​With summer in full swing, it’s an ideal time to take a comprehensive look at the Montreal Canadiens’ draft haul since Kent Hughes took the reins from Marc Bergevin. To do this, we’ll examine both the selections and the trades made before, during, and immediately after the drafts in question. After the evaluation, we’ll assign grades to each Draft class.
Kicking things off is the 2022 draft class, the year the Canadiens secured the No. 1 overall pick for the first time since selecting Doug Wickenheiser in 1980 and Guy Lafleur in 1971. Before we dive in, it’s important to set realistic expectations for any draft pick, since the odds of reaching the NHL vary significantly with where a player is selected. Roughly 75% of first-round picks go on to play at least one NHL game, while only about 35% of second-round selections achieve the same milestone. The likelihood of making the roster drops markedly as the rounds progress, following a pattern reminiscent of a reverse Richter-scale.
Crucially, hitting on a first-round pick is vital because these players typically possess greater long-term potential than those chosen later in the draft. Each draft class varies, with some years yielding a glut of talent and others offering far less.
Although the Canadiens did not necessarily aim to finish last in the standings or win the NHL Draft Lottery in 2022, the draft presented under a newly appointed general manager, Kent Hughes, a prime opportunity to kick off the rebuild with impact moves. When you have the chance to select first overall, thorough due diligence is essential, because it represents a franchise-altering decision of utmost magnitude.
The 2022 draft posed both an opportunity and a challenge, given there was no clear consensus No. 1 pick among top prospects. From Shane Wright to Simon Nemec, Logan Cooley, Juraj Slafkovsky, David Jiricek, and even Cutter Gauthier, experts were divided, with some arguing that none of the players were ready to step into the NHL. That absence of a clear-cut elite option is rare for a single draft class and underscored that this was not an overwhelmingly strong group. Nevertheless, the Canadiens identified Slafkovsky as the player with the most long-term potential.
The fact that Slafkovsky has already logged 282 NHL games five years after being drafted is a notable achievement. His rookie season was rocky, yielding just four goals and five assists over 39 games, and there were concerns about his scoring environment and the pressure of being a first-overall selection. The Canadiens did not make his path any easier, exposing him to a role and circumstances that were less than ideal for a rookie scorer. This led to a predictable level of criticism that often accompanies a top pick when results don’t come immediately. Yet, the Canadiens remained steadfast in their approach, prioritizing development and long-term upside rather than short-term results.
[End note: The exploration continues beyond this point, as we assess the trades tied to the draft, the overall impact on the franchise, and assign grades to the 2022 class, while continuing to examine subsequent drafts and their outcomes.]