Bryce Pickford Raises Concerns, Michael “Hobey” Hage and Zharovsky Disciplined
What about Bryce Pickford? Michael Hage is quickly climbing toward the top of the NCAA scoring race! And which performances are catching our attention among the Montreal Canadiens prospects? Here is your Habs Hebdo, the go-to reference to stay properly informed on the Canadiens’ prospects!
A Month on the Sidelines
to January 20, 2026. According to information circulating from a media outlet covering the team, the defenseman was expected to return to action in early February. However, we are monitoring the situation closely, and as of February 16, Bryce Pickford has yet to return. According to James Tubb, who covers the Tigers, Pickford had not skated as of February 3. Since then, there has been no mention of practice, and he remains out of the lineup.
The Tigers do not necessarily need to rush him back. With their playoff spot secured, they can afford to be patient. Still, it is concerning that a return was projected two weeks ago and now we are approaching an absence of nearly a month. The race for the WHL record for most goals by a defenseman is taking an unexpected turn, as Bryce Pickford had a legitimate chance to break a few marks along the way.
Michael Hage for the Hobey Baker?
Michael Hage is currently in contention to receive votes for the Hobey Baker Award. The Wolverines forward had another outstanding weekend, producing five points. Thanks to that excellent stretch, the Canadiens prospect now sits third in NCAA scoring, just one point behind his teammate T.J. Hughes. In first place is Ethan Wyttenbach. The 19-year-old forward playing at Quinnipiac University has recorded 51 points in 32 games.
Michael Hage should advance through the preliminary rounds and get very close to the final stage for college hockey’s player of the year honors. That said, the Hobey Baker criteria are not based solely on offensive production. Off-ice qualities and academic performance are also key factors.
It was a strong weekend against Penn State Nittany Lions and Gavin McKenna. The Wolverines won both games by scores of 5-4 and 6-3. In the second game, Hage’s ice time was limited to around 12 minutes compared to 19 minutes in the previous matchup.
Alexander Zharovsky Disciplined by His Coach
Is Alexander Zharovsky’s favorable ice time coming to an end? I don’t think there is any need to panic, as this is most likely an isolated case. In the February 16 game, he went from playing on the second line to seeing very limited ice time (likely even fourth-line usage). Several sequences showed a noticeable lack of effort. His involvement has not truly been deficient throughout the season, but questions can be raised about his motor and energy level. In this particular game, however, the mistakes were costly. He also finished the night with a misconduct penalty, remaining on the bench for a total of 12 minutes.
As a result, Zharovsky played only 10 minutes. It’s not dramatic. Salavat Yulaev Ufa struggled overall, and Zharovsky was no exception. His two-game point streak came to an end in a 4-0 loss to SKA Saint Petersburg.
CH Prospects in Brief
– Emmett Croteau (G) has returned to more typical performances. He seemed to have reclaimed the No. 1 role at Dartmouth, but in his February 13 and 14 games, the Canadiens prospect allowed four goals in each outing. He still picked up a win in the first game of the weekend but currently holds a save percentage below .900.
– A rough start as well for Alexis Cournoyer (G) on February 14 in net for Cornell in the NCAA. He allowed three goals on 16 shots in a 4-1 loss to Union. It seems Valentine’s Day was not kind to either goaltender.
– Quentin Miller (G) remains sidelined with a lower-body injury. He has not played since January 24.
– Is it the end for Riley Kidney (F)? The forward has not received a call-up from the Rocket in quite some time, despite recalls by the CH. The Canadiens prospect has 30 points in 43 games with the Lions de Trois-Rivières. At 22 years old, he is in the final year of his entry-level contract. I do not expect him to receive a qualifying offer, which would make him an unrestricted free agent.
– Bogdan Konyushkov (D) was discussed in a recent episode of the TSLH Podcast. His offensive production has been disappointing, and one of our listeners asked what was happening. The coaching change at Torpedo has altered the usage of certain young players. Previously, Konyushkov was playing between 24 and 30 minutes per game under Igor Larionov. Since Larionov’s departure, there has been a noticeable difference. The Canadiens prospect is now averaging 21 minutes per game. Considering he is not highly productive to begin with, that does not help.
– Rasmus Bergqvist (D) belongs to Skellefteå AIK in the SHL. However, due to limited roster space, he has been loaned to Östersunds IK in the Allsvenskan. This should certainly help his ice time, as Patrik Bexell pointed out.
– L.J. Mooney has been on an impressive run recently, and against strong competition. During a two-game set against the Wisconsin Badgers, Mooney totaled five points over the weekend. The following week, he added two more points against Ohio State Buckeyes. Over a four-game span in late January and early February, Mooney recorded seven points.
