Predicted Canadiens Draft Targets For The 2025 NHL Entry Draft

In roughly 24 hours, two talented players are expected to join the Montreal Canadiens organization via the first round of the 2025 NHL Entry Draft.

Unlike previous years, the Canadiens do not own a top-five pick, making the pre-draft coverage a little less obvious, and a lot more exciting. There are a roughly a dozen or more players that have good odds of hearing their name called once the Habs take to the podium with the 16th and 17th overall picks.

On that note, let’s take a look at how various outlets expect the first round to unfold on Friday, with a focus on the player they expect to be drafted by the Habs. It’s also worth evaluating Bob McKenzie’s consolidated rankings, as he uses scouts to determine his final draft order.

Montreal Canadiens Draft Targets

Carter Bear, C/LW, Shoots Left, 6’0″, 180 lb, Everett Silvertips (WHL)

The hard-working Silvertips forward was the most popular player when it comes to potential Habs picks, with four different outlets placing him in the 16th or 17th overall range.

Despite a brutal Achilles-heel injury in his draft year, Bear projects as a high-energy player who also possesses a rather impressive skill set. The predicted draft range for Bear starts at ninth overall, going all the way to 23rd overall according to one outlet. There are very low odds he makes it to 23, but there’s a legitimate possibility he will be there for the Habs.

ON TOPIC: Canadiens 2025 NHL Draft Target – The Case for Carter Bear

One thing is for certain, Bear will be picked in the first round due to his seemingly endless supply of energy, not to mention his well-rounded offensive abilities.

Outlets: NHL, The Athletic, Sportsnet, Flo Hockey

Kashawn Aitcheson, Defenceman, Shoots Left, 6’1″, 200 lb, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Bear is the clear-cut favourite in mock drafts, but the waters get muddied from that point on, with five players receiving Canadiens nods from two outlets. Kashawn Aitcheson, the hard-hitting defenceman, is likely to interest the Habs due to his truculent approach to the game, but it should be noted that he shoots left, which is far from an area of concern when evaluating organizational weaknesses.

Fans of old school defencemen would love to have Aitcheson in the fold due to his affinity for obliterating opposing forwards who forget to keep their heads up. He also does pretty well when it comes to generating production, finishing seventh in OHL scoring among defencemen with 26 goals and 33 assists in 64 games.

Outlets: NHL, Bleacher Report

Justin Carbonneau, RW, Shoots Right, 6’1″, 192 lb, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Every year we tend to see the top-ranked prospects hailing from Quebec linked to the Canadiens, and most of the time it’s simply laziness on behalf of the authors.

If he speaks French, he must interest the Habs, right?

Well, if history is any indication, that’s as far as possible from the truth. When evaluating the players they have picked in the first round, you won’t find any situation in which the Canadiens overlooked the best-player available to pick someone who knows how to order a proper poutine. Even Louis Leblanc, one of the rare French-Canadians the Habs drafted in the first round in the last few decades, was expected to be selected midway through the first round in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, exactly where the Habs picked him.

That being said, this time around there’s a chance the Canadiens can put their hands on a highly-talented prospect who also happens to speak French.

MUST READ: Canadiens 2025 NHL Draft Targets – The Impressive Justin Carbonneau 

Justin Carbonneau is a threat to score on almost every shift, and while his defensive prowess leaves something to be desired, you can teach players how to improve their defensive positioning, but you can’t improve their innate offensive instincts.

Let’s put it this way, some suggest he projects to be the exact opposite of a former Canadiens player who shares his family name.

Outlets:  NHL, Elite Prospects

Logan Hensler, 18, Defenceman, Shoots Right, 6’2″, 196 lb. University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Adam Engstrom is arguably the smoothest-skating prospect in the system, but he’d have some competition if the Canadiens land Logan Hensler.

The Badgers defenceman may not have produced very much offence, finishing the year with just two goals and 10 assists in 32 games, but it’s important to remember the University of Wisconsin had a terrible year by their usual standards. It wasn’t just Hensler who struggled to score in that lineup. For example, Ottawa Senators draft pick Tyson Dyck scored just three goals and 10 assists, and he did so as a 21-year-old forward.

Scouting Profile: Logan Hensler’s Mobility Drives His Value

If a team wants to add a right-handed defenceman to their prospect pool in the first round, the options will be limited, making Hensler a prime target for several franchises.

Outlets: ESPN, Hockey Prospect

Cole Reschny, 18, Forward, Shoots Left, 5’10″, 195lb. Victoria Royals (WHL)

Reschny ranks among the best playmakers available in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft. At 5’10”, he’s far from the tallest player available, but he is nearing 200 lb, indicating that he possess above average core-strength, mitigating some of the concern about his height.

He’s the type of player who will offer an honest effort every shift, and though he projects as a middle-six player, some scouts are convinced he’s a late bloomer who owns a much higher ceiling than we saw in the first half of the season, betting on his excellent play down the stretch of the year.

Outlets: NHL – BR

Cameron Reid, 18, Defenceman, Shoots Left, 6’0″, 180 lb. Kitchener Rangers (OHL)

Defenceman Cameron Reid is the last draft-eligible prospect to be named by at least two outlets. His elite skating causes headaches for opponents when he’s dancing the blue line in the offensive zone, while also opening up passing lanes in prime scoring areas for his teammates.

With 14 goals and 40 assists in 67 games, the Rangers’ alternate captain established himself as one of the most interesting puck-moving defencemen available. He’s also quite adept at puck retrieval, which happens to be another area of weakness for the Canadiens.

Outlets The Athletic, BR

Montreal Canadiens Brass Tacks

There were a few prospects who were just mentioned once, including Jack Nesbitt, Brendan Cootes, Malcolm Spence, Cullen Porter, Jackson Smith, and Ben Kindel.

Considering the Habs are in a situation that allows them to stretch their legs a little with their back-to-back picks in the first round, it wouldn’t be surprising if they use one of their picks on a more established prospect, such as Carter Bear or Justin Carbonneau, while keeping the second pick for a project player like Jack Nesbitt.

There’s also fairly decent odds the Canadiens may trade one or both of their picks, making the upcoming draft weekend an event filled with exciting possibilities.

*Not every outlet linked above is a mock draft, there are a few draft lists included in the mix.