The Canadiens are in a much better place now than they were in 2018, with a core built around Nick Suzuki, Lane Hutson, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Ivan Demidov. That group gives Montreal real reason to believe a Stanley Cup run is coming someday.
Still, one draft night keeps hanging over the franchise: the 2018 NHL Draft, when Montreal passed on the kind of player who could have changed everything.
That class offered a chance at Quinn Hughes, Brady Tkachuk and Evan Bouchard. Barrett Hayton was also there, and he was the subject of an offer sheet by the New Jersey Devils this offseason. Montreal instead chose center Jesper Kotkaniemi with the third-overall pick.
At the time, the pick drew praise. Corey Pronman of The Athletic gave the Canadiens an A for the draft.
Kotkaniemi’s hands and puck control stood out, and his frame made him look like a player with NHL tools. He had already played against men in Finland, which only added to the optimism.
The problem was the position and the timing. Kotkaniemi was the top center in the class, but this was not a draft loaded with centers, and Montreal pushed its need into the pick.
He was ranked sixth among European skaters, behind Martin Kaut and Adam Ginning on that side alone. Many expected the Canadiens to lean toward Filip Zadina instead, with the choice at third overall seemingly coming down to him or Tkachuk.
Marc Bergevin wanted to use that pick to fill a need, and that decision has loomed over the organization ever since. Eight years later, the choice is tied to the biggest drama the Canadiens have faced, and it ended with Bergevin’s tenure on a sour note while Hughes and Tkachuk became pieces of contenders elsewhere.
Kotkaniemi’s most notable return for Montreal came when the Carolina Hurricanes signed him to an offer sheet, forcing the Canadiens to accept a first-round pick and a third-round pick. For a former third-overall selection, that was a modest payoff, and the fact Montreal took the compensation instead of matching a one-year, $6 million deal says plenty about how badly things had gone.
Had the Canadiens taken Quinn Hughes, who was gaining momentum heading into the first round, the story would look very different. Montreal could also have landed Noah Dobson or Evan Bouchard. Instead, the team is still trying to find one more star to go with the core it has already assembled.
In Other News...
Flames Face A Costly Arber Xhekaj Decision They Didnt Expect
Arber Xhekaj has been on Calgarys radar since the March trade deadline, and the Canadiens have every reason to treat him as more than a throw-in if they ever decide to move him. Montreal is believed to want a solid return for the hard-nosed defenseman, and for now the player and club reportedly share a preference to keep the relationship intact. That said, the Canadiens defensive depth can only help create leverage if they eventually decide to listen.
The wrinkle is that Calgarys pursuit no longer sounds as urgent as it once did. After adding Jake Middleton, the Flames interest in Xhekaj appears to have cooled, which changes the market around a player who once fit their needs neatly. If Montreal ever does open the door, another club such as Philadelphia may now have the cleaner path to make a serious run at him, leaving the Canadiens with a different kind of decision than they expected. [Read more 🡒]
Flames Blue Line Picture Just Changed With One Target Now Fading
Arber Xhekajs offseason has settled into a quieter stage for now, with the Montreal Canadiens defenseman still unsigned as a restricted free agent. The situation has been open for weeks, but the tone around it has not sounded especially tense, even with camp approaching and the usual pressure that comes with a young blueliner still waiting on a deal.
Xhekajs camp has described talks with Montreal as calm, and there is a sense the sides are simply working toward a contract before training camp opens. A potential outside suitor has also eased out of the picture after reshaping its blue line, which narrows the market a bit further and leaves this as more of a timing issue than a standoff. [Read more 🡒]
Canadiens Could Make 3 Early Moves Before Prices Climb
Kent Hughes has shown a willingness to get ahead of the market, and that could matter again as the Canadiens think about the next wave of contract business. With several key pieces due to expire after the 2026-27 season, the front office has reason to weigh whether it makes more sense to talk early rather than wait until the price tag climbs. For a team trying to keep its roster moving in the same direction, timing can be just as important as talent.
Alex Newhook, Josh Anderson and Oliver Kapanen all sit in that conversation, each for different reasons. Newhook has flashed enough to make an extension worth considering sooner rather than later, Anderson still brings a profile the Canadiens value, and Kapanen is intriguing enough to merit planning ahead as his place in the long-term picture comes into focus. The question is whether Hughes moves now and locks in value, or lets the calendar keep ticking and risks paying more down the road. [Read more 🡒]