If the Montreal Canadiens do end up using the 28th overall selection, picking a player who not only has skills but also size could be a very appealing prospect.
There’s been a lot of action on the trade market in the last few days, and while the Montreal Canadiens have yet to join the fun, there’s no guarantee that they won’t in the run-up to the draft, which kicks off on Friday night. Wanting to make a trade and actually crossing all the Ts and dotting all the Is are two different things, though, and there’s no guarantee that the Habs upcoming first-round pick, the 28th overall selection, would even be included in a potential trade. In the event that the Sainte-Flanelle does keep the pick, they should consider Simas Ignatavicius.
Although he was born in the United States, Ignatavicius is actually Lithuanian and has been playing hockey in Europe. The 18-year-old has many attributes the Canadiens could use, including his size. For such a young player, being 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds already is remarkable. Unlike most prospects available in the draft, the right winger doesn’t play against his own age group. Just like David Reinbacher in his draft year, Ignatavicious has played his draft season in the Swiss National League. He’s currently considered the 10th-best international skater in the Central Scouting Final draft ranking.
In 52 games against much older competition, he has gathered 13 points. While that’s not exactly an impressive total, when you consider the kind of opposition he’s facing, it becomes much more respectable. While he does have good hands and playmaking ability, it’s his willingness to play a hard-nosed, physical game that makes him an interesting option for the Canadiens.
He’s a responsible player who plays a committed game in all three zones and is not afraid to battle for the puck everywhere. He can land some big hits as well and make a real difference for his side. The Canadiens could definitely handle some help in that department, as has been proven by their last two playoff appearances. Josh Anderson is not getting any younger, and even if he were part of the long-term plan, he could still use help. Of course, there’s Florian Xhekaj, who’s doing well with the Laval Rocket, but it certainly wouldn’t hurt to have multiple options.
Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.
Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
Join the discussion by signing up to the Canadiens' roundtable on The Hockey News.
Subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here.
