Habs Hebdo: Sean Farrell’s comeback and a First Start for Quentin Miller !

Welcome to this new edition of the Habs Hebdo, your weekly column on the Montreal Canadiens’ prospects. For all previous columns: Habs Hebdo Section.

Sam Harris, Habs Prospect of the Week

Let’s start with the announcement of Sam Harris as the Prospect of the Week for the Montreal Canadiens. The Denver Pioneers forward had an impressive week with 4 goals and 1 assist in two games. Denver, ranked 8th in the nation according to the « Pairwise » standings, faced Arizona State twice this week. Arizona State is ranked 13th in the « Pairwise, » making for a fairly balanced matchup. In the first game, besides scoring a goal early in the 2nd period, Sam Harris also assisted on Aidan Thompson’s overtime goal. The assist was somewhat inconsequential since Harris simply passed the puck to a teammate before heading to the bench, with Thompson scoring afterward.

The next day, Harris had an excellent game, collecting three goals for the hat trick. Two of those goals came on the power play. Harris is so dominant with his shot that he’s a real threat in this aspect of the game. However, it wasn’t enough as Denver ended up losing in overtime. Harris now has 28 points, including 19 goals, in 27 games. He remains the leader in goals for his team and is ranked 5th in the NCAA behind Jimmy Snuggerud, Aiden Fink, Isaac Howard, and Ryan Leonard.

Sean Farrell’s comeback ?

« Sean is playing great hockey. His shot is powerful and accurate, but it’s more than that. He positions himself well defensively and uses his stick effectively. When he has the puck, he has good vision. I really like what I’m seeing from him, and we’ve been saying this for a while now. Recently, he’s been producing offensively, and I’m happy for him.« 

These are some comments collected by Simon Servant of the Canadian Press after Friday’s game against the Marlies. Following the game, there was a celebration not only for the Rocket’s victory, which propelled the team to first place in the AHL, but also for Sean Farrell’s first career hat trick. Things are slowly coming together for the Habs’ prospect. After a tough start to the season where he was often absent from the scoresheet, Farrell has regained his touch in recent times. The American forward has accumulated 13 points in his last 17 games.

His lethargy was certainly concerning, but Sean Farrell never stopped working on other aspects of his game. And honestly, if you follow the Rocket regularly, you’ll see that Farrell had his share of bad luck during some games. Disallowed goals, crossbars, missed opportunities… It’s not like Farrell was a liability for the team. After the game, the small forward preferred to credit his teammates for his three goals. A great attitude for someone who now has 15 points in 40 games.

A First Start for Quentin Miller!

Although he may have changed leagues, Quentin Miller is still a Habs prospect! The 20-year-old goalie had to find a Plan B as his return to action approached. Rimouski had replaced Miller on its roster, and there was no room for an additional 20-year-old player. The Habs prospect underwent shoulder surgery earlier in the season. So, a 20-year-old who had a major surgery at the start of the year wasn’t exactly appealing on the trade market. Rimouski therefore released him so Miller could play in the BCHL.

It was initially stated that Miller would miss six months, but five months later, he made his first start of the season with the Chilliwack Chiefs in the BCHL. Of the 19 shots he faced, Miller only conceded one goal. It wasn’t an easy test for him, as his team, 4th in the standings, faced the Surrey Eagles, ranked 5th. Miller moved well and remained calm in front of his net, something the commentators also noted. This was still his first start since Canadiens training camp.

FLASH NEWS

– Jacob Fowler was the starter against Northeastern in the opening game of the Beanpot tournament. Tested from long range and with very little danger, Fowler had no trouble defeating the Huskies, allowing only two goals on a total of 28 shots. Later in the week, Fowler had a mediocre game, although he earned the win against New Hampshire. Boston College will face Boston University in the Beanpot final this Monday.

– As reported by Patrik Bexell this week, Rasmus Bergqvist is now playing in the Hockey Allsvenskan to get more ice time. We’ll see if his offensive contribution increases in this weaker league compared to the SHL. He will be playing for Sodertalje.

– Joshua Roy returned to action for the Rocket but was unable to register a point during the week. However, after the game against the Marlies on Friday, the Quebecer felt he had played well alongside Lucas Condotta and Rafael Harvey-Pinard.

– Florian Xhekaj has been standing out for the Rocket in recent games, and he’s been getting more responsibilities, especially since Luke Tuch’s injury. Arber’s younger brother stood out in a fight against the Marlies and ended the week with two more points on his tally.

Statistics collected from February 3, 2025, to February 9, 2025, inclusive.

GOALIES