Montreal Canadiens: The strategy for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft

The Montreal Canadiens will have a decent chance of striking gold at the draft lottery, but that’ll be the start of the planning ahead of the event in June

The Montreal Canadiens will have a 9.5% chance of striking gold at the NHL Lottery Draft. Regardless of whether the Habs end up picking first, seventh, or somewhere in between, we know they have the 35th overall pick, and 38th overall (from the Chicago Blackhawks). The other second-round picks from the Toronto Maple Leafs, and Washington Capitals are still to be determined.

Having some idea of where Montreal will be drafting, one of the first questions asked should be whether the Canadiens should draft purely for need or if they take the best player available regardless of it. The obvious answer is just to take the best player available since it looks like they need everything.

Let’s assume no big-name players get dealt in offseason and Jonathan Drouin, Alex Galchenyuk, Max Pacioretty and the rest of the gang return. The top six still looks pretty solid, but it’s the center position that is still a huge question mark going forward. Unfortunately, there is only one center in the entire top ten of the draft rankings, so the Montreal Canadiens will be forced to select either a defenseman or winger unless they trade out of the top seven.

It’s very unlikely Montreal would move their first-round pick, but would it be worth packaging some of their second-round picks to be able to make another selection in the first? Eight centermen are ranked between 10-28 in several mock drafts. Montreal should put together a package that allows them to move up in the draft and take the best player available when that best player is a center.