Canadiens Using Familiar Strategy For Top Pick At 2023 NHL Draft

The Montreal Canadiens are playing a very familiar game heading into the 2023 NHL Draft.

We’re two weeks away from the start of the NHL draft and there are rumours about who the Canadiens may be interested in, but nothing concrete.

There are NHL sources that spoke to MHN on the condition of anonymity that mentioned how this is nothing new for general manager Kent Hughes.

“They’re playing coy and not giving anything away to prop up the value of 5th overall; they’re trying to take advantage of the Matvei Michkov situation,” said the league source. “Just like they did with the 1st overall pick last year before finally making the Slafkovsky pick.”

The Canadiens have even taken it a step further this year, interviewing 80 players at the NHL Combine last week, while taking a total of zero players out for supper; a usual indicator of interest toward a prospect.

Last year, the Canadiens took Logan Cooley, Shane Wright and Jonathan Lekkerimaki out for dinner, but not Juraj Slafkovsky.

The Canadiens then selected Slafkovsky while many league executives were convinced they would be taking Wright; a feeling that prompted a ton of trade speculation.

This year, with a potential superstar available in Matvei Michkov at 5th overall, Hughes not only has to determine the proper value of Michkov to his club, but also what rival teams will be willing to pay to move up to draft Michkov, who won’t last too long after 5th overall, should the Montreal Canadiens decide to pass on him.

That being said, a top-5 pick hasn’t been traded on the draft floor since the 2008 NHL Draft when the Toronto Maple Leafs moved up from 7th to 5th to draft Luke Schenn.

There have been whispers of the Montreal Canadiens leaning toward David Reinbacher or Ryan Leonard, but one of those players could be available if the Canadiens ultimately strike a deal to move back; thereby acquiring an additional asset.

Teams like the Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings and St-Louis Blues could be perfect trade candidates, as they all possess additional first-round picks outside of their own top-10 selections.

According to the source, NHL teams are fully aware of how good Michkov could be, but are worried about timing and the uncontrollable; while others aren’t worried in the slightest and would pay handsomely to prove their rivals wrong.

With Hughes being extremely open about his views on Michkov’s situation, it almost feels too honest a position to take on Michkov; leading many to suspect it all to be a smokescreen to generate interest in pick.

But the Canadiens aren’t only looking to trade down.

What About Moving Up?

The flip side to said smokescreen is that the teams ahead of the Canadiens, especially the San Jose Sharks, could also be looking to try the same thing as the Canadiens; testing the waters on the value of their pick, especially if they don’t believe there to be much risk in selecting Matvei Michkov.

“Don’t discount the Habs moving up themselves,” concluded the source. “I’ve been told the Habs are being aggressive here. They aren’t planning on having a boring draft and they aren’t giving away their position.”

The Canadiens’ unpredictability in this situation could help them achieve either of their intended outcomes, be it moving up or down; but one thing is for certain, there’s a profound desire to move.

The next two weeks will be ripe with discussion, as the NHL source believes discussions about the 5th overall pick will continue to pick up.