Significant development regarding the Montreal Canadiens' 2023 first-round pick and the trade finalized in 2022 with the Florida Panthers
In a surprising turn of events, the Florida Panthers came back from a 3-1 deficit in their first-round series against the Boston Bruins, ultimately eliminating the regular season champions.
This is quite an outcome for a team that, let's not forget, finished the season 43 points behind the Massachusetts squad and for which, not so long ago, people wondered if they would actually make the playoffs.
While this loss hurts the Bruins, it also indirectly does the same for the Canadiens. We recall that Kent Hughes brilliantly included a 2023 first-round pick in the trade that sent Ben Chiarot to Florida last year. This pick, which we had hoped to see in the top 10 a few months ago, keeps moving away.
A significant development and important information concerning the Panthers' 2023 first-round pick
As Marc-Olivier Beaudoin points out, this pick belonging to the Canadiens could be between the 29th and 32nd spot if the Florida team continues its run beyond the next round. If not, the Canadiens will draft at the 17th position.
Canadiens fans will therefore have to make a heart-wrenching choice in the next round: to root for the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to get a good draft pick!
The quality of this pick will be crucial for Kent Hughes, who, according to rumors, could very well repeat at the next draft with another trade similar to the Kirby Dach deal. The higher his pick, the better the chances of success.
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