LJ Mooney News: Upside play for Habs

Mooney was the 113th overall pick by Montreal in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.

A cousin of Utah's Logan Cooley, Mooney seems like the ultimate high-risk, high-reward prospect. His play in 2024-25 for the US NTDP was uneven, which has led to his stock declining from where it was a year ago. Mooney has top-six potential, but some scouts are worried his game won't translate to the next level. He's undersized at 5-foot-7 and about 160 pounds. Although he's willing to battle hard to generate scoring chances, you have to be an exceptionally talented offensive player to succeed in the NHL at that size. Mooney won't be heading to the University of Minnesota until the fall of 2026, so it's going to be awhile before we get a better read on his long-term potential.