Are the Canadiens on the brink of disaster? A good draft pick could turn out to be a poisoned gift

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David St-Jean
February 5, 2024 (11:51 PM)

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The Canadiens have an excellent pool of prospects, one of the best in the league. However, there is a significant drawback: the forward prospects are quite ordinary.

Kent Hughes doesn't hide this fact and acknowledges that he will need to make trades to improve the offense. It would be great if the organization could take advantage of this season and the upcoming draft position in 2024 to select a forward, but it seems unlikely.

Indeed, the 2024 draft is projected to be heavy on defensemen. As mentioned by former Canadiens scout Grant McCagg, who is well aware of how things work behind the scenes, the Canadiens may end up selecting a defenseman again.

"If the Habs end up picking between 5-7, it's possible that the top 3-4 players on their list are defencemen. And guess what? Unless they can move back three or four spots, they take a defenceman, especially if he's top four on their list."

Certainly, there will be good forwards like Macklin Celebrini, but they may not be available by the time the Canadiens pick at the 5th spot. Such a statement from someone well-informed is concerning, especially since the Canadiens don't really need more defensemen.

If the front office truly has no choice but to select another defenseman with a top-10 pick, I hope they consider trading that pick or some of the already active defensemen.