Montreal Canadiens: The 2020 NHL Draft Was Kind To The Habs

Kaiden Guhle & Justin Barron

First up are a pair of defensemen, one acquired with the Canadiens first round selection, and another via trade. Both are likely to be a huge part of the Canadiens blueline going forward. They also had ample NHL minutes during the 2022-23 season, due to the injuries that decimated the Habs lineup.

Justin Barron and Kaiden Guhle are two important pieces to the Canadiens’ young defence corps. Both just 22 years old, they took a big step in the right direction for their development, earning plenty of ice time against the premier talent of the NHL. Two very different defensemen, but both have the ability to impact the game in a very positive way.

While they haven’t played together on a defensive pairing in the NHL, they sort of present the ying to the yan. The pair balance each other out nicely, and they did play together in the 2021 World Junior’s tournament for Canada. So the potential for it in future isn’t out of the question.

Barron is more offensive-minded and enjoys joining the forwards, as a fourth forward during breakouts, and his heavy, accurate shot and playmaking skills make him a dual-threat defender. He is prone to defensive miscues, but he will continue working through those issues with Adam Nicholas, in becoming a more well-rounded defender. His skating and physical traits are drivers of his game, and he has the reach to disrupt opposing forwards, which will aid him when defending the rush.

Guhle is sound defensively, and very rarely does he get caught out of position. Like Barron, Guhle has an NHL frame and he uses it more than his fellow 2020 draftee, to devastate opponents with bone-crushing body checks. His high hockey IQ translates through all three zones, whether it be a smart stick, skating his way out of trouble or making smart plays in the attacking zone. He also has a great shot, which he could stand to use more, which would only raise his offensive potential.

Sean Farrell

The next tier is just one player – a smart, skilled winger. A knock on this player might just be his size and a lack of dynamism in his skating. But, as evidenced by his NCAA career, Sean Farrell is a cerebral player whose vision and playmaking ability are the roots of his game.

The Canadiens selected Farrell in the fourth round of the draft, with the 124th overall pick. With the USHL’s Chicago Steel, Farrell had great success, posting 101 points (29 goals and 72 assists) through 53 games. He committed to play for the Harvard University Crimson men’s hockey team and caught the eye of the Habs’ management with his brilliant play.

His junior statistics were great and all, but there were still doubts, due to his size and the fact that his numbers were against less talented competition in the United States League. So his next season, which would be his rookie year in the NCAA, was an important one. Farrell took it very seriously, and the silent assassin (as Adam Nicholas called him) silenced any doubters, posting above point-per-game totals, 28 points (10 goals and 18 assists) in 24 games.

Farrell’s sophomore season had both Habs management and fans swooning, as he took his play to another level. He exploded offensively and put himself in an enviable position when he signed his entry-level contract, to turn pro. He did get a taste of NHL action, scoring his first goal and internationally, and he might be a step behind, but he is ready to play in Laval.

He has let his play do all the talking, and proven that the Canadiens might just have got themselves a gem in the fourth round of the draft. Time will tell, but the ‘20 Draft has already been a great one for the Habs, as told by the two players mentioned above. But if Farrell can find his way, this draft could prove to be one of the Canadiens’ best.

Jakub Dobes

The final tier features a goalie, and they are very hard to scout, judge and determine their NHL arrival. Very few come into the league and dominate like the babyfaced Dryden and Roy. So evaluating and even ranking a goalie ahead of NHL potential forwards and defensemen, could prove to be foolish.

Jakub Dobes is a perfect example of a high-potential goaltender, but without a sample size of professional play, he sits fourth on the list. He has size and mobility and he proved poised in backstopping the Ohio State Buckeye’s men’s hockey team. During his two-year college hockey career, Dobes, the native of Ostrava, Czechia., was a mainstay in the Buckeye’s net, posting a career 42-28-5 record to go along with his six shutouts.

He showed consistency and steadily improved since the Canadiens selected him in the fifth round of the draft. Goalies take a bit longer than forwards, with their primes coming a little later in their careers, so Dobes is likely two years away from NHL action. A slow approach with a goaltender is best served, and with the Canadiens’ timeline to compete for a Cup, likely another two seasons away, he can marinate in the American league.

He will battle Primeau for the starter’s role in Laval, and look to backstop the young Laval team to a league championship. Certainly, it will be a big jump from college to the pros, but with the Canadiens’ development team at the helm, Dobes could become a very important element in the rebuild. Given Jake Allen and Casey DeSmith’s ages, a younger goalie is more likely to take precedence ahead of them, and the next high-potential goalie (Jacob Fowler) is yet to play an NCAA game.

A great draft might produce two bonafide NHL talents, which would help a roster tremendously. So, when we get to talking about three talents from the same draft, that were selected by an organization, and one having number-one goaltender potential is ranked third, you had a great draft. The Barron trade was tough because we lost Lehky, but Barron is the icing on top, he wasn’t selected by us, but he went ahead of our first-round selection, who happens to be one of our prized young defenders.

Two More Players With NHL Potential

The Canadiens made eight selections in the ’20 Draft, so there is a fair chance that at least one more player will carve out an NHL career. This part of the article will dive into each of the remaining players selected by former general manager Marc Bergevin.

Luke Tuch

Luke Tuch was selected in the round of the draft, and he has NHL bloodlines, with brother Alex, a Buffalo Sabre. The younger Tuch is smaller than his brother, but plays an equally physical game, using his 6’2″ frame to throw hits and defend the puck well. He is strong along the wall and behind the net, and he has a heavy shot, but he has yet to show any point-producing potential.

A big year in ’23-’24 would go a long way in Tuch’s future, as it would come just as he is preparing to establish himself at the pro level. He has the toolkit and NHL size, and sharpening his skills will correlate with where he goes beyond college hockey. He is a smart, big player who can skate well. He is solid defensively, but some growth in his offensive game could elevate his game to a middle-of-the-lineup NHL player level.

Jan Mysak

It can be argued that Jan Mysak is ahead of Tuch, and while I agree, he hasn’t lived up to the hype. He looked like a strong two-way center who could chip in offensively, but he hasn’t found his stride with the Rocket yet. For both he and Tuch, the 2023-24 season will be huge for their development, and assessing their readiness for the NHL. He doesn’t look lost at the professional level, but he doesn’t resemble the same player who was drafted out of the OHL.

It’s quite obvious that his upcoming season will be telling in determining what the Canadiens have with Mysak. He does all things well, but nothing great, so working on his game all around, could prove important should he wish to join the Habs. It seems less likely that he plays in Montreal, and I feel that Tuch does have the potential to make it, but one season can change a lot.

Blake Biondi, Jack Smith & Alexander Gordin

Blake Biondi has spent his time in the NCAA with the University of Minnesota-Duluth since the Habs selected him. He hasn’t exactly exploded in the college ranks, and his dominant play in High School hasn’t translated. Biondi was a late pick that Trevor Timmins was high on, and he believed that Biondi would be a sniper, that could play both forward positions.

The jury is still out on that, and Hughes and co. will keep a keen eye on his upcoming season. This will be his final year of college hockey, so an uptick in production will be welcomed. Should Biondi prove able to use his shot as a threat more often, and carve out a stronger offensive game, he could have top-nine potential.

Jack Smith is an undersized center at 5’11” and he was drafted with the hopes that his playmaking ability would grow, and he would end up a solid producer. He was limited to just 10 games in his draft-plus-one season and his rookie campaign in the NCAA showed he could stay healthy. He played 24 games, but he only managed four assists, so right now he has yet to get back to the level he was playing at in High School.

Smith will play his sophomore season alongside Blake Biondi at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. And much like Biondi, he would benefit greatly should he grow his playmaking skills and round out his game. He projects as a fourth-line player at this juncture, but every spot on an NHL roster is important.

Alexander Gordin was drafted on the premise that he was a goalscorer, whose dynamite shot was what put him on the Habs’ radar. Gordin has failed to stick at the KHL level, and at 22 years old time is running out for him, he could benefit greatly and put himself in the conversation for a spot in the Habs fold, with Laval. He has been solid at the MHL and VHL, and he is slated to start the 2023 season in the VHL with Ryazan-VDV, but his sights should be on grabbing a role in the KHL.

It seems that right now, a fourth-line role would be the best-case scenario for Gordin. Should that potential remain the same, then it’s likely better to stay home in Russia and enjoy the home-cooking. Fourth-line minutes and lower pay in North America don’t provide much benefit unless he bets on himself to climb up the lineup and somehow defies the odds.

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