The Montreal Canadiens will have their own game to worry about, but there will most likely be eyes on the CHL/NHL top prospect game going on tonight as well.
Tonight is the annual Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL top prospect game. A lot of people consider a sort of junior hockey All-Star game which in many ways it is as a lot of the young talent in the CHL is being displayed. However, unlike in the NHL game, the players actually try. The focus for Montreal Canadiens fans will most likely be to watch the Habs take on the Carolina Hurricanes, but there are reasons to tune into this tame.
The team has been in the bottom ten for the majority of the season, and there’s a good chance they could be in a decent draft position in June. Getting the opportunity to select first would be special and something that hasn’t happened since 1990 when the Habs selected Doug Wickenheiser, but there is other talent available that could be great for the organization.
Which brings us to this top prospect game.
Team Cherry
On Team Cherry, look no further than Filip Zadina. The 18-year-old is a dynamic two-way winger who is having a fantastic season playing for the Halifax Mooseheads. However, he made more of a name for himself in the latest World Junior Championships playing for Team Czech Republic where he scored seven goals in seven games.
Another player to look for on Team Cherry is centre Joe Veleno. He’s not projected to go in the top ten, but he could be an option for the Habs if they find a way to acquire a second first-round pick this year. Veleno is a hard-working centre who sees the ice well and has solid playmaking ability. He hasn’t displayed enough finish of his own, but he has the tools to be a good player in the future.
Team Orr
Team Orr has two players the Habs may want to focus on in Andrei Svechnikov and Noah Dobson. Svechnikov is and has been the clear-cut number two guy going into this draft. The right-winger is a perfect combination of size, speed, and skill. He’ll need to fill into to his six-foot-three frame a bit, but the things Svechnikov can do with the puck will make him a top goal-scorer in the league one day. He’s a very smart player who can drive to the net for offence off a quick shot with his release.
Dobson, on the other hand, may get the Nico Hischier treatment as he’s improved so much and is continuing to rise in draft rankings. He’s an all-situation defenceman who can be used in the dying minutes of a game to maintain a lead or be sent on the ice to generate scoring chances for his team. Dobson is second on Acaide-Bathurst of the QMJHL with 10 goals and 37 assists in 46 points.
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Although the Habs will most likely be looking for centres and elite goal-scorers at the draft, if there’s a chance to acquire Dobson, it may be one to take. Shea Weber isn’t going to be the player he is forever, and the Summerside native would be a good way to shore up the team’s defensive pool.
A lot of players at this game go on to have good NHL careers. Jonathan Drouin, Phillip Danault, and Charles Hudon are examples of players on the Habs who have gone. Additionally, Noah Juulsen, Daniel Audette, and Will Bitten played and are waiting to get their’s started.
If you have a chance, tune into it tonight. You never know who will end up putting the Montreal Canadiens jersey on.
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Will you watch the game? Who are you excited to see? Who do you think the Habs should take this year? Let us know your thoughts down below.