2026 Canadiens Top 25 Under 25: #16 L.J. Mooney
Introduction
When the Montreal Canadiens selected L.J. Mooney in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL Draft, the immediate reaction was predictable. He was too small. He’s not strong enough. He’s Cole Caufield-lite, without the pedigree. The Habs don’t need more smallish forwards.
He quieted a lot of that criticism with his first season in the NCAA, putting up 30 points in 34 games as a freshman.
At 5’8″, Mooney falls well outside the physical profile NHL organizations have historically preferred. For many teams, his size alone was enough to remove him from draft consideration much earlier than his skill level warranted.
What Montreal identified was one of the most creative and dynamic offensive players in his draft class, one who consistently produced offence against older competition. That combination of elite offensive instincts and exceptional competitiveness explains why numerous scouts considered him one of the biggest value selections last year.
Voting
Four of the nine panellists had him at 16th, with a couple of placements above and below. I personally had him at 15, and I believe this ranking is a fair assessment of where his play slots him.
A tight range is also found among the community vote, with no one placing him among the very best players in the organization, but most feeling he deserves to be in this middle tier of high-potential players.
Top 25 Under 25 History
Mooney made the fourth-highest debut from a fourth-rounder the project has seen when he came in at 21st last year. His quality was apparent after getting drafted, and it was further proven on the collegiate stage.
History of #16
| Year | #16 |
|---|---|
| 2026 | L.J. Mooney |
| 2025 | Adam Engström |
| 2024 | Adam Engström |
| 2023 | Logan Mailloux |
| 2022 | Mattias Norlinder |
| 2021 | Oliver Kapanen |
| 2020 | Jordan Harris |
| 2019 | Mattias Norlinder |
| 2018 | Josh Brook |
| 2017 | Jake Evans |
| 2016 | Charlie Lindgren |
| 2015 | Daniel Carr |
| 2014 | Greg Pateryn |
| 2013 | Morgan Ellis |
| 2012 | Dalton Thrower |
| 2011 | Brock Trotter |
| 2010 | Aaron Palushaj |
Strengths
Mooney’s greatest asset isn’t his skating. It isn’t his shot. It isn’t even his puck-handling. It’s his brain. He sees plays develop before most players recognize them. His anticipation allows him to identify passing lanes that other players miss entirely. He understands spacing exceptionally well and consistently positions himself in areas where he can influence the play.
His offensive processing speed compensates for his size disadvantage, and that is an essential trait. The NHL has become increasingly dependent on decision-making speed. Players who consistently make the correct read can survive despite physical limitations, and Mooney’s intelligence gives him a legitimate chance.
One of the most encouraging aspects of Mooney’s game is his compete level. He doesn’t play cautiously or avoid difficult areas. He attacks at full speed, all the time.
His puck-handling ability immediately jumps off the screen, controlling the puck extremely well while moving at full speed. He can attack defenders one-on-one and create separation in confined spaces. His hands allow him to change direction quickly and extend offensive possessions. All of that while maintaining possession through contact, which is particularly important because smaller players don’t have the luxury of simply protecting the puck with their frame. They must protect it with their hands, and Mooney understands that.
He doesn’t play a straight-line game. He thrives in chaos, which I believe might be a reason why traditional evaluations can sometimes fail to capture his value. His best plays aren’t necessarily the ones that appear on the scoresheet; they’re the subtle touches that create time and space for everyone around him.
Weaknesses
Despite everything he does to counter it, there’s is no point avoiding the obvious concern, and that is his size. It will define his evaluation until he reaches the NHL. Standing at 5’8″, every aspect of his game will be examined more critically. Can he withstand NHL physicality? Can he win battles along the boards? Can he create offence against larger defenders? Can he remain healthy?
These are legitimate concerns. There are very few players of his stature in today’s NHL. That doesn’t mean success is impossible, it just means the margin for error is extremely small. Mooney will have to overcome much more than the usual prospect would have to.
His defensive game is probably the least-developed area of his play. He currently relies more on anticipation and pressure than on physical engagement and proper positioning. Fortunately, defensive habits can be taught, and his hockey IQ should help accelerate that development. The encouraging sign is that his work ethic has never been questioned, and players who consistently compete tend to improve defensively as they mature. His strength will need to improve as he matures physically. Adding muscle won’t change his height, but it can change his ability to absorb contact and battle for pucks.
Projection
Every NHL draft has a handful of players who become lightning rods for debate. L.J. Mooney was one of them. Some scouts viewed him as a first- or second-round talent whose size impacted his draft stock. Others believed his physical limitations created too much uncertainty to justify a selection.
Mooney probably has one of the widest ranges of possible outcomes among Montreal’s forward prospects. His floor is an elite AHL offensive player. His ceiling, if every single thing goes well, is a top-six offensive catalyst capable of producing 60-plus points. A likely outcome would be a middle-six playmaking NHL forward who creates offence through speed and intelligence.
Cole Caufield and Lane Hutson demonstrated that smaller players can thrive when their offensive tools are elite. That doesn’t mean Mooney projects to become the next player of that calibre, but it does explain why Montreal was comfortable betting on his skill.
Montreal swung for the fences with the Mooney pick. That’s usually a good thing to try in the fourth round, because safe players selected in that range rarely become impact NHL players. Mooney offers something different. He possesses a genuinely elite offensive toolkit. The risk is obvious, but so is the upside. If his offensive skill successfully translates, Montreal may have found one of the steals of the 2026 draft.
