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“I don’t get the impression that the Habs are particularly fond of Justin Carbonneau.”
Félix Forget
“I don’t get the impression that the Habs are particularly fond of Justin Carbonneau.”
Credit: Getty Images
The NHL Entry Draft is less than two weeks away. More and more people are starting to wonder who the Habs will be targeting… but the rhetoric isn’t the same as in recent years.

The club has two first-round picks, but they’re no longer in the top-5 as they have been for the past three years. As a result, there’s (quite) less talk in Montreal about the big prospects of this year’s crop.

The focus is now on players who could be available in the middle of the first round, and of course, Justin Carbonneau’s name is one that comes up a lot. The Québécois, who had a fine year with the Armada in the QMJHL, is one of those who is likely to still be available in the Habs round.

He’s got the buzz to get out sooner than that, but it’s not necessarily guaranteed.

On Tony Marinaro’s Sick Podcast last night, Nicolas Cloutier talked about Carbonneau… and raised an interesting point:

I don’t get the impression that the Canadiens are particularly fond of Justin Carbonneau. – Nicolas Cloutier

It’s important to clarify something here: it’s far from impossible for the Habs to hide their game. We know they did it with Ivan Demidov last year, and when it comes to the draft, teams do everything they can to cover their tracks.

On the other hand, Cloutier (who was at the NHL Combine ) notes that he didn’t necessarily sense much interest from the Habs in Carbonneau. The club didn’t particularly challenge him during his interview, which is a bit unusual for a prospect who is actually coveted by a team.

Once again, it’s a case of give and take… but it’s information that perhaps says something about the Canadiens’ plans. It’s risky not to test a Québécois in the Montreal market.

However, it’s worth remembering that the Habs attended several L’Armada games this year, which was made easier by the proximity between the two clubs. Maybe the scouts felt they already had enough information… or maybe they felt they didn’t want to select Carbonneau any more than that.

One wonders, then, if the Habs would really be unhappy if Carbonneau were selected before his turn.

Perhaps it would help them go after a player they’re targeting, rather than taking away a target after all.


Overtime

– Calvin Pickard will be the Oilers’ starting goaltender tonight. Viktor Arvidsson will replace Kasperi Kapanen in the lineup.

– News from the 2018 ÉCJ trial.

– What do you think?

– Signature in Boston.

– Great news for the Québécois.

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