Memorial Cup showcases Canadian NHL teams' prospects

Several Canadian NHL teams are keeping a close eye on their prospects competing in the Memorial Cup in Windsor, Ont.

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The Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs and Winnipeg Jets are among the teams who have draftees playing prominent roles in the Canadian junior championship tournament, and it may only be a matter of time before those players find their way to an NHL roster.

Here's a look at those players:

Logan Brown

NHL team: Ottawa Senators

Junior team: Windsor Spitfires

Drafted: First round, 11th overall (2016)

At 6-foot-6, Brown is an imposing centreman, but he had a lot of trouble staying healthy in his post-draft year, with injuries to his hand and wrist limiting his season to only 35 games. Adding further disappointment to the season, he was cut from the U.S. junior team back in late December. When healthy, Brown had no trouble finding the net, notching 40 points in 35 games played. Brown had a goal and an assist through two games in the Memorial Cup tournament.

Jeremy Bracco

NHL team: Toronto Maple Leafs

Junior team: Windsor Spitfires

Drafted: Second round, 61st overall (2015)

Bracco joined the Spitfires midway through the season via a trade from Kitchener. Although his scoring dropped off after the trade, the winger has remained a dangerous option for Windsor on the power play as well as on the rush at 5-on-5. His skating, particularly his edge work, helps him create space and buys him time to use his impressive playmaking skills. In his first two games of the tournament, Bracco had two goals and two assists.

Thomas Chabot

NHL team: Ottawa Senators

Junior team: Saint John Sea Dogs

Drafted: First round, 18th overall (2015)

Chabot is another player who had his season shortened by injury, but still put up impressive numbers while in the lineup, scoring 45 points in 34 games as a defenceman. He added a goal and two assists in the first two games of the Memorial Cup. The Senators attempted to call him up to the NHL in early April, but league rules prevented him from joining the big club because St. John was already in the playoffs, and the situation did not qualify as an emergency by NHL standards.

Mikhail Sergachev

NHL team: Montreal Canadiens

Junior team: Windsor Spitfires

Drafted: First round, ninth overall (2016)

Sergachev has been the anchor of Windsor's blue-line all season, in every situation — at even strength, on the power play and the penalty kill. As a two-way defenceman, he can join the rush with smooth skating, but also display impressive strength while defending his zone, as well as show a knack for the subtler points of defending, such as stick placement on the penalty kill. If Sergachev is not on the Canadiens' starting roster next season, he will certainly have made it a difficult decision.

Logan Stanley

NHL team: Winnipeg Jets

Junior team: Saint John Sea Dogs

Drafted: First round, 18th overall (2016)

Although Stanley is not as much of a scorer as some of the other prospects on this list, his frame is a big story unto itself. Listed at 6-foot-7 and 231 pounds, Stanley is a bruising defender who has also missed his fair share of time this season following a surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee. In fact, he was only deemed fit to play a few days before the Memorial Cup began.

Other notable Canadian-team prospects

The Canadiens have two other prospects in the tournament who they have already signed to entry-level contracts: Windsor forward Jeremiah Addison and Saint John defeceman Simon Bourque. Both players are most likely to join Montreal's AHL affiliate next season, but will definitely still be looking to impress at the Memorial Cup.

Edmonton Oilers prospect Ethan Bear plays for the Seattle Thunderbirds and had a strong showing this season, but has yet to make his mark on the tournament.

Kyle Pettit of the Erie Otters is a Vancouver Canucks draft pick who earned an assist in Erie's first game, but was held off the scoresheet in his team's 12-5 drubbing of St. John.