Montreal Canadiens: Examining Possible Trade-Up Scenarios For Habs at NHL Draft

The Montreal Canadiens hold the first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft. They also hold just about every other pick in the second through seventh rounds.

Okay, that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but the Canadiens do have a total of 14 picks, including the first, 26th and 33rd overall selections. They also have another second round pick which is 62nd overall, three picks in the third round, three picks in the fourth round, a single pick in the fifth and sixth rounds and two picks in the seventh.

That’s a total of 14 picks, which will make for a ridiculously busy weekend for the Canadiens. Of course, it is possible they don’t just sit back and announce 14 picks. They could trade a few picks for selections in next year’s draft, maybe add a player for a pick or two, or package a few picks to move up in the draft.

That is the scenario I will be keeping a close eye on during the first round of the NHL Draft on Thursday night. After the Canadiens select Shane Wright first overall (right?) I don’t think they will wait until their 26th pick to select again. If a player they like starts to fall a bit, I could see the Canadiens packaging a few of their later picks together to move up and get an earlier pick in the first round.

But how far will they be able to move? A quick look back at recent NHL Drafts shows it is difficult to make a big jump. But that shouldn’t stop the Habs management team from doing it anyway. They just have so much ammo in the form of second, third and fourth round picks that is makes sense to leap up in the first round.

When Habs current Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations, (otherwise known as general manager Kent Hughes boss) Jeff Gorton was the general manager for the New York Rangers, he twice traded up in the first round to get the player he wanted.

This exact scenario played out while Gorton was with the Rangers in 2020. He drafted Alexis Lafreniere first overall and then traded the 22nd and 72nd overall picks for the 19th pick to select Braden Schneider. But that just shows the cost of moving up. The Rangers gave up a third round pick to move up three slots in the first round.

Two years earlier, Gorton made a similarly trade. He sent the 26th pick and a second round pick, which was 48th overall to move up and select K’Andre Miller 22nd overall. So, it cost him a pick in the middle of the second round to move up just four spots.

We see these trades every year. Last year it was the Detroit Red Wings jumping up from 23rd overall to 15th to get goaltender Sebatian Cossa. The full trade was pick 15 for picks 23, 48 and 138. So, to move up eight spots they gave up a mid second round pick and a fifth.

The Minnesota Wild also traded up to get a goalie last year. They sent the 22nd and 90th overall picks for the 20th overall selection. That’s a late third round pick to move up two spots in the first round.

So, it is costly, but the Canadiens are loaded with two second rounder, three third rounder and three fourth rounders this week. If a player the Habs like slips past the 15th pick, I think we will see Hughes start looking to move up.

If he wants to jump more than a couple of spots, he may need to use that 33rd overall pick. If he wants to jump up and take someone 16th or 17th overall, expect him to need to sacrifice the 26th and 33rd picks.

If he only wants to slide up a few spots, he can keep that 33rd overall pick. Say he wants to move up to 24th, it would probably cost him the 26th pick and one of his third rounders. It will be interesting to see how many picks the Canadiens actually end up using, but expect them to look to move up a few slots in the first round and give up a later pick to do so.

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