Who did the Montreal Canadiens just pick 26th overall?!?

If you had tuned into the draft like many and thought that the Montreal Canadiens were going to make a big splash with their 28th overall pick, you would be in the middle of an enormous pack of fans. Alas,  much to the dismay of many people it seemed as though they would not.

This was of course before the lead up to the 26th overall pick, as the clock was ticking down towards the 26th overall pick  the Habs traded up two spots to select Gleb Pugachyov.

 Before this pick, like many, I assumed that the Habs might have gone with a safer pick like Jack Hextall at centre or Tommy Bleyl on defence.

After looking into Pugachyov I had a change of heart and I think you might too. His physical traits along with his skating ability for a player at his size make him a very enticing pickup.

Pugachyov spent this past season in the Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod organization, primarily playing for Chaika Nizhny Novgorod in the MHL while also earning time in the VHL and KHL. That experience against older competition should only help his development moving forward.

Pugachyov plays with violence, aggression and a north south skating style. He is a Kazkhstan born 6 foot 3 left winger who dominates others with his size.

Elite Prospects described him by saying there may be no player as violent and that he is a fast moving tank first, with handles as a backup.

With this analysis in mind, we can tone down our expectations of him becoming a first line difference maker in the coming years. 

If you pay less attention to his point totals, you may instead see a physically imposing, high work rate, heavy hitting winger who can change the outcome of a game through his forechecking and relentless style of play.

 He projects much more as the type of player who wins battles, creates momentum and wears down opposing defenders than one who fills the scoresheet every night.

For Pugachyov's projection, in my personal opinion.  If he develops properly he may have the ability, like Tom Wilson or Josh Anderson, to stir things up and create time and space for smaller skilled players like Caufield, and Hutson to do what they do best. 

With that being said, Pugachyov still needs time to grow. He remains under contract in the KHL through the 2027/28 season, but one encouraging comment from Kent Hughes after the draft was that the Canadiens believe he wants to come to North America as soon as possible. 

Once he does comes over to North America, I would not be surprised to see him have a stint playing for the Laval Rocket, as he is most likely used to playing on European Ice which gives him significantly more room to make plays and conduct himself in the physical  way he so desires. 

If you watch the highlight video I included below, you will notice that while Pugachyov is known for his physicality, there is more to his game than simply throwing big hits.

 He has shown flashes of being a capable playmaker with soft hands in tight and enough vision to make smart passes in transition. His offence is still developing, but there are certainly tools to work with.

Looking a few years down the road, I could see Pugachyov carving out a role somewhere in the middle six if his offensive game continues to progress.

 A line featuring Florian Xhekaj, Owen Beck and Gleb Pugachyov would be an absolute nightmare to play against.

 Beck a high motor and responsible two way player would complement the size and physicality that both Xhekaj and Pugachyov bring. 

That trio would forecheck relentlessly, finish every check and make life miserable for opposing defenders while still having enough skill to chip in offensively.

Pugachyov also has the type of game that could make him useful on both special teams. His reach, physicality and willingness to block shots could make him an effective penalty killer as he currently does.

 In time he may be able to use his size to his advantage and his net front positioning to become that net front presence that is incredibly annoying on the second power play. 

 Whether Pugachyov ultimately tops out as a hard to play against third line winger or develops into a reliable second line power forward, one thing is clear.

 The Canadiens have added another player who fits the identity Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are trying to build. 

Every successful playoff team needs players who make life miserable for the opposition, and I think Gleb Pugachyov has all the tools to become exactly that kind of player.

This is how Stanley Cup teams are built. It is not always about  or drafting the flashiest player available but sometimes  drafting for need.

 The Habs undoubtedly need size and physicality as it's seemingly nearing the end of the road for tenacious Brendan Gallagher and at some point the same will be true for Josh Anderson. 

Whilst this pick may not have been the one many Habs fans were hoping for on draft night, I would not be too quick to judge it.

 If the Canadiens scouting department is right once again, as they were when many questioned the Alexander Zharovsky selection before he went on to become this years KHL Rookie of the Year, then Habs fans have a lot to be excited about.

Only time will tell whether Gleb Pugachyov becomes a fan favourite in Montreal, but if his development continues in the right direction, do not be surprised if we look back at this pick in a few years and wonder why so many people doubted it.

Let me know your thoughts down below.


Sources used throughout this article include Elite Prospects and the Russian Youtube Channel linked below. Credit goes to these sources for the statistics and, draft information, and videos used to support the analysis in this article.


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