With the 2018 NHL Draft to take place this week, it’s interesting to see players projections change which can impact what the Montreal Canadiens do.
It’s NHL Draft week. A lucky individual is going to have one of their dreams come true taking their first step to establishing a successful career. For fans, it’ll be a new set of players to gush over. The Montreal Canadiens will have their work cut out for them on the floor with ten picks.
The third-overall pick has been the most discussed selection. That’s your best chance to hit at the draft, and the Habs have their options. What’s been interesting to pay attention to in the last few days is the perception on certain players.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi has been on the up-and-up for the last little while. Now seeing him taken in the top-five is a clear possibility. But Kotkaniemi isn’t the only prospect on the board to see his spot on the draft board change. According to Bob McKenzie, Filip Zadina may find himself dipping in the ranks.
Bob McKenzie: "Multiple scouts have Zadina falling out their top 5 now, I don't think it's cause he has done anything wrong with his game, but I think it's cause the centremen (Kotkaniemi, Hayton) and d-men (Boqvist, Hughes, Bouchard, Dobson) have really stepped up".
— NHL Watcher (@NHL_Watcher) June 17, 2018
It’s important to note that these are the scouts and we don’t know if they’re linked to specific teams. However, with the stock of the centres and defencemen rising, you have to think Brady Tkachuk may fall as well.
Zadina may have hurt from having his season end in April. The Halifax Mooseheads were eliminated in the second round of the QMJHL playoffs. The 18-year-old was one of the team’s standouts putting up 5 goals and 7 assists in those 9 games. But while he sat and watched, Barret Hayton and Noah Dobson continued to play on.
The NHL Scouting Combine may have opened up team’s eyes to other aspects of their abilities as well.
With Alex Galchenyuk already out of the organization and Max Pacioretty still an option, but it looks like that may not happen anymore, adding some series goal-scoring in Zadina made sense. At the same time, the organizational need lies at the centre ice position. Kotkaniemi looks to be the name written in the stars for the Montreal Canadiens.
Chicago, Detroit and Montreal were the 3 teams that also had dinner with Kotkaniemi to get to know him better. Check where these 3 teams are picking and tell me that a scouting service having Kotkaniemi as the 18 pick is on the ball.
— Brian Wilde (@BWildeMTL) June 3, 2018
Next: The pros and cons of the Domi trade
Projected picks have fallen in the draft before. Think to 2013 when Seth Jones fell from second to fourth. It happens every year, and more often than not, it works out the way it was meant to be. The gut-wrenching aspect of it is that it really seemed like Zadina wanted to play in Montreal. On the bright side, Kotkaniemi looks to be equally as excited for the opportunity.