Previewing 10 players Canadiens might select in first round of NHL Draft
The Canadiens hold the 28th overall pick in the first round of this year’s NHL Draft, which will be held Friday in Buffalo (7 p.m., Sportsnet, TVA Sports).
The last time the Canadiens had the 28th pick was in 1991, when they selected forward Jim Campbell. Recent picks the Canadiens have had around No. 28 include Filip Mesar (26th in 2022), Ryan Poehling (25th in 2017), Noah Juulsen (26th in 2015), Nikita Scherbak (26th in 2014) and Michael McCarron (25th in 2013).
The Anaheim Ducks hit the jackpot with the No. 28 pick when they selected Corey Perry in 2003.
It’s hard to predict who the Canadiens might take with the 28th pick this year — if they don’t trade it away — depending on whether they make the decision based on positional need or simply the best player available when they take the stage at the KeyBank Center.
Here’s a look at 10 players the Canadiens might be considering.
Maddox Dagenais, C, Quebec Remparts, QMJHL
The Canadiens continue to look for a second-line centre and also want to add size to their lineup. Dagenais is a 6-foot-4, 196-pounder and posted 30-32-62 totals in 62 games this season. He’s the son of former Canadien Pierre Dagenais. Dagenais can also play on the wing. Dagenais is ranked 15th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and TSN scouting director Craig Button has him ranked 32nd overall on his draft list. Dagenais was the No. 1 overall pick at the 2024 QMJHL Draft.
“I like to mix with both (Buffalo’s) Tage Thompson and (the Canadiens’ Juraj) Slafkovsky,” Dagenais told reporters at the NHL Scouting Combine. “I think (they’re) just two big guys. Good offensively, good shots, and, you know, (they) just use their size.”
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 75 per cent. It would be hard not to take the francophone Montrealer if he’s still available at No. 28.
Xavier Villeneuve, D, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, QMJHL
Villeneuve has drawn comparisons to Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson because of his offensive abilities and his small stature — 5-foot-11 and 162 pounds. Can the Canadiens afford to have two small, offensive defencemen in the lineup in the future? Villeneuve, who shoots left, is ranked 18th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and is ranked 37th by Button after posting 6-32-38 totals in 37 games this season while dealing with a hip injury. The previous season, Villeneuve had 12-50-62 totals in 61 games and was named the QMJHL’s top defenceman.
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 20 per cent. He’s a local kid (Les Cèdres), but it seems unlikely they’d take another small defenceman in the first round.
Ben MacBeath, D, Calgary Hitmen, WHL
If the Canadiens are looking for a bigger defenceman, MacBeath is 6-foot-2 and 188 pounds. He is ranked 22nd among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and Button has MacBeath ranked 29th overall after he posted 7-44-51 totals in 67 games this season. MacBeath, who shoots left, is considered to be a solid two-way defenceman and an excellent skater.
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 50 per cent. Button believes he will still be available when the Canadiens pick and they have to decide if they want a defenceman or a forward.
Tommy Bleyl, D, Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL
Bleyl shoots right, which would be attractive to the Canadiens if he’s still available at No. 28 since they lack depth on the right side of their blue line. At 5-foot-11 and 165 pounds, Bleyl still needs to fill out, but he had 13-68-81 totals in 63 games this season. He was named the top defenceman in the QMJHL and was also the CHL’s rookie of the year. Bleyl is ranked 17th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and is ranked 22nd overall by Button. Bleyl is considered to be one of the top-skating defencemen in the draft.
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 30 per cent. As a right-shot defenceman, there’s a good chance he won’t still be available at No. 28.
Mans Gudmundsson, D, Farjestads Jr., Swedish junior league
If the Canadiens are looking for a big, right-shot defenceman, there’s a better chance the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Gudmundsson will still be available at No. 28. He’s ranked 18th among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 42nd overall by Button. He’s a big, physical defenceman who had 1-24-25 totals in 35 games this season.
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 60 per cent. The fact he shoots right would make him very appealing and there’s a good chance he will be available at No. 28.
Ilia Morozov, C, Miami University (Ohio), NCHC
Getting back to centremen, Morozov has great size at 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds. The Russian posted 8-12-20 totals in 36 games this season as a freshman at Miami University and as one of the youngest players in NCAA Division 1. He’s ranked 10th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and 26th by Button. Morozov is considered to have a good mix of size, strength and skill, along with a great work ethic. He’d also give the Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov a teammate he could speak Russian with.
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 50 per cent. If he’s still available at No. 28, it might be hard to pass on him.
Jack Hextall, C, Youngstown Phantoms, USHL
Another centreman who has decent size at 6-foot, 188 pounds and had 20-38-58 totals in 59 games this season with the Phantoms, the same team Canadiens goalie Jacob Fowler played for. Hextall is only ranked 34th among North American skaters by NHL Central scouting, but Button has him at No. 27 overall. Hextall described himself as a student of the game at the NHL Combine, saying he watches lots of video and prides himself on playing a 200-foot game.
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 40 per cent. The Canadiens will value him playing a 200-foot game in coach Martin St. Louis’s system.
Mark Malone / Postmedia
Adam Novotny, LW, Peterborough Petes, OHL
The Canadiens know they need to get bigger and Novotny is 6-foot-1 and 204 pounds. The Czechia native had 34-31-65 totals in 58 games this season, his first in North America. He’s ranked 14th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting and Button has him ranked 26th overall.
“What’s really impressive about him is his speed and quickness for a guy with his frame,” Central Scouting’s Nick Smith told NHL.com. “He already has that NHL frame, and his motor and compete level are off the charts. He has those soft hands and touch around the net to go with it, as well as high hockey IQ. His 200-foot game has improved as well.”
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 20 per cent. Again, they would probably prefer a centre if one they like were still available.
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 45 per cent. The Canadiens would probably prefer a centre if one they like is still available.
Matias Vanhanen, LW, Everett Silvertips, WHL
Button has the 5-foot-11, 174-pound Finn ranked 28th on his list after Vanhanen had 21-66-87 totals in 62 regular-season games and then added 12-12-24 totals in 18 playoff games as the Silvertips won the WHL championship. Vanhanen is ranked 54th among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting after he was passed over at last year’s draft.
“He’s such a smart player,” NHL Central Scouting senior Western scout John Williams told NHL.com. “This season, he showed how good he can be, especially playing with other good players. He thinks the game at an elite level and although undersized, is a very determined type of player. He’s aggressive on the puck and wins a lot of battles. He’s not the prettiest of skaters, but he’s quick, wins a lot of races and is very good on the power play and dangerous on the penalty kill.”
Percentage chance Canadiens draft him: 25 per cent. The Canadiens would probably prefer a forward with more size.
Editor’s Picks
Jaxon Cover, RW, London Knights, OHL
The 6-foot-1, 183-pounder grew up in the Cayman Islands playing inline roller hockey before his family moved to Canada when he was 12. He was named most valuable player and was the fastest inline skater at the 2016 North American Roller Hockey Championships.
“He’s a really strong skater who’s starting to use his size to be both the power forward and player that can beat you with a dangle or lateral movement,” NHL Central Scouting associate director David Gregory told NHL.com. “He’s beginning to understand how he can use his size and hockey sense as a combination to possess the puck or steal from opponents. Jaxon projects to play a potential top-six role at the next level.”
