Could the Canadiens look to snag this forward in the first round this year?
The Athletic's Corey Pronman released his latest 2026 NHL mock draft with June now here. In it, he predicted all 32 picks of the first round.
When it came to the Montreal Canadiens, Pronman had the Habs selecting forward Liam Ruck.
When looking at the numbers Ruck put up this season in the WHL, there is no question that he would be an exciting prospect for the Canadiens to add to their system. The 6-foot winger appeared in 68 games this season with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the WHL, where he posted 45 goals, 59 assists, and 104 points. With numbers like these, it is clear that he has a lot of skill.
Ruck has the potential to become a top-six forward in the NHL, so he is the kind of forward prospect who the Canadiens would be wise to consider if he is still available when they are on the clock. There is a lot to like about his game, and he would give them another fascinating scorer in their prospect pool.
Yet, with how well Ruck played this season, there is certainly a chance that he will be selected before the Canadiens have the chance to do so. It will be interesting to see what happens on that front.