The Montreal Canadiens have just been strongly criticized by a young Quebec prospect in the NHL

After causing some surprise in 2022 by selecting the tall Slovak Juraj Slafkovsky with the first overall pick, the team caused an even bigger surprise, or disappointment for some, by passing over Matvei Michkov to choose a defenseman with their 5th overall pick.

In short, while it is too early to judge these two recent selections, the Montreal organization has just been strongly criticized by a young Quebec prospect from the Arizona Coyotes.

Indeed, the 29th pick of the 2022 draft, Maveric Lamoureux, made a bold statement that could leave a bitter taste in the mouths of Tricolore fans. While appearing on Kevin Raphaël's podcast, he claimed that Cooley was the best player in the draft.

The towering 6-foot-7 defenseman, who is not known for his incredible offense, added the following:

Lamoureux's remarks make sense, as he absolutely dominated the NCAA last year with a production of 60 points in 39 games. He was even named one of the three finalists for the Hobey Baker Award, which is annually given to the best college player in the country.

However, he hasn't played a single NHL game yet, while Slafkovsky has already completed his first career season. Additionally, it's important to note that Lamoureux's evaluation is not very objective since he played on the same ice as Cooley, whereas he didn't with Slafkovsky. His statement thus becomes impartial, especially considering that young players don't develop at the same pace.

It's more around the age of 22 or 23 that we'll be able to start evaluating the Canadiens' pick. We'll see at that time who seems to be the best of the crop, although I must admit that I've always had a soft spot for Cooley in 2022.