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Canadiens NHL Draft Primer: Pick Order, Trade Rumours, Expectations
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- Canadiens NHL Draft Primer: Pick Order, Trade Rumours, Expectations
USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Con
The NHL Entry Draft is almost upon us, and all eyes are on the Montreal Canadiens , traditionally one of the busiest teams in the league following the conclusion of the regular season.
The first round of the 2026 NHL Entry Draft is scheduled for Friday, June 26, starting at 5 pm ET, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo. Rounds 2-7 will take place on Saturday, June 27.
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The draft itself is once again a decentralized format, which means we're due for yet another uncanny weekend, but at the very least, the NHL has expressed a desire to reduce the number of incredibly awkward post-draft interviews.
Here's all the Habs-related information you need to know ahead of the most exciting weekend of the year.
Canadiens Draft Picks
As it stands, the Canadiens currently own eight draft picks heading into the 2026 NHL Entry Draft:
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1st Round – 28th overall
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2nd Round – 61st overall
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3rd Round – 93rd overall
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4th Round – 103rd overall (from Winnipeg Jets , via New Jersey Devils ), 125th overall
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6th Round – 189th overall
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7th Round – 221st overall, 224th overall (from Carolina Hurricanes )
You can click here to view the complete draft order for all 32 NHL teams.
Canadiens History At The Draft
General manager Kent Hughes has a documented history of making significant moves as the NHL Entry Draft looms, including the blockbuster deal in 2025 that saw defenceman Noah Dobson join the team from the New York Islanders in exchange for a pair of first-round picks, and forward Emil Heineman .
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Dobson was a crucial factor in Montreal's improved results last season, the type of player who has the ability to move the needle on a nightly basis.
And that's worth keeping in mind, as the Canadiens will be looking for impact players in any potential trade, which narrows the field significantly. The days of taking a flyer on a player who has the potential to improve, but will take considerable time and effort to make an impact, are hopefully behind them.
That is, unless the cost of acquisition is quite reasonable, as was the case when the Canadiens traded for Zachary Bolduc on July 1, 2025. It's not that Logan Mailloux is a bad prospect per se, but he was far from NHL ready, and the Canadiens saw him as a surplus, since they have ample puck-moving defencemen, but very few defensive stalwarts.
There's also a chance we'll see the Canadiens attempt to improve their pick, as they did in 2024, when they sent a first-round pick (26th), a second-round pick (57th), and a seventh-round pick (198th) to the Los Angeles Kings , in exchange for the No. 21 overall pick in the first round. The Canadiens then proceeded to use the 21st overall pick to select forward Michael Hage, who has quickly become one of the most exciting prospects outside the NHL.
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Hage was nominated as the top Montreal Canadiens prospect in our annual fan vote.
A little further down the line, the Canadiens made a splash at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft by moving a first and second-round pick in exchange for forward Alex Newhook , who clinched both Game 7s for the Canadiens this year in the playoffs.
And finally, Hughes' first kick of the can came in 2022, when he made several of interesting deals shortly after becoming the Canadiens' general manager. On top of drafting Juraj Slafkovsky first overall, Hughes made a series of trades that landed him Kirby Dach . The Habs would solidify their lineup further in the days following the draft, by acquiring Mike Matheson from the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Jeff Petry and Ryan Poehling .
Simply put, there are few general managers who are busier than Kent Hughes come draft weekend.
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Recent Canadiens-Related Trade Rumours
Even though the Habs are usually quite active at the draft, we have to acknowledge trades will be a little more difficult to come by, now that they're in the later stages of the rebuild.
They need high-end players, which are few and far between. And given the current prices being paid for NHL trades, it's also apparent that it's a seller's market, thus complicating matters further.
Ideally, the team would be able to put its hands on a No. 2 centre who could immediately jump into the lineup and play a responsible brand of hockey alongside Ivan Demidov , but to do so, they'll have to pay premium prices.
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Regardless, as per tradition, the Habs have been linked to several potential trade targets and upcoming free agents.
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