Stu Cowan: Canadiens have some huge selections to make earlier than NHL Draft

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When the Canadiens make their choice with the No. 5 general decide at this 12 months’s NHL Draft on June 28 in Nashville it in all probability received’t be as stunning because it was the final time they picked fifth in 2005.

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It undoubtedly received’t be as stunning as once they picked fifth general in 1984.

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On the 2005 draft, former Canadiens GM Bob Gainey chosen goalie Carey Worth with the No. 5 decide. It was stunning as a result of the Canadiens didn’t want a goalie on the time since José Theodore had received the Vézina Trophy three years earlier.

“You concentrate on it now … José Theodore, Cristobal Huet, they traded Mathieu Garon,” analyst Pierre McGuire stated on TSN’s dwell protection of the 2005 draft. “They’ve Yann Danis, who they signed as an unrestricted free agent popping out of Brown College. This isn’t a match for Montreal. They’ve so many different wants. They’re very unproven on defence, they simply let go of Patrice Brisebois, they don’t have a big-body presence down the center at centre. Sure, they’ve (centre) Radek Bonk, who they obtained within the Garon commerce — that’s an enormous worth they paid to get Bonk. I don’t learn about this (decide) in any respect for Montreal. They’d so many different wants.”

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The Canadiens might have chosen centre Anze Kopitar, who went to the Los Angeles Kings with the No. 11 decide, or defenceman Mark Staal, who went to the New York Rangers at No. 12.

In 1984, former Canadiens GM Serge Savard shocked the hockey world when he chosen defenceman Petr Svoboda with the No. 5 decide. Svoboda had not too long ago defected from Czechoslovakia throughout a European championship match in West Germany and the Canadiens hid him in a Montreal lodge earlier than the draft.

The most important intrigue at this 12 months’s draft for the Canadiens might be whether or not GM Kent Hughes decides to take Russian winger Matvei Michkov if he’s nonetheless out there after the Chicago Blackhawks take high prospect Connor Bedard with the No. 1 choice, adopted by picks by the Anaheim Geese, Columbus Blue Jackets and San Jose Sharks. The order of choice for the primary 16 picks was set at Monday’s draft lottery.

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On the 2021 World Beneath-18 Championship, Michkov had 12-4-16 totals in seven video games for Russia, ending 4 factors forward of Bedard, who had 7-7-14 totals for Canada. Michkov was the match’s main scorer and MVP, however Russia misplaced 5-3 to Canada within the gold-medal recreation. Bedard had a purpose and an help within the championship recreation and at age 15 grew to become the youngest gold medallist in match historical past. Michkov had a purpose and two assists within the closing. Michkov couldn’t play on the U-18 match this 12 months or the world juniors due to sanctions in opposition to Russian hockey because of its invasion of Ukraine.

In 30 KHL video games this season cut up between Sochi HC and St. Petersburg SKA, Michkov had September 11-20 totals. The 5-foot-10, 172-pounder has three years remaining on his contract with St. Petersburg, so the earliest he might play within the NHL can be the 2026-27 season. Additionally of concern is that Michkov’s father, Andrei, died final month at age 51 beneath what the Russian Hockey Federation stated was “unexplained circumstances” solely days after native media reported he was lacking on April 2.

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In a video convention after the draft lottery, Hughes stated Michkov was a “particular case” and that the Canadiens must do lots of homework, checking on what sort of participant he’s, but in addition his character and the way he compares with different choices.

“It’s form of a threat/reward evaluation for any staff that’s contemplating drafting him,” Hughes stated.

College of Michigan centre Adam Fantilli is the second-best prospect after successful the Hobey Baker Award as the highest participant in U.S. faculty hockey this season with 30-35-65 totals in 36 video games. After Fantilli, there’s Will Smith, a centre with the U.S. Beneath-18 Nationwide Group Improvement Program, Swedish centre Leo Carlsson, Michkov and Slovak centre Dalibor Dvorsky.

Hughes is aware of Smith effectively as a result of he coached him in youth hockey with the Boston Jr. Eagles. In 20 video games this season with the U.S. improvement staff, the 6-foot, 181-pounder had 15-27-42 totals.

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The Canadiens might even have curiosity within the 6-foot-1, 201-pound Dvorsky since they chose two Slovak gamers within the first spherical of final 12 months’s draft — Juraj Slafkovsky with the No. 1 decide and Filip Mesar at No. 26.

Hughes would have liked to get the No. 1 decide once more this 12 months, however stated he was anticipating to select between fifth and seventh heading into the lottery. The GM stated he’s satisfied the Canadiens can get a “actually good” participant with the No. 5 decide.

“I might say that we are going to draft the very best participant out there by way of long-term potential,” Hughes stated. “If we see two gamers being of very equal potential they usually play totally different positions then I might a situation the place that’s the tiebreaker. However it might actually be a tiebreaker — not we’re going to take a lesser participant as a result of it addresses a necessity. I feel there’s alternative routes of doing that.”

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