Is Mailloux Complicating Habs’ Draft Decision?
July 3, 2022
By Grant McCagg
Call it the Mailloux mileu.
After last year’s PR disaster following the selection of Logan Mailloux at 31st overall, are the Canadiens feeling pressure to do what most of the fans and media want, and not necessarily what THEY want?
No one knows for sure what Montreal’s plans are in this unpredictable draft year. Perhaps not even the Canadiens. This isn’t the Crosby or McDavid draft where it was a no-brainer that they would be the first overall picks.
The rumours and speculation are heating up as the Canadiens prepare for their most important draft since Serge Savard smuggled Petr Svoboda into the Montreal Forum and drafted him fifth overall, and then followed that up by taking Shayne Corson with the eighth selection, Stephane Richer at 29 and Patrick Roy 51st overall. Much like that 1984 class, this could well be a franchise-altering draft, and the club is hoping to score a huge public relations win in the process.
Several sources indicated to Recrutes in the past week that the Canadiens were leaning toward picking Juraj Slafkovsky, including two NHL scouts that have noticed an uptick in gossip among their colleagues as the draft quickly approaches.
“Lots of Slaf to Montreal talk today,” noted a scout in a text message on June 25. “I’ve been getting texts from scouts who are hearing the noise of Slafkovsky (going) to Montreal is picking up.”
It wasn’t always the case. For three years, fans and scouts alike had Shane Wright tabbed as the consensus number one pick in the 2022 draft. Much like Nolan Patrick in 2017, however, by the end of the season, he had been caught by at least one other prospect on many draft lists. The broad assumption that whoever won the draft lottery would wind up with Wright is no longer the case.
“Don’t worry, the Habs are taking Slafkovsky,” noted a scout on June 29. “They want size.”
Slafkovsky, at 6-4 and more than 220 pounds, certainly brings that element. The draft’s biggest top-ten riser on public lists (he has been ranked #1 by Recrutes since late February), Slafkovsky has been linked to both the Canadiens and Devils as their preferred choice.
“I think New Jersey wanted Slafkovsky and they sound like they accept he won’t be there (at second overall),” said another scout on June 29.
It’s been noted by multiple sources over the past month that Wright wasn’t New Jersey’s preferred choice, and that’s not hard to believe considering that the club is teeming with young centers.
It’s been both reported by the media and suggested by Recrutes‘ sources that the Devils have explored swapping picks with Montreal so that they can draft Slafkovsky and eliminate the worry that he may not be available.
One NHL source told Recrutes on July 1 that the Canadiens may end up taking Wright after all, and that has just clouded the picture even more.
“I heard that they might be considering taking Wright. I don’t know whether it’s at one or two,” said the source. “There are a couple of scenarios obviously if they flip with New Jersey. I think it’s a management decision, not necessarily the scouts. It’s new management so it’s their call…maybe. But that’s just what I’m hearing. I don’t know if that’s throwing up a smokescreen….or what.”
Another source has told Recrutes that the majority of Montreal higher-ups (excluding Geoff Molson) prefer Slafkovsky, but that one of the main decision-makers aside from the owner is in Wright’s corner. Is it possible that Molson is pressuring Hughes and Gorton to take the more popular choice so that there is harmonious peace at the Bell Centre on Thursday night?
“Maybe,” said a scout when presented with this scenario. “But why would you even have a scouting staff if you don’t want to listen to anybody?”
One hopes that the decision is ultimately left up to the scouts who watched these guys play all season. You don’t want to mess up with the first overall pick. You want the best player regardless of public sentiment. Fans will be over any draft-day disappointment soon enough if Montreal ends up with the best player.
“First overall is so tough because some GMs and/or owners get so involved,” noted one NHL scout on Saturday. “Draft day disappears so fast and in just a couple of months and all (fans) will want is the best player.”
Recrutes has Wright ranked fourth overall, so taking him with the top pick would certainly please the fans…but would it please the scouting staff? It’s why the most likely scenario, if the Canadiens end up with Wright, is that they moved down a spot to collect more assets. That way – if Slafkovsky ends up being the better NHL player, the club can defend the move by noting that they didn’t take Wright first overall, and got other assets. Many, however, don’t think that the Habs would move down with the draft being in Montreal.
“It’s going to be hard for Montreal to give up the number-one pick when it’s in Montreal,” said one source. “ Don’t be shocked if they take Wright at one. I know that with new management they might just go with the guy who was #1 all year. Who the media loves and the fans want. Last year’s pick was controversial. Do they want another one?”
It’s hard to see fans being overly upset if the Canadiens move down a spot and take the player most of them want anyway. Sure – it won’t be at first overall, but they would still be getting “The Guy”, plus other assets.
Bob McKenzie polled ten scouts for his draft rankings. Five liked Slafkovsky at number one, four liked Wright, and one preferred Cooley.
Recrutes over the past month has been able to get feedback from nine NHL scouts regarding who they prefer at first overall. Only one has Wright in the top spot, and one told Recrutes that the vast majority of colleagues he has talked to don’t have Wright first overall.
“Most of the people I’ve talked to they didn’t actually say they had Slafkovsky (number one), but they just said: ‘Not Wright,” noted the scout. “I don’t know if they all Slafkovsky first, but I just know it wasn’t Wright at the top of their list. Too many people have too many negative things to say about him.”
It’s been widely reported – and echoed by a Recrutes’ source – that the Canadiens want another top 15 pick. It would make sense as the draft hosts to try to make a big splash, and it also makes sense to pick one of the other top center prospects if the club intends on drafting Slafkovsky.
“I think that would be the smart way to go if they pick Slafkovsky,” said one scout. “One of the main reasons so many (fans) like Wright over him is because he is a center. Well…fans can’t complain too loudly if they end up with one of the other best centers. There’s no guarantee that Wright will be the best one anyway.”
When you try to decipher all of the gossip swirling around the draft; it points to the Canadiens and Devils both preferring Slafkovsky with their top pick.
If the Canadiens are indeed shopping Josh Anderson as rumoured – why would they be doing so if the plan is to draft Wright? A team that is already undersized at forward would become even smaller, especially in the top six. It’s not a stretch to assume that if they are shopping Anderson, it is at least partly due to the club planning on taking the big Slovakian winger.
The other buzz surrounding the club involves them attempting to acquire Pierre-Luc Dubois but that is a constant rumour given that he is a native Quebecker and Habs fans have wanted him since he was draft eligible. If that rumour has any validity this time around, it does make one wonder why they would be interested in acquiring Dubois if the plan is to also draft Wright.
It was reported by Elliotte Friedman today that the Canadiens have also inquired about center Colin White, a former Hughes client from when he was a player agent. Once again – if the Canadiens are trying to trade for another center, would it not point towards them wanting to take Slafkovsky at first overall instead of a center? The plot only thickens; and so does my ulcer.
Hughes and Vinny Lecavalier will be holding a press conference tomorrow at 2 pm to talk about the draft. Don’t expect the many question marks surrounding who they may pick to be any clearer at that time. The Canadiens are keeping people guessing, and that’s the best strategy heading into the draft. Don’t show your hand – and then hopefully hit the jackpot.
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Interesting, sure wish I could fast forward a week. 😉
Hughes had said that they’re getting calls for Anderson, not that they’re shopping him.. big difference I’d say, unless you’ve heard different. Inquiring on Dubois is just doing their job like many other GM’s I’m sure (though if Dubois makes it known he wants to play in MTL and would only sign an extension with them.. that would up the odds quite a bit), and chatter on White to me relates more to possibly moving Dvorak if someone if willing to pay the right price.
Hughes said early on, his approach is not to have a rigid plan.. but instead be open to adjusting course if opportunities present themselves. Which I love, always easier if you let things come to you rather than force something that isn’t necessarily there.
The fact NJ and MTL have discussed a swap, if that did happen, certainly suggests to me that Wright isn’t their surefire top guy on the board. I like that the due diligence is made.. see what if any price can be obtained from NJ.
As for the “Mailloux effect”.. not that worried about it. I think it’s the KK effect that would be affecting their psyche more, Molson said when he fired MB that when you get a top 3 pick you can’t miss.. new management keenly aware of that.
Though in the end, I don’t believe for a second that Molson doesn’t defer to HuGo’s best judgement in the end. What I’m curious about is, do those two agree? Big test for the new duo, seems like yesterday all the questions were about is Gorton the puppet master.. well if they don’t see eye to eye on the 1st pick, that’s certainly a challenge.
We also have two directors of amateur scouting, do they agree? If not, who has more pull?. I’d be guessing the new guy. All very interesting.
Moving out Anderson, Dvorak, Hoffman & Petry, trading for Dubois, drafting Slaf and another top 15.. they would address their top 2 centers, bring in a new Qc player to make up for Danault (and soon Drouin) departure, get younger, get bigger, reduce cap.
Don’t know if it’s the best outcome long term (not a huge Dubois fan), but it would tick a lot of boxes and make most pretty happy with the Habs summer I’ll bet.
I could see him entertaining the idea of