The Montreal Canadiens finished last in the standings in the 2021-22 season, and were not picked by many to finish much higher this season.
The team that begin last season has since traded away Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry, Brett Kulak, Tyler Toffoli and Artturi Lehkonen. They can’t be any better without those veteran players, can they? Of course, it would be hard to be any worse than the team we saw last season.
Either way, no one was predicting playoffs for this team. They were rewarded with the first overall draft pick for their troubles last year, and teams are going to be gunning for that enviable draft position this season.
Whichever team ends up with that first overall pick is going to be handsomely rewarded by having the right to select Connor Bedard. The Regina Pats centre looks like the next great thing on ice, and will step right into the NHL next season and quickly become a star player. There are already teams tripping over themselves in an attempt to land the phenom.
Take the Chicago Blackhawks for example. They traded just about everyone in the offseason, and will look to trade everyone else during the season. They are clearly trying to be bad and land the top pick.
The Arizona Coyotes, who made the 2022-23 Montreal Canadiens look like the Harlem Golbetrotters as they jumped out to a 3-0 lead in just over seven minutes of hockey. At that point, the Coyotes didn’t even have a shot on goal.
That will make it difficult for the Canadiens to finish last again this season. The chances of landing Bedard will come down to a lottery, but the Habs odds are going to be pretty slim this year.
However, they will likely still have an early pick. That is good news, because even if they don’t land the first overall selection, there will be plenty of talent available for them to pick from early on in the 2023 NHL Draft. It is shaping up to be a fantastic year for draft eligible players.
Which ones should you have your eye on this season? Let’s take a look at three prospects who could be on the Habs radar if they don’t land the top pick, but are well inside the top ten.