The Montreal Canadiens were busy over the two days of the 2026 NHL Draft as they would make five trades and ended with eight draft picks over the seven rounds. This is a list of all the players selected by the Canadiens:
Round (Overall Pick) | Player (Position) |
|---|---|
Round 1 (26th overall) | Gleb Pugachyov (RW) |
Round 2 (57th overall) | Timofei Runtso (D) |
Round 3 (93rd overall) | Cooper Cleaves (D) |
Round 4 (117th overall) | Brayden Klimpke (D) |
Round 6 (189th overall) | Parker Trottier (LW) |
Round 6 (190th overall) | Wesley Royston (RW) |
Round 7 (221st overall) | Jean-Samuel Daigneault (D) |
Round 7 (224th overall) | Tyler Deakos (RW) |
When looking at the draft class as a whole, one thing is clear from general manager Kent Hughes' picks, and that is they wanted to get bigger and more physical. If that was the objective, he certainly achieved that, as five of their eight picks are 6'3" or bigger.
However, not everyone is a fan of the Canadiens' draft class and feels they focused too much on need instead of value. The general consensus is that the Canadiens didn't have a great draft class, and the grades and analysis after the 2026 NHL Draft reflect that. Here is a recap of some of the grades and analysis among some other publications.
ESPN: Canadiens receive a B-
Rachel Kryshak highlights the fact that the Canadiens focused on need instead of value in her write-up for the Canadiens. However, she mentions the fact that, where the Canadiens are in their rebuild, they can lean into drafting for need.
She highlighted two players in the later rounds that the Canadiens drafted that she likes:
I really liked the Parker Trottier and Wesley Royston selections in the sixth round. Trottier is one of the most competitive, fiery and seriously annoying players to play against. It will not surprise me in the slightest if he becomes a fourth-line pest in the NHL.
Bleacher Report: Montreal Canadiens receive a C-
The draft class for the Montreal Canadiens seemingly hinges on their first-round pick of Gleb Pugachyov. For some writers, it makes sense, while for others, like Adam Herman of the Bleacher Report, it was a reach.
Gleb Pugachyov (26th overall) is a divisive player in this draft. Nobody doubts the intensity with which he plays. He's fast and physical. A bowling ball out on the ice that sees opposing players as its pins. He's more confident in his own offensive abilities than he should be. His hockey sense is lacking, and he isn't refined in his puck-handling. Maybe the right coaches get into his head, and he becomes a unique gamebreaker, but I think it's more likely he's an undisciplined bottom-sixer who nonetheless becomes a fan favorite for his playing style. He should have gone in Round 2.
The Canadiens undoubtedly wanted someone who is a bowling ball, and as Herman notes, it comes down to whether or not Martin St. Louis can harness that energy and keep it focused. The fact that Herman believes he should be a Round 2 pick shouldn't hurt the Canadiens grade as much as it seemingly does.
The Canadiens were already picking late in the first round, and their next pick wasn't until late in Round 2. If this was the best player on their board at this spot, it shouldn't be viewed as much of a reach getting a player a handful of picks early.
The Athletic: Montreal Canadiens receive a C
Corey Pronman of The Athletic really likes the Canadiens' pick of Pugachyov, who he believes can be a Top 6 forward, and called him the best power forward in this draft.
However, the reason the Canadiens receive only a C is that Pronman doesn't see any other picks being NHL-caliber players outside of Runtso and Wesley Royston, who he believes has a "clear NHL toolkit":
Royston’s pure scoring numbers won’t jump out at you, but he has a clear NHL toolkit. He’s 6-4, skates quite well for a guy his size, has decent puck skills and plays hard. When you have a player with his athleticism who has some bite, it’s easy to envision him in a bottom six. His hockey sense and playmaking are lacking, and he will need to produce points eventually, but he’s shown enough flashes of skill that I think he could be a middle-six winger.
Daily Faceoff: Montreal Canadiens receive their best grade with a B+
Among the publications on this list, the Daily Faceoff liked their draft class the most and gave them a B+.
If the goal was to get tougher, the Canadiens absolutely nailed it. They took three big guys with their first three picks, with each of them having no issue punching somebody in the face. Pugachyov could be one of the better late first-rounders – scouts think he’s better than his numbers suggest. Timofei Runtso is a physical beast, while Cooper Cleaves continued to get better as the season wore on.
One thing that is interesting is that Kent Hughes doesn't get any consideration for the fact that the Montreal Canadiens have done very well in the NHL Draft the past few years. It is one of the reasons they have been able to speed up their rebuild with selections of players like Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson, and even the highly criticized Juraj Slafkovsky, who was selected first overall in 2022.
This was the fifth draft that Hughes has run as general manager of the Canadiens; in the prior four drafts, he has had nine players play at least one game in the NHL. It is a solid track record, and Hughes has done a good job of finding players that can help them, and early in their careers.
While many don't think the Montreal Canadiens had a good draft class, time will tell, and based on Kent Hughes' track record, they very easily could be off with their grades.
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