The Montreal Canadiens qualified for the playoffs, and yet, Kent Hughes and Co. still had to pay attention the NHL Draft Lottery.
Usually, only teams that fail to make the playoffs would be involved, but thanks to the most contrived trade in league history, Montreal ended up acquiring the Calgary Flames’ first-round pick in 2025.
ON TOPIC: State Of Conditions Of The Sean Monahan Trade with Calgary
There was a small chance the Habs would end up with the Florida Panthers’ first-round pick. It was a 0.5 percent chance, to be exact, and it involved winning the Draft Lottery. If Calgary had won, the pick would no longer be part of the trade, as it was top-5 protected.
In the end, Calgary did not win, which means the Sean Monahan trade conditions have been met, and the waiting game is finally over. All things considered, it was a very profitable trade that will go down as one of the best-value deals in franchise history. Full marks to Hughes and Jeff Gorton for their masterful approach to the situation.
The New York Islanders ended up winning the 2025 NHL Draft Lottery, quite a boon for a franchise that is currently searching for an identity.
Montreal Canadiens Draft Order For 2025 NHL Entry Draft
The Habs will have an opportunity to pick back-to-back players in the first round, an interesting situation that could somewhat make up for the discrepancy in pick value compared to recent years.
There’s a chance the team may swing a trade, especially if they hope to find a second-line centre to play with Ivan Demidov, but for the moment, the Canadiens draft picks for the 2025 NHL Draft are as follows:
16th overall (via Calgary)
17th overall
41st overall (via Pittsburgh)
49th overall
79th overall (via Vancouver)
81st overall
82nd overall (via New Jersey)
108th overall (via Detroit)
113th overall
145th overall
177th overall
209th overall