What Should Canadiens Fans Expect At The Draft?
Finally, in 2025, the Canadiens held the 16th and 17th overall picks but used both to acquire Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders. That marked a shift in strategy. After his team made the playoffs, Hughes thought it was time to fix some needs, even if it wasn’t with very young players, not that Dobson was old; he was still just 25 years old, but he was a proven first-pair defenseman. The price tag was hefty: two first-round picks and Emil Heineman, but it was worth it. Dobson had already played through his ELC and a bridge deal, and wanted to sign a long-term deal, but not with the Islanders. He asked to be traded, and, looking at the Canadiens, he decided they were a team worth committing to in the long term. Even if the Habs didn’t pick in the first round, they traded up in the second round to swoop in and select Alexander Zharovsky, who was the man they had their eye on in the first round in any case.
