Not so long ago, the Montreal Canadiens were weighing their options for the 2022 first overall selection.
Juraj Slafkovsky confidently said he would fit with Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield during pre-draft interviews. Two seasons later Slafkovsky has cemented himself on the Canadiens top line. Now, 2024 top-10 projected prospect Tij Iginla shared a sentiment that should hype Habs fans.
Tij Iginla dit pouvoir jouer à toutes les positions, mais préfère évoluer au centre.
— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) June 7, 2024
Slafkovsky et Caufield seraient ses ailiers de prédilection advenant une sélection par le CH.
Iginla spoke about his ideal position and where he would love to play should the Habs select him. Surely he wasn’t lacking any confidence when he suggested playing alongside Slafkovsky and Caufield. He is most comfortable playing centre, although he played much of the 2022-23 season on the wing.
It would be quite a task for the prospect to grab the captain's spot on the top line. But you have to think that Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton love the spunk that he has. It’s not all that surprising, though when you consider that his dad is Hockey Hall of Famer Jarome Iginla.
Whether the Canadiens are scouting Iginla or not, he certainly has their attention. And these are merely comments from a player who wants to go as early as possible, especially to an Original Six franchise. But it doesn’t necessarily mean he will go that early or that he is even on the Habs draft list.
Drafting Iginla wouldn’t be an awful decision, while there are players touted better than him. Whether it be better fits or projected higher ceilings, Iginla does have a great toolkit. His bulldog style, explosive skating and wicked release stand out and he still has room to grow.
I don't exactly see a world where he stays at center, if the Habs draft him, simply because they want to add more size down the middle. It's not that Iginla is small, but having too many centers six feet tall and under doesn't seem like their intention. With that said, he would likely be shifted to the wing - in which case selecting a natural winger would make more sense.
I am intrigued by Iginla and the toolkit that he possesses, but I'm not convinced completely that he is the guy for the Canadiens. We will have to wait and see, but if they opted to draft a center, I think Cayden Lindstrom makes most sense.