Montreal Canadiens: Some Names to Consider at Pick 31

Jayden Perron is definitely on the smaller side of NHL players, but he’s an incredibly skilled hockey player on talent alone. Playing for the Chicago Steel of the USHL this year — the same organization as Habs prospect Sean Farrell— he scored 72 points in 61 games, a great clip for a draft-eligible player. It’s truly a guess as to where he could go in this year’s draft, but I would have no qualms about him being the pick at 31. He’s an efficient player with the puck on his stick and is an excellent playmaker. He’s also very intelligent, which projects him as a guy with top-six upside.

But Perron is by no means a perfect prospect, as he’s small, and of course, there’s concern about how that translates to the NHL. He’s also not a great skater for his size, and although that can be fixed, it almost always holds a prospect back in rankings. Still, it’s hard to deny the talent, and often in cases like this, the skill can outweigh the other concerns. It wouldn’t shock me if that remains true for Perron.

I can’t help but view Perron and his situation to that of other smaller players, namely Lane Hutson. Yes, it’s a different position, but I think the same principles could apply, as rankings are mixed on Perron. EliteProspects has him ranked 29th, but Bob McKenzie has him ranked 58th. He could go at or around 31, and it wouldn’t surprise me, or he could still be available when the Canadiens come up to pick again at 69th overall in the third round. Perron has the skill, and I would have no issue taking him at 31 or with another pick, should he still be available.