A Winning Habit
Fansided

FanSided Turns 15! Memories From Canadiens In 2007

By Patrick Lortie

MONTREAL - SEPTEMBER 18: An elevated general view shows the Pittsburgh Penguins playing against the Montreal Canadiens during their pre-season game on September 18, 2007 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Penguins defeated the Canadiens 5-2. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images)
MONTREAL - SEPTEMBER 18: An elevated general view shows the Pittsburgh Penguins playing against the Montreal Canadiens during their pre-season game on September 18, 2007 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The Penguins defeated the Canadiens 5-2. (Photo by Phillip MacCallum/Getty Images) /
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COLUMBUS, OH – JUNE 22: 22nd overall pick Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens poses with team personnel after being drafted in the first round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft at Nationwide Arena on June 22, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, OH – JUNE 22: 22nd overall pick Max Pacioretty of the Montreal Canadiens poses with team personnel after being drafted in the first round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft at Nationwide Arena on June 22, 2007 in Columbus, Ohio. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

The Canadiens were fresh off a 90 point season, good for 4th in the Northeast Division in Guy Carbonneau’s debut as an NHL Head Coach, but incredibly, not good enough to make the playoffs. The Toronto Maple Leafs also missed the playoffs with 91 points. So who were those two elusive teams that made it to the playoffs? The Ottawa Senators with 105 points and the Buffalo Sabres winning the division with 113 points.

Seems like ages ago. This was the year the Senators made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Finals but ultimately fell to the Anaheim Ducks in 5 games.

The Canadiens walked into Columbus that summer for the NHL Draft with the 12th and 22nd overall pick. After seeing Patrick Kane go first overall and future Canadiens Karl Alzner go 5th overall, General Manager Bob Gainey walked to the podium and selected defenceman Ryan McDonough. Then came the 22nd pick and they made their selection in future captain Max Pacioretty.

The party didn’t stop there. In the second round, 43rd overall, the Canadiens picked P.K. Subban out of the OHL.

LONDON, ON – JANUARY 19: Patrick Kane #88 of the London Knights skates with the puck as PK Subban #6 of the Belleville Bulls follows during OHL game action at John Labatt Centre on January 19, 2007 in London, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
LONDON, ON – JANUARY 19: Patrick Kane #88 of the London Knights skates with the puck as PK Subban #6 of the Belleville Bulls follows during OHL game action at John Labatt Centre on January 19, 2007 in London, Canada. (Photo by Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images) /

The rest of the draft was a wash for the Canadiens with only Yannick Weber, picked in the 3rd round, to see any NHL ice time.

Some notable late round misses by everyone on the league included Evgenii Dadonov, picked in the 3rd round by the Florida Panthers. Alec Martinez was picked in the 4th round by the Los Angeles Kings. Jamie Benn fell to the 5th round and picked by the Dallas Stars as was Jake Muzzin originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Stanley Cup legend Patrick Maroon was a 6th round pick that year by the Philadelphia Flyers, so was Carl Hagelin who was picked by the New York Rangers. Also 6th round picks that year were Nick Bonino, picked up by the San Jose Sharks and our very own Paul Byron was drafted by the Buffalo Sabres.

Carl Gunnarsson with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Justin Braun with the San Jose Sharks were selected in the 7th round.

In Montreal, little did fans know that the selections of McDonough, Pacioretty and Subban would shape the future of the team in unimaginable ways.

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