The trade to acquire forward Alex Newhook and the selection of nine draftees at the 2023 NHL Draft this week are all up for review and analysis this week.
The NHL Draft, for many hockey fans, analysts, and media members, marks one of the most thrilling portions of the annual hockey calendar. It's a rare opportunity to watch so many reactions on the faces of young men and their families as lifelong dreams are realized, and the excitement that surrounds the hope and optimism at each team's draft table for what the newly-selected prospects could mean to the future success of an organization.
After Connor Bedard officially became a member of the Chicago Blackhawks, draft selections immediately got turned upside down when the Anaheim Ducks chose Leo Carlsson at second overall instead of the much-expected Adam Fantilli. But the most attention seemed to be on the fifth-overall pick and whether or not the Canadiens would trade up or down instead of sticking with their selection spot.
Even after a remarkable draft in 2022, hosted at the Bell Centre and with the Canadiens making waves upon selecting Juraj Slafkovsky at the first-overall position, this year's Draft still had the potential to be a remarkable moment in Montreal's rebuilding process. Kent Hughes did, in fact, take to the stage for the number five pick, but sent shockwaves through the hockey community when, instead of selecting Matvei Michkov or another one of the many top-tier elite forwards left on the table, announced that defenseman David Reinbacher was the choice for Montreal.
To say this pick was a bit controversial would be putting things lightly. Social media platforms were instantly filled with mixed cries of anger, dismay, frustration, excitement, relief, and praise. However, Hughes staunchly defended the selection in the press following the first round of the draft, calling Reinbacher a "diamond in the rough" and expressing that the blueliner filled a need for the organization.
For me, personally, I would have preferred to see the Canadiens stick with the true best player available philosophy and aim for a top-tier forward to add to the team's top six.
From there, the Canadiens draft was a bit hit-or-miss, in my opinion. A large part of the shadow that I perceived on rounds two through seven fell from the cost of acquiring forward Alex Newhook from the Colorado Avalanche earlier in the week. Parting ways with both the 31st and 37th overall picks in the Draft meant that Hughes and company didn't have an opportunity to select one of the top three or four goaltending prospects early in the second round.
It's a position the organization absolutely needs to fill with strong candidates, and they did eventually draft three goaltenders. Of them, Jacob Fowler could be the only one to have any NHL potential, but he's got plenty of work to do before that's even a consideration.
If you'd like to hear my grades on every one of Montreal's draft picks, plus my full analysis of the Newhook trade, click this link to watch my latest Habs Hockey Report video on YouTube: GRADING the Habs 2023 Draft & Alex Newhook Trade