Montreal Canadiens: Striking Gold in the 5th Round
By Omar L
For a team that supposedly doesn’t draft well, the Montreal Canadiens have been able to find some solid players in the later rounds, especially in the 5th.
The kind of team that the Montreal Canadiens have dressed in the preseason has bounced between two types. There’s the type that resembles the regular season line-up, and the type that is mostly made up of prospects. Neither team type has been able to find a win.
A critique that’s been buzzing around the fan base is that the Habs don’t draft well or that the cupboards are bare. It’s usually directed at the development of prospects such as Michael McCarron, Nikita Scherbak, or Jacob de La Rose to name a few. They’ve been part of the organization for some time but don’t look any closer to be seriously competing for a job in the NHL.
It looks specifically bad on the first round picks. However, to say that the Montreal Canadiens don’t draft well is a doing the organization a huge disservice. Hitting on draft picks gets harder as you get further away from the 1st round. When you get to the 5th or 6th rounds, the likelihood of finding a player that will be an every night NHLer is pretty low.
Fortunately, this team that, “doesn’t know how to draft well”, has been able to find gems in those later rounds.
Lucky Number 5
The Montreal Canadiens have been able to find three special players in the 5th round of the NHL entry draft dating back from 2010.
Brendan Gallagher
More from Editorials
- Montreal Canadiens: Senators Rebuild At Crisis Point As Kent Hughes Moves Forward
- Montreal Canadiens: Jonathan Drouin Continues Charity Work In Montreal After Leaving Habs
- Montreal Canadiens: Laval Rocket Lineup Going To Be Must Watch
- Montreal Canadiens: Jesse Ylönen Contract Extension Analysis
- Montreal Canadiens: Top 31 Prospects – #31 Quentin Miller
Montreal took the risk in selecting Brendan Gallagher 147th overall in 2010. I say risk because at that time, there was, and still is now, a stigma towards drafting undersized forwards. Gallagher had always been praised for his skill, work ethic, and grit. However, many jumped at the chance to say how important it was for him to get bigger and stronger. He had 41 goals and 40 assists for the Vancouver Giants that year. How can you pass up on a player like that?
Gallagher played two more seasons in the WHL where he led the team in scoring for one of them. He came to training camp ahead of the 2012-2013 season determined, but couldn’t have his NHL debut because of the lockout. Gallagher instead played 36 games in the AHL for the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Once the lockout ended, it was Gallagher’s time to shine. He completed his first NHL season scoring 15 goals and 13 assists. Size was not an issue for him at all as he was constantly battling for position in front of the net while agitating his opponents at the same time. Five years later and Gallagher has done nothing but get better.
Charles Hudon
This has been one of the most watched storylines in the Habs organization. Fans have wanted Charles Hudon to be on the team for years and it’s finally happening. It’s a long story as to how the Montreal Canadiens got the 5th round pick to draft him, but when it was time to announce the 122nd overall pick, they were ready to make it.
Related Story: Habs Fans Should Thank Columbus For Hudon
Hudon’s trajectory has been on the rise ever since his name was called by Montreal that day in Pittsburgh. He dominated the QJMHL on both the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, but it eventually became too easy for him. Hudon then made the transition to the AHL and put up a lot of points there as well.
It’s been at this current Habs training camp where he’s proven that his next level to dominate is at the NHL. What’s special about it is that Hudon doesn’t look like he’ll need the help. If anything, whoever plays on his line (which look to be Tomas Plekanec and Artturi Lehkonen) will benefit more from playing with him than the other way around.
Daniel Audette
He hasn’t played in any NHL games yet, but Daniel Audette is still one of the better 5th round picks by the Canadiens. Again, another player passed on because of his size. You rarely see NHL centerman at five-foot-nine, but there have been many to pull it off in the past.
Audette’s speed, playmaking, and drive are what has gotten him this far in his career. He also put up good-looking numbers in the QJMHL with the Sherbrooke Phoenix, and later on, a 30 point season in the AHL.
The 21-year-old has stood out in the games he’s been in as of late. He was one of the better forwards at this past Rookie Tournament even during the games where the team as a whole wasn’t in it. Audette was also very noticeable in the preseason games that he played in this year.
Don’t look too much into him being cut. The Habs most likely feel like he will develop more with the Laval Rocket and be given the minutes to succeed.
Next: Al Montoya Could Lose His Spot
Here we have three players taken in rounds that you wouldn’t expect to find talent. So if you see someone say that the Habs don’t draft well, direct them to this post. It takes luck as much as it does analysis to get these guys so late, but the fact that they’ve been able to make it this far speaks to them as hockey players.
Do you think the Habs draft well? Let us know your thoughts down below.
Additional player stats from hockeydb.com.