2024 NHL Mock Draft 1.0 has the Montreal Canadiens taking an elite scorer

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The Montreal Canadiens won’t see all of their picks for the upcoming NHL Draft get anywhere near the big club, and some may not even end up signing. But they do have five picks in Rounds 1 through III, and those will be the spots general manager Kent Hughes must strike gold on, especially in the first round.

Using the mock draft simulator at FC Hockey, I tried my hand at playing the GM role to see who would fall to me and at which pick. Something I found myself doing was going for free fallers - players who ranked a little higher but slipped through past the first round and, in some cases, the later rounds.

So, who did I land and where in Mock Draft 1.0 for the Montreal Canadiens in 2024? The first pick may be a shocker, and he won’t be the only one on this lengthy list to surprise you.

Round 1: Ivan Demidov, RW/SKA St. Petersburg

I was lucky enough to see Ivan Demidov fall to fifth overall in this scenario, and while the high-scoring winger likely won’t play in North America for the upcoming season, he’s too elite to pass up. With 88 points and 34 goals in 47 total games in the MHL, Demidov should dominate at the KHL level before bursting onto the scene in North America.

Round 1B: Cole Beaudoin, C/Barrie Colts

Cole Beaudoin will be fun to watch over the next two seasons in the OHL, and we should expect nothing less than a point-per-game pace for the 2024-25 campaign as his overall skill-set continues to grow. His size was one reason I went with him here, but leadership and his recent breakout season were also factors.

Round 2: Will Skahan, D/Boston College

Another towering player, this one on the blue line, fell to me in the second round. Someone like Will Skahan could wind up as a perfect complement to David Reinbacher in time, and that could make one of the NHL’s more prominent dynamic duos.

Round 3: Simon Zether, C/Rogle BK J20

I snagged another prospect with great size in the third round and one who dominated at the J20 Nationell level. Rogle BK J20’s captain put up 27 points and 11 goals this past season, and he saw 57 combined games with the big club, where he will play next year.

Round 3B: Adam Kleber, D/University of Minnesota-Duluth

At 6’5, 209 lbs, Adam Kleber adds even more size to the Canadiens draft class in this exercise, and he finished the 2023-24 campaign in the USHL, showing two-way potential. If Kleber continues that development at Minnesota-Duluth, he will have an outstanding chance to compete for a spot with the Habs four years down the road.

Round 4: Jack Berglund, C/Färjestad BK J18

Jack Berglund is another big player and a versatile one, meaning there is a lot he can do for the organization he ends up playing for at forward. His ideal path would be to spend two full seasons in the SHL, then make the trip to North America - Laval, if he ends up with the Habs, as was the case in this scenario.

Round 5: Lukas Matecha, G/Tri-City Americans

Across the first four rounds, I had yet to take a goaltender, and I’m always adamant about drafting at least one in each of these scenarios. Like many players already selected, Lukas Matecha has the size you want from a pro-caliber prospect, and he should make a jump in productivity for the upcoming season.

Round 5B: Frankie Marrelli, D/Ottawa 67’s

While it’s ideal to take players with pro-caliber excellent size, it’s by no means a requirement. But the 5’11, 185-pound Frankie Marelli still boasts a decent build. With 25 points and nine goals in 60 regular season games during his first season in the OHL, there is a good chance his game evolves tenfold over the next few years, giving him draft steal potential.

Round 6: Alexis Bernier, D/Baie-Comeau Drakkar

One of the draft’s younger defensemen, Alexis Bernier saw time in 80 total games this season and snagged a half-point per game to go with five goals. Like a few of these later-round prospects that fell to me, players like Bernier have the build and productivity to at least factor in as solid organizational depth.

Round 7: Aatos Koivu, C/TPS U18

Another younger prospect but one who hasn’t yet grown into his size, Aatos Koivu spent the 2023-24 season dominating at the U18 and U20 sm-Sarja levels. This is one player who I would be shocked to find falling to Round 7, but there isn’t a single draft out there that hasn’t seen a few potential mid-round selections fall so late.

Round 7B: Tanner Adams, RW/Providence

Also a slightly smaller prospect, Tanner Adams is a versatile player who put up a fair showing during his first season at Providence College with 21 points in 35 contests. That’s not bad for a freshman who never dominated at the USHL level.

Round 7C: Stephen Peck, G/Michigan

Stephen Peck was a sound goaltender at the NAHL level, posting five shutouts, a 2.25 GAA, and a 0.917 save percentage in the regular season. But the true test will come when he finds himself at the University of Michigan next season.

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(Statistics provided by Elite Prospects)

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