Canadiens Set for Back-to-Back First-Round Picks Following NHL Draft Lottery

For the first time in several years, the NHL Draft Lottery came and went without much anxiety for Montreal Canadiens fans. Having qualified for the playoffs, the Habs were not among the teams hoping for lottery luck. Instead, they already knew they’d be selecting 17th overall in the upcoming 2025 NHL Draft.

However, the Canadiens weren’t entirely removed from the lottery action. Due to a trade made with the Calgary Flames during the 2022-23 season that brought center Sean Monahan to Montreal, the Canadiens owned Calgary’s first-round pick—provided it didn’t land in the top 10. The Flames, with slim odds of moving up, remained in the 16th slot, meaning the Canadiens now own back-to-back picks at 16th and 17th overall.

The trade had a conditional clause: if the Flames had moved into the top 10, they would have retained the pick and instead transferred a lower selection, originally belonging to the Florida Panthers. That scenario didn’t materialize, and Montreal’s front office now finds itself in a very advantageous position heading into the draft.

The big winners of the lottery were the New York Islanders, who stunned everyone by moving from 10th to 1st overall with just a 3.5% chance. It’s a massive boost for a team coached by former Canadiens legend Patrick Roy, making the result all the more headline-worthy in Montreal circles.

As it stands, Montreal will enter the draft with a staggering 12 total picks. In addition to their two first-round selections, they hold four more picks inside the top 50: 41st overall (acquired from Pittsburgh in the Mike Hoffman trade), 49th, and three third-round picks at 79, 81, and 82. Their depth continues through the later rounds with picks in the fourth (108, 113), fifth (145), sixth (177), and seventh (209).

General Manager Kent Hughes has already built a reputation for using draft weekend to make bold moves. In recent years, he has traded for Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, and used a package of picks to move up and select Michael Hage. With two mid-first-round selections and a stockpile of picks, Montreal is once again positioned to be active on the trade market or move up in the draft order.

One thing is clear: the Canadiens will be at the center of the action when the draft begins.