A draft and free agents to fill needs

Tony Patoine
A draft and free agents to fill needs
Credit: Capture d'écran/Twitter

The CH finally made a first-round pick. And for the second year in a row, it even moved up a few spots for its first selection.

It was a bit of a surprise, considering that just a week ago, they were given no more than a 20% chance of making a pick on Friday night…

Gleb Pugachyov was on the radar of a few prospect analysts, including Simon “Snake” Boisvert, at the pick where the Habs were set to select.

Since I hadn't mentioned him last week among my potential targets, I thought this power forward with a very “pro” style had little chance of still being available to the Habs. Bobrov and Lapointe, too, evidently, and they moved up two spots to make sure they didn't miss out on him!

So, another player from the Russian system—the third in three years selected early in the draft by the Habs. But this time, he's a winger of a completely different type: rugged, no-nonsense, excellent defensively, and lethal on the forecheck. A pick that bears the stamp of Lapointe AND Bobrov, who loved him from the first time they saw him plowing guys into the boards, shift after shift. Their unconditional love for this player literally shone through during their post-draft press conference.

Apparently, they won't be the only ones.

So we're adding to our pool of promising prospects a big 6'3″ winger, already weighing over 200 lbs, who has the skating ability (truly excellent), the build, and the hockey IQ to play in the NHL sooner rather than later.

A safe and very wise pick for the Habs.

Pugachyov certainly doesn't have Artemi Panarin's hands, but his north-south style of play is favorably comparable to that of Vasily Podkolozin (10th overall, 2019), who eventually secured a spot in his mid-20s as a center in Edmonton.

So here's a player who's likely to be VERY useful in the playoffs a few years down the road, but who could also retain excellent value on the trade market given his profile, which is generally in high demand across the NHL. All in all, Pugachyov fills an organizational need, as he's arguably the most talented physical forward selected by the Habs since Slafkovsky in 2022.

A sort of upgraded, left-handed version of Josh Anderson that we might see in Montreal—perhaps as early as the spring of 2027—if we read between the lines of Bobrov and Lapointe's press conference…

The others…

I really liked what I saw from Tim Runtso, a right-handed defenseman drafted 57th overall. It's easy to see why the Habs moved up a few spots to secure his services. He's quite mobile for such a big, burly guy. His game is fairly straightforward, but effective with the puck. He even shows some talent, as seen when he plays on the point during power plays. He's not exactly playing for a top-tier team in Victoria, though he seems to be a very important player there.

With hard work and discipline to continue his development, we don't think his chances of one day making it to the NHL as part of a third defensive pairing are bad at all. But let's not forget that this was his second year of draft eligibility and that he'll already be 19 next week…

As for Cooper Cleaves (3rd round, 93rd overall), he was in his third year of eligibility! Not a slacker! So here's another right-handed defenseman in the pipeline. Having already been invited to the Habs' Development Camp last year, Bobrov and Lapointe like his size and his progress and know what to expect from him. He'll have to outplay players like Owen Protz, though, to have even the slightest chance of seeing a game or two in the NHL…

Left-handed defenseman Brayden Klimpke (4th round, 117th overall) skates very well, plays with his head up, and seems to have good vision. He, too, wasn't in the top lineup at Saskatoon. That said, he's a rather slight player who will need to stand out even more offensively without looking out of place defensively if he wants a chance to reach the NHL. For now, he could see some success in the AHL.

We'll see what the future holds for the Habs' other picks—Trottier, Royston, Daigneault, and Deakos—but no one here is holding their breath…

For those interested, note that we should see all these players later this week in Brossard…

But anyway, since we won't be talking again until next Saturday, let's talk about free agents now!

Montreal, a Top Destination for Free Agents (At Least, the Ones Who Are Left!)

Trades and the draft are all well and good, but it's become increasingly clear since Jeff Gorton's comments during the end-of-season review that the Habs will be aggressively courting free agents this year—a first since the arrival of the “new management” in 2021–2022.

For the first time in ages, Montreal could therefore be a major player on July 1.

It almost feels strange to write that!

Of course, what's left of the 2026 draft class will leave many wanting more. But here's a short personal list of candidates I'd consider worth pursuing for your beloved Habs, who might be strongly tempted to fill some small, specific, and timely needs.

The Habs have come this far.

1. Claude Giroux
At 38, you could almost say that Giroux would be coming full circle with the Canadiens—he should have been the team's first pick in 2006 had it not been for a lapse in judgment by Bob Gainey, who wanted right-handed defenseman David Fisher…

At his age, he's a bit like the “poor man's Sidney Crosby”: a leader, talented, effective across the entire 200-foot rink, and at the faceoff circle. Note his +20 differential last year—by far the best among the Sens' forwards…

My offer: 1 year x $6M

In his case, it's wise to take it one year at a time. The player who has tallied 1,165 points in 1,345 regular-season games (86 points in 105 playoff games) is no longer the offensive dynamo he was in his prime, but with the right support—as he could have in Montreal— Giroux would still be a substantial upgrade at center on a second line (at least for faceoffs), even though he saw little action in that position during his time in Ottawa.

2. Vladimir Tarasenko
Tarasenko scored 23 goals for Minnesota last winter. Not bad. The 34-year-old veteran, built like a tank (6'1, 219 lbs) and a 2019 Stanley Cup champion, would make a great mentor for his compatriots Demidov, Zharovsky, and (perhaps) Pugachyov. Having suffered few injuries over the past three seasons, he could still contribute on a second line, but becoming a solid depth option on an offensively productive third line is a scenario worth considering.

My offer: 2 years x $5M

Historically a strong playoff performer (78 points, including 51 goals in 132 games), the Russian has reached a point in his career where chasing another Stanley Cup in a market like Montreal—alongside a few young Russian teammates—could be a rather appealing challenge. His recent contracts have all been reasonable; why not another one?

3. Mason Marchment
Absolutely nothing original here, but left winger Marchment does indeed tick just about all the boxes for the Habs. A big guy at 6'5”, 212 lbs, a good scorer, experienced but not too old at 31, coming off a solid season with 45 points in 68 games, and he can play on any line—preferably the second.

He's sort of like Josh Anderson—a little less aggressive, a little slower, but with better finishing and hockey IQ. He's kind of like the “poor man's” Alex Tuch of the 2026 free-agent market. Still, he's averaged a solid 46 points per season since the 2021–2022 season. The only problem—and it's a big one—is that Mr. Marchment, an Ontarian, wouldn't want to play in Canada, even though it's “the best country in the world” according to his fellow Ontarian Jean Chrétien.

My offer: 4 years x $6M

It's a bit of a risk, given his age and a few minor injuries here and there over the past few seasons, but I don't think the Habs stand a chance of landing him for much less than that—especially not in Canada. So don't get your hopes up too high about him…


4. Anders Lee
Yes, he's 35, but Lee—6'3”, 234 lbs, and the Islanders' longtime captain—has missed only one game over the past four seasons, while maintaining an annual average of 46 points. At his age, however, if he wants to play for a good team, he'll have to resign himself to spending more time than not on the bottom six and settle for a few scraps on a second power-play unit. Don't expect an annual average of more than 35 points in the coming seasons, but the intangibles are definitely there in his case…

My offer: 2 years x $5.5M

I'm not sure this 35-year-old American will want to come play in Canada, but Montreal is far from the worst destination for a guy from Minnesota who's spent his career in New York. Especially since the Habs won't be a bad team…


5. A.J. Greer
Montreal is undoubtedly a very tempting destination for this 6'3”, 209-lb. big man from Joliette. At 29, he'd be a perfect fit for the Canadiens, who are looking to add some muscle and physicality to their lineup.

However, one shouldn't place too much stock in his inflated statistics from last season, given the numerous injuries that plagued the Panthers. Before his 17 goals and 32 points last winter, Greer's career highs were 6 goals and 17 points, set the previous season. About ten goals per year would be a much more realistic goal. Greer wasn't promoted to a full-time role in the NHL until the '22–'23 season and has only two seasons of 78 or more games in his career—his last two, at ages 28 and 29…

My offer: 5 years x $2.5M

This could be the last big contract of his career, so Greer would earn $12.5M over the next five years while playing close to his family in a market that would likely bring out the best in this tenacious and competitive player. At that price, he wouldn't represent a major risk for HuGo. $2.5M is the new $1.5M…

6. Boone Jenner: Speaking of risk, here's a 33-year-old, 6'2”, 204-lb left-handed center with a rather extensive injury history… Jenner hasn't played 70 games since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Among other things, he's had fairly recurring back problems, in addition to shoulder surgery that caused him to miss 56 games in '24–'25… But, oddly enough, in terms of points-per-game average and offensive production, the last five seasons have been the best of his career, aside from his 30-goal, 49-point campaign in 2015–2016.

Relatively healthy (with a little duct tape and a pin), Jenner remains an excellent midline asset—dedicated, spirited, sturdy, and blessed with a certain offensive flair. He's not a “has-been,” but he's the kind of athlete whose effort and ice time should be carefully managed during the regular season to keep him fresh and ready for the playoffs…

My offer: 2 years x $5.5 million

This salary would put him on par with the $5.5M paid to Philip Danault and Josh Anderson, who are in the final year of their contracts. It would also represent a slight decrease from what Gallagher was earning… Given the number of niggles and fractures he's suffered over his career, I wouldn't dare commit to more than two years.

So there you have it—maybe Hughes will have to throw in an extra season and a few extra dollars here and there to secure the services of players like this, but that's what it might look like.

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