The Montreal Canadiens did the unthinkable at the NHL Draft when they made a rare trade with the Boston Bruins. Trades between the two franchises have been scarce over the years. This marked the first trade since 2001 and just the second since 1964. The low amounts of trade between the two franchises might have something to do with their bitter rivalry or the fact that the Canadiens fleeced the Bruins when they traded for Hockey Hall of Fame goalie Ken Dryden back in 1964.
No one could have predicted just how dominant Dryden would become once he hit NHL ice. However, for the Bruins, setting up their rivals for years to come was not the first thing that came to mind when they made that trade. Just days after taking Dryden 14th overall in the 1964 draft, the Bruins packaged him with Alex Campbell for Guy Allen and Paul Reid.
Both Allen and Reid never managed to play an NHL game, while Dryden went on to play eight seasons with the Canadiens. He won five Vezina Trophies and six Stanley Cups, becoming one of the greatest goalies in NHL history. Something that would make any franchise hesitant to make a trade with their rivals ever again.
The Canadiens and Bruins reunited to make a trade on day two of the 2025 NHL Draft. The Canadiens traded the 79th and 108th picks to the Bruins in a trade-up for the 69th pick. With that pick, the Canadiens selected Canadian centre Hayden Paupanekis from the Kelowna Rockets.
Les Canadiens font l'acquisition du 69e choix au total des Bruins de Boston en retour des 79e et 108e choix au total du Repêchage 2025 de la LNH
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 28, 2025
The Canadiens have acquired the 69th overall pick from the Boston Bruins in exchange for the 79th and 108th overall picks in the 2025… pic.twitter.com/JcidCM7wRK
Paupanekis is a large centre, listed at 6'5" and 203 pounds. Paupanekis split time between the Rockets and Spokane Chiefs last season in the WHL. He recorded 22 goals and 43 points in 71 games. However, it was not his offensive game that made the Canadiens take him with their third-round pick.
It was how well he plays defensively that made him pop on draft boards. He uses his size and physicality to disrupt play, making him well-suited for a shutdown role, with most projections slotting him in as a bottom-six centre. He could still improve his offensive game, as he is a good skater and possesses a strong shot. He will take a couple of years to develop his all-around game, but he has the tools to outplay his draft position. Who knows, in a couple of years, we will look back at this trade and put it on the list of trades the Bruins regret making with the Canadiens.