Draft Rankings Offer Clarity on Potential Montreal Canadiens Pick

Now that the Montreal Canadiens have secured the fifth-best odds for the upcoming Draft Lottery, we are starting to get a better idea of the type of players the team may end up selecting.

Of course, there are always many factors to consider when it comes to the Draft Lottery, but regardless of the final results, which will be confirmed on May 8th, we know for now that the Habs will have an 8.5 percent chance to draft the first overall player, and an 8.6 percent chance to draft second overall.

They also have a 24.5 percent chance of drafting fifth, a 44 percent chance of drafting sixth, and a 14.2 percent chance of drafting seventh, which is the furthest they can drop upon completion of the Draft Lottery.

With that in mind, the NHL Central Scouting Bureau released its final rankings today, giving Montreal Canadiens fans a better idea of the kind of players they may start championing in the near future.

Shockingly, Connor Bedard tops the North American Skaters list, thanks to his ridiculous season with the Regina Pats, which saw the phenom score 71 goals and 72 assists in just 57 games.

As evidenced by the bevy of teams that tanked for a chance to add Bedard to their team, the centre represents a franchise-changing player, the type of generational talent that could lift a team out of the basement of the NHL standings and thrust them toward Stanley Cup contention.

Hobey Baker winner Adam Fantilli sits second among North American skaters, owing to his great freshman season with Michigan, where he led all college players in points per game.

Will Smith rounds out the top 3, whereas Zach Benson, one of the most talented forwards in the mix, is ranked sixth.

As for International Skaters, there are no surprises there.

Leo Carlsson remains the Central Scouting Bureau’s top-rated player, followed closely by Matvei Michkov, who earned nine goals and 11 games in 27 KHL games, a rather impressive output considering he started the season as a 17-year-old.

You can click on the lists to view a larger version.

North American Skaters

International Skaters

Goaltenders