The 2025 NHL Entry Draft is scheduled for June 27, giving the Montreal Canadiens only a couple more weeks to establish which prospects they should target with the 16th and 17th overall picks.

Of course, there’s always a chance the Habs may trade the picks for an NHL-ready player, or they may choose to package both first-round selections in a bid to move up and pick a highly-touted prospect, but for now we’ll work with the assumption that they’ll use the picks on draft-eligible prospects.

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The Athletic’s 2025 NHL Draft rankings gives us a good idea of which prospects may be available, though we should note that rankings are different from mock drafts, as they don’t necessarily keep team intentions in mind.

Montreal Canadiens Draft Angle

In a bid to avoid spoiling the rankings, we will only focus on prospects in Tier 4, as they fall within the range of Montreal’s first-round picks. Additionally, we’re going to forgo any goaltenders listed, since the Habs have an abundance of young goaltenders in the system, and picking a goaltender in the first round often involves getting a poor return in your investment unless he happens to be named Carey Price.

Draft-Eligible Defencemen

There are three defencemen listed in the 10-19 range: Kashawn Aitcheson, Jackson Smith, and Radim Mrtka. Of the three, only Mrtka shoots right, an area of weakness within the organization. That being said, we’re not discussing prospects who will immediately jump into the lineup. It usually takes a few years before defencemen picked in the first-round are ready for NHL action, which means drafting for need is a risky proposal. A lot can change in a few years.

It’s highly doubtful that either Smith or Mrtka will be available midway through the first round, especially since those names tend to fly off the board once the annual run on blueliners takes place.

With that in mind, the most interesting option could end up being Aitcheson, an old-school blueliner that combines a mean streak with a very reasonable production rate. His pre-draft rankings vary from outlet to outlet, but one thing is for certain, he fits the bill when it comes to the type of player general manager Kent Hughes wants to add to the prospect pool.

He’s mean, talented, and isn’t afraid of stepping into the spotlight when his team needs it most.

Draft-Eligible Forwards

The Tier 4 forwards are as follows: Brady Martin, Cole Reschny, Braeden Cootes, Jack Nesbitt, Carter Bear, and Justin Carbonneau.

Our columnist already discussed the possibility the Habs could nab Bear or Carbonneau in the first round, with both wingers’ upside projecting as top-six talent.

MUST READ: Canadiens Draft Target – The Case For Carter Bear 

That leaves a few centres in the mix, which could end up being a boon for the Habs. Again, drafting for need is rarely the best way forward, but if a player happens to fill a need while being in the right draft range, the Canadiens will not hesitate to pull the trigger.

Martin stands out as the wild card, with pre-draft rankings suggesting he could go anywhere from ninth to 28th. He’s the classic energizer bunny, though we shouldn’t discount his offensive talent. He’s also very comfortable mixing it up, which could garner some interest from the Habs. That being said, he plays for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, which means there’s a 99.99%* chance Kyle Dubas will draft him with the 11th overall pick.

Reschny should be available once the Montreal Canadiens take to the podium, but given his lack of goals, he may slide down the first round, with a slight chance he ends up being among the first players picked in the second round. He’s an excellent playmaker, and I don’t want to give the impression he’s not worthy of a first-round pick, but I’m not convinced he can move the needle for the Canadiens. The same can be said about Nesbitt, a rough-and-tumble forward with limited offensive upside.

Cootes also has an affinity for setting up his teammates, but he brings a little more sandpaper to the table. The Seattle Thunderbirds captain seems to have an endless supply of energy, which he uses to frustrate opponents while elevating the play of his linemates.

*0.01 percent error margin.