Lots to like in having 4-2nd round picks, plenty of talented, skating offensive types. Aiden Dudas, Liam Foudy, Jonny Tychonick, Ryan Merkley, Allen McShane, Jack McBain, all play for Team Canada at U/18's. Alex Khovanov(Injured half season lost), Bulat Shafigullin, Dmitri Zavgorodny are all talented players available in the 2nd or 3rd round. TC also have Joe Veleno, Ty Smith, Jared McIsaac (Possible 2nd round with great offensive instincts) The obvious needs for the Habs are at defence & center, truly though the Habs should look for talent(skating, stickhandling, effort) first, vision/smarts 2nd, size & grit 3rd. Wingers the Habs have in abundance already, unless a very talented player drops to them in the second round, center & defence should be their priorities. Any of Tychonick, Merkley or McIsaac in the 2nd round, Aiden Dudas & Liam Foudy are forces at center that drive the play. Khovanov & Kupari just talented all round, centers that if available in the 2nd round can't be passed over. Those are seven players the Habs should focus on drafting with their 4 - 2nd's IMHO!!!...
My opinion is the Habs should try to make trades to acquire at least one more 1st round pick if not two. Enabling Timmins the opportunity to a great Dman & center in the 1st round, the NYI's have two 1st's in 2018 well positioned within the top 15. Possibly the Habs could get two of Kotkaneimi/Veleno and or Ty Smith/Evan Bouchard/Noel Dobson with those two picks. Hoping for the lottery win to get one of Dahlin, Boqvist or Svechnikov(Elite Sniper, stickhandler with size/PWF.) This draft would become the one that changed the Habs future, if they gained the NYI's two 1st's. Pacioretty would be the perfect linemate for the NYI's centers Tavares, Barzal, Nelson & Cizikas, for their 2 - 1st's. Having 7 picks in the top 62 in a deep draft like 2018 could give the Habs the depth in quality players, to become a dynasty type of team in a few short yrs. The Habs are in no danger of winning the Stanley Cup for the next 3-4 seasons IMHO, so trading a veteran star sniper for the chance of drafting a couple of great prospects, sounds like good management of assets. Go Habs Go!!!...
Of course the Habs will miss having Mad Max's scoring next season, but getting a shot at one of the Top Centers available next year, say Jack Hughes would speed up the process. Hughes as a 1st line center with one of Kotkaneimi or Veleno as the 2nd line center, would give the Habs serious punch down the middle for a decade. Having many great wingers with those centers, the Habs depth would match any NHL team. Adding a couple of the great young Dmen from this draft, to accompany Juulsen, Mete, Lernout, Brooks & Fleury, already in the system, Habs will be strong in all area's, with homegrown talent being schooled by Dom Ducharme in Laval. Hopefully Ducharme is the Habs next coach, he's proven an ability to win at all levels but the NHL, which I believe he will excel with seasoning in the Habs hometown farm team!!!...