Montreal Canadiens could reportedly trade 5th overall pick

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Cooper Godin
May 21, 2024 (3:14 PM)

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For the third consecutive season, the Montreal Canadiens will have a top-five pick in the NHL Entry Draft, selecting Juraj Slafkovsky first overall in 2022 and David Reinbacher fifth overall in 2023.

Ideally, the Montreal Canadiens would like to target a forward with this year's fifth-overall pick, but with this year's top-ten expected to be defensive-heavy, could Kent Hughes trade back? Well, according to David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period, there is a chance that could happen.

"Other teams aren't buying that mindset just yet and seem to think a lot of Montreal's decisions this summer will be determined around or during the NHL Draft, specifically if Cayden Lindstrom is or isn't available at No.5.

Lindstrom is ranked third among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting after projected first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini and defenceman Artyom Levshunov. On the international side, the top three is led by defenceman Anton Silayev, followed by right wing Ivan Demidov at No.2 and centre Konsta Helenius at No.3. There is growing belief Lindstrom is high on Montreal's draft board, but if he's not available at the fifth-overall slot, Hughes could move the pick." Pagnotta said.

Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens are always an interesting team to keep an eye on at the draft, as he likes to make a big splash. In 2022, Hughes traded Alexander Romanov to the New York Islanders and got the 13th overall pick in return, which he flipped to Chicago for Kirby Dach. Then last year's draft week, he brought in Alex Newhook from the Colorado Avalanche.

Whether they're able to do so through a trade at the draft involving their 5th overall pick or dangling one of their several young defensive prospects, there's no question that Kent Hughes' priority will be a top-six forward who can put the puck in the back of the net. The Canadiens have been linked to a number of forwards around the league in recent weeks and months, including Trevor Zegras of the Anaheim Ducks, who could reignite some chemistry he has with Cole Caufield. The two were teammates at the World Juniors and currently at this year's World Championship in Czechia.

We're just over one month away from the NHL Entry Draft and it'll be interesting to see if Kent Hughes and the management group will take to the stage at The Sphere in Vegas or if they'll move back and add another asset in doing so.