An expert just scared the fans of the CH with his prediction of the 5th rank in the draft
As we are the day after the NHL lottery, Montreal Canadiens fans must digest the news that the highly coveted prize, the league's next generational player in Connor Bedard, will ultimately join the Chicago Blackhawks.
At least for the Tricolore, the best of the worst-case scenarios has happened, which means that the club will pick at the 5th rank instead of slipping to the 6th or 7th spot.
In connection with this draft, TSN's prospect expert, Craig Button, has given his prediction for the top five picks, including that of the Canadiens.
Unfortunately for CH fans, the organization's potential choice on June 28th may be particularly disappointing to hear.
Indeed, according to Button, Kent Hughes and his team would set their sights on another Slovak forward, Dalibor Dvorsky. After an ordinary season in the second most important league in Sweden, he left an excellent calling card at the recent U18 World Championship, where he accumulated 13 points, including eight goals, in seven games.
Although the center has an interesting profile, one should be wary of the "riser", the player who makes a strong impression in the final stretch before the draft. For Tricolore fans, let's recall that this was the case for Jesperi Kotkaniemi in 2018, who wasn't even ranked in the mid-season top 10. It's a similar observation for Dvorsky right now.
However, what is most striking is the player the management would pass on with their 5th pick. Although experts agree that there is a well-defined top 5 in terms of prospect talent and then the rest of the group, the CH would dare to let another possible generational talent in Matvei Michkov slip by.
No offense to Dvorsky, who could become a good second-line center in the NHL, but his talent is nothing compared to that of Michkov, who is seen as the best Russian talent since Alex Ovechkin!
The Canadiens still have the opportunity to hit a home run for their future with the 2023 draft, and they must not miss their chance in favor of a less risky but also significantly less talented choice.
| POLL | ||
If Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson, and Smith are no longer available in the draft, what is your choice with the Canadiens' 5th pick? | ||
| Matvei Michkov | 628 | 78.6 % |
| Dalibor Dvorsky | 54 | 6.8 % |
| Zach Benson | 68 | 8.5 % |
| Ryan Leonard | 49 | 6.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
