Canadiens: Montreal Will Host The 2022 NHL Draft

It’s always an exciting time when a city hosts the NHL draft. It’s free marketing for the hosting franchise and always an opportunity for fans to witness in person the whole buzz behind it. This year, the Montreal Canadiens will finally able to play host.

The draft was originally planned to be held in Montreal in 2020, but of course the COVID-19 pandemic foiled all the plans and the draft was held virtually instead. An absolutely awkward and buzzkill of an event to say the very least. Now that Quebec has lifted most of its restrictions, Gary Bettman is set to finalize the announcement.

The NHL is expected to make the formal announcement sometime after the Heritage Classic game, which will pit the Toronto Maple Leafs against the Buffalo Sabres at Tim Hortons Field, home of the Hamilton Tiger Cats of the CFL, in Hamilton, Ontario.

This will mark the first time since 2009 that Montreal will play host to the NHL Draft. The first round produced some great players with John Tavares leading the pack, being drafted first overall by the New York Islanders. The following 6 players to be drafted are all impact players in their own way. From 2nd to 7th the picks were Victor Hedman (TB), Matt Duchene (COL), Evander Kane (ATL), Brayden Schenn (LA), Oliver Ekman-Larsson (PHO), and Nazem Kadri (TOR).

Ryan Ellis, Chris Kreider, Kyle Palmieri, Ryan O’Reilly, Robin Lehner and Tyson Barrie are just a few of the names that rounded up the first couple of rounds. Time would prove the 2009 draft to be incredibly deep as the fourth round produced a trio of current Canadiens defenceman in David Savard (94th CLB) , Chris Wideman (100th OTT) , and Ben Chiarot (120th ATL). Mike Hoffman was also drafted that year being selected in the 5th round, 130th overall by the Ottawa Senators.

The steal of the night probably belongs to the New York Islanders, having drafted Anders Lee in the 6th round 152nd overall.

As for the Montreal Canadiens, what came with cheers and an ovation after the selection of the first round quickly turned into bust.

This is the year the Canadiens went off the board in the first round and selected Louis Leblanc. The crowd erupted into cheers hearing Trevor Timmins naming a player from Kirkland, Quebec. A visibly shocked Leblanc made his way to the stage, probably still wondering to this day if he was dreaming. Leblanc wasn’t ranked anywhere in the first round on opposing team’s rankings.

The New York Rangers took full advantage of Montreal’s baffling pick as they selected Chris Kreider with the next pick.

Montreal’s night ended up being an absolute flop. After picking Leblanc 18th overall, the Canadiens picked Joonas Nattinen (65th), Mac Bennett (79th), Alexander Avtsin (109th), Gabriel Dumont (139th), Dustin Walsh (169th), Mike Cichy (199th), and Petteri Simila as the 211th and final pick of that year’s draft.

With the eyes straight on Shane Wright and the first overall pick, Montreal has a chance to put on quite a show at this year’s draft.