The Montreal Canadiens have traded up to pick 21 in the 2024 NHL Draft, sending the Los Angeles Kings picks 26, 57, and 198 in return, per Dennis Bernstein of The Fourth Period (Twitter link).
Montreal, who also owns pick five, brings their two day-one selections just hours before they’ll take the podium. And they may not be done, per TSN’s Darren Dreger, who shares that the team is interested in finding another way into the Top 10, even if it means moving down from fifth overall (Twitter link). Dreger also mentions that Montreal is involved in player trade-talks as well, potentially opening the team up to an incredibly eventful day as they’re getting settled in to Vegas.
The 2022 NHL Draft marked the first time that Montreal has had two first-round picks since 2007 when they drafted Ryan McDonagh and Max Pacioretty. The team succeeded those picks with Juraj Slafkovsky and Filip Mesar in 2022 – and is now looking to make the most of the pair of picks in a strong 2024 first round. The class features talents at every spot, with players like Cole Eiserman and Berkly Catton bringing high skill to the wings, Michael Hage and Trevor Connelly standing as high-scoring centers, and Carter Yakemchuk and Anton Silayev potential fallers on defense. Even at five and 21, the Canadiens should have plenty of opportuntiy to bring in impactful lineup pieces.
Meanwhile, Los Angeles builds out their pool of future assets without losing too much stock on day one. It will be L.A.’s first time in the first round since 2021, when they selected Brandt Clarke eighth-overall. The Kings now have six picks in this year’s draft, more than they wielded in either 2021 or 2023, though three of their selections come in the sixth and seventh rounds. The Kings could afford some robust additions to their prospect pool, with little to look at besides Clarke and Jordan Spence. That should set the team up to take the best player available at each of their selections, regardless of positioning, as they look to find players who can quickly support their drive back to the postseason. At 25, they could be within reach of hardy forwards like Emil Hemming, Cole Beaudoin, and Jett Luchanko.
I just humbly ask that all the teams picking ahead of the Preds take all the good Dmen off the board before the #22 pick. :)
As a preds fan it’s gonna be some defensemen or a goalie with our luck that we draft
Gbear – if the good defenseman are gone, the Preds will just end up with a worse defenseman than they would have if a good one was still on the board. To quote the wisest man in the history of the game, and your personal hero, “It’s a cliche, but you can never have enough defensemen”
I kid because I love.
I just died another draft day death. :(
Funny thing is, the best Dmen the Preds have drafted were outside the 1st round (Josi, Weber, Ekholm).
Pick up a second round pick to move down 5 slots. I’m good with it. At this point. Any top 60 pick in the draft is great when you need to refill the prospect pool
The way I heard it the Kings have a loaded prospect pool already. But 2nd’s also come in handy for other things like Salary Cap Dumps and deadline trades. They could pass it along for picks in future years.
Mike as a lifelong fan.
Credentialed NHL media member
And I’ve done numerous podcast and writings about the NHL draft and attended seven drafts in person the King Prospect pool is bare thanks to trades prospects, not working out and trading picks
LAKs building mediocrity
I know Turcotte now looks like a terrible choice at 5th overall in ’19, but could he still not have middle-6 upside?
Granted I’m only a casual observer of the Kings farm system, but Turcotte strikes me as an intelligent, responsible two-way C with 40-50 point ceiling. Certainly not a star but still a notable prospect, no? (if I’m way off tell me I’m way off)
This year theyre finally gonna give the youngs (turcotte fagemo, spence and brandt) a shot. Id be willing to bet that 1-2 of them take a huge leap with playing time.
Your exactly right. When he is right he is a standout player in the AHL. Had a cup of coffee at the end of the year and did not look out of place. A natural replacement for Grundstrom. He will need to move to wing to survive the rigors of 4th line NHL duty.
This poor kid. His issue is. Always hurt. Concussion. Emergency appendectomy. Knee back the list goes on.
He got hurt as he left the stage on draft night. At least that was the rumor/joke.
They used to! Blake decimated it the past year!
In a deep draft (according to the experts) it makes sense to trade three picks for one, especially if it only moves you down five picks in the first.
This draft is extremely deep if you’re looking for a second pairing blue liners and third line grinders the top two pairing and elite forwards are just not there when you get past pick 15
I’m not sure I like this trade for Montreal. Like, sure, they move up a few spots… But they traded away 3 picks to do it. Sometimes the guy at 128 winds up being a better player than the guy at 21. They traded 3 dice-rolls for one.
Feels like poor value idk.
And on top of that, the guy they want might be already gone. I don’t understand why there’s been so many teams trading up already. Why not wait and make sure your actual target is still available?
Meh.. a 7th round pick is low value. A second may be worth the price if they can get their guy
For San Jose trading up, I can kinda understand. I believe they went from 14 to 11, and I could definitely see the cutoff between “potentially elite” to “potentially great” being around #12, given who all’s available.
But I don’t see a similar cutoff between 21 and 26. And to boot, San Jose paid LESS to trade up.
Maybe you’re right. I looks like it will be a chaotic draft due to the lack of consensus. It will be interesting to look back at it in 10 years
My opinion is Sam Jose traded up to get Eiserman, he’s going to be an elite scorer but a liability aswell to he isn’t worth picking in the top 5-7 but I think goes between 8-12. I think montreal wants him to but won’t use 5 to get him. On the draft floor there are seal lined up depending on who is left. Perfect example was when MTL and edm had deal lined up to trade subban to them for the 4th pick as long as PLD was still in the board
Montreal has a very deep prospect pool one of the best in the nhl they need quality over quantity now besides after the trade it left them with 10 picks instead of 12 lol you only have 50 spots to guys signed
Good deal!