The youngest Montreal Canadiens fans and their families got a closer look at the club’s potential first overall draft pick, one day before the decision is announced at the NHL Draft in Montreal.
Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky, Cutter Gauthier, Matt Savioe, Logan Cooley and Conor Geekie laced up their skates to participate in a youth hockey clinic at the Bell Sports Complex.
The practice gave six of the NHL’s top prospects a real taste of what being a Montreal Canadien might be like. Not only was it held at the Habs practice arena, players Nick Suzuki and Jonathan Drouin joined them on the ice.
General Manager Kent Hughes and Vincent Lacavalier held a press conference Monday to discuss their potential picks.
This is Montreal’s first time selecting first overall since 1980.
Habs management says the team is looking at three players closely — Shane Wright, Juraj Slafkovsky and Logan Cooley.
Global’s hockey analyst Brian Wilde tells Global News the team is doing a great job keeping their cards close to the chest.
“I would say that the choice is going to be Shane Wright. But I can’t say with a certainty. And I’m really surprised by that because for three years, Shane Wright was supposed to be the selection,” said Wilde.
During the prospects’ media availability Wednesday, the players were also playing coy.
When a reporter asked Slafkovsky if he thinks Montreal is going to call his name, he said “I don’t know, you ask them” with a smile.
Eighteen-year-old Ontario native Shane Wright said, “Well, I know what jersey I wanna put on.”
Fans will have to wait until Thursday night to see what prospect is the first one who gets to put on the bleu, blanc and rouge jersey in front of the hometown crowd.