The Canadian fan has two choices this morning: get angry following this fourth consecutive defeat, a tenth in thirteen games, or see the positive side of things.
At the beginning of January, the CH held eighth place in anticipation of the draft, without aspiring to the playoffs. Three points from the twelfth choice. The successive setbacks of the Canadian, combined with the recent successes of the Senators, the Wild, the Flames, the Kraken and, to a certain extent, the Sabres, today allow the Montreal organization to hold sixth place in anticipation of the lottery of draft.
The Arizona Coyotes, despite an ugly ten-game winless streak, are just two points behind with a game in hand, and the Columbus Blue Jackets are six points behind Montreal with two games remaining. .
Mentioning this state of affairs always raises the ire of certain fans. But let’s not bury our heads in the sand. With 35 games to go, 13 points from the last place giving access to the playoffs, you might as well improve your draft ranking and extract another important piece for the future of the team with a judicious choice.
In sixth place, Montreal also gives itself a 7.5% chance of winning the lottery and drafting Macklin Celebrini in first place, compared to 3.5% if it was tenth.
Here’s a quick look at ten of the top prospects heading into the 2024 draft. They are placed in no particular order, with the exception of Macklin Celebrini, the consensus top pick.
In an ideal world, the CH would draft a strong attacker, or even a right-handed defender, since it is already full of left-handed defenders and small attackers, but it is never recommended to choose according to your particular needs…
1. Macklin Celebrini
Center, 6 feet, 190 pounds
The winner of the lottery will draft this dynamic center. At just 17 years old, Celebrini had 43 points, including 23 goals, in just 28 games in his first season at Boston University. He was one of the best on the Canadian team at the World Junior Championship even though he was the youngest player on the team. Like Connor Bedard, or close to it.
2. Artyom Levshunov
Right-handed defenseman, 6 feet 2 inches, 198 pounds
Levshunov left Belarus two years ago to settle in the United States. After a season in the USHL, he had 28 points in 30 games in his first year at Michigan State in the NCAA. So NHL teams won’t have to worry about him getting stuck in the KHL. He is very mobile, intelligent, gifted offensively, has a good work ethic, in short, everything you could want in a defender.
3. Anton Sylayev
Left-handed defenseman, 6 feet 7 inches, 207 pounds
A colossus who can remind us of Zdeno Chara in certain respects, not the most gifted offensively, despite 11 points in 61 games in the KHL with the Torpedo, an interesting production for such a young player, at 17 years old, but the type to shine against the big guys opposing trios without being completely devoid of offensive flair. NHL clubs know that we win Stanley Cups with strong defenses.
4. Cayden Lindstrom
Center/winger, 6 feet 4 inches, 216 pounds
An excellent combination of imposing size, speed, offensive skills and hard work. Lindstrom had 46 points, including 27 goals, in 32 games at Medicine Hat in the Western Junior League. But will it be available from the fifth rank?
5. Ivan Demidov
Winger, 5 feet 11 inches, 168 pounds
A dynamic and electrifying forward still too green to aspire to the KHL with the powerful St. Petersburg – SKA loaned Matvei Michkov to a bottom club, after all – but too strong for the junior ranks with 60 points in 30 matches.
6. Zeev Buium
Left-handed defenseman, 5 feet 11 inches, 165 pounds
A tougher Lane Hutson. He also produced at an impressive rate in his first season in the NCAA, with 36 points in 28 games, without being the most dynamic skater. Impressed at the World Junior Championship for the Americans behind Hutson, in fact.
7. Tij Iginla
Winger, 6 feet, 185 pounds
The consolation prize if Cayden Lindstrom is unavailable. The son of the legendary Jarome Iginla is a power forward like his father, shoots from the left however unlike his father. Had 66 points, including 38 goals, in 52 games in Kelowna in the Western Junior League. He climbs the rankings as the season progresses. Not the greatest skater yet, but smooth, quick hands.
8. Sam Dickinson
Left-handed defenseman, 6 feet 3 inches, 194 pounds
Dickinson grew up in a renowned organization, the London Knights, where he amassed 58 points in 55 games despite being one of the youngest players eligible for the draft. Has good mobility, especially recognized for his offensive qualities, but must improve his defensive game, even if it does not constitute a major gap like other top prospects in defense, among others Zayne Parekh.
9. Berkly Catton
Forward, 5 feet 11 inches, 163 pounds
Not the strongest, but phenomenal production of 89 points, including 41 goals, in 54 games in Spokane, in the Western Junior League, and ten points in five games at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup among the under-18s with Canada, of which he was captain. Extremely fast, great individual skills, difficult to counter.
10. Cole Eiserman
Winger, 6 feet, 196 pounds
Some saw him almost face to face with Celebrini at the start of the season. His rating has dropped significantly. A brilliant offensive player, his lack of interest in the defensive aspect does not please recruiters. He has to score goals, otherwise he is almost completely useless. He had 60 points, including 38 goals, in 37 games in the U.S. developmental program, but was snubbed by the U.S. junior team for the World Championship. If the club that drafts him can teach him to play the right way, he could still have a very good career.
The Jets are rejoicing…
The Canadian’s failures benefit the Winnipeg Jets. They indeed hold the second round choice of the CH, located at 38e rank at present.
This choice has already traveled a lot. Let’s tell his story, at the risk of making you feel bad. On September 4, 2021, Marc Bergevin gave up a first round pick in 2022 (received from the Hurricanes for the loss of Jesperi Kotkaniemi), and a second round pick in 2024 to acquire a center he believed to be younger and more efficient than Phillip Danault: Christian Dvorak.
The Coyotes used the late first-round pick, 27e in total, to which they added two second-round picks, to move to 11e rank and draft Conor Geekie.
The second round choice in the transaction with CH was sold to the Los Angeles Kings last summer for defender Sean Durzi. This 25-year-old young man quickly became the Coyotes’ best defender. He has 30 points in 50 games, on his way to 49 points, and is averaging 22:33, a Coyotes high.
The Kings gave that pick to the Jets three days later, along with Gabriel Vilardi, Alex Iaffalo and Rasmus Kupari, to get Pierre-Luc Dubois.
If we were to rely on the current rankings, there would be only nine ranks difference between the first first round pick obtained from the Jets for Sean Monahan and the second round pick of the Canadian obtained by Winnipeg through the Coyotes, then the Kings…