Hockey

Bryce Pickford: the Habs prospect has already sent the Red Wings packing
Félix Forget
Bryce Pickford: the Habs prospect has already sent the Red Wings packing
Credit: Screenshot/Twitter

At the last draft, the Canadiens selected defenseman Bryce Pickford 81st overall. We're talking about a defenseman who was actually in his second year of eligibility for the NHL draft.

He was unclaimed in 2024.

And clearly, that motivated the kid, who really improved during the 2024-25 season. That's why the Habs gave him a chance in the third round… but he might never have made it.

Because following the 2024 draft, Pickford was invited by the Red Wings to their development camp. And that clearly didn't sit well with Pickford, as he explained to Nicolas Cloutier(TVA Sports).

He responded to the invitation by saying he wasn't going to show up, because if the Red Wings liked him that much, they should have drafted him. Nothing less.

It was obviously a great source of motivation for Pickford, who practiced hard in the months that followed. And what we understand is that the young man is clearly not one to shy away from a challenge.

And in a market like Montreal, that's a great quality to have.

Pickford may not be the club's best prospect, but we're still talking about a defender who has 11 goals and 21 points in 19 games this season. And above all, we're talking about a right-handed defenseman, a position where the Habs don't have a ton of depth.

That means he has the potential to be a long-term factor… and if he does end up playing for the Habs, the club can count itself lucky to have seen him have enough guts to turn down an offer from a division rival, hehe.


Overtime

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