Stu Cowan: Canadiens' Kent Hughes can have powerful alternative at NHL Draft

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Canadiens basic supervisor Kent Hughes can have a troublesome resolution to make at this yr’s NHL Draft with the No. 5 total decide.

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Eventually yr’s draft — his first since taking on as GM from Marc Bergevin — Hughes had the benefit of getting the No. 1 decide so he didn’t have to fret about what different groups would do within the first spherical. Hughes and his scouting workers determined Juraj Slafkovsky was their man and so they chosen the 6-foot-3, 238-pound left-winger.

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Slafkovsky’s rookie marketing campaign within the NHL as an 18-year-old was underwhelming with 4-6-10 totals and a minus-13 differential in 39 video games earlier than struggling a season-ending knee harm. Slafkovsky was one among solely 5 gamers chosen eventually yr’s draft who performed within the NHL this season and he was the chief in video games performed and factors.

Shane Wright, chosen fourth total by the Seattle Kraken, ranked second in video games performed and factors with 1-1-2 totals in eight video games. The opposite three gamers from final yr’s draft to play within the NHL didn’t report any factors — defenceman David Jiricek (chosen sixth by the Columbus Blue Jackets) performed 4 video games, whereas forwards Marco Kasper (chosen eighth by the Detroit Purple Wings) and Owen Beck (chosen thirty third by the Canadiens) each performed one sport.

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There’s little question the Chicago Blackhawks are going to take Connor Bedard with the No. 1 decide this yr, however issues will get very fascinating after that. Because the extremely revered Bob McKenzie wrote within the TSN Draft Lottery Version of his top-12 rankings, “seize the popcorn as a result of it’s going to be fairly a present” seeing who is chosen at Nos. 2 via 5. The Anaheim Geese will decide second, adopted by the Blue Jackets, the San Jose Sharks and the Canadiens.

McKenzie has College of Michigan centre Adam Fantilli ranked second, adopted by centre Will Smith of the U.S. Nationwide Growth Staff (headed to Boston Faculty), Swedish centre Leo Carlsson and Russian winger Matvei Michkov.

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“I believe on the finish of the day you need the most effective participant out there,” Hughes told reporters in Buffalo Thursday morning at the NHL Scouting Combine, which runs via Sunday and provides groups a possibility to conduct interviews and get bodily and medical assessments of the highest prospects for the draft. “But when we’re speaking about totally different shades of the identical color — for instance, if you happen to have been evaluating a left-shot D to a right-shot D and we felt they have been each of equal expertise, we’d most likely take the right-shot D. … Similar as if it have been a left vs. a right-shot winger or if it was a extremely good goalie and we felt we didn’t have sufficient depth within the group. However, in the end, we’re going to go along with essentially the most proficient participant.”

There’s a very good probability essentially the most proficient participant out there when the Canadiens decide might be Michkov, however he nonetheless has three years remaining on his KHL contract with St. Petersburg. There’s additionally the political state of affairs in Russia to think about with the continuing conflict in opposition to Ukraine and the actual fact Michkov‘s father, Andrei, was discovered useless in a pond in April at age 51 underneath what the Russian Hockey Federation mentioned was “unexplained circumstances.“

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Hughes mentioned Thursday that the Canadiens would do their homework on Michkov and consider him first as a hockey participant, evaluating him with others who may be out there at No. 5, and added that every one elements will come into play when deciding who to select.

Hughes can be thrilled if Smith continues to be out there at No. 5, however that appears unlikely. Hughes coached Smith in youth hockey with the Boston Junior Eagles and is aware of him nicely as a participant and an individual.

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“You see him now nearly 18 and there’s a maturity and confidence and extra worldly,” Hughes informed reporters in Buffalo. “It additionally comes from leaving residence and leaving your surroundings after which going off by yourself.”

Slovak centre Dalibor Dvorsky is ranked No. 6 by McKenzie, adopted by Ryan Leonard, a winger with the U.S. Nationwide Growth Staff. Hughes mentioned Leonard reminds him of the Tkachuk brothers together with his bodily, intense type of play and his work ethic. Matthew Tkachuk is now taking part in within the Stanley Cup ultimate with the Florida Panthers, whereas brother Brady is captain of the Ottawa Senators. The Tkachuk boys mixed for 75 objectives (Matthew had 40) and 225 penalty minutes (Brady had 126) this season.

McKenzie has Switzerland’s David Reinbacher, who shoots proper, ranked as the highest defenceman at No. 10 total on his listing.

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“He’s massive, he defends very nicely, he’s acquired a really mature defensive sport, which regularly you see the reverse — that’s the final a part of the sport to return,” Hughes mentioned. “He’s an environment friendly puck mover, so he’s a proficient prospect.”

Hughes mentioned a mix of things will play into who the Canadiens choose at No. 5.

“It’s not like gamers must be excellent and balanced,” the GM mentioned. “That’s why Nick Suzuki is a special particular person and (has) totally different attributes than Cole Caufield, however they’re two crucial gamers to our workforce.”

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