Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes said Monday that the team will decide between three players at No. 1 overall in the NHL Draft on Thursday.
Hughes confirmed that the team chooses between Kingston Frontenacs center Shane Wright, Slovakian winger Juraj Slafkovsky and US center Logan Cooley.
#Habs Hughes says his group has not decided who will choose number one, but his players of interest are Wright, Slafkovsky and Cooley. @TSN_Edge
– John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) July 4, 2022
Wright has been the first global pick scheduled since last summer, though he was overtaken by Slafkovsky in the final ranking of TSN Hockey Insider draft Bob McKenzie. TSN Scouting Director Craig Button still projects the Canadians to select Wright in his latest mock draft released Monday, with Slafkovsky selected by the New Jersey Devils at No. 3 and Cooley falling to the Arizona Coyotes at No. 3.
Hockey Hall of Fame member Vincent Lecavalier, who acts as special advisor for the Canadians’ hockey operations, said Monday that he has already spoken with Wright and also hopes to meet with Slafkovsky and Cooley before Thursday’s draft.
#Habs Lecavalier spoke with Shane Wright and will probably do the same with Slafkovsky and Cooley. Part of the talks are trying to determine how they will face the prospects under the pressure of being chosen first of the general in the Montreal market. @TSN_Edge
– John Lu (@JohnLuTSNMtl) July 4, 2022
The Montreal Canadiens are selecting first in the general for the first time since Doug Wickenheiser was selected in 1980.