Montreal Canadiens Three Drastically Different Options With Newly Acquired First Round Draft Pick
![Jan 10, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan (91) clears Jan 10, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan (91) clears](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_4351,h_2447,x_0,y_304/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/160/01hnv97fpvam9hy278ex.jpg)
Keep The Pick
The Canadiens most obvious choice is to just keep the pick and use it to add another solid young prospects to the organization. Even if the pick is somewhere around 30th overall there are still going to be some interesting options available for the Canadiens.
One of the first big trades of this rebuilding cycle was when the Canadiens sent Tyler Toffoli to the Calgary Flames for a package that included a first round pick. That pick was used to select Filip Mesar who is on a scoring tear in the Ontario Hockey League this season. The 19 year old winger from Slovakia has scored 16 goals and 37 points in 27 games for the Kitchener Rangers.
Cole Hutson is one play who stands out in that area, though the team likely doesn't need another top left defense prospect added to the system right now. Lane's little brother is projected to be a late first round pick and plays a similar game with high end skill and skating from the blue line.
Maxim Masse is a local product who is having a great season in the QMJHL and is the top prospect from the area this year. He has 23 goals and 42 points in 49 games for the Chicoutimi Sagueneens and plays a heavy game along the boards and in front of the net. He is a scrappy winger with a wicked shot who can beat goalies from a distance and also scored plenty of goals from the tough areas around the blue paint.