Fast, & Physical should remain Habs draft focus

Kent Hughes has drafted a great cast of players through his first three drafts with the Montreal Canadiens, and with his focus shifted to the playoffs, then the 2025 NHL Draft, it's easy to see what he needs to consider adding to the Habs' prospect cupboard.

If the Canadiens wish to remain competitive, adding a balance of players who are capable of doing many different things will go a long way in building a hopeful dynasty. Skill is fantastic, but in a league with the most highly-skilled, and talented players in the entire world, there needs to be some will as well. You see it in guys like Brendan Gallagher and Josh Anderson, they aren't the most skilled on the ice, but they make a difference because they have the will to leave everything on the ice every shift.

Every draft year there are a handful of players who fit that mould, and they are often off the board early, unless a gem is found in the later rounds. But in watching the league, you see what kind of players thrive, and which ones need support to thrive. Brady Tkachuk in Ottawa, his brother Matthew in Florida, and even Nathan MacKinnon - they all get to where they need to go, using an abrasive forechecking game, that gives opposing defences fits.

Having the chippy, scrappy bring you through the fight-type players sets contenders apart from teams that are 'in the mix'. Physicality is something that will never be a dying breed, and adding it to a lineup often breeds a vicious pack-mentality attack. I feel that Montreal lacks a true physical top-six forward aside from Juraj Slafkovsky, who can come in, push around the other teams' defenders, and deke them into a blender.

My focus is obviously on the present, and the Habs are doing impressive things, but in the future, there are a couple of pieces that will make this team a perennial contender for many years. Michael Hage and Ivan Demidov need somebody who can play with them, be physical, retrieve pucks, and transition the puck well up the ice.

A player who has decent size, a heavy shot, skates well and isn't afraid to muck it up in the corners and around the opposing net. Somebody who will consistently go to the net, but has the vision and awareness to slow down, and make better-timed arrivals to loose pucks. I love Emil Heineman and think he may get a shot down the line, but for the sake of the upcoming draft, I believe adding a forward to play with Hage and Demidov is important.

So, who are we talking about?

When I look through the first round rankings throughout the scouting world, there are many options that emerge, who would be tremendously impactful for the Habs.

The issue right now is determining who drafts where, and what sort of players will be off the draft board depending on each organization's need or want.

For me, I think there has been a group of guys that I would love for Montreal for a while, but I think narrowing it down to one player, gives the readership a bit of a feel of who I feel would be the best player available for the Habs.

Again, this is just based on where I think the Habs' will draft, and who will potentially be available.

Size, speed, intelligence and character are the four pillars that I am looking for in the first pick for the Habs in June.

I will base the selection on TSN's Bob McKenzie's top 32 and the potential spot where the Habs will select.

For this exercise, I will treat it as though the Montreal Canadiens have the second wildcard spot secured (15th overall ) for the sake of selecting a player.

The player that I feel best exemplifies these traits, and has the highest potential to play, at minimum, in a top-six role down the road is Carter Bear, whose draft season was cut short by a lacerated Achilles tendon.

Bear was limited to 56 games during the 2024-25 season, his draft year, but given the fact that he scored 42 goal, and 40 assists in that span cements what kind of player he could become.

The Everett Silvertips product has a high motor, and constantly keeps his feet moving to create matchup nightmares for the opposition.

Forechecking and backchecking stand out for Bear, who is strong on loose pucks, and tremendous at forcing turnovers, which he transitions quickly to offense.

Having a relentless presence like Bear in the Canadiens fold, could set their top-six on fire, and he does the little things that any combination made with Demidov, Laine and Hage will be successful.

Bear does the little things well, and his relentless work ethic serves him well, especially when he uses the space for good - creating great passing plays or using a heavy release.

I think Bear is the perfect option for the Habs.