Confirmed with Link: Canadiens Will Pick 5th (Hughes Presser in OP) NO POLITICS

[Redux91]

Smith or Leonard, please
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Pretty sure it's gonna be one of these 2 yeah, could be worse I guess.
Either Sharks take Matvei, or we wimp out on him if he's there feels like (I'll understand, sigh)

 

[Milhouse40]

Molson has come out for the first time ever saying they are in a rebuild and that it’ll take a few years.

I think Molson came out cause he knows next year they'll start climbing that ladder.

 

[Kennerback]

d

 

[Omar]

The top four is set (Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson and Smith). I don't see HuGo taking Michkov; it seems fairly obvious to me based on the complex situation with this player and the other guys available at 5. Among these other players, Leonard stands out in term of what HuGo are looking for in players. Speed, strength, skills and character. I just don't see a world where he is not the pick for the Habs.

Leonard won’t be ready before Michkov comes over. For all the caution, no Russian player has been held back from the NHL in recent past. I hope this is all a smokescreen.

 

[SlafySZN]

Leonard won’t be ready before Michkov comes over. For all the caution, no Russian player has been held back from the NHL in recent past. I hope this is all a smokescreen.

Leonard will do a year in college, maximum 2 years and sign.

 

[Kennerback]

Smith or Leonard, please
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I could consider taking Leonard ahead of Smith. You want the cream of the crop of that team. I’m a lot higher on Smith, but if all the scouts are telling me Leonard’s the guy. Ok. Leonard it is.

If Smith is gone, Ill take the greatest Russian prospect in almost 20 years over the 2nd best player on his team/line.

 

[Omar]

Leonard will do a year in college, maximum 2 years and sign.

And a stud in Michkov will take one more year. What’s the rush?

 

[River Meadow]

And a stud in Michkov will take one more year. What’s the rush?

Because we're competing in 2years with our big strong Quebecois Center in PLD, Don't chaaa knowwwwwwww

 

[Milhouse40]

Leonard won’t be ready before Michkov comes over. For all the caution, no Russian player has been held back from the NHL in recent past. I hope this is all a smokescreen.

You are under the wishful thinking that he will 100% be there in 3 years? 3 years is a very long time in which many things can happen that are completely out of their control.

Just 2 years ago, we would not even be talking about this kind of situation, right now it's a major factor and no one can predict what it will be in 3 years.

If we could bring him right away in NA, it would be a totally different story......

 

[rahad]

Do you guys prefer Carlsson or Smith?

 

[SlafySZN]

Do you guys prefer Carlsson or Smith?

Not a popular choice here but Smith for me

 

[BehindTheTimes]

Not a popular choice here but Smith for me

Smith for me.

 

[Kennerback]

Do you guys prefer Carlsson or Smith?

I would go Carlsson. He’s a much safer pick. With that said, I think Smith has a fair chance to outpoint Carlsson in the NHL.

 

[FF de Mars]

Do you guys prefer Carlsson or Smith?

Carlsson looks like a useful teammate to have in the playoffs, but you never know, he could turn into another KK. Smith's highlights are magical but people say when you look at his whole game it's not that impressive. It's really hard to tell, and prospects are so young, no wonder scouts get it wrong most of the time! Maybe the NHL should just change the draft age, although it's kind of fun the way it is, always up for surprises.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I think it will be Mitch or Smith whoever’s left. And I think we’ll pick Mitch if it’s him. I don’t see anything to indicate us passing on him.

 

[Galaxydoggystyle]

If Mitch drops to 5 and the Habs don't take him I will lose all faith in this management group. I am so sick of all these "safe" picks ending up into garbage players when we pick top 5. If management proves me wrong then great they proved me wrong. I just don't see any of these picks besides Bedard being in the NHL right away anyways. If we are going to swing for a top line player we might as well swing for a potential elite game breaking player we haven't had for decades.

The only thing close we had to a game breaking player was Kovalev and he really made watching the Habs (when he wasn't being lazy) so exciting to watch and even better to rewatch highlights.

 

[InAG-P]

Michkov does have more risk but the rewards far outweigh that.

Saying his dream is to play in the NHL and being present at the draft are very very good signs.

Unless Bobrov can figure out that Michkov is lying and all he wants is to be drafted as high as possible in order to use that and cash in in KHL (seems highly unlikely) I don’t see a good enough reason not to draft him at 5.

Risking Reinbacher (taking Michkov is risking the other guy you would take) isn’t that big of a deal because the guy that will replace Reinbacher isn’t/won’t be that far off.

But if Michkov comes over, the pay day is UNPARALLELED.

Guys like that go 1st overall in almost ANY draft. You can’t pass that for the « small » risk envolved.

I think Hughes is going to pick Michkov because the drop off actually reduces the risk on Michkov.

But out of the other players you name, Benson was seen as a top player before sliding a bit. It would probably go down to the interview. But in any case, top 5 guys are the top 5 guys. Don’t unsmart yourself Hughes!!!

I think this is the key. Would you rather draft a guy at 5 that would normally go #1 in any other draft? Or draft someone potentially 2 maybe 3 tiers below from a skill perspective. For me the drop off in talent is worth every bit of the "perceived risk".

 

[rahad]

Kinda surprise so many choose Smith. Carlsson has been a top 4 the whole season. A big skilled center is something GM desperately want in the team for the playoff.

 

[River Meadow]

Kinda surprise so many choose Smith. Carlsson has been a top 4 the whole season. A big skilled center is something GM desperately want in the team for the playoff.

Smith has more skill.

Carlsson is bigger,

Smith probably has higher ceiling. Carlsson probably a safer bet overall.

 

[NORiculous]

If we could bring him right away in NA, it would be a totally different story......

If he would come over immediately this would not be an option at 5.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Take ASP and call it a day.

 

[Habfan10]

Corey Locke was a 5’9 (mod) that skated at a fraction of the speed of Michkov. Around the NHL scouts community, word was things like “he’ll never score even a single goal in the NHL”. Habs took the risk anyways knowing full well it was an outside chance he was going to amount to anything.

And the Habs picked him at #113 overall so there was no guarantee he was going to pan out…and there all risks at some point.

 

[Weber Fan]

Do you guys prefer Carlsson or Smith?

Carlsson by far. More complete!

 

[jrom]

Any team that picks Michkov in the top 10 must be very confident in their ability to get him to North America because it's clearly not a talent issue.

Something tells me he's not going to be picked in the top 10...even if you're sold on his talent, that's a hell of a risk, especially in a draft that is seemingly, so deep in talent.

he's not getting past Washington at #8

 

[HabzSauce]

Molson has come out for the first time ever saying they are in a rebuild and that it’ll take a few years.

He also approved Bergevin trading their beloved PK.

Molson to me seems pretty hands off on a lot of hockey decisions. Which is fantastic.

I believe that he's in for the rebuild. I get the sense he truly wants to build a lasting competitive team and understands there is a process to get there.

Habs will still sell tickets in the mean time. Rebuild won't be too long and it's been entertaining so far since the new regime took over. Still a win win for the team and the fans.

When it comes to michkov, I see Molson chiming in his thoughts but ultimately trusting Hugo to make the call.