Controversy surrounding the Canadiens: they were robbed and we have the details

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David St-Jean
July 3, 2024 (8:00 PM)

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Following the 2024 NHL Draft, there was controversy online regarding the Canadiens' picks.

Of course, everyone seems very happy with their first and third-round picks, but afterward, no players from the QMJHL were selected, nor anyone local, which caused some grumbling.

During his post-draft press conference, Martin Lapointe addressed the situation.

"We have nothing against local players; we sought out players who speak French, but this year we weren't able to secure the right QMJHL player."

This marks the 7th time since 1970 that the Habs haven't chosen a QMJHL player, which many see as a failure.

Lapointe mentioned they targeted one of these players in the 6th round, but he was taken just before.

There's immediate thought towards Justin Poirier, who scored 51 goals this season in 68 games and was selected in the 5th round. His small stature counted against him, and he understands why the Habs passed on him, given Montreal's number of small players.

Nevertheless, not drafting local players is seen as a failure by many and has sparked a lot of discussion.

However, it's important to note that, as they do every year, the organization invited several local athletes to their development camp, which is commendable.