The need in this draft was clear from the get-go; Montreal needed offensive skill because the defensive cupboard is stacked. They addressed that in a big way, especially on day one.
Ivan Demidov
Fifth overall, SKA Saint Petersburg, KHL/MHL
If Montreal management and fans had dreams the night before the draft, this was the sweetest one they had. The Russian winger had a remarkable year in the MHL with 60 points (27G, 33A) in 30 games, and 28 points (11G, 17A) in 17 playoff games.
The one thing that stands out is that Demidov never takes a shift off. He will skate and work every second that he is on the ice. He is a complete player in that regard, and for all that Montreal speaks about character, this is a player who leads his team by example. He is there to win, not to make a name for himself.
Demidov is one of the most skilled players in the draft, and looking at the consolidated draft rankings getting him at five was a steal. The only thing that could be deemed a minus with this pick is the fact that the staff didn’t run right up to the microphone when they were put on the clock to say his name. It was very fitting that the Dame of Montreal, Céline Dion, introduced the one of next generation’s stars to the city.
Grade: A+
Even if I deduct points for taking too long with the selection, it’s the best grade I have ever given. Steal of the draft? Yes, and it’s not even close.
Michael Hage
21st overall, Chicago Steel, USHL, via LA Kings for 26th, 57th and 198th
The trade to move up was a good one, not only for the outcome of Hage but for moving into a tier above for a fair price.
Picking a player who grew up as a Montreal Canadiens fan with Maurice Richard as his favourite player is a good thing. In regard to the consolidated ranking, Hage went right where he should have. Montreal had him higher on their own list, something that make the selection even better.
While Hage isn’t a sure top-six player, he has the potential to end up there. He has chosen to go to the University off Michigan, which gives Montreal the bonus of having four years to develop him rather than the two they have for Junior prospects.
Grade: A
A solid pick who has handled adversity extremely well. His progress throughout the season means that he is on a positive trajectory. Added bonus for being a Montreal fan, a French speaker, and going the NCAA route.
Aatos Koivu
70th overall, TPS / TPS U20
Thirty-one years and three days after the Canadiens drafted Saku Koivu in Colisée de Québec, the opportunity arose to draft his son, Aatos, at Sphere in Las Vegas. The Canadiens didn’t hesitate to take the opportunity that all fans had hoped for.
While a reach in the consensus rankings where Aatos has a ranking of 86, some agencies had him as high as 64 (FloSports). Koivu’s numbers in the Finnish U20 series correlate well with Oliver Kapanen’s at the same time of development. They do follow a similar path, and Aatos should be expected to develop in a similar fashion. Koivu has, just like Kapanen had in the same age, a good shot and a variety of different shots to use.
Grade: A+ / A
There is one grade for all the feelings that the name Koivu generates in Montreal and the fact that the team did the right thing. However, if the development of Koivu the younger can follow the same path as Kapanen, this can turn into a steal. There is potential there, the key thing is patience no matter how many feelings the name generates in Montreal.
Logan Sawyer
78th overall, Brooks Bandits, BCHL
He had 15 points (7G, 8A) in 12 games to be named BCHL playoff MVP, but was still a reach at 78. Once again Chris Peters of FloHockey was the highest of the scouts. Sawyer’s work ethic on the ice is strong and he’s constantly looking to make plays at a high pace.
Grade: C+
I am a fan of Chris Peters, but Sawyer is an outlier in the rankings. Reading up on him, I like what I see, and I can understand why Montreal reached for him. Still, it’s a huge reach compared to most other sources that had him in the 100-plus section.
Owen Protz
102nd overall, Brantford Bulldogs / OHL
Compared to Solberg and Eliasson, Protz uses his violence in a smart way. Still, there are areas which need to be improved — otherwise he would have been picked 70 spots higher. He is a unit on the ice but his skating is just average. If he can make some significant progress there, he can become something more. McKeen’s had him at a 164, few others had him ranked.
Grade: C
Personally, I would rather have gone with a NCAA / EU player here as that gives you a longer development path. In another way I would have preferred someone with one skill that sticks out, rather than a jack of all trades kind of player. However, for a stay-at-home defenceman who has a good physical game, it might be a positive that he can do a lot of different things.
Tyler Thorpe
130th overall, Vancouver Giants, WHL
The Giant from Vancouver. The joke must have been made so many times that Thorpe would have been rich if he got a nickel for every time he heard it. The physical winger has a very good technical shot, something that has been the base of a rapid improvement the last few seasons. With only one scouting service ranking him (McKeen’s at 260), he has two attributes that stick out; his physique and shot. It is a foundation that could lead to a pro career down the line.
Grade: B
I don’t only grade this on his physique and shot, but also the positive trajectory that he is on. When in doubt, grab the player who is showing forward progress. Thorpe has been doing that.
Mikus Vecvanags
134th overall, KHK Riga
How do you spell curveball in Latvian? Vecvanags? A tall goalie taken in the later rounds of the draft, it is a staple for most teams. I have never watched a Latvian club game, but the Latvians are coming strong in the hockey sphere, improving each year since Riga left the KHL.
Grade: B
I’ll be honest, I grade this pick high for one reason only: Vecvanags has spent two seasons in Sweden with Flemmingsberg. Who lives near that rink? Christer Rockström. If Rockström has watched Vecvanags for that long, he has seen something that most others aren’t aware of.
Ben Merrill
166th overall, Penticton Vees / BCHL
Another giant who will have a long time to mature in the NCAA system. Known for a wrist shot that has both pace and accuracy. The key feature for Merrill is to work on his skating. According to Elite Prospects, he is one of the poorest skaters in the draft.
Grade: C
The positive trend that Merrill has in his development, and with a skill like his shot combined with the absolute unit that he is gives me the impression that it is a fair pick as you combine it with a year with the Penticton Vees before he goes to Harvard. It gives both Merrill and Montreal a long development path which can generate a good outcome in the end as long as his skating sees drastic improvement.
Makar Khanin
210th overall, Dynamo St. Petersburg Jr
Montreal goes back to their hunting grounds in Russia, following the path of Gordin, Khisamutdinov, Konyushkov, and Volokhin among the players that have been veritably unknown at the draft. Once again McKeen’s has the player ranked, and it is at 132. Just like some of the other players mentioned, Khanin is an over-ager, and the 27 points (9G, 18A) in 35 games in the VHL (Russia’s second league) is interesting. The one thing that stands out is that he loves the perimeter of the ice, and it could mean a bigger adjustment period when/if he reaches North America.
Grade: B+
Influenced by the success of Konyushkov and the trajectory that Khanin has, I grade this pick a little higher. Not all the picks from Russia pan out, but again I can see why Montreal selects these players. The trajectory and the fact that you hold the rights forever means that it is a smart investment.
Rasmus Bergqvist
224th overall, Skellefteå AIK U20
Another over-ager, this time from the Swedish champions, with a long development time and path. The trajectory isn’t as positive as Khanin’s but the +7 in a long playoff run with Skellefteå’s U20 team shows that there are some defensive skills in Bergqvist’s game. It is the second-last pick of the draft, so it is a case of seeing if the pick sticks to the wall.
Grade: C
I think that you should pick someone with a clearer trajectory when you pick an over-ager. However, it is the Swedish champions and it was tough to break into the team last year. With the Champions Hockey League coming up, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Bergqvist get a few reps with the A team.
Overall grade: A+
Montreal needed forwards, and they went hard at forwards who could make an impact. Just the first three picks have Montreal getting away like bandits from the draft. You got a better Russian forward than the one you could have gotten the year before. I see Demidov as a more complete player than Matvei Michkov and also asking to play in a pressure setting like Montreal (and Saint Petersburg) means that he will be ready.
Grabbing a player who has risen up the rankings all though the season after a terrible loss at the start of the year, a life-long fan, and who speaks French. The upside of Hage is real, and he’s going the NCAA route to boot. Montreal will have longer to evaluate this pick, boosting its value.
Montreal then took the son of a legend. Koivu has similar stats from his draft year as a player that has developed slowly but surely over the last couple of years. If Koivu can follow the same path, Montreal might be set for the foreseeable future.
There are more players in this draft class, all with an upside or two. There is a variety of talent, and it is hard to fault any of them because they seem logical. Montreal had a cupboard full of defencemen and added forwards to that. Can all of them become NHLers? Probably not. We can almost guarantee it. But there are a couple of certainties, and especially one player with star power. The draft was a complete success.
