CHL Prospect Pipeline: Montreal Canadiens

CHL Prospect Pipeline highlights those who played in 2023-24, who were born in 2004 or later, and are signed by or on the reserve list of an NHL club. Players who played NHL games in 2023-24 and were not returned to their CHL club are not considered.

Owen Beck (F) — Saginaw Spirit
Acquired: 2022 NHL Draft (33rd overall)
CHL career stats: 185GP | 79G | 119A | 198PTS
Signed: Yes

Acquired from Peterborough at the OHL Trade Deadline to help lead Saginaw to a Memorial Cup title, Beck did just that last season. With the Spirit he 18 goals and 51 points in 32 games before he contributed 14 points in the postseason as the Spirit advanced to the Western Conference Championship Series. At the 2024 Memorial Cup presented by Dow, the 20-year-old scored four times in five games as the hosts claimed its first title. Beck was subsequently named to the tournament’s All-Star Team.

In all, Beck had a career high 34 goals and 81 points in 2023-24 while his 58.5 per cent success rate in the faceoff circle was the second best among OHL players who took at least 1,000 draws.

An OHL champion in 2023 with the Petes, Beck represented Canada at the 2024 World Juniors and owned the tournament’s best faceoff percentage at 69.2. Beck has also made his NHL debut after he suited up with the Habs Jan. 28, 2023.

OWEN. BECK. AGAIN. #MemorialCup | #GoHabsGo https://t.co/A1UNOjEs5U pic.twitter.com/5oE4LDZE0C

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) June 3, 2024

Filip Mesar (F) — Kitchener Rangers
Acquired: 2022 NHL Draft (26th overall)
CHL career stats: 97GP | 36G | 67A | 103PTS
Signed: Yes

Mesar’s second OHL season saw him establish new career highs in goals (19) and points (52) all while playing in only 45 games. In the playoffs, he had 15 assists in just 10 games. Mesar represented his native Slovakia for a third time at the 2024 World Juniors where he tallied nine points (two goals) in five games.

Quentin Miller (G) — Rimouski Oceanic
Acquired: 2023 NHL Draft (128th overall)
CHL career stats: 62GP | 36-21-1 | 2.64 GAA | .908 save percentage
Signed: No

Miller lined up 27 times with the Remparts to start the 2023-24 season before he was acquired by the Oceanic at the QMJHL Trade Deadline with an eye on him being their starting goaltender as hosts of the 2025 Memorial Cup. With the Oceanic, he went 10-4-0 with a .917 save percentage in 15 appearances. Miller was part of the Remparts’ Gilles-Courteau Trophy and Memorial Cup winning team in 2023.

Owen Protz (D) — Brantford Bulldogs
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (102nd overall)
CHL career stats: 67GP | 3G | 16A | 19PTS
Signed: No

Protz split 2023-24 between Sudbury and Brantford with the latter acquiring the d-man at the OHL Trade Deadline. In his rookie campaign, he contributed 19 points in 66 contests and added two assists in six postseason contests with the Bulldogs.

Tyler Thorpe (F) — Vancouver Giants
Acquired: 2024 NHL Draft (130th overall)
CHL career stats: 99GP | 27G | 23A | 50PTS
Signed: No

Thorpe’s second WHL season saw him finish third in goals (23) and fourth in points (44) among Giants skaters, both of which were new career highs. Undrafted into the WHL, Thorpe was chosen by Montreal in his second NHL Draft.

Florian Xhekaj (F) — Brantford Bulldogs
Acquired: 2023 NHL Draft (101st overall)
CHL career stats: 131GP | 47G | 43A | 90PTS
Signed: Yes

In his second OHL season, Xhekaj finished third in Bulldogs scoring with a career high 65 points. His 34 goals were also a new personal best while he registered a +17 rating. After a six-game postseason appearance, the 20-year-old finished the season in the AHL with the Laval Rocket where he played three games.