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The Montreal Canadiens have made their first selection at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, selecting Gleb Pugachyov with the 26th overall pick.
To select Pugachyo, the Canadiens moved up in the draft, trading the 28th overall pick and a third-round pick in 2027 to the Vegas Golden Knights, a clear-cut sign they were excited to put their hands on the talented prospect.

Pugachyo is a 6’3″ forward who loves to throw his 225 lbs around whenever the opportunity arises. Beyond his physicality, Pugachyo produced 10 goals and 14 assists in 33 games for Chaika Nizhny Novgorod in the MHL, the Russian equivalent to the CHL.
He was rated as a prospect who had a chance to be drafted in the first round, but was far from a lock, which means head scout Nickolai Bobrov likely loved what he saw from Pugachyo throughout the year.
Stay tuned for an in-depth article exploring his potential impact within the Canadiens organization.
The Montreal Canadiens owned eight draft picks heading into the 2026 NHL Entry Draft, and considering their highest pick was just 28th overall, there’s no doubt they will leave Buffalo with a little less talent than they have in previous drafts. That being said, the Canadiens have shown an affinity for finding talent outside the top 10, such as picking phenom Lane Hutson 62nd overall in 2022.

1st Round – 28th overall

2nd Round – 61st overall

3rd Round – 93rd overall

6th Round – 189th overall

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