Hughes Has Reportedly Targeted His Possible Next Second-Line Center, According to Analyst
The point that has generated the most ink since the start of the Montreal Canadiens' season is undoubtedly their center line. More specifically, the lack of consistency for their second line center.
There is definitely a need for another elite center to complete the top-6, and this player could very well be found in the upcoming NHL draft.
In a recent edition of the podcast Processus featuring Mathias Brunet and Simon "Snake" Boisvert, the discussion turned to the upcoming draft and the young Quebec prospect Caleb Desnoyers.
According to the Snake, the player from the QMJHL has a very, very high potential.
Caleb Desnoyers: A Potential Number 1 Center in the NHL
As usual, Boisvert made a statement that is sure to provoke reactions. According to him, the member of the Moncton Wildcats would not just be a top-6 player, but could also take Nick Suzuki's place in a few seasons.
And I'll go further, if the Canadiens draft Caleb Desnoyers, he will become the number one center of the team in 2 or 3 years.
He's a hockey machine! Right now, in my preliminary ranking, Desnoyers is number three.»
- Simon "Snake" Boisvert
This is a huge statement from the prospect analyst.
Let's face it, Kirby Dach really isn't getting the job done since the start of the season as a second line centre, he has been very inconsistent.
While he has been playing better lately, few people see him as a long-term solution to this position.
This is why many are eagerly awaiting Michael Hage, who is seen by many as the solution to this position.
Others believe that the center of the second line could very well be taken by Ivan Demidov, who has everything in his arsenal to succeed both as a winger and a center.
The Canadiens' recent success, however, pushes Kent Hughes further away from Caleb Desnoyers
According to several mock drafts, Caleb Desnoyers could be selected between the 5th and 10th picks. The problem is that with the Canadiens' recent success, they are increasingly moving away from this position.
According to the Tankathon website, Montreal would have the 15 overall pick in the upcoming NHL draft if the season ends today. This ranking could still change with 37 games left.
That said, if the Canadiens are interested, Kent Hughes has a way to make it happen. Besides their own pick, the Canadiens also have the Calgary Flames' pick. This pick is currently around 18th overall. By combining the two picks and adding a little more, the GM could very well move up to select Caleb Desnoyers.
The Canadiens Have Been Watching Desnoyers for Quite Some Time
According to what we've learned in the past few weeks, the Canadiens organization is very interested in the Quebec native. Nick Bobrov, Serge Boisvert, and Martin Lapointe have all been spotted frequently at Wildcats games, and the reason was undoubtedly Caleb Desnoyers.
When you look at the play of the left-handed center, you can understand this interest. This season in the QMJHL, he has 23 goals and 28 assists for a total of 51 points in 31 games. Beyond the statistics, his overall play is also extremely impressive.
The young player is already exciting people, and as Shayne Gaumond says, he will make an NHL team happy sooner rather than later.
Let's hope it's the Canadiens!
