Should Caleb Desnoyers be Kent Hughes 2025 draft target?

The Montreal Canadiens have a prospect cupboard oozing with talent, and that doesn't include whoever Kent Hughes and his staff draft with their two first-round picks in June.

It's tough to gauge where Montreal and Calgary will finish in the standings, especially with both teams pushing for a wildcard spot. But let's assume that both teams make the playoffs, which means both picks can be no higher than 16th.

If Montreal nabs two top-20 picks, Caleb Desnoyers will not be available in their range, but Kent is a crafty guy, and if he wants a player, he goes after them. If the Moncton Wildcats centre, who resides from Sainte Hyacinthe, Quebec is on Hughes radar, he may well package both of his picks, and throw in a sweetener to move up into the top 10, if five isn't an option.

After 56 games in the QMJHL regular season, Desnoyers scored 84 points (35-49-84), good for No. 1 on the Wildcats. Desnoyers was one of the best centers across the entire CHL, which spans three leagues, during his draft year. I'm not sure if a top-line NHL center is his ceiling, but he is a definite top-six centre all day.

Desnoyers plays a brilliant two-way game, utilizing a highly competitive nature - that is fuelled with brilliant vision, and fantastic instincts all over the ice. I get Nick Suzuki vibes from Desnoyers, not as offensively skilled, but definitely on par defensively. That is not a shot at Desnoyers either, who has tremendous room to grow his playmaking, and shooting skills.

But Suzuki had three 90-plus point seasons in the Ontario Hockey League, capped off with a 2018-19 playoff performance for the ages. Suzuki played 24 playoff games (16-26-42) en route to a collection of honours.

Shoutout to Elite Prospects for the statistics.

• CHL Memorial Cup Most Sportsmanlike Player
• OHL Champion
• OHL Most Sportsmanlike Player (William Hanley Trophy)
• OHL Playoffs Most Assists (26)
• OHL Playoffs Most Points (42)
• OHL Playoffs MVP (Wayne Gretzky 99 Award)
• OHL Third All-Star Team

Back to Desnoyers, however, who has been brilliant for an array of reasons, especially considering how he shut down the Quebec Remparts en route to a first-round sweep. Desnoyers is brilliant, and he is going to make an NHL coach extremely happy down the road. First, he will have an NHL general manager jumping out of their seat to select him in June.

Pair him with Ivan and Michael

I think that the ideal second line for the Montreal Canadiens would be Ivan Demidov, Caleb Desnoyers and Michael Hage.

Move Hage to the right wing, and let him and Demidov cook together on the wings, while Desnoyers locks it down at center, and uses his brilliant playmaking skills to create headaches and mismatches all over the ice for the Habs.

Kent Hughes could package both of Montreal's first overall picks, and throw Logan Mailloux or Adam Engstrom into the mix to move up. I expect that one of the teams picking in the top five to be enticed by such a trade proposal.

It rarely happens that a team trades up into the top five of any draft, but Hughes could solidify the Habs top six by adding Desnoyers into the mix.

Whichever team that is picking in the top five is looking to make some quick moves to infuse young talent into their prospect cupboard. After Matthew Schaefer, there is no consensus draft order, which means that Hughes could get lucky because of that fact.

Desnoyers is a fantastic two-way center, and he has all the traits of a future NHL top-six center. His strengths are his vision and playmaking, and while he isn't a speedster, he does have separation speed, and a great feel of the best routes to the offensive zone.

Hage and Demidov who are pure offensive minds, could benefit from a guy like Desnoyers. I understand that Hage has second-line Habs center aspirations, but being able to swap on the fly between Hage and Desnoyers at centre will be a huge advantage for the Canadiens attack.