Montreal Canadiens fans wish the team will contend for a playoff spot this year. However, the early predictions say they are still two years away from being up there with those teams. The Canadiens may surprise some people and make a run at the playoffs deeper into the season. If they do, they might have the chance to draft Quebec-native, Caleb Desnoyers from Saint-Hyacinthe.
Desnoyers made a big impact in his first season in the QMJHL with the Moncton Wildcats. He recorded 56 points in 60 games before the Wildcats dropped out of the playoffs in four games. Desnoyers will be the central figure on the Wildcats this season, and could substantially grow his case to go higher in the draft.
Desnoyers' vision and playmaking abilities will make him a star at the NHL level. He is reliable on both sides of the puck, but his offensive game will get even better as he matures and develops. He has an uncanny ability to find his teammates for open looks and would fit nicely in a growing Montreal Canadiens forward group.
He was the top prospect in the QMJHL coming into this season, but it was his play at the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge that helped his stock rise globally. He was an assistant captain for Team Canada White, tallying five points in eight games on the way to a gold medal.
Montreal Canadiens Fit
Caleb Desnoyers checks an obvious box that would solve plenty of issues among sectors of the Canadiens fan base. Plenty of fans would love it if the team had another star from Quebec, which has been a constant through the team's glory years.
The Canadiens look well on their way to being a contender soon with an elite young core. If they added Desnoyers to that roster to possibly bring another Stanley Cup to the city, it would make the championship even sweeter.