MONTREAL CANADIENS 2024 NHL DRAFT PLAN *REVEALED*…?

Check out BetUS: bit.ly/GravitehSU125Bonus Man this 1st round of the draft could feature some SPICY trades! QOTD: IF you were in charge of the Habs offseason, what moves would you make? :_GravDrink:

Here's how I think the first five picks will play out: San Jose will take Celebrini, that's a no brainer. Chicago will have a choice between Levshunov or Demidov. The Hawks have numerous holes to fill. Their two best defensive prospects are Vlasic and Korchinski, both lefty defenseman. Levshunov is a righty who originally hails from Belarus. The Hawks have not done well drafting Russians the last 25 years. In that time span they have drafted 20 Russians and only four have ever played in the NHL, and of those four, only one (Anton Babchuk in 2002) ever played in more than 57 NHL games (Artemi Panarin was an undrafted free agent). The Hawks had 22 picks total in the last two drafts and only took 3 defenseman. Because I believe they'll shy away from the Russian and because they didn't take many blue liners in the last two drafts, I believe they'll take Levshunov at #2. At #3 I see the Ducks taking Zeev Buium, I believe they made the Drysdale for Gauthier trade with the mindset they would draft a defenseman with their top five pick. They could take Silayev, but once again, this is a team that rarely drafts players out of Russia, having taken only 7 in the last 25 years. Of those 7, only 3 ever played in the NHL and at one point the Ducks only selected one Russian in a 21 year span from 2001 to 2022. Although Buium's name sounds foreign, his parents are Israeli immigrants and he was born and raised in San Diego which is only 96 miles from Anaheim, effectively making him a local product. Buium's brother was drafted by the Red Wings two years ago. That leaves Columbus at #4 with a choice of Lindstrom or Demidov. I can make a case for either one. The Jackets have drafted 17 Russians in their history. Three were taken in the last two years and are still under contract in the KHL. Of the 14 that were eligible to come over, 8 have played in the NHL, with most of those during Jarmo Kekelainen's tenure as GM. Unless the new GM has a different draft philosophy, I see the Jackets selecting Demidov at #4. I'd put the chances they take Demidov at 70%. With Russians like Tarasov, Chinakhov, Provorov, Marchenko and Voronkov already on their roster, the Jackets aren't shy about adding Russian players, especially when you consider some of the others in their recent history like Bobrovsky, Panarinn and Gavrikov. If the Jackets do select Demidov, that leaves Lindstrom to fall to Montreal at #5.

I have a feeling when Montreal picks everyone's reaction will be WHAATTTT!?!?! Hughes is notorious for this so I'll side on the side of history!!!

More bs Zegras rumors 👍

As a Habs fan there are 4 names that I just couldn't complain about if called by MTL at #5. In order obviously Celebrini is the first but that wont happen, then its Demidov. i think hes going to be a special player that will make the Bell centre electric every time he has the puck. Third is Lindstrom, I think he looks so much like Byfield and thats just a super fun player to have that in his prime will be a force in the playoffs. Lindstrom, Slafkovsky and Dach all at 6'4 in your top 6 forwards could be a force in the playoffs. Forth I think i'd be alright with Levshunov, i know a LOT of Habs fans are going to hate me for this and just at the idea of another D but I want those fans to think about a top 4 of Hutson - Reinbach and Guhle - Levshunov for the next decade. Problem is I could very likely see the top 4 being these 4 players, I think theres a big drop from those players to say Iginla or Sennecke

I feel like this draft can be very good for Montreal. My top choices would be Demidov and Lindstrom, in that order, but if neither are available and one of the top defenceman’s is on the board, I would not be upset if the Habs picked a defenceman again. If they end up trading down for someone like Iginla, I feel like it is still a win-win situation since Iginla really fits Montreal’s type of game play and culture. This draft will be exciting for the Canadiens!

Ducks are not trading Zegras unless someone wants to overpay massively for him. Verbeek does not part with young talent easily

Knowing the Habs I have a feeling if they have a shot at either Lindstrom and Demidov. They'd go Lindstrom... they really value the powerforward type lately.

lol the Ducks are not trading Zegras I'm not sure why this rumor is still persisting, the Ducks have one of the worst offenses in the league and he has consistently been their top offensive driver and he's still young and on a controllable contract(ends as a RFA), it would require a massive haul to pry him off the Ducks which is replacing him with another top end forward and not yet another defenseman

Im really interested in a possible trade for necas, we have a lot of d’s that carolina could be interested. Im ready to give up matheson it would free up space in the line up too

Grav, can you jump through a table if the Stars and Mavs win the finals?

Vancouver .... Tampa .... Florida .... Boston ... have no draft picks in the 1st & 2nd rounds....

You have a high opinion of Dach. Especially for a guy who has never done anything since in the league. He has Skill I just think he is better as a Right Winger with Newhook in Center. Lindstrom is a gamble with his injuries already and talks of back issues. If Demidov is available, he should be the pick.

Zegras is $5.75m while Catton, Lindstrom or Sennecke is $1m for next 3 years. If it doesn't work out it's our judgement. lets say we have pick 5 + 26 and Matheson 30 year old $4.5m and 3 years down the road and value NOW! D is strong so we can offer bait so we can get at least 2 of Catton, Lindstrom, or Sennecke. balanced lineup- Suzuki, Caulfield, Catton, Dach, Slaf, and Mesar, Newhook, Roy, Lindstrom, and the best 4th line in decades of Beck, Evans and Armia. They can score and shut down the best!

I thing the best move would be to Trade Matheson and Winnipeg 1st to a team like Utah, for the sixth overall drafting Lindstrom and Iginal

Add size they could pick a D Silayev and later Letourneau as both are 6'7" if Demidov and Lindstrom are gone.

I've been saying it for a while. We have so many prospects already. Trade WPG 1st and next year's two 1st's for another top 10 pick this season. Draft two of Demidov/Lindstrom/Iginla/Eiserman/Catton/Senneke!!!!

lol bro Dach isn’t playing on the 3rd line

Either player would be insane.

Grav I have heard by multiple insiders in the French media that Habs are also very high on Demidov and Arpon Basu reported that the Canadiens are one of the few teams that actually got to physically see Demidov play live in Russia