Electric goal from Macklin Celebrini, possible #1 overall pick next summer. 4-2-6 in four #cawlidgehawkey games for Boston University. Doesn’t turn 18 until next June. https://t.co/E8A2RG5Cre
– BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) October 21, 2023
And the Canadiens won’t be sneaking into the remaining 20%.
In fact, they’ve never had a chance since Kirby Dach’s injury.
And now Newhook’s…
In the next few weeks, we should also start trading veterans and giving more chances and responsibilities to some of the organization’s youngsters.
And that’s about it.
It’s a blessing in disguise, because the rebuild is far from over.
With Dach, the CH would undoubtedly have “played meaningful games” much later in the season, as was management’s initial objective.
This could have been good for the club’s overall progression and maturity.
But then, he would most likely have found himself in no-man’s-land for the draft with a pick between the 10th and 15th echelons.
For the purposes of this exercise, we won’t be counting Matheson in the CH’s young core. When the club is good, maybe he’ll still be in Montreal’s top-4, but maybe not…
So, making a few realistic projections and adding comparables to further highlight them, the young core – the top-6 on offense and the top-4 on defense – would break down roughly as follows at the end of next season:
Player/position |
Age |
Status at maturity |
Comparables |
Nick Suzuki, C | Age 24 | 2nd quality center | David Krejci |
Cole Caufield, AG/AD | 22 years old | Top-6 winger, elite striker |
Alex Debrincat |
Kirby Dach, C/AD | 22 years old | 1st center | Ryan Getzlaf |
Alex Newhook, AG | 22 years old | Winger,2nd/3rd trio | Jason Zucker |
Juraj Slafkovsky, AD | 20 years old | Top-6 power winger | Timo Meier |
Joshua Roy, AD/AG | Age 20 | Winger, 2nd/3rd trio | Josh Bailey |
Kaiden Guhle, DG | 22 years old | 2nd/3rd defenseman | Ryan McDonagh |
Justin Barron, DD | 22 years old | 4th defenseman | Jeff Petry |
Lane Hutson, GM | 20 years old | 2nd/3rd defenseman, quarterback | Quinn Hughes |
David Reinbacher, DD | 19 years old | 1st defender | Alex Pietrangelo |
Jacob Fowler | 18 years old | Starting goalkeeper | Thatcher Demko |
Let’s get one thing straight right away. Defensively, we’d be very comfortable with this top-4. All the ingredients are there.
And let’s not forget the Engstrom, Mailloux, Xhekaj, Struble, Harris and company behind them. There will undoubtedly be transactions, but the foundations of a future elite defence have already been laid, not to mention the fact that Mike Matheson could always act as the veteran of the group on a final pairing, if need be…
In Fowler, the CH also seems to have something solid between the posts. Montembeault will be there in the meantime, and perhaps beyond. And Primeau hasn’t said his last word. So, not too much to worry about.
On the attack, however, it’s a different story. We can see straight away that there are gaps and uncertainties in the top-6.
And we’d have no problem with Caufield and Slafkovsky as wingers on any of the top two threes.
Then, in a contending club, it’s highly doubtful that Alex Newhook and/or Joshua Roy can be dominant wingers on offensive trios.
So there are still at least two, if not three, positions to be filled by superior elements in the Habs’ top-6 before we can really raise aspirations.
Even looking at the comparables, which we think are pretty realistic, to establish our projections, it’s highly doubtful that such an offense would be strong enough to rival those of recent Stanley Cup winners.
But, basically, we’d still be missing 1 or 2 “elite” players for the dough to rise to another level.
Considering its own organizational chart and the fact that there should be no generational defensemen in 2024, it’s no surprise that the Tricolore would be a bit foolish to draft a defenseman in the top-5 or top-6 of the next draft.
So, here are the 6 forwards we expect to be unavoidable at next year’s draft:
Mack Celebrini, C/AG/AD
Lane Hutson’s Boston University teammate may not be a generational player like McDavid or Bedard, but he’ll be an elite player nonetheless. If the hockey gods have their way, he’ll be the Habs’ number-one center (his most natural position) and best forward in no time. A sure bet for the team that wins the lottery, a talented, dynamic, intense and responsible player who can do anything on the ice.
Cole Eiserman, AG
In Eiserman, the CH would add another prospect who should become one of the top scorers of his generation. Eiserman, 6′, 196 lbs, would take a lot of pressure off Caufield and easily squeeze a Newhook out of the top-6. If you find lack of finishing a glaring problem with the CH, and you’re comfortable with Dach and Suzuki at center on the top-6, Eiserman is your man. It will be very interesting to compare Eiserman and Celebrini at the next WJC in a few weeks’ time and make up our minds about them.
POWER PLAY GOAL USA! WE HAVE A TIED GAME! Cole Eiserman scores with just 3:16 minutes on the clock! #u18mensworlds #USASWE @usahockey pic.twitter.com/VZyDd01ZUP
– IIHF (@IIHFHockey) April 30, 2023
Ivan Demidov, AD
Because of the Russian factor, Demidov, who certainly rivals Celebrini and Eiserman in talent, is likely to drop back a few spots. If that’s the case, for the second year in a row, the CH may well have a tough decision to make regarding a talented winger from Putin Land! Demidov, on the other hand, is only under contract until 2025 with St. Petersburg, so he could make his way to North America fairly quickly. At 5’11, 168 lbs, the Russian isn’t a monster, but he’s solid on his skates and creative to a fault. It’s also said that his character has nothing to do with Mishkov’s (somewhat obnoxious)…
Cayden Lindstrom, C
If the Tricolore don’t win the lottery and draft him around5th or 6th, here’s your man if he’s still available, and at 6’5, already 205-210 lbs, he’s quite a guy! Cayden Lindstrom’s stock has been skyrocketing since the start of the season, as he dominates the WHL at 17. Even though he’s not expected to be part of Team Canada at the next World Youth Championship (he’s still 17), some people are even starting to rank Lindstrom2nd, behind Celebrini… With Lindstrom, the CH would add a third wall to its offensive top-6 and begin to look like a playoff club… This British Columbia native is one to watch very, very closely in 2024. We’ll probably be talking about it again. We love hockey, we love Caydeuuuuuune in Montreal!
Cayden Lindstrom can put the puck in the net
The @tigershockey forward is rightfully a Grade A prospect for the 2024 #NHLDraft!
– Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) November 30, 2023
Berkly Catton, C
The leader in goals (8) and points (10) at the last Gretzky-Hlincka Cup, Catton isn’t exactly a one-armed man. A little more modestly built at 5’11 and 163 lbs, Catton is very instinctive, has a surgical shot, excellent hands, good passing skills, and is thought to be pretty good in both directions of the rink. Here’s another forward whose profile seems superior to many of the Montreal organization’s leading forwards…
Berkly Catton cashes in early, getting Canada on the board just 22 seconds into the game! #HlinkaGretzkyCup pic.twitter.com/MVZuUe3f2s
– TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 1, 2023
Konsta Helenius, C/RW
Probably more of a future NHL right-winger, Helenius, another “medium” sized forward, has a mature game, performs better in Liiga than Juraj Slafkovsky, executes quickly and well, and has a phenomenal trigger finger. Perhaps an improved version of Lucas Raymond? At the moment, he wouldn’t necessarily be my favorite of the top six forwards in the upcoming draft, but a convincing CMJ could change my mind…
Konsta Helenius is yet another forward in the 2024 NHL Draft that’s capping off as of late.
2024 is shaping up to be an intriguing and underrated class so far.
No Bedard at the top (Mack Celebrini is no slouch), but some great talent down the line. https://t.co/zxIi0mPNm4
– Marco D’Amico (@mndamico) November 25, 2023
And that’s exactly what the doctor recommends…as long as you choose wisely!