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The Montreal Canadiens made a significant move up the standings last season as head coach Martin St. Louis drove the team to the playoffs.
While the Canadiens lost their opening round series to the Capitals in five games, the Habs demonstrated speed, scoring ability and improved clutch play during the season. Players like Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Lane Hutson, Juraj Slafkovsky and Patrik Laine have given the Canadiens an identity around the league and this team is clearly on the upswing.
The Canadiens also improved their team during the draft as they acquired star defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders in a trade for two first-round picks and forward Emil Heineman.
Dobson gives the Canadiens an established right-shot defenseman who will be a core performer for multiple years. He immediately signed an eight-year contract with Montreal, and he should be one of their most important players for the length of the deal.
The former Islander slots in on the team's No. 1 defensive pairing with Kaiden Guhle and the Habs also have young defenseman Hutson on its second defensive pair. This is likely to be an area of great strength for the team for years to come.
While the Dobson acquisition is technically not a draft pick, it was certainly a notable Draft Day move. Grade: A
RW Alexander Zharovsky, Second round
The Canadiens made a nice splash with this pick, and while he is not likely to contribute to the parent club during the 2025-26 season, he should be with them shortly after that.
Zharovsky is a talented skater who moves well with the puck on his stick. He has the ability to take on defensemen with his moves and skate around them. He is 6-1 and 163 pounds, so he needs to fill out in the coming year. Once he adds more strength to his frame, he appears to be the kind of player who can be a significant difference maker.
Grade: A-minus
C Hayden Paupanekis, Third round
The Canadiens went for size with this pick, and the 6-4, 205-pounder should be able to hold his own when he gets to the NHL. He looks like he could be a strong third- or fourth-line center when he gets to the NHL.
The Canadiens are expecting him to have a big year at the junior level, and he could make the jump shortly after that. He has good but not great offensive skills, but should be able to shut down opposing centers.
Grade: A-minus
D Bryce Pickford, Third round
This appears to be a bit of a reach for the Canadiens, because he was undrafted a year ago. The Canadiens have taken a chance on Pickford because he was much improved last year and they are banking on him continuing to get better in the upcoming season.
If that happens, he will be able to play at the minor-league level with Laval a year from now and could be ready for a promotion to the Habs any time after that.
Grade: B
G Arseni Radkov, Third round
It's hard to make a prediction on a young goalie who has been playing in Russia, but the Canadiens took a chance on him because he is scheduled to play college hockey a year from now. That shows a desire to compete against some of the top young players in the world and that should give Montreal a true idea where Radkov stands and if he has the talent to play at an elite level.
Grade: C
RW L.J. Mooney, Fourth round
This is a player who would have been a first- or second-round selection, but most observers believe he may be too small. Mooney checks in at 5-7 and 163 pounds, and he is unlikely to get much bigger. Questions have arisen on how well he will be able to answer a more physical brand of hockey.
He is a talented skater and producer, but he will have to overcome his size deficiency to have a real chance of becoming a top-flight player.
Grade: B
G Alexis Cournoyer, Fifth round
D Carlos Handel, Sixth round
D Andrew McNiel, Sixth round
D Maxon Vig, Seventh round
The late-round picks are all something of a gamble and the three defensemen have much to prove. The fact that they were drafted means they will be getting an excellent opportunity to prove themselves in front of high-level coaches who will be able to determine their future assignments.
Cournoyer had a brilliant season last year but he still has much to prove. The 6-4 goalie improved dramatically last season while playing for Cape Breton, and he will get another opportunity to show what he can do at Cornell University.
The Canadiens had a pretty good Cornell goalie at one time by the name of Hall of Famer Ken Dryden. No similarities yet, but the team will keep an eye on him to see if he can develop the way another Big Red goalie once did.
Grade: C (for all four late-round picks)
