The 2022 NHL Draft is finally upon us as members from all 32 NHL teams begin arriving in Montreal for one of the biggest weeks on the hockey calendar. To kick off the festivities, Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes and Vincent Lecavalier, special advisor to hockey operations, met with the media on Monday to discuss the team’s plan heading into a very important few days for the future of the franchise.
Here are the highlights from the 45-minute press conference which covered a variety of topics regarding the draft and the Habs’ offseason approach.
A Three Horse Race
To no one’s surprise, Hughes continues to play a good game of poker when it comes to who the Canadiens will be selecting with the no. 1 overall pick at the Bell Centre on Thursday night. It’s not in his best interest to unveil his plans to keep his leverage in trade discussions with his colleagues. The uncertainty surrounding the first pick is suiting the Habs just fine right now.
(Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
Hughes did confirm that the decision will come down to three players: Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky, and Logan Cooley. With their scouts now all together in Montreal, the plan was to meet with everyone on Monday night to ensure that each person around the table can contribute to this crucial choice as well as the overall strategy. In other words, with 72 hours to go before round one, the Canadiens still don’t know who they are taking, and the suspense lives on.
They aren’t looking to draft the best player right now, but rather who they project will be the best players four or five years down the road and help the team win when they hopefully enter their contending window. Hughes also mentioned that character would be an important factor in the decision. Beyond their talent and intangibles, they need to determine which player is most suited to handle the pressure that comes with being Montreal’s first overall pick.
Lecavalier has spoken with Wright about how he is handling everything that comes with being the projected top pick and shared some words of wisdom with the 18-year-old about his own experience as a former no. 1 overall pick himself. The intention is to have the same type of conversation with Slafkovsky and Cooley before Thursday.
Hughes Keeping All His Options Open
It’s safe to say that Hughes is ready to explore any and every scenario from now until Friday, including leaving the door open to trading the first pick if an offer he can’t refuse comes his way. There’s even a chance the Canadiens could end up with both picks one and two.
Related: Who Canadiens Would Target with a Second Top-10 Draft Pick
There’s a stronger possibility that the Habs will use their plethora of selections in this year’s draft, which includes picks no. 26 and no. 33, to move up in the first round. It has been reported they are actively looking to acquire a second Top 10 pick and they have the assets to make that hope a reality.
The fact that these options are even on the table could make for an interesting week for the home team.
The Assistant Coach Search Has Begun
In other offseason business, Hughes indicated that head coach Martin St. Louis has begun speaking to potential candidates for the now-vacant assistant coach position behind the Canadiens’ bench following the departure of Luke Richardson who was recently named head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Related: Canadiens’ Candidates to Replace Richardson as Assistant Coach
Hughes and executive vice president of hockey operations, Jeff Gorton will also meet with the candidates once the dust settles on the draft and free agency to determine who will ultimately be appointed.
Looking for Financial Flexibility
In addition to a successful draft, the Canadiens’ top priority this offseason is to create some financial flexibility and ease their salary cap woes. This means they’ll be looking to subtract players from their current roster before adding to it.
It’s been well-documented that the player most likely to be moved is Jeff Petry, but Hughes said Monday that the veteran defenseman may very well be in the Habs’ lineup come October if he doesn’t get back the pieces he’s looking for. This is not the same situation as the Tampa Bay Lightning found themselves in with Ryan McDonagh, who was traded to the Nashville Predators over the weekend for a minimal return. The Habs can hang on to Petry. It might be more beneficial if they do because he’s a rare commodity and will be difficult to replace.
If Petry stays put, Josh Anderson, Christian Dvorak, and Mike Hoffman are all potential trade bait, but Hughes isn’t going to just give them away to save money.
Given all the intrigue surrounding the Canadiens right now, Hughes and company are well-positioned to set off a few fireworks in front of their fans later this week. After months of speculation and preparation, all that’s left is to sit back and enjoy the show.