Habs Daily: Potential Draft Pick Trades, Prospect Rankings

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, highlights, and stories you may have missed during the weekend.

Montreal Canadiens News

The Montreal Canadiens have two 1st rounders in the 2025 NHL Draft, but Calgary’s apparent rebuild could prompt them to trade one of them. Owning both their own and the Calgary Flames 1st-rounders for the next draft, it would be the fourth draft in a row that the Canadiens would go into late June with two picks in the top-32. When Calgary was still a middle-of-the-pack team in the NHL, the prospect of receiving a pick within the first 11 to 17 picks of the 2025 NHL Draft was a very real possibility. However, Calgary’s recent teardown and surprising turn to rebuilding has changed the outlook and could alter the Canadiens’ strategy with the pick they acquire almost two years ago. [Calgary Rebuild Could Prompt Canadiens To Dangle Pick In Trade]

We’ve reached the top 20 of the Montreal Canadiens prospect rankings, which means we’re starting to discuss the players who are expected to fight for a roster spot in the near future, including Emil Heineman, Sean Farrell, Florian Xhekaj, and others. Bogdan Konysushkov’s name also surfaced even if he’s set to continue his encouraging development in the KHL for the next two seasons. [Canadiens Prospect Rankings: Skilled Forwards On The Cusp]

It’s hard to imagine anyone from Toronto being happier than Michael Hage was when he was selected by the Montreal Canadiens with the No. 21 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft. But the 18-year-old forward knows his late father would have been right there to share the joy of that glorious moment if not for fate. [NHL.com]

Juraj Slafkovsky already has a leg up on the competition, as he already has an Olympic medal, but you never know when an opportunity to win another will pop up!

A few pictures from Juraj Slafkovsky canoeing exhibition and few quotes in a thread 🧵📷: Jano Koller/@DennikSport #GoHabsGo @HabsOnReddit @HabsChronicle pic.twitter.com/sYMDvZ7DDz

— Tomáš Prokop (@Lewysko) July 28, 2024

National Hockey Now Network

11 goals in 23 games, including a hat trick with the Columbus Blue Jackets after a late-season trade from the Pittsburgh Penguins, wasn’t enough to earn Alex Nylander an NHL shot or even a two-way contract. [Pittsburgh Penguins]

The Philadelphia Flyers are hoping that sophomore forward Bobby Brink, among their many young up-and-coming players, takes another step forward in his NHL development during the 2024-25 season. [Philadelphia Flyers]

It’s been a big summer for Detroit Red Wings personnel who honed their hockey skills in the Big Ten. The club signed former Michigan Wolverine Tyler Motte as a free agent. They’re also promoting a graduate of the Ohio State University in their front office. [New Jersey Devils]