And if they stand pat, those final three minutes before the Canadiens first take the stage in Nashville are going to bring everyone to the edge of their seats.
Hughes added, “Michkov has a three-year contract for now, but it’s not as if he’s not allowed to re-sign in Russia either.”He concluded the Canadiens would do their homework and weren’t “scared” of the unknown regarding the player, but his comments did little to dismantle the notion he’s looking in every other direction but Michkov’s.
He’s an explosive winger, a genius inside the offensive blue line, and a player with plenty of time to develop his defensive game in the KHL over the next three years. The Canadiens aren’t exactly overflowing with players who fit that description, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see them snatch one up with the fifth-overall pick—even if Leonard slots slightly lower on most prognosticators’ draft boards.Hughes said they remain committed to taking the BPA versus drafting for organizational need, and they should be, considering they finished last season near the bottom of the standings and have many organizational needs.
If they move up, we anticipate it would be to fourth to nab either Carlsson or Smith—dynamic centres who can each help the Canadiens at a position they’ve been weak at for decades.