Canadiens’ 2026 Draft Storylines to Follow

The last time the NHL Entry Draft was hosted in Buffalo was 2016. Back then, the Montreal Canadiens arrived under a cloud of existential dread, still recovering from a season that crumbled the moment Carey Price’s knee gave out. They held the ninth overall pick. They used it on a smooth-skating, high-character defenceman named Mikhail Sergachev, only to trade him away 356 days later in a blockbuster bet to bring in Jonathan Drouin for immediate help. 

Ten years later, the draft returns to Buffalo. But as Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton settle into their remote draft room for the NHL’s newly minted decentralized format, the vibe around this franchise couldn’t be more different.

There is no panic in the air. There is no looming sense of structural collapse. Instead, there is the quiet, earned confidence of an organization that just shocked the hockey world by finishing sixth in the NHL regular-season standings before bowing out as one of the final four teams standing in the Eastern Conference Final. 

But with that success comes a brand-new set of problems for the Canadiens’ brass. Gone are the days of picking in the top five, where elite talent like Ivan Demidov falls into your lap. Welcome to the late-first-round grind. Montreal is slated to pick 28th overall on Friday night, its lowest assigned first-round slot since the magical Stanley Cup Final run of 2021.  

So, what do you need to know before the clock starts ticking? Let’s break down the strategy, the targets, and the high-stakes chess match defining Montreal’s weekend. 

The 28th Pick: To Draft or to Deal? 

Let’s lead with the question that’s dominating conversations from Rue Sainte-Catherine to the press lounge in Buffalo: Is Hughes actually going to use this pick? Gorton spoke to the press on the eve of the draft and said their plan was to use it to select a prospect, but that was something he said in 2025, when they traded both first-round picks in a deal for Noah Dobson. 

If history has taught us anything about this management group, it’s that they view late first-round draft capital as a currency for established talent, not just a lottery ticket for teenagers. Think back to Kirby Dach. Think back to Alex Newhook. Last summer, Hughes famously moved out the 17th overall pick — along with a duplicate first-rounder acquired from the Sean Monahan trade — to land Dobson and fortify the NHL blue line. 

Sitting at 28th overall in what independent scouts widely consider a shallow, top-heavy draft class, the incentive to trade down or trade out entirely has never been higher. 

Multiple league sources indicate Hughes has actively explored using the 28th pick as the centrepiece of a package to land a top-six forward with term. The Canadiens’ top line is dynamic, but the secondary scoring needs a permanent injection of skill if this team intends to replicate its deep playoff run. 

Mason McTavish is a player to watch on the trade front. As one of the few available centres without trade protection, McTavish naturally has a long list of interested teams, and Montreal is among the most interested. According to Marco D’Amico’s sources, the Anaheim Ducks will want NHL pieces as opposed to futures. 

“Verbeek is looking for pieces that will fit in his lineup immediately,” continued the source. “They are not looking to take a step back at all. They want to build on last season’s success.” 

Trades require two willing dance partners, and Montreal does have the assets to step up as a partner. In a decentralized draft where general managers are operating out of their own war rooms, the mechanics of a draft-day blockbuster look a little different. If the asking price for a young, established NHLer remains astronomical through Friday afternoon, the Canadiens will comfortably pivot to making a selection. 

Scouting the Board: Who Fits at 28? 

If Montreal holds steady at No. 28, they won’t likely be drafting a player expected to pull on a Canadiens sweater next October. This is about long-term projection. Given the organizational depth on defence, the expectation is that Montreal will look heavily at dynamic, high-upside forwards, but a certain local product on the blue line might make them change their philosophy. 

Here are three distinct names tracking closely to Montreal’s slot: 

1. Tommy Bleyl, RHD (Moncton, QMJHL) 

If Bleyl is on the board when Montreal picks, Hughes might sprint to his microphone. The 18-year-old just put together a historic season in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), breaking the league record for points by a rookie defenceman with 13 goals and 68 assists for 81 points in 63 games.

He’s slight at 170 pounds, but his escapeability, lateral mobility, and vision are elite. Committed to Michigan State University for 2027-28, Bleyl is a long-term project, but a right-shot offensive defenceman with his ceiling is a premium asset.  

2. Maddox Dagenais, F (Quebec, QMJHL) 

The Canadiens love size, and they love bloodlines. Maddox Dagenais brings a fascinating combination of both. He possesses high-end speed and a heavy release that can overpower junior goaltenders. He’s the type of modern, rangy forward Montreal needs to target, someone who can play a heavy game along the wall without sacrificing transition pace. 

3. Casey Mutryn, RW (U18, USNTDP) 

After the 2026 Playoffs, it’s clear that the Canadiens want to inject players with size and grit that can shine in the postseason. Casey Mutryn is exactly the type of “playoff-ready” engine that can transform their middle six. Captain of the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) squad, the 6-foot-3, 203-pound power forward is a physical, north-south bowling ball who thrives in tight spaces.

Committed to Boston College, his skating and transition pace took a massive leap forward as the season went on. He isn’t the flashiest perimeter playmaker, but he creates massive amounts of space for his linemates and plays a high-motor, two-way game that modern NHL coaches absolutely covet. 

The Mid-to-Late Round Strategy 

The Canadiens hold eight total selections over the weekend. While the first-round glamour takes care of Friday night, director of amateur scouting Martin Lapointe will earn his paycheck on Saturday.  

With Montreal’s development system operating at maximum capacity, the late-round strategy has shifted away from safe, low-ceiling floor players toward home-run swings on specific, elite traits. 

Keep an eye on overagers on Day 2, something Montreal is known to target in the middle to later rounds. They selected Bryce Pickford in 2025, and since his selection, he has skyrocketed up the depth charts, winning Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Defenceman of the Year and also Western Hockey League (WHL) Player of the Year honours. It is a great way for the club to target local players such as 19-year-old Liam Lefebvre. 

Keep an eye on three late-round targets tracking in Montreal’s range: 

• Niko Tournas, RW (Moncton, QMJHL): A fascinating re-entry prospect who caught lightning in a bottle. After finding his footing, the 6-foot-2, 199-pound winger exploded for 43 goals in the QMJHL this season. He possesses NHL-calibre shooting mechanics and a heavy release. 

• Spencer Bowes, C (OHL): A 6-foot-1, 198-pound centre who plays a mature, physical two-way game.  

He fits the “high-character, high-motor” archetype Hughes loves for his bottom-six depth.

• Alexander Grunin, D (Russia, MHL): A massive, physical and mobile defenceman who remains a raw prospect that will be a project, but possesses the pure physical tools that modern development staffs salivate over. 

The Big Picture 

What makes this draft so fascinating for Montreal is the total absence of structural pressure. For the first time in five years, the immediate future of the franchise doesn’t hinge on an amateur scout’s projection of an 18-year-old’s knee health or psychological maturity. 

Nick Suzuki is an established, elite captain. Cole Caufield is a premier finisher. Lane Hutson is a budding blue line superstar. The blue line is young, sturdy, and dynamic. 

This weekend in Buffalo isn’t about laying the foundation. The foundation is poured, set, and has begun curing thanks to the pressure of an Eastern Conference Final. This weekend is about the trim, the finish, and the asset management that separates short-term playoff surprises from perennial Stanley Cup contenders. 

Whether Hughes uses the 28th pick to welcome a new prospect into the family or flips it to bring an established star to the Bell Centre, one reality remains clear: the Canadiens are operating from a position of absolute strength. And in a salary-cap world, that is the best place to be.