The Montreal Canadiens Made a Serious Mistake Drafting This Particular Player

Indeed, Jiri Kulich, who was selected 28th overall by the Buffalo Sabres, had an excellent year with the Rochester Americans in the AHL.

The Czech forward greatly impressed in his first season in North America, collecting 24 goals and 22 assists in 62 games, also adding 11 points, including 7 goals, in 12 playoff games.

On his part, Filip Mesar struggled to dominate in a significantly lower league (OHL) with the Kitchener Rangers. The 19-year-old amassed a meagre total of 17 goals and 34 assists in 52 games the year following his draft.

These are rather concerning statistics for a forward whose main asset is his offensive contribution, who surely should have been one of his team's best players.

It is important to note that both youngsters have played only one season since their draft and a lot could change in the future. However, it is still worrying when comparing the statistics of the two forwards a year after the draft.

Moreover, while few scouts saw the Canadiens' prospect being selected in the first round, the majority of observers were surprised to find that Kulich was still available when the Tricolore's management took the podium at the Bell Centre.

It must be admitted that fans of the Montreal team would undoubtedly be more excited about having the Czech forward in their prospect pool today, given that he was one of the best players in the AHL at just 18 years old last year.

One thing is certain, Mesar will need to prove he can dominate in the American League this season, or else, this selection could become a very costly mistake on the part of the organization. We strongly hope he will have a significant breakthrough in 2023-2024 and that he will prove his detractors wrong.

Credit : Habs et LNH