Montreal Canadiens Hold Position, Set to Pick Fifth Overall in the NHL Draft

Kent Hughes discussed the Canadiens strategy following NHL Draft Lottery revealing that Montreal will be selecting fifth overall for the second consecutive year.

The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery took place on Tuesday inside the NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey. During the nationally broadcast television special, Bill Daly, NHL’s Deputy Commissioner flipped the cards unveiling the draft order for the first 16 picks in the first round.

The 16 non-playoff teams participated in the lottery with the possibility of winning one of the two draws. The teams winning the draw were not able to move higher than 10 spots based on the regulation standings. The Canadiens had 8.5 percent chance of winning the first draw.

Some Montreal fans were disappointed as Daly announced that they will be selecting fifth in the first round. With the San Jose Sharks and Chicago Blackhawks respectively winning the draws, the Canadiens stayed put on the pre-lottery order based on their 28th overall finish in the standings.

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The faithful Canadiens fans were hoping that Jeff Gorton’s past luck with NHL Draft Lottery would continue this season. Gorton was with an organization that won a draw in three of the last five years leading to Tuesday’s draw. He was with the New York Rangers in 2019, when they moved to second place to select Kaapo Kakko, in 2020, when they jumped to first place to pick Alexis Lafreniere, and with the Canadiens in 2022, to remain first and draft Juraj Slafkovsky. 

"As soon as the season was over, we plan as if we're choosing fifth," Kent Hughes said in a videoconference following the event where the Canadiens had 44 percent chance of dropping to sixth. "All the teams hope to win the lottery, but we're happy now knowing that we will select fifth." 

The organization is holding meetings next week with their scouts to continue the preparation for the upcoming draft. 

It will be the second consecutive year that the Canadiens will speak fifth on the microphone. Last year, the reaction to the selection of David Reinbacher was mixed due to the organization's depth on defense and the draft class having several quality prospects up front. 

"All things equal, we would draft a forward," the general manager declared the strategy. Hughes added that they will most likely keep the selection but open to trade the pick if it will improve the team 

The NHL Entry Draft will take place on June 28th and 29th at the Sphere in Las Vegas. Forward Macklin Celebrini is projected to be selected first overall.

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