With the 2024 NHL Draft only a month away, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves in a similar position. For the second year in a row, they have the fifth overall pick in the draft. Last year, the Canadiens made a controversial decision by drafting Austrian defenseman David Reinbacher. While there are plenty of great defensemen in this year’s draft class, their previous selection of Reinbacher makes it much more likely they take a forward this time around. With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the top options available for the Canadiens in the 2024 NHL Draft.
Canadiens Draft Targets
Cayden Lindstrom
Cayden Lindstrom is a six-foot-three centreman who is projected to go in the Canadiens range in the draft. His rare mix of size and skill as well as his position make him one of the most intriguing players of this draft. Adding Lindstrom to their forward core makes for a scary big group that already includes Kirby Dach and Juraj Slafkovsky.
Lindstrom has had some injury issues that limited his playing time this season and forced him to miss the U-18s. In his limited games, however, he was able to manage 46 points in only 32 games in the WHL. Cayden Lindstrom is set to participate in the scouting combine in the coming weeks and this will give a better indication of the significance of his injury issues as well as give the team a chance to speak with Lindstrom. The Canadiens scouts have leaned towards size in the past and Lindstrom would be a logical choice as he fills a need up front.
Ivan Demidov
Russian forward Ivan Demidov is considered by many to be the best player in the draft behind Macklin Celebrini. He dominated the MHL which is Russia’s version of the AHL. He produced sixty points in thirty games as well as twenty-eight points in seventeen playoff games. This level of production is outstanding for an eighteen-year-old. His skill is off the charts and he has one of, if not the highest ceiling of any player in this draft class.
There are two factors that play into why Demidov may be able to fall to the Canadiens at five. The first is the defenseman crop available at the top of the draft. This includes the likes of Artom Levshunov, Anton Silayev, Zeev Buium, Sam Dickinson, Carter Yakemchuk, and Zayne Parekh. If the teams ahead of the Canadiens lean towards defenseman we could see Demidov fall into their lap. The other factor is the Russian factor. We saw this last year when teams were afraid to draft Matvei Michkov due to off-ice issues and he ultimately fell to seventh overall. Could we see this occur again with Ivan Demidov?
Tij Iginla
Tij Iginla is the son of former NHL superstar Jarome Iginla. Just like his dad, Iginla has a great shot and a great scoring touch. He had 84 points including 47 goals in only 64 games. Iginla plays much bigger than his six-foot stature and is considered the best winger outside of Demidov by many.
Of Demidov, Lindstrom, and Iginla, the latter is the most likely to be available when the Canadiens make their pick. Iginla doesn’t quite have the high-end skill or ceiling that the other two have. However, he still can be a goal-scoring top-six winger in the NHL who can also add some grit to the lineup. Goal scoring is the Montreal Canadiens biggest need and Tij Iginla would fill that role.
This is the most pivotal draft yet for the Canadiens rebuild. The fifth overall pick needs to be a hit for them. While there are many great options at the top of the draft, these three are can’t-miss forward prospects and the Canadiens and their fans should be pleased if Kent Hughes calls any of their names.
Main Photo: Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports
