It's not an exaggeration to say that their future is at stake. If, by some stroke of luck, the Canadiens were to win the Macklin Celebrini lottery, Kent Hughes wouldn't need to look too far to find his next highly talented forward.
Thus, a trade for players like Kirby Dach or Alex Newhook would be much less of a priority. It's worth noting that teams would likely be most interested in what holds the most value for the Canadiens, namely one of their highly promising young defensemen.
Depending on the playoff schedule, the NHL Draft Lottery, named the Macklin Celebrini Lottery this year, will take place on May 6 or 7. Since the Canadiens won't be participating in the playoffs and even have a good chance of selecting in the top 5, it's a date to remember.
While he may not be a Connor Bedard, he should more than hold his own. If the Canadiens manage to secure that elusive first overall pick, their future will instantly look much brighter.