NHL Draft Lottery - May, 7: How Canadiens fans can tune in

The annual NHL Draft lottery will be held on Tuesday, May 7, at NHL Network’s studio in Secaucus, New Jersey, the NHL announced on Wednesday.

Montreal Canadiens fans in Canada can tune into the event on Sportsnet and TVA Sports. As for the American variety of fans, they can tune in on the ESPN network. The official time will be announced next week. 

The Canadiens have the fifth-best odds to snag the first overall selection. With it, they could get their hands on the 2023-24 NCAA freshman phenom and Hobey Baker award winner Macklin Celebrini. Celebrini dominated college hockey as a 17-year-old and seems likely to make the jump to the NHL next season. 

Montreal can select no lower than seventh overall and given the talent that will be available whenever their pick rolls around, it appears likely that they will get themselves a cornerstone piece for the roster. There are a handful of high-impact defensemen, who will undoubtedly be off the board early. This is music to Habs general manager Kent Hughes' ears; as he appears keen on picking a forward. 

Although Celebrini’s season is done and a few of the top prospects are well into their offseason, a few names are competing at the U18s and in their respective junior league playoffs. 

The lottery will determine the order of the first 16 picks; which are all non-playoff teams (or teams that acquired draft picks from non-playoff teams. Participants 17 through 32 will be determined after the Stanley Cup playoffs are completed. 

San Jose has the highest odds at 18.5%

Chicago has the second best odds at 13.5% 

Anaheim comes in at third at 11.5% 

Columbus nabbed fourth with 9.5% 

Montreal rounds out the top five of the highest odds at 8.5%

Also of note, the 2024 NHL scouting combine will be hosted at the KeyBank Center and LECOM Center in Buffalo, New York. The event showcases the top North American and international prospects. 

A couple of notable players that the Canadiens might have their eye on are Medicine Hat Tigers centre Cayden Lindstrom. Jarome Iginla's son, Tij, who is cut from the same cloth. Ivan Demidov, a silky winger from Russia, will likely be gone early in the draft but would be a fabulous selection. That's just a few of the names, who have plenty of promise.