Thursday, 7 Jul 2022. 07:00
Today, the Montreal Canadiens will announce who will be the very first choice of the NHL draft following leaving doubts hanging around until the last second.
General manager Kent Hughes has hinted that the decision rests between three candidates who would be forwards Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky and Logan Cooley.
The first round will take place tonight at 7 p.m. at the Bell Center, and the following the next day.
The CH inherited the first choice in total for the first time since 1980, when it had set its sights on Doug Wickenheiser. The team has 13 other selections during this auction, the highest total in the entire league and the highest since the draft went to seven rounds in 2005.
How many Quebecers and players from the QMJHL will be recruited? According to our hockey expert Stéphane Leroux, three Quebecers might be drafted in the first round, starting with Nathan Gaucher of the Quebec Remparts. The other two are David Goyette of the Sudbury Wolves and Tristan Luneau of the Gatineau Olympiques. As the CH will also speak in the 26th and 33rd ranks, it is possible to see one of them end up in Montreal.
The Habs also hold the 62e66e75e92e98e127e128e130e162e194e et 216e choice.
It will also be interesting to see what transactions will take place during the session.
Wright has 32 goals and 94 points in 63 games in 2021-22 and added 3 goals and 14 points in 11 playoff games. He made his Ontario Junior League debut at the age of 15 in 2019 thanks to his outstanding player status.
Slafkovsky finished last campaign with 5 goals and as many assists in 31 games in the Finnish Elite League. He shone at the 2022 Beijing Olympics with seven goals, helping Slovakia win the bronze medal in addition to being named tournament MVP.
Cooley was a member of the U.S. Development Program’s national under-18 team. Committed to the University of Minnesota next season, he has 27 goals and 75 points in 51 games this season. At the U18 World Cup, he helped USA win silver with 3 goals and 7 assists.
Round 1 selection order:
1. Montreal Canadiens
2. New Jersey Devils
3. Arizona Coyotes
4. Crack the Seattle
5. Philadelphia Flyers
6. Columbus Blue Jackets (obtained from CHI)
7. Ottawa Senators
8. Red Wings de Detroit
9. Buffalo Sabers
10. Ducks d’Anaheim
11. San Jose Sharks
12. Blue Jackets de Columbus
13. Islanders de New York
14. Winnipeg Jets
15. Canucks de Vancouver
16. Buffalo Sabers (obtained from VGK)
17. Predators de Nashville
18. Dallas Stars
19. Minnesota Wild (obtained from LAK)
20. Capitals de Washington
21. Penguins de Pittsburgh
22. Ducks d’Anaheim (obtained from BOS)
23. Blues de St Louis
24. Wild du Minnesota
25. Maple Leafs de Toronto
26. Montreal Canadiens (obtained from CGY)
27. Arizona Coyotes (obtained from CAR via MTL)
28. Buffalo Sabers (obtained from FLA)
29. Oilers d’Edmonton
30. Winnipeg Jets (obtained from NYR)
31. Lightning de Tampa Bay
32. Arizona Coyotes (obtained from COL)
