Canadiens Wrap-Up: NHL Draft, Trade Options, Dubois, Monahan

MONTREAL — There’s never a dull moment when it comes to the Montreal Canadiens, but it’s not always possible to keep up to date with every breaking news story.

Every Sunday we will recap the most exciting and relevant NHL news stories that you may have missed throughout the week.

Monday

• Kent Hughes and Marc Bergevin were tasked with different challenges, but one thing is clear, Hughes has done a great job adding pre-draft value to the organization. You could even argue it has reached historical levels. [Comparing Bergevin and Hughes’ Pre-Draft Value]
• Prior to the Montreal Canadiens choosing sniper Cole Caufield with the 15th overall pick at the 2019 Draft, a lot of questions regarding his speed, size, and the time frame in which he would make the NHL were asked. And now we’re hearing the same questions about KHL prospect Matvei Michkov. [A Look Back At Caufield’s Draft, Michkov Parallels]
• Habs prospect Sean Farrell did not enter the 2022-23 season as the most hyped player in the organization, but he ended the season as one of the prospects who enjoyed the most growth in his game. [Canadiens Prospect Review: Sean Farrell’s Impressive Growth]

Tuesday

• Former Sherbrooke Phoenix forward Ethan Gauthier is confident the Canadiens would seriously consider drafting him if he’s available with the 31st overall pick. [Gauthier Confident Canadiens Will Consider Him]
• The Canadiens made waves on Tuesday when they signed veteran centre Sean Monahan to a one-year, team-friendly contract. [Canadiens Re-Sign Monahan To Team-Friendly Deal]
• The Sean Monahan contract was more than just a smart move by Kent Hughes and Co. It also impacted the Pierre-Luc Dubois situation and gave both Hughes and Martin St-Louis more options going forward. [Three Reasons Monahan Contract Is A Home Run]
• Take a (very) early look at the potential 2023-24 Canadiens forward lineup. [Early Look At The Potential Montreal Canadiens Forward Lineup]

Wednesday

• Potential draft target Will Smith is one of the most talented players available in the 2023 Draft. Check out his Canadiens’ draft profile. [Canadiens Draft Options: Will Smith Overflowing With Talent]

Thursday

• Smith is not the only extremely talented player available. Matvei Michkov isn’t just skilled, he might be one of the most talented players available in the last decade. [Canadiens Draft Options: Matvei Michkov Is A Rare Talent]
• TSN analyst Bob McKenzie released his final 2023 Draft list, which might offer Montreal Canadiens fans some insight as to which players could be available once the team takes to the podium for the 5th and 31st overall picks. [McKenzie Draft List Offers Insight To Potential Canadiens Picks]
• There’s a storm brewing in Calgary, and the chaos faced by the Flames will have an impact on the Canadiens’ future plans. [Canadiens Could Benefit From Potential Mass Exodus In Calgary]
• While the Montreal Canadiens are busy preparing for the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, their ECHL affiliate, the Trois-Rivières Lions, continue to deal with a chaotic summer. [Canadiens ECHL Affiliate Tumultuous Year Continues]

Friday

• The 2023 NHL Draft is quickly approaching, which means it’s time to give Montreal Canadiens fans a better idea of the likeliest options for the 5th overall pick. To accomplish this we curated 25 different rankings from various outlets and prospect experts, isolating the player they’ve ranked as the fifth-best available prospect at the draft. [Canadiens 5th Overall Draft Rankings]
• The prospect pick probabilities available on the “Draft Pick Probabilities” tab of the 2023 Draft Tool, created by Prashanth Iyer and Jeremie Spagnalo, can be used by NHL organizations to inform their decision-making process. Let’s take the Montreal Canadiens as an example. [An Alternative Approach To Canadiens 2023 Draft]
• In the final pre-draft edition of the Habs Mailbag we cover all things related to the 2023 Draft, the Pierre-Luc Dubois situation (again), the work done by Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, more draft stuff, a tiny bit more draft stuff, and much more (mostly draft stuff). [Canadiens Mailbag]

Saturday

• We’ve established that moving up in the NHL Draft is a very expensive decision. Teams tend to overvalue their first-round picks, which leads to very high price tags. And yet, the moment a player is picked, they lose much of their shine, a lot like driving a new car off the lot. That means the Canadiens may have a profitable opportunity to move down at the 2023 Draft [Canadiens Should Consider Moving Down]
• Thanks to the trade that sent Ben Chiarot to the Florida Panthers, the Canadiens will pick twice in the first round, with their 2nd first-round pick landing at 31st overall. Check out some of the players that could be available at the end of the first round. [Canadiens First-Round Draft Pick Options at 31st Overall]