“In the sixth round, we were looking for a Quebecer, but he was selected” – Martin Lapointe
Auteur: Emily SmithIn all, the #GoHabsGo made 10 selections in the 2024 #NHLDraft:
RD 1 – Ivan Demidov, Michael Hage
RD 3 – Aatos Koivu, Logan Sawyer
RD 4 – Owen Protz
RD 5 – Tyler Thorpe, Mikus Vecvanags
RD 6 – Ben Merrill
RD 7 – Makar Khanin, Rasmus Bergqvist– Priyanta Emrith (@HabsInHighHeels) June 29, 2024
You might think the situation would have been different if the Habs had got hold of Sacha Boisvert, whom the club’s management liked, but that obviously didn’t happen.
Stéphane Leroux asked Martin Lapointe, who appeared in front of the media after the draft alongside Nick Bobrov to talk about their picks, and he said it didn’t work out this year based on the club’s rosters.
However, a little later, he added that in the second portion of the draft, the Habs had their eye on a Quebecer. However, they didn’t manage to draft him in time.
In the sixth round, they were looking for a Quebecer, but he was selected. – Martin Lapointe
Martin Lapointe and Nick Bobrov address the media at the end of the #DraftLNH in Las Vegas
Martin Lapointe and Nick Bobrov address the media in Las Vegas at the conclusion of the 2024 #NHLDraft #GoHabsGo https://t.co/6ffn6O0jWR
– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) June 29, 2024
In other words, the Canadiens didn’t want to draft him.
Would the Habs, who drafted 6’0 guys without exception this year, have been willing to make an exception in order to draft the little goal scorer? You might think that’s what Martin Lapointe is trying to tell us.
Justin Poirier told the media he understood why the #CH didn’t select him
“They already have a lot of small players and maybe it’s for the best, even if I would have loved my childhood team.”
– Stephane Leroux (@StephRDSJunior) June 29, 2024
Throughout the draft, Quebec fans wanted to see the Valleyfield native selected… and selected by the Habs. In the end, it was the Carolina club that snapped him up.
Extension
Lapointe told the media that he at least drafted guys who speak French. Ivan Demidov speaks a few words, Michael Hage speaks it well, Aatos Koivu Logan Sawyer can speak it too…
We’ll get to see Habs 5th-round pick Mikus Vecvanags in the QMJHL next season as he joins@ArmadaBLB, Martin Lapointe just reported.
– Vincent Duquette (@VincentDuquette) June 29, 2024
It’s worth mentioning, however, that none of this seems to please Michel Villeneuve, who isn’t buying any of this. In his eyes, seeing the Habs avoid Quebec is clearly not fair.
And Le Dernier Vrai isn’t afraid to say so.
Céline and René-Charles are the only Quebecers to step onto the Canadiens’ stage this draft weekend. A prediction: the sons of Youppi and Badaboom 2 quecois could be retained by the Tricolore over the next few years. Hard on the ego
– Michel Villeneuve (@lederniervrai) June 29, 2024
We’ll be sending out blue, white and red training camp invitation cards as consolation prizes to Q players. Be in solidarity young people: to hell with them, refuse en bloc. Are you tired of dying, you caves?
– Michel Villeneuve (@lederniervrai) June 29, 2024