RUMOR: The CH is reportedly targeting a Slovak player in the second round of the draft

Vincent Larue
RUMOR: The CH is reportedly targeting a Slovak player in the second round of the draft
Credit: Capture d'écran | X

The Canadiens appear to be gearing up for their next draft already.

With just a few weeks to go before the amateur draft, which takes place on June 26 and 27, a name may be starting to circulate within the team's inner circle.

According to Andrew Zadarnowski, the Habs have their sights set on Slovak forward Lucian Bernát for the second round of the draft.

Of course, you always have to take this kind of information with a grain of salt at this time of year.

Lists change quickly, and many organizations are trying to gather as much information as possible on available prospects.

That said, Bernát's profile is intriguing.

The forward is already 6 feet 4 inches tall and has a build that inevitably catches the attention of NHL scouts.

In a league where teams are constantly looking for a mix of talent and physicality, this kind of profile remains particularly sought after. Especially for the Habs, who were criticized for lacking physicality against the Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Bernát played at the U20 level in Finland this season and will continue his development in North America starting next season. In fact, he has signed with the Owen Sound Attack in the Ontario Hockey League.

This detail is far from insignificant.

NHL teams often like to see a prospect make the transition to North America before making the leap to the NHL.

In the Canadiens' case, interest in a top Slovak player is also likely to spark a reaction from some fans.

After all, the organization already counts Juraj Slafkovsky among its key players, and the idea of adding another Slovak prospect is likely to intrigue more than a few Habs fans. Especially after the failure of Filip Mesar.

Does this really influence the scouting department's decisions?

Probably not.

But it's hard to deny that the Canadiens have paid close attention to the European market in recent years.

For now, it's just a rumor.

The draft is still a long way off, and a lot can change between now and then.

However, if Andrew Zadarnowski is right, there might be another great Slovak player who could eventually end up in the Canadiens' organization.


In a nutshell

– Perhaps the next Canucks head coach.

– He really is handsome.

– Wow.

– Listen up.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!