As the NHL Draft approaches and anticipation builds across the league, the Montreal Canadiens find themselves in a rare and enviable position, holding back-to-back first-round picks in Los Angeles. With speculation swirling and fans eagerly debating possible selections, an unexpected twist has emerged that could dramatically reshape the team’s draft strategy.

A significant injury to top prospect Carter Bear has sent shockwaves through draft boards, potentially causing his stock to fall just as the Canadiens are set to make their selections. For Kent Hughes and his staff, this sudden turn of events could present a golden opportunity—one that might allow Montreal to snag an elite, hard-working talent who was once projected to go in the top ten. As the draft draws near, all eyes are on the Canadiens, poised to make a bold move that could define their summer and accelerate their climb back to contention.

Photo of Kent Hughes

Photo credit: TSN

The Canadiens will make back-to-back picks in the first round of the NHL Draft, which will take place in a few weeks in Los Angeles.

We’re talking about the 16th and 17th overall selections.

Speculation has been running rampant for some time, and while many Habs fans would love to hear Kent Hughes call the name of Justin Carbonneau, Carter Bear shouldn’t be forgotten.

Initially projected to go in the top 10, a serious injury derailed the end of his season, and it’s possible the young prospect could slide to 16th overall and be available for the Canadiens.

And that’s the key point!

An Injury to Forward Carter Bear Could Open the Door for a Home Run Pick by Kent Hughes

Because yes, many experts are crystal clear on this, selecting Carter Bear with the 16th overall pick would be a home run!

In a recent article published on Montreal Hockey Now, Marc Dumont stated that the injury Bear suffered could cause some teams to hesitate, which would obviously be great news for the Canadiens.

“It’s quite possible that Bear’s injury is a blessing in disguise: it could scare off some teams from picking him early, causing a draft-day slide that lands him right in the middle of the first round-exactly where the Canadiens are picking.

Since GM Kent Hughes holds two first-round picks, he may be more willing to take a risk with one and play it safe with the other.

That would be the ideal scenario for Montreal to land one of the hardest-working prospects in the draft.”

Marc Dumont

Let’s just say that if Carter Bear is still available at 16th overall and the Montreal Canadiens make him their first pick of the 2025 class, it would be a massive win to kick off the summer.

Especially considering that, in the latest episode of the podcast Processus, Simon Boisvert ranked him as the seventh-best prospect heading into the upcoming draft.