After starting my Montreal Canadiens prospects countdown with forwards, today marks the beginning of my series on defensemen, which I will cover over the next few days. The #6 best prospect for the Habs is defenseman Bryce Pickford. The captain of the Medicine Hat Tigers has been having a historic season as he continues to chase down the goal-scoring record for not only the WHL but also all 3 junior leagues in the CHL. So far this season, Pickford has 33 goals in 42 games; however, he has been out with an upper-body injury since January 20th, which may be the reason why he won’t become the first CHL defenseman to reach 50 goals in a season (Troy Mick had 60 goals twice while playing both forward and defenseman, which disqualifies him for the CHL official record).
Junior hockey defending here, but Bryce Pickford (MTL) is on pace for 54 goals in 68 games as a defenseman.
A defenseman hasn’t won CHL Player of the Year since Ryan Ellis 15 years ago, but I do wonder if he keeps it up… https://t.co/xIGi4exz9N
— Scott Wheeler (@scottcwheeler) December 14, 2025
Pickford has clearly shown signs that he can be a dangerous goal-scoring defenseman, which will remain to be seen at the pro level when he makes his debut in the AHL either at the end of the season or the start of next year, depending on how far he can take the Tigers in the WHL playoffs. With his goal-scoring ability, he can easily help his team win a few rounds and compete to head back to the Memorial Cup again.
Despite his injury, he should still manage to score 40+ goals, as he should be returning to action very soon. The fact is that almost unheard of from a defenseman in today’s game, meaning the Habs look as if they have gotten themselves a serious gem in the 3rd round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. It should be noted he was drafted as a 19-year-old overager, and oftentimes we should take what a player does in their age 19-20 season with a grain of salt, according to what Simon “the Snake” Boisvert has mentioned in the past; however, what Pickford is doing is something that we haven’t seen before. He was on pace to lead the entire WHL in goals as a defenseman.
🐅 GRAB THAT RECORD SETTING PUCK!!! 🐅
Bryce Pickford scores his 33rd goal of the season, setting a new WHL record for goals by a defenceman in a single season during the internet era! 🚨🐅#GoHabsGo | @CanadiensMTL pic.twitter.com/gCJOnL2K6Z
— Medicine Hat Tigers (@tigershockey) January 17, 2026
The injury really hurts his ability to lead the league in goals, but he should finish among the top 5 in the league when all is said and done. As it stands, even with missing 9 games this season, he is 3 goals off the league lead and is currently sitting in 4th. If he does come back in the next game and goes back to the same scoring pace, he could still potentially catch up to them. He is also 9 goals off the all-time record by a defenseman in the CHL ( WHL, OHL, QJMHL).
On top of his clear shooting ability, Pickford is a decent defenseman in his own end, as he’s able to fill the lanes and block shots, making him more than just a power play specialist. While he can be more physical at times, he is able to hold his own and rarely costs his team with bad turnovers.
It’s only a matter of time before we see if he can translate more than just his elite shooting ability to the NHL level. As of now, Pickford looks like he can be a 4th or 5th D on a good contending team when he reaches his potential, but because it’s a big progression in a slightly watered-down WHL season, thanks to many top players opting for the NCAA, he may not be as dominant offensively when he plays against the pros as he seems right now.
📈 FEBRUARY STOCK WATCH: WHL 📉#GoHabsGo prospect Bryce Pickford is having a season for the ages with @tigershockey 🔥
✍️: @MitchLBrown
📸: Randy Feere pic.twitter.com/WcEZ8ASV65
— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) February 3, 2026
With that being said, he can’t be higher than the 6th best prospect right now, as he hasn’t played any pro hockey, and he doesn’t have the pedigree of the players ahead of him. Therefore, with his already incredible record-breaking season, Pickford has gone from unranked to the Canadiens’ 6th best prospect in their pipeline.
Do you agree with this placement of Pickford in the Habs prospect pool?
Check out the article on #7 Habs prospect Owen Beck by clicking here.