Canadiens 5th Overall Draft Options Per New 2023 Draft Odds

With the NHL combine now behind us, the latest NHL draft odds point to the available players for the Montreal Canadiens.

As of earlier this week, NHL betting odds have begun to take shape over whom the picks could be prior to the Canadiens’ 5th-overall selection.

It comes as no surprise that Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli are heavily favoured to go first and second overall.

Leo Carlsson currently has a slim lead over Will Smith for the third overall selection, while Smith is pegged as the favourite to go fourth overall, for now.

That leaves the Montreal Canadiens with Matvei Michkov, David Reinbacher and Ryan Leonard as the most likely selections for the 2023 NHL Draft.

Michkov is currently the highest-ranked prospect per betting odds to come out in the top five of this class, which is proving that the doubt over his future could be a massive smokescreen peddled by teams in the top 10 to mask their possible intent.

Meanwhile, David Reinbacher’s stock remains high for now, but information trickling down from the NHL combine seems to indicate that he didn’t have the best interviews, despite being an extremely talented defenceman.

Ryan Leonard, who not only aced the physical examinations, but also impressed a great number of management teams last week, looks to be the player on the rise at the moment.

There’s a reason the bookies haven’t released tangible numbers for the fifth overall selection, because it’s possibly the most unpredictable selection in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Much like their strategy in 2022 with the first overall pick that became Juraj Slafkovsky, the Montreal Canadiens kept everyone guessing right until they were set to pick, as betting odds only began their massive shift away from Shane Wright a few hours before the pick was made.

The same is likely to happen here, with the Canadiens keeping their cards close to their chest on who their choice will be.

However, it’s pretty clear to see who their top candidates will be two weeks at the 2023 NHL Draft.

*For more NHL betting lines and futures, head over to FanDuel.