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In 2022, the NHL amateur draft was held in Montreal. That's when the Habs selected Juraj Slafkovský at #1 before stealing the show with the trades of Alexander Romanov and Kirby Dach.
And that, clearly, contributed to the excitement of the fans present at the Bell Centre for the session.
That said, we also know that the NHL appreciated the result. During the summer, we learned that the league wanted to hold the draft in Montreal on a regular basis, possibly every two or three years. And in recent months, it was rumored that the 2026 auction would be held in Montreal.
But of course, Geoff Molson and the Habs would have to agree to hold the event in the city… and according to Eric Engels, Molson is interested.
He'd be happy to do it, but notes that there have been no discussions with the league.
Geoff Molson said the Canadiens would be happy to host the draft, but that nothing has been discussed between him and the league on that front.
– Eric Engels (@EricEngels) December 9, 2025
It should be noted, however, that NHL governors are currently meeting to discuss a variety of topics, including the draft. One wonders if Molson is keeping this quiet so as not to scoop the league, or if he's telling the truth.
If it's the latter, it could be a bad sign for Montreal's chances. You'd think the league would have discussed it with Montreal before such a meeting… especially since the league wanted to have this matter settled before the end of 2025.
That said, even if the 2026 draft takes place in Montreal, the atmosphere will be different from that of 2022. For the second year in a row, the draft will be decentralized, so that the 32 organizations will be at their headquarters rather than in the same building.
It wasn't a huge TV success last year: let's hope it's better this year, in Montreal or elsewhere.
We'll see if Montreal ends up hosting the event, but returning with a sure bet after last year's difficulties wouldn't be a bad idea for the NHL. The draft will take place on June 26 and 27.
Overtime
– Olympics 2026: the arena should be ready three days before the start of the competitions.
Daly says the Milan Olympic arena is now scheduled to be completed on February 2.
The first Women's tournament game is Feb. 5.
That does not leave much room for error.
– Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) December 9, 2025
– Oh?
Deputy commissioner and chief legal officer, Bill Daly, has said that NHL players will not go to the #MilanoCortina2026 Olympics if the players deem it “unsafe”
(via: @reporterchris) pic.twitter.com/JWVhwwZhr1
– TSN (@TSN_Sports) December 9, 2025
– Interesting.
“To think that he's going to take Nick Suzuki's job, I don't think that's going to happen and we've discussed it”
https://t.co/Jz7Ere6lQs
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) December 9, 2025
– Enjoy.
Interview with habs prospects Jacob Fowler.
We discuss his ties to Quebec, his university career, and his debut in the AHL.
Not to be missed!
– Marco D'Amico (@mndamico) December 8, 2025
– Read more.
Under Gorton, Hughes, and St-Louis, the Habs emerged from the Stone Age.
It became abundantly clear in a split second last Wednesday. You didn't have to blink. https://t.co/NEZWB5tz25
– Nicolas Cloutier (@NCloutierTVA) December 8, 2025
