The Montreal Canadiens liked what they saw in Slafkowski’s evaluation and took him number one. He’s a big, strong player with good hands and a strong work ethic whose trajectory grew as the season progressed. There is a lot to like about Slafkovský, and the main thing for me is his level of play in the home zone, where his skill with the puck and size will be invaluable. Slafkovský’s confidence was on full display a week before the draft, as he boldly stated that he would fit in well with Cole Caufiled and Nick Suzuki and quickly endeared himself to Montreal fans with quotes and high-fives throughout the night. However, one of the best things I heard was that he would get AHL time if he needed it. no need to rush him. I personally don’t think he will need to go that route, but I think it’s important that the club and the fans don’t see this as a step backwards for his development. I think he’s ready for the NHL and that he’ll be on the ice opening night. However, he has only played a limited number of games at the senior level and could use time in the minors to get some rest and confidence back if the slump hits him hard.
Trades – Alexander Romanov and the 98th pick for the 13th overall. 13th and 66th pick for Kirby Dach
Grade A- I will combine these transactions together, for obvious reasons. The interesting thing is the answer to the question Eric Engels asked in the press conference after the first day: the trade was agreed before the selection in the beginning overall. He faces a need for a center and Montreal gets a new rebounding project to fill a top-six role. Losing Romanov hurts on a personal level, but his commercial value has only been higher once: in the spring when he left Russia after winning the Gagarin Cup with CSKA when he was an unknown commodity. It’s a smart move, especially considering the defensive depth Montreal currently has. The important thing here is if Montreal gets Dach to work out, then they are set up for success down the stretch. But what if he doesn’t? I like these trades though.
26th overall – Filip Mešár
Grade A I like this option. It may have been a little early, but in the consolidated draft rankings compiled by Jared Book, Mešár was ranked 26th. A short, smart winger with a good to great shot … where have we heard that before? Let me tell you right away, this is the new Artturi Lehkonen. The one thing fans need to remember, though, is that it took four years for Lehkonen to reach the NHL, and I expect a pretty long road for Mešár to get there as well. The important word is patience. The smart move here by the Canadiens was to select Mešár in the first round, which means he can go to the AHL next season. Montreal has complete control over his development and once he retires from Europe, Montreal has four years to sign him.
33rd overall – Owen Beck
Grade A Adding another center is always good and Owen Beck has a toolbox that should be good for his development. He’s one of the best skaters in the draft, strong in the faceoff circle, and is pretty much a sure bet to make the NHL in at least a sub-six role. With good development and making sure his brain, hands and eyes catch up to his feet, he could make Beck rise even higher in the lineup, especially if it comes with a scoring touch. As with Mešár, patience is key to Beck’s development.
62nd overall – Lane Hutson
Grade: B+ (but could very well turn into an A+ down the line). This is a swing for the fences. The lanky defenseman has skills that translate to an NHL career. He reads the play extremely well, his positioning is pretty much perfect, he uses his stick to cut off passes and steal the puck, and he controls the puck well for ins and outs of the zone. He is a dynamo, or cobra, in the offensive zone as he glides to find empty ice and score opportunities. He’s a really interesting pick, and the fact he brought a doctor’s note saying he’s still growing shows he’s eager to prove he’s got what it takes to be an NHLer. Right now, size is what got him picked outside of the top 15. maybe even top 10. I like to swing for the fences and want this kid to succeed.
75th overall – Vinzenz Rohrer
Grade: B Right where Rohrer was projected to go in our consensus rankings, he was snapped up by Montreal. He plays with an edge, but he’s too smart for it and more physical than his frame looks like. He’s a versatile player who never quits, and those are necessary skills if you’re going to make it to the NHL from that position. My colleagues at McKeen’s have been raving about Rohrer all spring. I understand the choice. It’s not a swing for the fences picker, but rather a swing to get on base. It’s easy to project into the future.
92nd overall – Adam Engstrom
Grade: C+ It’s easy to forget that Engstrom is on the ice at times as he falls out of the spotlight. He knows what he needs to work on — defense and offense — but his transition game is there, and that’s what Montreal relies on. Engström left Djurgården for Rögle, which is a good move. In recent years, Rögle has become a good destination for new players to take that next step. I don’t see Engstrom becoming a top-four defenseman, but rather a serviceable secondary if — and it’s a big if — he can make his defense work. I’d prefer another high-risk option here, and that’s the reason for a lower grade.
127th overall – Cedrick Guindon
Grade: B+ This is an option I really like. Guindon has tools and a projection that can lead to the NHL. A player’s intelligence can really help him develop further, and his two weaknesses are skating and physique, two things that can be fixed. You can learn to skate better and you can build muscle. The AHL has a lot of guys like Guindon, as do the European leagues. guys who are on the verge of making it to the NHL and with the right situation have a chance and can become part of the NHL team on a regular basis. It is a smart choice in this regard.
128th overall – Traded to Vegas for 2023 fourth-round pick
An okay trade and a rare one for a 2023 pick. Adds a mid-round pick for next year.
130th overall – Jared Davidson
Grade: B- When you pick an overage guy this early in the draft, you look at trajectory, and the one thing Davidson has is just that. he gets better offensively with each passing year. The center has gone all-in on offense and looks set to continue down that path. He’s an interesting pick, Montreal no doubt saw something in him as they selected him earlier than the second and third players below. There weren’t any notable prospects I would have gone after at this level of the draft, so picking one with a positive trajectory and more available data is a smart move.
162nd overall – Emmett Croteau
Grade: B Croteau is a big-time goaltender from the USHL, and the NCAA route will give the Canadiens four years to evaluate him. He’s a pick you’d expect Montreal to make in previous drafts, and one can see the logic in selecting a goaltender for future development here. From what my goalie friends tell me, the numbers are exactly what you’d expect from a high school goalie. With netminders like Jakub Dobes, Joe Vrbetic and Frederik Dichow in the development system, it doesn’t hurt to add another long-term option.
194th overall – Petteri Nurmi
Grade: C- The one thing I like about this type of pick is that you’re taking a seventh round pick and using it on a player with a positive trajectory. We’ve seen Montreal do the same thing before. Arsen Khisamutdinov, as an example. By using a pick, you own a player’s rights for a few years and don’t have to fight others for him on the open market. Although Petteri Nurmi is not a flashy player, he was on the WJC team this winter. He plays in Liiga for HPK and it’s a good move to leave him there. I’m not sure about this pick, especially since Elite Prospects contributor Lassi Alanen doesn’t see much upside from it: Petteri Nurmi in MTL at #194. From playing at U18 level two years ago, he has become a regular in the Liiga this season. However, I don’t see much upside with this option. Double overager with limited offensive ability. I assume you are relying on the upward growth curve. #GoHabsGo — Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) July 8, 2022 I like the strategy of locking in an overage here, I’m just not sure Nurmi is the player to focus on as I don’t see any exceptional ability in any aspect of his game.
216th overall – Miguel Tourigny
Grade A Again, taking an overage guy with a seventh-round pick is smart thinking, and I like that pick. As a defenseman, Tourigny has a nose for the goal but needs to work on his skating, especially for a shorter player. He thinks offensively most of the time, and he has skills in the area of play as well. The question in this case is whether it can translate to the NHL. Probably not, which is why he almost went undrafted, but it’s a domestic swing that’s totally understandable. I’m sure Tourigny will play professional hockey in his career, but the Montreal Canadiens will benefit from this. In any case, I like the choice. Overall, I think this is a great draft for the new administration with Kent Hughes at the helm. While the organization may not have taken a center with the first pick, they settled on a center via a trade and selected the player they believed in the most: Juraj Slafkovský. While adding Kirby Dach to the team cost Alexander Romanov, it’s a trade that makes sense. Our podcast defensive expert Jason Paul pointed out that Romanov’s days as the team’s top defender may be numbered. The Habs were unable to determine if Romanov was…
