Logan Sawyer: “I think I’m a steal for the Canadiens and I can’t wait to prove it.”

Logan Sawyer is the Canadiens’ most recent third-round selection. He agreed to discuss his decision to leave the BCHL early to join Providence College in the NCAA, the season he spent in Quebec during his teenage years, and his journey as a hockey player.

His former coach and general manager in Brooks, Ryan Papaioannou, as well as his future coach and general manager at Providence College, Nathan Leaman, were also interviewed about the Canadiens’ brand-new prospect.

Sawyer is an 18-year-old Ontario-native center who stands out on the ice for his creativity with the puck and ease on skates. This past season, he was considered one of Canada’s best Junior A players, racking up 78 points in 59 games with the Brooks Bandits in the AJHL/BCHL.His production earned him the attention of NHL scouts. Although most draft lists projected him to be selected between the 100th and 150th pick, the Canadiens set their sights on him with the 78th pick overall, to the surprise of many, but not to Sawyer himself.

Specifically targeted by the Habs

Sawyer admits the Habs showed strong interest in him throughout the entire season, engaging in frequent and in-depth discussions with him.

“I would say I spoke to Habs’ representative about half a dozen times this year,” says Ryan Papaioannou, head coach and general manager of the Bandits in the BCHL. “I could sense their genuine interest. They worked hard to get a full view of the player before making their selection.”

The 18-year-old never paid attention to the mock lists ahead of the draft, because, according to him, they are never reliable: “I know how good I am, and I know where I should’ve been drafted”.

“I think I’m a steal for the Canadiens and I can’t wait to prove it.” adds the Habs’ new prospect.

The behind-the-scenes video uploaded on YouTube by the Canadiens on Thursday reveals that the organization views the young center as a potential home run pick, with a very high offensive ceiling.

“He’s got the brain to be a top 6 forward in the NHL” even said Nick Bobrov, co-director of amateur scouting for Montreal, prior to the draft.

Player type

Sawyer compares his style of play to Trevor Zegras’ of the Anaheim Ducks, due to his creativity and hockey IQ. Ryan Papaionnou also highlights Sawyer’s thirst to find the back of the net as one of his greatest strengths and possibly the most underrated aspect of his game.

“I wouldn’t really want to be like Zegras, but that’s just me”, admits the Bandits’ head coach. “Logan still needs to work on his defensive game, but in my opinion, he should strive to become a more reliable player than Zegras on 200 feet.”

In fall, Sawyer will join the ranks of the Providence College Friars, under the direction of Nathan Leaman. The latter also led the American team to gold at the World Junior Hockey Championship in 2021. Trevor Zegras was named the tournament’s MVP thanks to his 18 points: the second most in the country’s history. Leaman jokes that, from his point of view, he wouldn’t mind if Sawyer followed Trevor Zegras’ footsteps as a hockey player. He also sees similarities between the two in terms of playstyle, although he admits that Zegras was a better player at the same age.

The Canadiens’ new prospect was still named playoffs’ MVP after leading Brooks to the BCHL championship last spring, racking up 15 points in 12 games.

“I’ve always loved playing in the big games. I love having pressure on me because that’s when I play my best.”

Decision to join the NCAA

As mentioned previously, Logan Sawyer will not be returning to Brooks next season. To the surprise of many, he recently announced that he would be joining Providence College in the NCAA, even though he was supposed to stay in the BCHL for one more season according to the terms of his contract.

Two years ago, the Canadiens’ prospect committed to joining Providence for the 2025-26 season. Nathan Leaman, who is also the general manager of the team, says that he was actively trying to convince the young center to commit to the team since the start of the pandemic in 2020.

Despite a very busy schedule, Leaman has closely monitored Sawyer’s development over the past few years, particularly during his most recent season in Brooks. “We kept a close eye on him. I spoke with him weekly and attended as many games as I could in person. I found his season to be very impressive,” notes the head coach.

Leaman decided to recommend that Sawyer make the jump to the NCAA in 2024-25 after meeting him in person at a hockey camp earlier this summer.

“The way he carried himself made a strong impression on me. I told Logan that if he attacked his freshman year in the NCAA the same way he attacked summer camp, he would be a very good player for us. His mentality and drive convinced me that this was the right move,” adds Leaman. He was also impressed by Sawyer’s hockey IQ and active stick during the games he attended in Brooks late in the season. These strengths addressed a specific need for Providence, according to the head coach.

As for Papaionnou, who also serves as the general manager of the Bandits, it’s fair to say he wasn’t a fan of the move: “It’s probably best that I keep my thoughts on this matter to myself”, said Papaioannou, when asked about his role and involvement in the discussions that led to Sawyer’s early departure to the NCAA.

According to Sawyer, the opportunity to make the jump to the NCAA was simply offered to him, and he couldn’t refuse it: “I believe that joining the NCAA is the best decision that any player can take. It quickly became the most competitive league for this age group,” he says. Despite his Ontario roots, Sawyer opted to forgo the Erie Otters, who had drafted him in the OHL, to maintain his NCAA eligibility.

The forward’s goal this season is to improve every day. He also admits to having set some goals on a personal level, but he emphasizes that these will never take precedence over the success of his team.

“We need to work on his physical strength. It will likely take him some time to adjust to this level of play,” admits his future head coach at Providence. “However, he’s the type of player who never looks back once he finds his groove.” Leaman intends to use Sawyer in an offensive role upon his debut in Providence.

The Quebec experience

Logan Sawyer took part in the Habs’ development camp in July, but it was not his first rodeo in Quebec. The Ontarian lived with a host family in the Estrie region during the 2022-23 season while playing for Stanstead College.

Sawyer, who learned French in elementary school, says he felt the strong passion Quebecers have for the Canadiens during his stay in Stanstead.

“I always knew Montreal was a city deeply passionate about hockey. I had the opportunity to attend a few Habs games during my time in Quebec, and I can’t wait to step onto the ice at the Bell Centre myself,” he says.