Montreal Canadien's 28th Pick: Best Targets and Trade Scenario
The Montreal Canadiens have had a very successful season. They went from being eliminated in five games during the first round against Washington in 2024–25 to making it all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals this year, where they lost to the eventual Stanley Cup champions, the Carolina Hurricanes.
By the end of that run, however, the Canadiens seemed to sort of fizzle out and lost the magic they had in the first and second rounds. Jakub Dobeš can't be the team's saviour forever.
They clearly needed more offence to go up against the hard nosed puck hounds of the Carolina Hurricanes. At times, the Habs looked outmatched and a step below.
As it stands today, on the morning of June 24th, prior to any official trades the Atlantic Division is looking even scarier this offseason than it already was, which is saying a lot for the most competitive division in the NHL.
We can already see this with a few rival teams filling their needs and gearing up for next season. Specifically, four teams in the Atlantic have improved incredibly:
The Buffalo Sabres now hold the fourth overall pick, where they're expected to land a true difference maker. If i had to guess maybe Caleb Malhotra or Chase Reid to get back to the playoffs as a stronger team.
The Florida Panthers traded for a game breaker in Brady Tkachuk in that fathers day blockbuster.
The Ottawa Senators traded for Eklund, heavily bolstering their offense after trading their 9th overall pick.
With the teams around the Habs getting noticeably better, it begs the question: what will Montreal do with that 28th overall pick? There are two options I can think of, which I will explain in detail.
Option 1: Make the Draft Pick
If they decide to keep the pick, there are two players I would look at if they happen to slide down, as both would fit perfectly with the Canadien's identity.
The first target is a bit of a reach: Maddox Dagenais, the 6'4", Montreal-born centre. He went point-for-game this year with 62 points in 62 games, including 30 goals and 32 assists.
The thing that attracts me most to his playing style is his combination of size, pure skill, and his ability to absolutely rip the puck. I think he is criminally underrated.
If you have the chance to draft a local Montreal kid who can make a difference right when the majority of the Habs core is entering their contention window, you have to take him.
While it might be a reach especially since Tankathon projects him to go to the Rangers at 26th overall but you can never be completely sure on draft day.
Another target who might be a slightly more realistic pick at 28 is Markus Ruck. I've been talking to my dad about the Ruck twins since early February and I simply cannot get enough of them.
For me specifically Markus.
I actually stumbled into finding him because I was watching Bryce Pickford games for the Medicine Hat Tigers, and the twins happened to be on the same team.
Although both of these players might be considered reaches at 28, I feel like once they develop to their full potential, they could become true difference makers for the Habs in the near future.
Option 2: The Alternative
Of course, there is a second option, as there almost always is: making a trade.
Montreal has been desperate for a second line centre to play alongside Ivan Demidov, the rookie Russian phenom.
When he is at his best, I think Demidov can be a regular 100 point player in this league. Currently, he is playing on a line with Alex Newhook and Jake Evans. I really like Newhook on that line as he matches Demidov's speed and brings a great level of tenacity.
However, Jake Evans is not a true 2C. Nothing personal against him because he is an elite 3C, but as shown in the playoffs, he simply cannot handle extended second line minutes. He already plays heavy minutes on the penalty kill, so ensuring he gets proper rest would inevitably lead to the Habs winning more games.
Unfortunately, a top trade candidate I had in mind was taken off the market yesterday on June 23rd. The St. Louis Blues traded Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals in exchange for the 16th overall pick, Connor McMichael, and Milton Gästrin.
Still, there are other strong options out there for a 2C. My next target is a highly touted young player:
Mason McTavish.
McTavish is a 23 year old, 6'1" Canadian born centre or winger. He was originally selected 3rd overall by the Ducks in the 2021 NHL Draft, highly touted as a workhorse who never gives up and applies continuous pressure on opposing defences with his smooth hands and hard, accurate shot.
The main worry with him is his skating ability. His lack of footspeed might limit his ability to keep up with the fast pace of Newhook and Demidov, which is definitely something Kent Hughes would have to consider.
To give you an example of what a potential trade could look like: sending Adam Engström, Oliver Kapanen, and our 28th overall pick to Anaheim should hopefully be enough to get it done with the Another player who I think could be a possibility is former Canadian phenom Alexis Lafreniere.
This is another name that has been circulating in trade discussions lately, although acquiring him would certainly not be easy.
The 24 year old Quebec native entered the NHL with enormous expectations after being selected first overall by the New York Rangers in the 2020 NHL Draft.
While he has not quite developed into the superstar many projected him to become, he has steadily grown into a productive top six winger with plenty of offensive upside.
After breaking out with 57 points during the 2023-24 season, Lafreniere followed that up with 45 points in 82 games before rebounding with another 57 point campaign this past season.
The fit in Montreal is obvious.
Lafreniere is young, talented, and perfectly aligned with the Canadiens timeline as they continue their transition into a contender.
Adding another young offensive weapon to a core that already features Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov and Noah Dobson would make an already exciting future look even brighter.
There is also the hometown factor.
As a Quebec born former first overall pick, Lafreniere would immediately become one of the most talked about players in the city.
The pressure would be immense, but it could also provide the perfect opportunity for him to take the next step in his career and establish himself as a star in a hockey market that has followed him since his junior hockey days.
The biggest challenge would be convincing the Rangers to move him.
Even after some inconsistency early in his career, New York still views him as an important piece of their roster.
Any trade would likely require Montreal to give up significant assets, whether that means premium prospects, high draft picks, or a combination of both.
From a contract perspective, Lafreniere is signed through the 2031-32 season with a cap hit of 7.45 million dollars per year, a number that could look increasingly team friendly as the salary cap continues to rise.
The only drawback is that Lafreniere is a winger, not a centre.
If the Canadiens are focused on finding a true second line centre behind Nick Suzuki, then Lafreniere would not address that need.
However, if Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are comfortable with Alex Newhoook or another internal option down the middle and are simply looking to add another impact forward, Lafreniere becomes a very intriguing target.
Whether he plays alongside Ivan Demidov, and Alex Newhook, his skill set would give Montreal another dynamic offensive weapon and further strengthen one of the NHL most promising young cores.
Next up is definitely a massive reach, but he is a player I have been seeing heavily rumoured online lately:
Former Vancouver Canucks 27 year old 6'2 Centre/Winger from Sweden, Elias Pettersson.
The situation with Elias Pettersson is fascinating because the Vancouver Canucks are reportedly open for business and might actually be willing to retain salary to move him.
He is a star who has shown 100 point potential in the past, but he has struggled to find that same elite form lately, posting 51 points in 74 games this past season.
The massive hurdle for any team looking to acquire him is his contract because he has an 11.6 million dollar cap hit that runs all the way through the 2031 to 2032 season.
Taking on that full contract would be a massive gamble for Montreal as Kent Hughes has built the culture around taking discounts to make the team better.
The best examples of that being the steal of the deals that Caufield, Slafkovsky, Suzuki and Hutson have signed.
If the Canucks drop his cap hit to around 9 million dollars, he instantly becomes an incredibly valuable, elite second line centre. With the cap going up the Canadiens would be able to stomach that amount much better and even fit in with the Dobson signing at 9.5 million per year.
He would also fit perfectly right behind Nick Suzuki. He would not have to carry the burden of being the main guy like he did in Vancouver, which could be exactly what he needs to rediscover his game alongside a speedster like Alex Newhook and a playmaker like Ivan Demidov.
Because Vancouver would be retaining salary on a long term, high end asset, the return package heading back to the Canucks would have to be substantial.
They will want a mix of young, roster ready players, high end prospects, and draft capital.
A realistic trade package to pry Elias Pettersson out of Vancouver with salary retention would likely look something like this in my opinion.
Montreal would receive Elias Pettersson with Vancouver retaining 2.6 million dollars per year, which brings his cap hit down to 9 million dollars.
In return, Vancouver would receive Alexander Zharovsky as a top prospect, David Reinbacher to make an immediate impact towards the defence, Oliver Kapanen and our 28th overall pick and our second round pick in the 2026 draft and Brendan Gallagher for cap space.
This deal works for both sides. Vancouver gets out from under a long term contract headache while securing a replacement centre prospect who scored 20 goals, a highly touted Russian winger/centre a young defence man, and a first and second round pick to jump start their retooling process.
For Montreal, giving up that kind of package is steep, but it finally solves the second line centre puzzle with a proven star right as the rest of the core enters their prime.
At the same time, this does not mean management should completely abandon the plan and rush the rebuild. Kent Hughes and the front office have done an incredible job building this team the right way through patience and smart drafting, and nobody wants them to start panic trading future assets just for a short term fix.
If they believe that drafting is the best way to get better I have full trust in them, but I do have the feeling that come draft night on Friday we will not have our First round pick.
The goal here is not to skip steps, but rather to reward the current roster for their incredible effort. Going all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals proved that these players have the heart and the work ethic to compete with the very best in the league.
Bringing in an established, highly skilled second line centre or a winger is the perfect way to reward that locker room. It gives the team a massive boost without compromising the long term vision, bringing in a player who can immediately take a heavy workload off the shoulders of the current core.
By insulating a rookie like Ivan Demidov and allowing someone like Jake Evans to excel in his natural third line role, the Habs can stay true to their development process while simultaneously becoming a much more dangerous team to play against.
Let me know your thoughts down below.
Sources used throughout this article includes Elite Prospects. Credit goes to these sources for the statistics and, draft information, used to support the analysis in this article.
Thank you for reading ThePerspectiveOnPucks.
As it stands today, on the morning of June 24th, prior to any official trades the Atlantic Division is looking even scarier this offseason than it already was, which is saying a lot for the most competitive division in the NHL.
We can already see this with a few rival teams filling their needs and gearing up for next season. Specifically, four teams in the Atlantic have improved incredibly:
The Toronto Maple Leafs have gotten better with the addition of Darren Raddysh in the sign and trade from Tampa.
The Buffalo Sabres now hold the fourth overall pick, where they're expected to land a true difference maker. If i had to guess maybe Caleb Malhotra or Chase Reid to get back to the playoffs as a stronger team.
The Florida Panthers traded for a game breaker in Brady Tkachuk in that fathers day blockbuster.
The Ottawa Senators traded for Eklund, heavily bolstering their offense after trading their 9th overall pick.
With the teams around the Habs getting noticeably better, it begs the question: what will Montreal do with that 28th overall pick? There are two options I can think of, which I will explain in detail.
Option 1: Make the Draft Pick
If they decide to keep the pick, there are two players I would look at if they happen to slide down, as both would fit perfectly with the Canadien's identity.
The first target is a bit of a reach: Maddox Dagenais, the 6'4", Montreal-born centre. He went point-for-game this year with 62 points in 62 games, including 30 goals and 32 assists.
The thing that attracts me most to his playing style is his combination of size, pure skill, and his ability to absolutely rip the puck. I think he is criminally underrated.
If you have the chance to draft a local Montreal kid who can make a difference right when the majority of the Habs core is entering their contention window, you have to take him.
While it might be a reach especially since Tankathon projects him to go to the Rangers at 26th overall but you can never be completely sure on draft day.
Another target who might be a slightly more realistic pick at 28 is Markus Ruck. I've been talking to my dad about the Ruck twins since early February and I simply cannot get enough of them.
For me specifically Markus.
Markus Ruck is a forward with a high motor who can make intricate plays and create open space for his teammates. He put up a mind-blowing 108 points (21 goals and 87 assists), leading the entire WHL in scoring.
I actually stumbled into finding him because I was watching Bryce Pickford games for the Medicine Hat Tigers, and the twins happened to be on the same team.
While watching Pickford, the same name kept popping up over and over again because he was involved in almost every scoring play. That name, of course, was Markus Ruck. Partnered with his brother, they look like human highlight reels, but I personally was enthralled by Markus.
Although both of these players might be considered reaches at 28, I feel like once they develop to their full potential, they could become true difference makers for the Habs in the near future.
Option 2: The Alternative
Of course, there is a second option, as there almost always is: making a trade.
Montreal has been desperate for a second line centre to play alongside Ivan Demidov, the rookie Russian phenom.
When he is at his best, I think Demidov can be a regular 100 point player in this league. Currently, he is playing on a line with Alex Newhook and Jake Evans. I really like Newhook on that line as he matches Demidov's speed and brings a great level of tenacity.
However, Jake Evans is not a true 2C. Nothing personal against him because he is an elite 3C, but as shown in the playoffs, he simply cannot handle extended second line minutes. He already plays heavy minutes on the penalty kill, so ensuring he gets proper rest would inevitably lead to the Habs winning more games.
Unfortunately, a top trade candidate I had in mind was taken off the market yesterday on June 23rd. The St. Louis Blues traded Jordan Kyrou to the Washington Capitals in exchange for the 16th overall pick, Connor McMichael, and Milton Gästrin.
Still, there are other strong options out there for a 2C. My next target is a highly touted young player:
Mason McTavish.
McTavish is a 23 year old, 6'1" Canadian born centre or winger. He was originally selected 3rd overall by the Ducks in the 2021 NHL Draft, highly touted as a workhorse who never gives up and applies continuous pressure on opposing defences with his smooth hands and hard, accurate shot.
He has had his ups and downs in Anaheim. He somewhat plateaued during the Ducks' 2024 to 2025 season with 52 points in 76 games, and his production has since regressed toward the 40 point mark.
That said, he remains a very solid player who can easily put up 20 goals and 30 assists in the right environment.
That said, he remains a very solid player who can easily put up 20 goals and 30 assists in the right environment.
The main worry with him is his skating ability. His lack of footspeed might limit his ability to keep up with the fast pace of Newhook and Demidov, which is definitely something Kent Hughes would have to consider.
To give you an example of what a potential trade could look like: sending Adam Engström, Oliver Kapanen, and our 28th overall pick to Anaheim should hopefully be enough to get it done with the Another player who I think could be a possibility is former Canadian phenom Alexis Lafreniere.
This is another name that has been circulating in trade discussions lately, although acquiring him would certainly not be easy.
The 24 year old Quebec native entered the NHL with enormous expectations after being selected first overall by the New York Rangers in the 2020 NHL Draft.
While he has not quite developed into the superstar many projected him to become, he has steadily grown into a productive top six winger with plenty of offensive upside.
After breaking out with 57 points during the 2023-24 season, Lafreniere followed that up with 45 points in 82 games before rebounding with another 57 point campaign this past season.
The fit in Montreal is obvious.
Lafreniere is young, talented, and perfectly aligned with the Canadiens timeline as they continue their transition into a contender.
Adding another young offensive weapon to a core that already features Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Ivan Demidov and Noah Dobson would make an already exciting future look even brighter.
There is also the hometown factor.
As a Quebec born former first overall pick, Lafreniere would immediately become one of the most talked about players in the city.
The pressure would be immense, but it could also provide the perfect opportunity for him to take the next step in his career and establish himself as a star in a hockey market that has followed him since his junior hockey days.
The biggest challenge would be convincing the Rangers to move him.
Even after some inconsistency early in his career, New York still views him as an important piece of their roster.
Any trade would likely require Montreal to give up significant assets, whether that means premium prospects, high draft picks, or a combination of both.
From a contract perspective, Lafreniere is signed through the 2031-32 season with a cap hit of 7.45 million dollars per year, a number that could look increasingly team friendly as the salary cap continues to rise.
The only drawback is that Lafreniere is a winger, not a centre.
If the Canadiens are focused on finding a true second line centre behind Nick Suzuki, then Lafreniere would not address that need.
However, if Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are comfortable with Alex Newhoook or another internal option down the middle and are simply looking to add another impact forward, Lafreniere becomes a very intriguing target.
Whether he plays alongside Ivan Demidov, and Alex Newhook, his skill set would give Montreal another dynamic offensive weapon and further strengthen one of the NHL most promising young cores.
Next up is definitely a massive reach, but he is a player I have been seeing heavily rumoured online lately:
Former Vancouver Canucks 27 year old 6'2 Centre/Winger from Sweden, Elias Pettersson.
The situation with Elias Pettersson is fascinating because the Vancouver Canucks are reportedly open for business and might actually be willing to retain salary to move him.
He is a star who has shown 100 point potential in the past, but he has struggled to find that same elite form lately, posting 51 points in 74 games this past season.
The massive hurdle for any team looking to acquire him is his contract because he has an 11.6 million dollar cap hit that runs all the way through the 2031 to 2032 season.
Taking on that full contract would be a massive gamble for Montreal as Kent Hughes has built the culture around taking discounts to make the team better.
The best examples of that being the steal of the deals that Caufield, Slafkovsky, Suzuki and Hutson have signed.
However, luckily for the Habs the rumour mill suggests that Vancouver's new management might be willing to retain up to 2.6 million dollars per season to make a deal happen.
If the Canucks drop his cap hit to around 9 million dollars, he instantly becomes an incredibly valuable, elite second line centre. With the cap going up the Canadiens would be able to stomach that amount much better and even fit in with the Dobson signing at 9.5 million per year.
He would also fit perfectly right behind Nick Suzuki. He would not have to carry the burden of being the main guy like he did in Vancouver, which could be exactly what he needs to rediscover his game alongside a speedster like Alex Newhook and a playmaker like Ivan Demidov.
Because Vancouver would be retaining salary on a long term, high end asset, the return package heading back to the Canucks would have to be substantial.
They will want a mix of young, roster ready players, high end prospects, and draft capital.
A realistic trade package to pry Elias Pettersson out of Vancouver with salary retention would likely look something like this in my opinion.
Montreal would receive Elias Pettersson with Vancouver retaining 2.6 million dollars per year, which brings his cap hit down to 9 million dollars.
In return, Vancouver would receive Alexander Zharovsky as a top prospect, David Reinbacher to make an immediate impact towards the defence, Oliver Kapanen and our 28th overall pick and our second round pick in the 2026 draft and Brendan Gallagher for cap space.
This deal works for both sides. Vancouver gets out from under a long term contract headache while securing a replacement centre prospect who scored 20 goals, a highly touted Russian winger/centre a young defence man, and a first and second round pick to jump start their retooling process.
For Montreal, giving up that kind of package is steep, but it finally solves the second line centre puzzle with a proven star right as the rest of the core enters their prime.
At the same time, this does not mean management should completely abandon the plan and rush the rebuild. Kent Hughes and the front office have done an incredible job building this team the right way through patience and smart drafting, and nobody wants them to start panic trading future assets just for a short term fix.
If they believe that drafting is the best way to get better I have full trust in them, but I do have the feeling that come draft night on Friday we will not have our First round pick.
The goal here is not to skip steps, but rather to reward the current roster for their incredible effort. Going all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals proved that these players have the heart and the work ethic to compete with the very best in the league.
Bringing in an established, highly skilled second line centre or a winger is the perfect way to reward that locker room. It gives the team a massive boost without compromising the long term vision, bringing in a player who can immediately take a heavy workload off the shoulders of the current core.
By insulating a rookie like Ivan Demidov and allowing someone like Jake Evans to excel in his natural third line role, the Habs can stay true to their development process while simultaneously becoming a much more dangerous team to play against.
Let me know your thoughts down below.
Sources used throughout this article includes Elite Prospects. Credit goes to these sources for the statistics and, draft information, used to support the analysis in this article.
Thank you for reading ThePerspectiveOnPucks.
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