By JD Lagrange – Okay, it’s not a rumour. But we decided to include this in the rumour mill regardless as we’re going on conjunctures and possibilities, coming from a NHL insider. So bear with me here. I know, I know, some people are getting hot under the collar hearing people talk about the possibility of the Canadiens trading the first overall pick at the upcoming Draft. Let’s get something clear: the odds of that happening are close to none. Happy? But it doesn’t mean that we can’t toy around the idea as to what it would take. And here, we’re going on what an insider said… So respect each other and their opinions, please.
Hughes will listen
In spite of what you think should or should not happen, or at least be entertained, Canadiens’ GM Kent Hughes will not hang up the phone if it rings and another GM wants to talk about the first overall pick. He would not be doing his job if he did and he acknowledged that himself in his post-draft lottery media interviews.
“You’re always better off listening to what people say. At the moment, I can’t tell you that it’s not something we would entertain,” said Hughes about the possibility of trading the 1st overall pick. “If we get calls for the pick we’ll listen, but it’s not in our plans to trade this pick.”
No guarantee
Remember that Shane Wright is NOT a generational talent like Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid, or even Connor Bedard in a year from now. In fact, while most draft expert have them going number one, the gap between him and the next three or four prospects isn’t big. Some Habs’ fans seem to think that because he’s the highest ranked player, that he’s a centre, and that some say that his ceiling is comparable to Patrice Bergeron, he’s a sure thing. We shouldn’t have to remind anyone that not all first overall players pan out. It’s not unusual to have players selected later outperform the first overall pick.
The jury is still out between Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin… 12 years later! If the 2011 Draft was to be redone, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, also a center, would not go first overall. In fact, no fewer than five players selected after him have more career points than him. Don’t think for a second that Leon Draisaitl and David Pastrnak wouldn’t be selected before number one pick Aaron Ekblad! Nico Hishier is a good player but don’t think for a second that the Devils wouldn’t pick Cale Makar instead, who was selected number four. And we’re not even talking about Doug Wickenheiser, Alexander Daigle and Nail Yakupov here.
Marek’s proposal
Jeff Marek, as you know, has a podcast with Elliotte Friedman, called 32-Thoughts the podcast. He came up with a scenario that makes you think. At least, it will make people who don’t see Wright as a generational talent, think.
“If you’re the Montreal Canadiens, and I know you’re hosting the draft. If the Arizona Coyotes come to you and say ‘We will give you our No. 3 overall pick and our first-rounder next season in exchange for the 2022 first overall pick,’ what do you say?” asked Jeff Marek.
Such trade would give the Canadiens the Coyotes’ first round pick for next season, basically giving them a shot at Connor Bedard and Matvei Mitchkov. Kent Hughes would be crazy not to want to accept such an offer.
Now Friedman shut this down in a hurry, claiming that the Coyotes would never make such an offer. He’s probably right. But when we’re talking about Hughes listening to offers, this is what it’s all about… whether it displeases and even offends some people.
With the Draft in Montreal, it’s even more unlikely that the Canadiens would trade that first overall pick. It’s a fairytale scenario, with a packed Bell Centre and the anticipation of the home crowd. But the Canadiens are not in the business to entertain NHL Draft crowds, even their own fans. They’re in the business of getting the best player(s), or the best deal available. If it was Connor Bedard, it wouldn’t be on the table. But we’re not talking Bedard caliber here. So keep an open mind folks, as Hughes will, rest assured.
More reading…
- Kent Hughes Drafting His Son Is A Possibility by JD Lagrange
- The Myth of The Rebuilding Habs by JD Lagrange
- Mock Draft v.1 – Montreal Canadiens by Bob Trask
I was listening to you guys attempt to figure out if there was a deal that would convince Huges to trade his first pick.
Since I didn’t here anyone mention this option, which we see in the NFL. Looking at the Seattle (2) and Phoenix (3), is there a player that would be very attractive to MTL?
Enters Jakob Chuchrun from Phoenix. If you believe as I do, that JC would become our number Dman, then here’s the trade.
Last year, Phoenix media stated the ask for JC was a first round pick, a top prospect and a nhl player.
So I am offering for Chuchrun to trade our first pick with phoenix’s first pick 2022. I add Mailloux or another top d prospect that is not Baron or Ghule. Then we figure which of our regular player we can add, let’s say Poehling since he is still young.
Maybe we get a second pick or a player with this trade to balance things out.
What say you???
I see what you’re saying and value-wise, it could be a possibility. There are a couple of issues that I can foresee though. It’s a fairly complex trade, something we don’t see often, particularly that Arizona is the likely destination for Shea Weber’s contract. Even with that contract included, Chychrun makes $4.6M and the Habs have no room right now to add cap. Anything can be worked out but it would take a lot of creativity and the more moving pieces there are, the harder it is to find common grounds between the two teams value-wise. Last but not least, the Habs are then adding another LD, their deepest position.
I see where you’re going RB, but in flipping 1st rounders, phx is really trading JC for just a prospect and a regular player.