by Blain Potvin, Staff Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
HALIFAX, NS. — Marc Bergevin discussed the NHL Entry Draft at his end of season press conference. While he is excited at the possibility of holding the ninth selection of the draft, Bergevin admits that it is unlikely that any player available at that position would be capable of making an immediate impact in the NHL. The Canadiens would have to wait a few seasons for the player chosen to reach their full potential.
To emphasize the point, Bergevin spoke of Montreal’s third overall pick in 2012 saying “[..]as we see with (Alex) Galchenyuk, it takes a while to reach that level.”
The NHL Draft Lottery will be held April 30th. The Canadiens’ current draft slot of ninth holds a five percent chance of the first selection overall with a slightly better chance to win the second (5.4 per cent) or third (5.6 per cent) picks. Winning a top three selection at this stage could shift the direction of the franchise for the next decade.
If Montreal were fortunate enough to draft first overall, Auston Matthews, a projected franchise centre, could be the reward. He likely will not be a top line centre immediately, yet, if he were to join the Habs, he wouldn’t have to be, as Galchenyuk has a firm grasp on that position. This would afford Matthews an opportunity to ease into his potential.
According to ZSC Lions coach, Marc Crawford, Matthews is NHL ready and can play a top six role immediately. This would create a trickle-down effect on the roster. With Lars Eller and Phillip Danault proving more than capable as defensively responsible third line centres, it would make Tomas Plekanec an expendable asset.
Plekanec holds a high value as an excellent two-way top six centre and moving him could return a veteran second line winger to insulate and compliment Matthews while adding cap flexibility for other moves in the future. Also, on a side note, Crawford, a Stanley Cup championship head coach, did an admirable job working with the young centre is on the lookout for an NHL job. Yes, Crawford is bilingual.
If Montreal were to win the second or third picks in the 2016 Draft lottery, the reward would not be a franchise centreman. However, the return would have no less of an immediate impact as both of the super Finns, Jesse Puljujärvi and Patrik Laine, are both NHL ready as well. While Laine is a pure sniper who would thrive on the wing of a centreman such as Galchenyuk, Puljujärvi could be the more complete player having demonstrated a more mature two-way game (think Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn.)
The arrival of one of the Finns would solve a lingering issue, the addition of a top six scoring winger. This would also be done at a much lower cost as they would be on their entry level contracts leaving cap flexibility to allow improvements in other areas of the roster. And, did I mention that Crawford who is known for developing young talent is available for an NHL job?
While it is unlikely these scenarios would play out, it is a small possibility that a top three pick could land into the hands of Bergevin and Trevor Timmins. I ran the draft simulator 100 times and 40 times Montreal was in the top three. If this fortunate outcome were to happen, the lost season and the disappointment felt by all Habs fans at having missed the playoffs would be transformed into unbridled excitement for the arrival of a highly skilled offensive prospect ready to play in the NHL immediately.
Add in the excitement over what the player selected could do to the fortunes of a team simply in need of a healthy season from its star players. Add some scoring help from a top three prospect. With a little luck, it’s possible that the Canadiens will once again become a feared team in the Eastern Conference.