The 2024 NHL Draft Lottery took place on Tuesday, and the Montreal Canadiens will draft fifth overall. The Habs desperately need scoring and, in that spot, have the chance to draft a player who can help them, as long as general manager Kent Hughes sticks to his plan and selects the best player available to fill the team’s needs.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Guide
If the Canadiens want to fill a need as well as draft the best player available, they have to hope that at least three teams in front of them draft defencemen. This year’s draft is full of defence, so it’s possible three could be drafted in the top four, but even if only two are selected, there is enough forward talent for Montreal to choose from.
For the sake of this article, we will assume two defencemen are drafted, and the two forwards gone will be Macklin Celebrini and Ivan Demidov. If Demidov does fall to five, he should be the obvious choice, but odds are he won’t.
1. Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Cayden Lindstrom is a 6-foot-4, 205-pound center with speed, skill and a high hockey IQ. He is great in transition and projects to be a top-six power forward who isn’t afraid to get in the dirty areas. He has the skill to be a game-changer. He progressed well with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League (WHL), scoring 42 points in his rookie year in 2022-23, only to explode this season for 46 points in 32 games, including 27 goals. The combination of size and skill set makes Lindstrom different from other forwards in the draft, which is why most of the top scouting experts have him drafted in the top five.
The only issue with drafting Lindstrom is that the Canadiens already have a top-six power forward in Juraj Slafkovsky. This season, he proved that he can handle the top-line minutes and help improve the players he plays with; he scored 50 points and 20 goals while helping Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki have career years.
If Hughes thinks having two players like Slafkovsky in the top six is the best choice, Lindstrom would undoubtedly line up with Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook on the second line. Dach is another big, skilled forward who, when healthy, can provide the same style of play as Slafkovsky and Lindstrom. Hughes must determine if Lindstrom’s skill and size are needed, knowing he already has two similar players in his top six. If history tells us anything, size and skill are a winning combination, especially in the playoffs.
2. Tij Iginla, C, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Tij Iginla is the son of Hall of Famer Jerome Iginla, who scored 1300 points in 1554 NHL games, winning a Lester B. Pearson award for the most outstanding player according to the NHLPA, the Maurice “Rocket’ Richard Trophy for leading the league in goals, the Mark Messier Trophy for leadership, and the Art Ross Trophy leading the NHL in scoring. Jerome Iginla has a long and successful NHL resume.
He also had a solid junior career with the Kamloops Blazers of the WHL, which is almost mirrored by his son. Both had a mediocre rookie season: Dad scored 28 points in 48 games, while son Tij scored 18 in 48. Their sophomore season, however, they both exploded; Jerome scored 71 points in 72 games, including 33 goals, while Tij scored 84 points in 64 games with 48 goals playing with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL. If Tij’s junior success continues to reflect his dad’s, he could have a successful NHL career.
Related: 2024 NHL Draft Rankings – Horn’s Top 100 for April
Tij Iginla was a late bloomer in the draft rankings but quickly moved into the top 10 in most scouting guides. His success after the regular season could help him rise further, as he scored 15 points in 11 WHL playoff games, including nine goals. He also recently helped lead Team Canada to a gold medal at the U18 World Championship, scoring six goals and 12 points in the seven-game tournament.
He is 6 feet, 180 pounds, and reliable in all three zones; he has a great shoot and very strong play-making abilities. His game instincts and hockey IQ set him apart from other players in the draft. If the Canadiens feel Lindstrom gives them too much of the same thing, Iginla is the exception and precisely what they should be looking for in a top-six forward.
3. Cole Eiserman, LW, USA U18 (NTDP)
Cole Eiserman is probably the best shooter in the draft; he is also one of the youngest due to his late August birthday, making his success even more impressive. In 2022-23, he scored 72 points in 42 games for the US National U17 Team with 43 goals; he was called up to play 20 games with the U18 team and dominated there as a 16-year-old, scoring 26 goals and 32 points in 20 games.
He scored 28 goals in 32 games for the United States National Team Development Program juniors (USHL), then 12 goals and 20 points in seven games at the World Hockey U17 Championships (WHC-17). He followed that up with nine goals and 11 points in seven games at the World Junior Championship U18 (WJC-U18). This season has been no different, as Eiserman recently passed Caufield as the USNTDP all-time goal-scoring leader with 92 goals in 88 games overall.
However, Eiserman is a polarizing player; many scouts feel he is a one-trick pony who can only score goals. He has defensive issues and can get caught missing a check or being out of position in his zone. He also needs someone beside him who can drive the play and help set him up for a scoring chance.
The Canadiens already have a player similar to that in Caufield, except Caufield has improved his play-making abilities and defensive play under the tutelage of head coach Martin St-Louis. If St-Louis can do the same thing for Eiserman, then the Habs could have two of the top goal scorers in the NHL in the years to come, which will significantly improve their power play and overall scoring. Eiserman is dedicated to playing for Boston University in the National Colligate Athletic Association (NCAA) next season. If Hughes figures Eiserman is a Caufield clone, he may pass, but if he is patient and thinks St-Louis can help fix Eiserman’s deficiencies, he shouldn’t hesitate to draft him.
Montreal has other choices, like Berkley Catton, Konsta Helenius, and Beckett Sennecke, who are starting to climb the draft rankings. They could also pick one of the defencemen available and make a big trade with one of their other highly skilled young defencemen. They also have the option to try to trade up and draft Ivan Demidov. Whatever they do, Hughes will do what he thinks is best for the team moving forward and, drafting 5th overall, they are in a good spot to do that.
