The Montreal Canadiens are the most successful franchise in NHL history, with their 24 Stanley Cups towering over everyone else. However, the last two years have not been kind to them.

After a shocking run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, Montreal has had back-to-back seasons in the league's basement. Additionally, the Canadiens' horrific injury luck has played a huge role in their decline, with key pieces of the cup run like Shea Weber and Carey Price likely never playing again. Like Icarus, the Habs flew close to the sun and fell hard back to Earth.

At the very least, Montreal has built up a strong prospect pool in recent years. Exact opinions may vary, but the consensus is that the Habs have a good or even great, set of prospects. If they continue to build up the farm system, they could be in a position to contend for a long time in the future.

With that said, here are three Canadiens prospects that fans should keep an eye on ahead of training camp.

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3. Filip Mesar, F

Many of Montreal's top prospects are, well, no longer prospects anymore due to spending extensive time in the NHL. However, there are still plenty of quality players waiting in the wings, and Mesar may be the best one upfront.

The 19-year-old from Slovakia was the No. 26 pick in last year's draft, although he has yet to make his NHL debut. Mesar spent this past season with the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL, recording 51 points (17 goals) in 52 games. He also played one game with the Laval Rocket, Montreal's AHL affiliate, although he was held scoreless.

At just 5-10 and 174 pounds, Mesar won't be winning any awards for his physicality any time soon. However, he still has time to bulk up and his production speaks for itself. He's likely a year or two from being a regular NHLer, but he's very much on the right track.

2. Lane Hutson, D

An 18-year-old from Michigan, Hutson was the No. 62 pick in last year's draft by the Canadiens. He spent last season with Boston University, and he led the team with 48 points (15 goals) in just 39 games. Keep in mind, he is a freshman defenseman and he led a team that made it to the Frozen Four in scoring. That's something special, and he should only get better in the coming years.

Hutson may be a ways away from making his NHL debut, and considering that he's currently just 5-9 and 158 pounds. However, he has a special skillset and figures to be a big piece of Montreal's future.

1. David Reinbacher, D

Reinbacher's time with the Canadiens did not get off to a great start. Price, who was announcing the pick at the NHL Entry Draft in June, blanked on his name at the podium, and Habs fans were less than thrilled with the selection. It seems that things have gotten better since then, which is great because Reinbacher is the most NHL-ready defenseman in the draft and a huge boost to Montreal's prospect pool.

An 18-year-old from Austria, Reinbacher spent the past year with EHC Kloten of the Swiss National League. The No. 5 overall pick put up 22 points (three goals) in 46 games, but more importantly, played over 20 minutes a game on the blue line. For someone at such a young age to play that many minutes on the back end is very impressive, and he still has room to grow.

Reinbacher already signed his entry-level contract on July 5, so he could theoretically start the season in the NHL. It's unlikely that he actually will, but regardless of when he comes over, he will have a big role in Montreal.