Imminent announcement: Are the Ducks about to give a huge gift to Kent Hughes and the Montreal Canadiens?

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Elias Edmonson
June 28, 2023 (1:54 PM)

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Just a few hours away from the highly anticipated 2023 National Hockey League draft, unsurprisingly, many rumors and speculations are circulating abundantly.

Here's the most major one at the moment.

Elliotte Friedman, on the airwaves of the 32 Thoughts podcast, talks about the Ducks and how they are a team to watch tonight:

"This guy (Pat Verbeek, their GM) can do anything. You have (talking to Marek) someone who sent you a text saying he could take Michkov (Anaheim) and I think that's credible."

Wow! That would be huge, and it would start off this draft night powerfully.

The rumor is circulating more and more, so much so that the bookmakers have drastically lowered the odds of Matvei Michkov being the 2nd overall pick in the last few minutes.

There's a lot of smoke, but stay tuned.

As the excellent Marc-Olivier Beaudoin aptly points out, it would be a huge gift for the Montreal Canadiens. (if Kent Hughes didn't want Michkov)

"Let's say the Ducks draft Matvei Michkov (which would still be surprising nonetheless), Adam Fantilli, Leo Carlsson, or Will Smith would surely be available for the CH.

It's pretty clear that the 5th pick would be "off the table" if such a scenario happens!"

That would be incredible. There's hope anyway!

We'll have the answer tonight and the announcement will be made shortly.