The playoffs have left their mark on the Canadiens’ draft

Vincent Larue
The playoffs have left their mark on the Canadiens’ draft
Credit: Capture d'écran | X

The message the Canadiens sent at the draft is hard to miss.

Over the course of the two-day draft, Kent Hughes and his team were practically obsessed with size.

All eight players selected by the Montreal organization are at least 6 feet tall, and several are well above that mark.

Is this a coincidence?

I get the impression that the most recent playoffs confirmed what the Canadiens already suspected.

The Habs had a great run this spring, but they also saw just how much harder every battle for the puck becomes as the intensity increases. Teams that go deep in the playoffs are rarely easy to handle physically.

The Habs weren't just looking for size, either.

Kent Hughes reiterated this after selecting Gleb Pugachyov: according to the organization, he was the best player available. But he also acknowledged that the team was looking for competitive players—players capable of winning their battles and making their presence felt on the ice.

When you look at Montreal's draft class as a whole, one theme keeps coming up.

Size.

Sturdiness.

Long sticks.

Above all, players who aren't afraid of physical play.

It's no secret. Playoff hockey is different from regular-season hockey. Open space disappears quickly, and there are far more body checks.

In my view, the Habs seem to have wanted to build a pool of prospects better suited to this reality.

That doesn't mean offensive talent has been sidelined. A player like Gleb Pugachyov also possesses interesting offensive skills.

But the profile they're looking for is clearly different from what we've seen in recent years.

The latest draft may not be considered the best one five years from now.

It may even be criticized for a long time.

However, one thing is certain. The Habs didn't draft eight big players by chance.

The playoffs most likely played a significant role in this new direction. If that's truly the case, we're likely to see this kind of philosophy continue for a few more years.


In a nutshell

– Bad news for Larkin.

– A global perspective.

– Celebrations in Kinshasa.

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