{"id":102126,"date":"2025-06-30T19:01:13","date_gmt":"2025-06-30T19:01:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/102126\/"},"modified":"2025-06-30T19:01:13","modified_gmt":"2025-06-30T19:01:13","slug":"grading-the-montreal-canadiens-2025-draft-class-the-hockey-writers-canadiens-prospects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/102126\/","title":{"rendered":"Grading the Montreal Canadiens’ 2025 Draft Class – The Hockey Writers – Canadiens Prospects"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Montreal Canadiens didn\u2019t wait long to make waves at the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. Just hours before the first round began, general manager Kent Hughes swung a blockbuster deal<\/a>, sending both of Montreal\u2019s first-round picks (16th and 17th overall) along with winger Emil Heineman to the New York Islanders in exchange for defenceman Noah Dobson<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Dobson, just 25 years old, is already a proven top-pairing defenceman with over 300 games of NHL experience and a 70-point season. For a team already boasting Lane Hutson, Kaiden Guhle, Mike Matheson, and Alexandre Carrier on the blue line, Dobson adds high-end skills and stability without disrupting the team\u2019s age curve.<\/p>\n

Related: Canadiens Acquire Dobson From Islanders For Two 2025 1st-Round Picks, Heineman<\/a><\/p>\n

But if Day 1 was about immediate impact, Day 2 was all about replenishing the pipeline. Despite lacking a first-round selection, the Canadiens remained aggressive, trading up early and selecting nine players in total. Here\u2019s a breakdown of each pick and how they stack up in terms of value, fit, and long-term projection.<\/p>\n

Pick 34 \u2013 Alexander Zharovsky<\/p>\n

Grade: A<\/p>\n

The Canadiens kicked off Day 2 by jumping up the draft board. They packaged both of their second-round picks<\/a> to move up to pick 34, where they selected Alexander Zharovsky<\/a>, a skilled Russian winger who many scouts had pegged as a first-round talent.<\/p>\n

Zharovsky is a flashy, high-skill player who excels in transition and can make plays off the rush. While he still needs to bulk up and round out his defensive game, his puck handling, offensive zone vision, and scoring instincts are among the best in the draft. The Canadiens\u2019 scouting department was reportedly adamant about moving up to grab him, and you can see why. In terms of pure upside, he may have top-six potential, exactly the kind of talent you gamble on early in the second round.<\/p>\n

Pick 69 \u2013 Hayden Paupanekis<\/p>\n

Grade: B+<\/p>\n

With their first pick in the third round, Montreal selected Hayden Paupanekis,<\/a> a 6-foot-4 center who split the season between the Spokane Chiefs and the Kelowna Rockets in the Western Hockey League. He posted 22 goals and 21 assists over 71 games, showing flashes of offence to go along with a responsible two-way game.<\/p>\n

Paupanekis isn\u2019t a burner, but he has a long stride, a strong frame, and plays a mature game. He projects more as a middle-six shutdown center than a scoring threat, but if his development continues, particularly his skating and puck skills, he could bring a valuable mix of size and utility to the lineup in a few years. This is the kind of pick that doesn\u2019t make headlines but builds depth down the middle.<\/p>\n

Pick 81 \u2013 Bryce Pickford<\/p>\n

Grade: B+<\/p>\n

A 2006-born overager, Bryce Pickford took a significant leap this past season, scoring 20 goals in 48 games as a defenceman for the Medicine Hat Tigers. His offensive explosion put him back on the radar, and Montreal clearly believes there\u2019s untapped upside here.<\/p>\n

\"BryceBryce Pickford, Medicine Hat Tigers (Larry Brunt \/ Spokane Chiefs)<\/p>\n

Pickford\u2019s shot is legit, and he\u2019s confident moving the puck up ice. That said, there are questions about his decision-making under pressure and overall defensive awareness. Still, taking a swing on a mobile, right-shot defenceman who just had a breakout season makes a lot of sense in the third round. He\u2019ll need time, but this is a solid value pick.<\/p>\n

Pick 82 \u2013 Arseni Radkov<\/p>\n

Grade: C+<\/p>\n

Back-to-back third-round picks wrapped up with Arseni Radkov, a 6-foot-4 Russian goalie who played in the MHL and is set to join the University of Massachusetts in the NCAA next season<\/a>. He put up a .918 save percentage (SV%) and a 3.18 goals-against average (GAA) this season.<\/p>\n

Radkov is a raw but toolsy goalie for his size. Goaltending is always a long-term play, and Montreal already has Jacob Fowler and Jakub Dobes in the system. If Radkov clicks in the NCAA, he could rise in the ranks, but this feels like more of a project pick with a lot of wait-and-see.<\/p>\n

Pick 113 \u2013 LJ Mooney<\/p>\n

Grade: A<\/p>\n

LJ Mooney is the classic \u201cignore the size, watch the game\u201d pick. At just 5-foot-7, many teams likely passed due to physical profile alone, but Mooney is a dynamic skater with quick hands, excellent vision, and pure offensive flair. His agility allows him to dart into space and make high-skill plays.<\/p>\n

The Canadiens may have struck gold here. Mooney\u2019s upside is real. There\u2019s always risk with undersized forwards, but the fourth round is where you take home-run swings, and this could be one of Montreal\u2019s most exciting picks of the entire class.<\/p>\n

Pick 145 \u2013 Alexis Cournoyer<\/p>\n

Grade: C<\/p>\n

Montreal\u2019s second goalie pick of the draft, Alexis Cournoyer had stellar numbers in limited action: a 1.82 GAA and a staggering .942 SV% in just 21 games. But those numbers come with caveats, he\u2019s 19, played on a strong team, and only has one QMJHL season under his belt.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s clearly raw talent here, and the Canadiens are hoping to mold it over the long term. With yet another goalie prospect in the pipeline, this pick feels more like a depth swing than a targeted addition. Still, if he continues to shine with more starts next season, the upside could start to look more real.<\/p>\n

Pick 177 \u2013 Carlos Handel<\/p>\n

Grade: B+<\/p>\n

Carlos Handel, a German right-shot defenceman, was a bit of an under-the-radar selection but comes with a polished game. He was solid for the Halifax Mooseheads and showed good poise moving the puck, especially on the breakout. He\u2019s not a flashy player, but he\u2019s effective and efficient.<\/p>\n

Handel could eventually grow into a reliable third-pair role. His hockey sense is already ahead of many of his peers, and if his skating continues to improve, the Habs may have found themselves a steady contributor in the late rounds.<\/p>\n

Pick 189 \u2013 Andrew MacNiel<\/p>\n

Grade: B-<\/p>\n

Andrew MacNiel is a defence-first blueliner who doesn\u2019t jump off the page offensively. He tallied just three assists in 33 games but showed solid awareness and discipline in his own end. At 6-foot-2 and 170 pounds, he has room to grow physically, which could help him become more assertive in battles and net-front play.<\/p>\n

He likely profiles as a long-term project with a potential ceiling as a depth shutdown defender. In the sixth round, that\u2019s reasonable; not every pick needs to be a home run to be valuable.<\/p>\n

Pick 209 \u2013 Maxon Vig<\/p>\n

Grade: B<\/p>\n

Closing out the draft, Montreal added Maxon Vig, a left-shot defenceman who quietly put up 10 goals and 22 assists in 62 games in the United States Hockey League (USHL). He has good mobility and is comfortable carrying the puck, with a decent shot from the point.<\/p>\n

Vig is set to play NCAA hockey, giving the Canadiens several years to monitor his development. He\u2019s a prototypical seventh-round pick: skilled enough to be worth a flyer, with time and space to develop. If he continues trending up, he could eventually compete for an NHL contract.<\/p>\n

The Canadiens may not have had a first-round pick, but that didn\u2019t stop them from having an impactful draft. Trading for Dobson was a franchise-altering decision, signaling that Hughes believes this team is ready to start turning the corner.<\/p>\n

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