Despite there being four draws because the San Jose Sharks won the 1st place, then the 2nd place twice, a historic moment in the NHL, the fate of the Habs remained the same as last year, but the outcome could be different.
Many people like to say that the Canadiens lost the lottery, but that's not what I think. Finishing 5th overall when the team had the best odds to draft in that position is not a defeat in my eyes.
That being said, it's not a victory either, but that could change. The future generational talent Ivan Demidov is seen as possibly the most talented player in the draft, and he could slide.
That's what several experts claim, with the Blackhawks and the Ducks leaning towards defensemen Artyom Levshunov and Anton Silayev, and the Blue Jackets towards Cayden Lindstrom.
For Demidov, what could cause him to drop in the rankings is his size and the fact that he hasn't been known internationally. Furthermore, he's suffered a serious knee injury for the second time.
If Demidov is still available on June 28th at the 5th pick, Kent Hughes will have no choice but to select him, and he could become the next big star of the team!
Demidov has had an outstanding season, tallying 60 points in 30 games, which is simply fantastic. For comparison, Nikita Kucherov recorded 58 points in 41 games at the same age in the same league.
As Marc-Olivier Beaudoin put it so well: "We are allowed to dream!"
POLL | ||
8 MAI | 292 ANSWERS NHL Draft Lottery: Canadiens finally victorious? Would you like the Canadiens to select Ivan Demidov in the upcoming NHL draft? | ||
Yes | 221 | 75.7 % |
No | 71 | 24.3 % |
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