The Montreal Canadiens’ season of misery will have borne fruit: the Habs won the National Hockey League (NHL) draft lottery on Tuesday and will fish first at the next auction scheduled at the Bell Center in July.
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The New Jersey Devils will get the second pick, while the Arizona Coyotes will decide the third.
Recall that the Canadian had the best chance of selecting first, by virtue of his last place in the general classification of the NHL.
“It was a special moment for us,” said general manager Kent Hughes following the lottery was held. You are waiting for something over which you have no control. We were very excited.”
“It gives fans anticipation while waiting for the draft. It will be a special moment. For now, let’s celebrate. We haven’t discussed all the scenarios. In Montreal, I imagine that people anticipate that we will use the choice to draft a player. You can never say no, you don’t know what might be offered.”
The CH will thus have the opportunity to put the grapple on the striker Shane Wright, tipped as the best hope available in the repechage.
“I don’t know Shane as an individual,” Hughes continued. I saw him play for years. He is a player who plays 200 feet. He seems like a team guy too.
Forwards Logan Cooley and Juraj Slafkovsky, along with defensemen Simon Nemec and David Jiricek, also top the NHL Central Scouting rankings.
It’s the first time since 1980 that the Canadiens have won the first overall pick. He then made pivot Doug Wickenheiser his first selection.
DRAFT ORDER
1 – Montreal Canadiens
2 – New Jersey Devils
3 – Arizona Coyotes
4 – Squatting the Seattle
5 – Philadelphia Flyers
6 – Blackhawks at Chicago
7 – Ottawa Senators
8 – Red Wings de Detroit
9 – Buffalo Sabers
10 – Ducks d’Anaheim
11 – Sharks de San Jose
12 – Blue Jackets de Columbus
13 – Islanders of New York
14 – Winnipeg Jets
15 – Vancouver Canucks
16 – Golden Knights de Vegas
*Note that the Chicago Blackhawks and Vegas Golden Knights picks were traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets and Buffalo Sabres respectively.