenders (which admittedly I don’t see as a glaring problem with Tokarski) and I find it tough to justify him any higher. Ultimately, that’s what keeps him from being higher.

14) Tim Bozon

Drafted: 64th, 3rd, 2012

LW | 6’01” 198 | Kootenay Ice (WHL)

Regular Season: 63GP 33G 36A 69P

Bozon’s post-draft campaign was a good one, but one that saw little progression. This past year, Bozon got off to a terrible start and was eventually shipped to the Kootenay Ice. Bozon managed to find his game and posted two incredible months of hockey. Bozon was playing the best hockey of his WHL career and finally appeared to have taken the next step. He improved every aspect of his game and even added some sandpaper. Unfortunately, he fell ill with a life-threatening case of meningitis. Bozon’s journey to get back on track has been nothing short of incredible.

Bozon’s best asset is his ability to score goals. He’s primarily a finisher around the net, owning soft hands and an incredible release. Bozon excels at slipping away from defenders and getting himself open for an easy goal. Despite being a tremendous finisher around the net, some games he appears too timid to venture there. An accurate shot and a quick release allow him to be a long-range threat; however, an inconsistent amount of power detracts from his overall shooting ability. There has been progression in that regard, especially in the last two months of the season. Bozon is an excellent, sometimes flashy stickhandler who plays a slippery style. He doesn’t use his hands enough, but he definitely owns the ability to make highlight reel dangles.

The area that Bozon has seen the most improvement in since draft day is playmaking. Previously, he lacked in the vision department and often just threw the puck away. Now, Bozon is an above-average playmaker off the rush and connects with his passes more often than not. Down low, he’s still primarily a goal-scorer, but the added vision is a plus. Bozon’s skating is above-average, too. He doesn’t possess an explosive stride or breakaway speed, but he’s quite deceptive and agile. Off the rush, he’s quite hard to predict due to his agility, shot, and improved playmaking ability.

As mentioned, Bozon began to add some grit to his game this past season. He started throwing his weight around more and was quite engaged in the forecheck. There still were lapses of focus though, especially in his own zone. He’s not a particularly smart defensive player, which really hurts him in sustained pressure situations. Too often he gets caught standing in no man’s land, completely eliminating himself from the play. Additionally, he’s not as dedicated on the backcheck as he is on the forecheck and trails the play too often.

There’s much to like about Bozon’s game; however, there’s much to dislike, too. Bozon has really only “dominated” the WHL for three months in his three-year career, and he was the go-to-guy on his line for not even two of those months. Furthermore, he doesn’t own the high-end shooting ability or the willingness to battle it out down low to score that most NHL snipers do. With that said, Bozon’s improvements in other areas, such as playmaking, make an appealing prospect. Next year it will extremely interesting to see where Bozon ends up. Obviously, pro is the goal.

Ranking Explanation: It’s worth reiterating that Bozon’s illness was not taken into consideration. The fact remains that Bozon has never really been the go-to guy on his team. Even when he was carrying a line in the final two months, he wasn’t playing against top opposition. Bozon’s best asset is his goal-scoring, but he doesn’t have consistent willingness to battle down low or a high-end shot. Those factors hold him back from being a top ten prospect. He has the production, but he falls too much into the category of a player who produces in junior but doesn’t amount to anything at the NHL level. With that said, his track record is far more proven than Daniel Audette and he brings a more well-rounded offensive tool kit than Christian Thomas, which pushes him ahead.

13) Jeremy Grégoire

Drafted: 176th, 6th, 2013

RW/C | 6’00” 190 | Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)

Regular Season: 65GP 35G 34A 69P | Playoffs: 22GP 9G 14A 23P

There isn’t a prospect in the organization that has improved more over the past two seasons than Grégoire. With the help of orthotics and an improved stride, Grégoire went from an awful skater to an above-average one. Grégoire also improved his shot, playmaking, and hands, while continuing to play his intense, gritty style. Grégoire’s non-stop motor made him a tremendous threat at both ends of the ice.

As mentioned, Grégoire possesses incredible work ethic. Few players compete like he does and even fewer do it at a consistent basis. Grégoire’s intensity allows him to draw penalties, as he gets under the skin of the opposition by simply out-working them. His newly-found skating ability allows him to be consistently engaged in the play. He’s a terrific forechecker, combining speed, anticipation, and a relentless motor to create turnovers. He’s equally as good on the backcheck and owns a two-way game that among tops in the prospect pool. He’s an aggressive defender, who wins more battles than he loses. Grégoire is also a hard-hitter, particularly along the boards, but he needs to due it with more regularity.

Apart from his intensity, Grégoire’s best asset is his hockey sense. He thinks the game at a high level and rarely makes a mistake. His positioning and awareness are fantastic, and he is noticeably smarter than most of his opponents. It’s uncommon to see him turn the puck over. Grégoire’s shot selection is fantastic–he doesn’t just shoot to score. Additionally, Grégoire has good and continually improving vision. He makes smart, quick passes, and occasionally mixes in one of high difficulty, really making you wonder if he’s just begun to scratch the surface of his potential.

Grégoire’s improving skill level has been key in his tremendous development curve. Two seasons ago, his hands were quite clunky, and they still are. But now, they’re much quicker, making him hard to contain. He combines his work ethic with tremendous body positioning and awareness to become a solid puck possession player. He protects the puck well and loves to drive the net while in possession. Grégoire’s hand-eye coordination and shot are well above-average. Grégoire’s now a threat to score all over the ice. Redirections, garbage goals, sneaky short side shots, long-range snipes–you name, he can do it. That progression was arguably the biggest reason for his goal-scoring surge in the final two months of the regular season. The progression is encouraging, but he must continue to improve his skill level.

Simply put, Grégoire is a warrior. His compete level is rare, as is his defensive game. He’s also emerged as a quality goal-scorer and playmaker. He’s really just starting to scratch the surface of his potential. With his work ethic, he seems to be a player who could push all aspects of his game to the next level. Which, ultimately, could make the different between becoming an excellent fourth liner and an excellent third liner.

Ranking Explanation: I know, it probably seems quite hypocritical to have Grégoire this high on a list where upside is the biggest factor. However, I don’t see Grégoire’s upside being significantly lower than Daniel Audette, Tim Bozon, or Christian Thomas’. It’s really comparing an above-average third line player to players who aren’t quite good enough to become a legitimate top-six threats. The fact that I believe Grégoire is more than likely going to be an NHL (something that can be said about very few players), it pushes him above them. Daniel Carr has a similar level of upside, but Grégoire’s relentless style makes him more likely to fulfil that upside.

12) Charles Hudon

Drafted: 122nd, 5th, 2012

LW | 5’10” 184 | Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)

Regular Season: 57GP 26G 50A 76P | Playoffs: 22GP 10G 11A 21P

After an incredible 2012-2013 season, it appeared Hudon would become one of the QMJHL’s top offensive threats this past year. However, that didn’t happen, and in many areas Hudon regressed as a player. Hudon set career-highs in assists and points, but relied heavily on the powerplay to rack up the points and was often invisible. Hudon had a fairly good playoff run, but one that was marred with inconsistency. Hudon, simply put, didn’t look like the same player. He looked like the Hudon of 2011-2012–talented, but inconsistent, sometimes lazy, and certainly not nearly as dynamic.

Despite the less than stellar year, Hudon has plenty of tools to work with. Hudon thinks the game at an incredible level. His positioning, vision, and awareness are all off-the-charts. He connects with passes of high difficulty consistently. He plays the point on the powerplay, where he excels as he combines quick decision-making and vision. He’s an exceptionally creative player off the rush and down low–he creates chances that few players do–and has the player to slow the play down and draw defenders towards him. He has a tendency to be a tad selfish with the puck, but there’s no doubt that his decision-making is fantastic.

Hudon’s physical tools are quite good, but he’s obviously lacking in size. He’s battled injury troubles (which very well could be the reasoning for this year) and gets pushed off the puck far too easily. However, Hudon possesses excellent hands, especially in tight. He’s not overly fancy and rarely turns the puck over. Around the net, he’s a good finisher because of soft hands, a quick release, a willingness to battle it out. Hudon’s shot is quite good, especially his accuracy. He has added quite a bit of power behind his shot, but improvement in that area is necessary. Skating is the weak link for Hudon. It’s not bad by any means, but it certainly isn’t great. He’s a fast straight line skater, but he skates a little too hunched over, limiting his agility. Compared to other undersized players, he’s not particularly shifty or explosive. Improving his skating is a must.

Hudon’s defensive game is really hit or miss, and this year, it was mostly miss. In 2012-2013, Hudon was an aggressive defender. Often the first man back and was heavily engaged in the play. He aggressively attacked the points and consistently created turnovers. His combination of hockey sense, anticipation, and aggressiveness made him a fantastic penalty killer; however, he was rarely used on the PK this past season. He wasn’t as aggressive and relied too heavily on anticipating the play. Additionally, he didn’t backcheck as much, and to be completely honest, he looked disengaged far too often. Hudon has also shown the ability to be an agitator, but for much of the season, that was largely absent.

Ultimately, with Hudon the issues go beyond injuries and his less than impressive skating ability for his size. For me, the biggest issue is his wavering compete level. Which Hudon is the one to expect next year with the Bulldogs? The one from 2012-2013 or the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 one? The former is an excellent prospect, the latter not so much. Next year should be very telling.

Ranking Explanation: If Hudon played at, or exceeded the level that he played at two seasons ago, he would be an easy top ten prospect. However, the fact is this year’s Hudon was a strikingly similar to the Hudon that slipped from a potential first-round pick to a fifth rounder. There’s no denying his tools, and that’s what gives him the #12 spot. Hudon’s two-way game and equally as high skill level give him the edge over Tim Bozon. Compared to Jeremy Grégoire, Hudon’s upside is simply too much to pass up. That same upside gives him the edge over Dustin Tokarski, who I estimate his potential is around a back-up keeper.

11) Greg Pateryn

Acquired via trade with Toronto (July 3rd, 2008)

D 6’02” 219 Hamilton Bulldogs (AHL)

Regular Season: 68GP 15G 19A 34P

When Pateryn turned pro, there were questions about his offensive upside. For the second straight season, Pateryn put those concerns to rest. This time scoring the same amount of goals as his second highest point total at the University of Michigan. Pateryn’s decision-making improved considerably and was rock solid for the Bulldogs from start to finish.

Pateryn has an absolute cannon of a shot. He loves to wind up from the point and hammer the puck past the goaltender. He never passes up a shooting lane and does an admirable job of keeping his shots low and hard. Pateryn has more tools than just a shot, though. He makes a solid outlet pass and in the offensive zone he distributes the puck quite well. He’s an average puckhandler, but his offensive instincts allow to be an offensive threat. He rarely makes a bad pinch and has the rarely ability to hold the blue line with ease. Pateryn’s average foot speed and four-way mobility hurt him offensively, as many of his mistakes occur when his feet simply don’t allow him to get to an area.

Defensively, Pateryn is well above-average. He’s a no-nonsense type of defender who doesn’t back down from anyone. More consistency in his physical game would be nice, but the flashes of meanness are quite special. He can be a devastating open-ice hitter and quite mean along the boards. Also, he clears the crease effectively. Pateryn’s hockey sense allows him to be a fantastic defender in sustained pressure scenarios. He’s able to shut forwards down and quickly move the puck out of the zone. Some games, he’s too much of an “off the glass and out” defender, but for the most part he gets the job done. He’s a hard worker, who always tries to engage all over the ice.

As mentioned, Pateryn’s skating needs to be improved. He’s a bit lumbering and lacks lateral agility. He gets beat by fast forwards too easily, but over the course of the year he got better at forcing them to the outside. He loses quite a few footraces, but he’s become better at using his body to prevent forwards from getting there first. His puck moving ability isn’t anything to write home about and often refrains from it, instead passing the puck. Pateryn’s biggest problem defensively is with the puck on his stick. He plays above his skill level too often and it almost always results in a turnover. These brain cramps are crippling and are what could hold him back from becoming an NHLer.

Pateryn isn’t a flashy player, but he gets the job done. His style of play is definitely suited for the NHL. He has the ability to play both the powerplay and penalty kill. There’s still work to be done, but he’s very close to becoming an NHLer. Pateryn should compete for a spot out of camp, but I think he’s more likely to return to Hamilton, where he could be reunited with former defensive partner, Mac Bennett.

Ranking Explanation: By my estimation, Pateryn is among the Habs most NHL-ready prospects. I see his upside being equal to that of Mac Bennett and Darren Dietz. What pushes Pateryn ahead of them is his fantastic play since turning professional. He’s been absolutely outstanding and experienced a better developmental year than Bennett and Dietz. Pateryn could be a good second pairing defender (probably a #4), which is at least equal to the upside that Tim Bozon, Jeremy Grégoire, and Charles Hudon have. When Pateryn’s NHL-readiness is factored in, it becomes a clear decision for me.

Check back soon for prospects ranked #10-6!