The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery took place on Tuesday, and the Montreal Canadiens will draft fifth overall. The Habs desperately need scoring and, in that spot, have the chance to draft a player who can help them, as long as general manager Kent Hughes sticks to his plan and selects the best player available to fill the team’s needs.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
If the Canadiens want to fill a need as well as draft the best player available, they have to hope that at least three teams in front of them draft defencemen. This year’s draft is full of defence, so it’s possible three could be drafted in the top four, but even if only two are selected, there is enough forward talent for Montreal to choose from.
For the sake of this article, we will assume two defencemen are drafted, and the two forwards gone will be Macklin Celebrini and Ivan Demidov. If Demidov does fall to five, he should be the obvious choice, but odds are he won’t.
1. Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Cayden Lindstrom is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound center with speed, skill and a high hockey IQ. He is great in transition and projects to be a top-six power forward who isn’t afraid to get in the dirty areas. He has the skill to be a game-changer. He progressed well with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), scoring 42 points in his rookie year in 2022-23, only to explode this season for 46 points in 32 games, including 27 goals. The combination of size and skill set makes Lindstrom different from other forwards in the draft, which is why most of the top scouting experts have him drafted in the top five.
The only issue with drafting Lindstrom is that the Canadiens already have a top-six power forward in Juraj Slafkovsky. This season, he proved that he can handle the top-line minutes and help improve the players he plays with; he scored 50 points and 20 goals while helping Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki have career years.
If Hughes thinks having two players like Slafkovsky in the top six is the best choice, Lindstrom would undoubtedly line up with Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook on the second line. Dach is another big, skilled forward who, when healthy, can provide the same style of play as Slafkovsky and Lindstrom. Hughes must determine if Lindstrom’s skill and size are needed, knowing he already has two similar players in his top six. If history tells us anything, size and skill are a…
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