There’s nothing quite like a fast start to change a young player’s outlook, and for Montreal Canadiens prospect Bryce Pickford, his early season in the WHL is doing exactly that.
The 2025 third-round pick is off to a blistering opening stretch with the Medicine Hat Tigers, the kind that makes even casual fans sit up and wonder if Montreal might have found something special. Through his first 11 games, Pickford has registered seven goals and four assists — production that jumps off the page for a defenseman.
One of those goals, described by All Habs as “Patrik Laine-style,” came off a rocket one-timer that showcased both his confidence and his willingness to push the pace. He’s averaging close to eight shots per game, which speaks to how often he’s in the mix offensively.
In a league where most young defenders are still learning when to join the rush, Pickford looks like someone who has already figured out how to drive it.
Bryce Pickford Opens Eyes With Seven Goals in First 11 WHL Games
For the Canadiens, that kind of start is more than just a feel-good story. It matters because Pickford brings the exact profile every organization covets: a right-shot defenseman who can skate, move the puck, and generate offense without sacrificing structure.
Montreal took the 19-year-old 81st overall in the 2025 draft, a selection that drew modest attention at the time. But within the Canadiens’ development circle, there was quiet optimism that Pickford’s upward curve could continue. What he’s doing now in Medicine Hat is validating that belief.
Scouts have long praised Pickford’s first pass and his ability to transition quickly out of his own zone. He activates naturally off the blue line, uses his frame effectively, and doesn’t shy from making plays under pressure.
The consistency of his early-season production suggests that his offensive instincts are genuine, not just the product of a hot streak. His growing confidence with the puck has allowed him to dictate play, and it’s that assertiveness — rather than any single highlight-reel goal — that has Canadiens staff most encouraged.
Still, Pickford is not a finished product. His defensive reads can lag when he’s pressing offensively, and his gap control remains a work in progress. He’ll need to keep refining those habits as he matures physically and faces stronger opponents. That said, his awareness and compete level appear to be catching up to his offensive instincts, which is exactly what development coaches want to see at this stage.
Montreal Canadiens Prospect Bryce Pickford Has Impactful Skills
What separates Pickford from many mid-round picks is that he already looks like a player who knows how to impact games. His confidence, shot volume, and movement with and without the puck all point to someone who is thinking the game at a high level. More importantly, he seems to play with the kind of conviction that can’t be coached. There’s an energy to his game that carries through shifts — a sense that he wants to be involved every time he’s on the ice.
For a Canadiens organization still shaping its next competitive core, that kind of mentality carries weight. Montreal has drafted heavily on character and compete in recent years, and Pickford fits the mold perfectly. He doesn’t need to become a headline name to matter; he just needs to continue being the kind of player who makes the team around him better.
The next few months will be telling. If Pickford can sustain this offensive pace while tightening his play in his own end, he’ll move up Montreal’s internal depth chart in a hurry. There’s no rush — the Canadiens will let his development unfold naturally — but it’s clear that he’s forcing his way into the conversation sooner than expected.
Bryce Pickford may still be a few years away from pulling on a Canadiens sweater, but his start in Medicine Hat has made one thing clear: he’s not just another name in the system. If his trajectory holds, Montreal may have found a rare thing — a third-round pick who doesn’t just fill space on a depth chart, but one who could eventually shape games that matter.
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