{"id":607684,"date":"2026-06-26T13:39:14","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/607684\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T13:39:14","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:39:14","slug":"montreal-canadiens-2026-draft-storylines-to-follow-the-hockey-writers-montreal-canadiens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/607684\/","title":{"rendered":"Montreal Canadiens’ 2026 Draft Storylines to Follow – The Hockey Writers – Montreal Canadiens"},"content":{"rendered":"

The last time the NHL Entry Draft was hosted in Buffalo was 2016. Back then, the Montreal Canadiens arrived under a cloud of existential dread, still recovering from a season that crumbled the moment Carey Price\u2019s knee gave out<\/a>. They held the ninth overall pick. They used it on a smooth-skating, high-character defenceman named Mikhail Sergachev,\u00a0only to trade him away 356 days later in a blockbuster bet\u00a0to bring in Jonathan Drouin for immediate help.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Ten years later, the draft returns to Buffalo. But as Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton settle into their remote draft room for the NHL\u2019s newly minted decentralized format, the vibe around this franchise couldn\u2019t be more different.<\/p>\n

There is no panic in the air. There is no looming sense of structural collapse. Instead, there is the quiet, earned confidence of an organization that just shocked the hockey world by finishing sixth in the NHL regular-season standings before bowing out as one of the final four teams standing in the Eastern Conference Final.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But with that\u00a0success comes a brand-new set of problems for the Canadiens\u2019 brass. Gone are the days of picking in the top five, where elite talent like Ivan Demidov<\/a> falls into your lap. Welcome to the late-first-round grind. Montreal is slated to pick 28th overall on Friday night,\u00a0its lowest assigned first-round slot since the magical Stanley Cup Final run of 2021. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\"IvanMontreal Canadiens right wing Ivan Demidov (David Kirouac-Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

So, what do you need to know before the clock starts ticking? Let\u2019s break down the strategy, the targets, and the high-stakes chess match defining Montreal\u2019s weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 28th Pick: To Draft or to Deal?\u00a0<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s lead with the question that\u2019s dominating conversations from Rue Sainte-Catherine to the press lounge in Buffalo: Is Hughes actually going to use this pick?\u00a0Gorton spoke to the press on the eve of the draft<\/a> and said their plan was to use it to select a prospect, but that was something he said in 2025, when they traded both first-round picks in a deal for Noah Dobson<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

If history has taught us anything about this management group, it\u2019s that they view late first-round draft capital as a currency for established talent, not just a lottery ticket for teenagers. Think back to Kirby Dach. Think back to Alex Newhook. Last summer, Hughes famously moved out the 17th overall pick \u2014 along with a duplicate first-rounder acquired from the Sean Monahan trade \u2014 to land Dobson and fortify the NHL blue line.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Sitting at 28th overall in what independent scouts widely consider a shallow, top-heavy draft class, the incentive to trade down or trade out entirely has never been higher.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Multiple league sources indicate Hughes has actively explored using the 28th pick as the centrepiece of a package to land a top-six forward with term. The Canadiens\u2019 top line is dynamic, but the secondary scoring needs a permanent injection of skill if this team intends to replicate its deep playoff run.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Mason McTavish is a player<\/a>\u00a0to watch on the trade front. As one of the few available centres without trade protection, McTavish naturally has a long list of interested teams, and Montreal is among the most interested. According to Marco D\u2019Amico\u2019s sources, the Anaheim Ducks will want NHL pieces as opposed to futures.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cVerbeek is looking for pieces that will fit in his lineup immediately,\u201d continued the source. \u201cThey are not looking to take a step back at all. They want to build on last season\u2019s success.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Trades require two willing dance partners, and Montreal does have the assets to step up as a partner. In a decentralized draft where general managers are operating out of their own war rooms, the mechanics of a draft-day blockbuster look a little different. If the asking price for a young, established NHLer remains astronomical through Friday afternoon, the Canadiens will comfortably pivot to making a selection.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Scouting the Board: Who Fits at 28?\u00a0<\/p>\n

If Montreal holds steady at No. 28, they won\u2019t\u00a0likely be drafting a player expected to pull on a\u00a0Canadiens sweater\u00a0next October. This is about long-term projection. Given the organizational depth on defence, the expectation is that Montreal will look heavily at dynamic, high-upside forwards,\u00a0but a certain local product on the blue line might make them change their philosophy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here are three distinct names tracking closely to Montreal\u2019s slot:\u00a0<\/p>\n

1. Tommy Bleyl, RHD (Moncton, QMJHL)\u00a0<\/p>\n

If Bleyl is on the board when Montreal picks, Hughes might sprint to his microphone. The 18-year-old just put together a historic season in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), breaking the league record for points by a rookie defenceman with 13 goals and 68 assists for 81 points in 63 games.<\/p>\n

He\u2019s slight at 170 pounds, but his escapeability, lateral mobility, and vision are elite. Committed to Michigan State University for 2027-28, Bleyl is a long-term project, but a right-shot offensive defenceman with his ceiling is a premium asset. \u00a0<\/p>\n

2. Maddox Dagenais, F (Quebec, QMJHL)\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Canadiens love size, and they love bloodlines. Maddox Dagenais brings a fascinating combination of both. He possesses high-end speed and a heavy release that can overpower junior goaltenders. He\u2019s the type of modern, rangy forward Montreal needs to target, someone who can play a heavy game along the wall without sacrificing transition pace.\u00a0<\/p>\n

3. Casey Mutryn, RW (U18, USNTDP)\u00a0<\/p>\n

After the 2026 Playoffs, it\u2019s clear that the Canadiens want to inject players with size and grit that can shine in the postseason.\u00a0Casey Mutryn is exactly the type of \u201cplayoff-ready\u201d engine that can transform their middle six. Captain of the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP)\u00a0squad, the 6-foot-3, 203-pound power forward is a physical, north-south bowling ball who thrives in tight spaces.<\/p>\n

Committed to Boston College, his skating and transition pace took a massive leap forward as the season went on. He isn\u2019t the flashiest perimeter playmaker, but he creates massive amounts of space for his linemates and plays a high-motor, two-way game that modern NHL coaches absolutely covet.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Mid-to-Late Round Strategy\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Canadiens hold eight total selections over the weekend. While the first-round glamour takes care of Friday night, director of amateur scouting Martin Lapointe will earn his paycheck on Saturday. \u00a0<\/p>\n

With Montreal\u2019s development system operating at maximum capacity, the late-round strategy has shifted away from safe, low-ceiling floor players toward home-run swings on specific, elite traits.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Keep an eye on overagers\u00a0on Day 2, something Montreal is known to target in the middle to later rounds. They selected\u00a0Bryce Pickford in 2025, and since his selection, he has skyrocketed up the depth charts, winning Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Defenceman of the Year<\/a>\u00a0and also Western Hockey League (WHL) Player of the Year honours. It is a great way for the club to target local players such as 19-year-old Liam Lefebvre<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Keep an eye on three late-round targets tracking in Montreal\u2019s range:\u00a0<\/p>\n

Niko Tournas, RW (Moncton, QMJHL): A fascinating re-entry prospect<\/a> who caught lightning in a bottle. After finding his footing, the 6-foot-2, 199-pound winger exploded for 43 goals in the QMJHL this season. He possesses NHL-calibre shooting mechanics and a heavy release.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Spencer Bowes, C (OHL): A 6-foot-1, 198-pound centre who plays a mature, physical two-way game. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Never mind the uptick in offensive production. Here’s a minute and a half video of Spencer Bowes absolutely crushing people.<\/p>\n

A reminder that he was drafted into the OHL at 5’6 and has grown nearly four inches in a short amount of time. https:\/\/t.co\/lk5myrHAvy<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/mDagon3EHv<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Brock Otten (@BrockOtten) February 21, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

He fits the \u201chigh-character, high-motor\u201d archetype Hughes loves for his bottom-six depth.<\/p>\n

Alexander Grunin, D (Russia, MHL): A massive, physical and mobile\u00a0defenceman who remains a raw\u00a0prospect that will be a project, but possesses the pure physical tools that modern development staffs salivate over.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The Big Picture\u00a0<\/p>\n

What makes this draft so fascinating for Montreal\u00a0is the total absence of structural pressure. For the first time in five years, the immediate future of the franchise doesn\u2019t hinge on an amateur scout\u2019s projection of an 18-year-old\u2019s knee health or psychological maturity.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Nick Suzuki is an established, elite captain. Cole Caufield is a premier finisher. Lane Hutson is a budding blue line superstar. The blue line is young, sturdy, and dynamic.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This weekend in Buffalo isn\u2019t about laying the foundation. The foundation is poured, set, and has\u00a0begun curing thanks to the pressure of an Eastern Conference Final. This weekend is about the trim, the finish, and the asset management that separates short-term playoff surprises from perennial Stanley Cup contenders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Whether Hughes uses the 28th pick to welcome a new prospect into the family or flips it to bring an established star to the Bell Centre, one reality remains clear: the Canadiens are operating from a position of absolute strength.\u00a0And in a salary-cap world, that is the best place to be.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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