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Canadiens Draft Recap: Aggressive Moves, Physical Players
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- Canadiens Draft Recap: Aggressive Moves, Physical Players
USA TODAY Sports
The theme of the weekend for the Montreal Canadiens at the 2026 NHL Entry Draft was rather clear: aggressiveness.
And the approach was not limited to their trades to move up on the draft, more on that later.
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Every Montreal Canadiens Draft Pick In 2026
The Canadiens made eight picks on Friday and Saturday, and every single prospect was at least six feet tall, with five of the prospects standing at 6'3″, or taller.
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No. 26 Overall – Gleb Pugachyov – Right Wing – 6'3″, 224 lb.
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No. 57 Overall – Timofei Runtso – Defenceman – 6'3″, 194lb
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No. 93 Overall – Cooper Cleaves – Defenceman – 6'3″, 203lb
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No. 117 Overall – Brayden Klimpke – Defenceman – 6'0″, 174lb
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No. 189 Overall – Parker Trottier – Left Wing – 6'1″, 186lb
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No. 190 Overall – Wesley Royston – Right Wing – 6'4″, 186lb
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No. 221 Overall – Jean-Samuel Daigenault – Defenceman – 6'3″, 194lb
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No. 224 Overall – Tyler Deakos – Right wing, 6'1″, 175lb.
While the players selected in 2026 will not make an immediate impact in the NHL, it's quite evident that Kent Hughes and Company want to ensure the team will be able to ice a competitive lineup with size at some point down the road.
No player epitomizes the concept of controlled violence better than Gleb Pugachyov, the heaviest hitter in the draft.
Discipline is an issue, but suffice it to say, Pugachyov is at his best whenever there's a hitting opportunity, and in his eyes, those opportunities are abundant.
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In fact, the Canadiens were so enamoured with Pugachyov's potential, which isn't simply limited to hitting, that they moved up to select him with the 26th overall pick. They also moved up in the second round to ensure they put their hands on Timofei Runtso's rights.
Runtso, a right-handed defenceman, projects as a very interesting prospect, since he has the potential to one day become a top-four presence in the NHL. That's putting the cart well ahead of the horse, but the puck-moving defenceman does have the right skill set to one day make his mark in the best hockey league on earth.
Trusting The Scouts
The Canadiens arguably went "off the board" on a few occasions, though it's important to remember that teams essentially only pay attention to their own draft lists, not the pre-draft rankings available to the public.
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Regardless, it was a vote of confidence in Montreal's scouting department, which has certainly earned the benefit of the doubt in the last few seasons, finding gems in later rounds such as phenom Lane Hutson (62nd overall, 2022), or Bryce Pickford (89th overall, 2025).
Time will tell whether the eight players picked in 2026 will make a significant impact in the NHL, but when it comes to a prospect's potential, nothing influences them more than a proper development strategy, yet another advantageous situation for the Canadiens, a team that has recently revamped its entire development program.
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