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Three Rumors Regarding Canadiens’ First Overall Pick

By Patrick Lortie

KITCHENER, ONTARIO - MARCH 23: Shane Wright #51 of Team Red skates against Team White in the 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on March 23, 2022 in Kitchener, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images)
KITCHENER, ONTARIO - MARCH 23: Shane Wright #51 of Team Red skates against Team White in the 2022 CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game at Kitchener Memorial Auditorium on March 23, 2022 in Kitchener, Ontario. (Photo by Chris Tanouye/Getty Images) /
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A fan of the Arizona Coyotes walks past a “Welcome to Arizona” sign during the first period of the NHL game against the Nashville Predators at Gila River Arena on April 29, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
A fan of the Arizona Coyotes walks past a “Welcome to Arizona” sign during the first period of the NHL game against the Nashville Predators at Gila River Arena on April 29, 2022 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

While there are still tons of great options at number three, Arizona GM Bill Armstrong was salivating all year at the potential of seeing Shane Wright sporting the kachina jersey.

Head coach André Tourigny did a masterful job last season despite seeing his team finish last in the Western Conference. If properly supported, Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz are proving they can be a lethal 1-2 punch down the middle. Shayne Gostisbehere has shown a resurgence of sorts while Lawson Crouse had a career year with 20 goals.

Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman had a debate on the 32 Thoughts Podcast where Marek stated that Armstrong is tempted to make a mega offer to the Canadiens.

The Coyotes have three first round picks for the upcoming draft, so sacrificing next year’s 1st round in order to move up two spots might not be the end of the world, if it weren’t for who will likely be drafted first overall next year.

If Bill Armstrong were to call Kent Hughes and offer this trade, you can bet Hughes will take it in a heartbeat. It’s likely going to be a toss up between Logan Cooley or Juraj Slafkovsky going number two overall. If the Devils draft by need they will pick Slafkovsky. If they go by the best player available, they will pick Cooley. So regardless of who goes number two, the third overall pick will be a solid player. Before the lottery, the Canadiens were said to be very high on Slafkovsky who is drawing comparisons to Carolina Hurricanes sniper Andrei Svechnikov.

The only reason why this trade could work in favor of the Habs is because of the 2023 1st round pick attached to it. Connor Bedard is slated to go first overall in 2023 and is considered a generational talent, something Shane Wright is not.

With the right development and attitude, Wright can be a solid player. He won’t become a Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews, but he has drawn similar comparisons to Patrice Bergeron and Aleksander Barkov who are by no means slouches in their own right.

André Tourigny, who coached Shane Wright during the Team Canada training camp at the World Juniors in 2020, has high praise for the Kingston Frontenac captain and insists that he is a generational player in the making.

The only negative in this trade scenario? Try to sell the fans of Montreal that they won’t see their team pick first overall in their hometown. That would definitely be a tough pill to swallow. Although if it means getting Connor Bedard…

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