The 2026 NHL Entry Draft took place in Buffalo over the weekend, where the Montreal Canadiens made eight selections.
Gleb Pugachyov
After a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights, the Habs moved up two spots to 26th overall in the first round to draft Gleb Pugachyov. The 6-foot-3-inch forward scored 10 goals and added 14 assists in 33 games with Chaika Nizhny Novgorod of the MHL. Additionally, he has two years remaining in his KHL contract. Pugachyov will attend the development camp running from June 30th to July 2nd in Brossard.
“He has a great hockey sense, and our scouts see a lot of versatility in him. Down the road, he has the potential to play high up in the lineup or fill a depth role lower down,” Kent Hughes said. He also highlighted Pugachyov’s physicality, saying he plays like a 250‑pound forward, while comparing him to Tom Wilson.
“This guy’s a unicorn. We love the way he plays, shift in, shift out. The details in his game at his age are rare. To be playing in the KHL and blocking shots, diving to block shots, backchecking hard, finishing his checks on the forecheck, and bringing pucks to the net—that’s what you wish for in a player. We feel that this guy was the guy that we needed, he was there, and I feel lucky to have him,” said Martin Lapointe, Director of Player Personnel and Amateur Scouting.
“We don’t have a lot of kids nowadays who are infectious and who have instant identity, and you don’t have to guess. You see it, you feel it, you feel it in the building, you feel it in the locker room. We were in Florida and observed the way he interacts with his peers, and it’s impressive,” added Nick Bobrov, Co-director of Amateur Scouting.
2026 Draft Class & Quotes
In addition to Pugachyov, Montreal added seven more prospects.
- Timofei Runtso (D, 2nd round, 57th overall)
- Cooper Cleaves (D, 3rd round, 93rd overall)
- Brayden Klimpke (D, 4th round, 117th overall)
- Parker Trottier (F, 6th round, 189th overall)
- Wesley Royston (F, 6th round, 190th overall)
- Jean-Samuel Daigneault (D, 7th round, 221st overall)
- Tyler Deakos (F, 7th round, 224th overall)
Furthermore, here are notable quotes from Lapointe and Cleaves:
- “Every year we look for guys who compete hard and bring character. This year, every single player we drafted possesses those traits. We are very happy with this draft class and hope for the best for them in the future.” – Lapointe
- “[Cleaves] is a big body who keeps things simple, makes that first pass, plays a physical game, and can skate with the puck. We really like his upside and what he will bring in the future. He’s a big, heavy kid who can move well with the puck. That’s what we liked about him, and we wanted him.” – Lapointe
- “I’m a two-way defenseman, play with some size, and move the puck up the ice quick. I can pitch in offensively, and I can skate pretty well.” – Cleaves
- “Parker Trottier is a kid that every single time Nick and I went to watch the program play, he was always the one who stood out. He was always the most consistent player on the team, and he played the exact same way from one shift to the next. He’s a hard-working guy, first on the puck, and has a lot of character. When he’s on the ice, you notice him because he wants to make a difference. He might not be the most talented, but he’s a blue-collar guy who comes to play every single shift and every single game.” – Lapointe
Additional Draft Weekend Notes
- During Friday’s broadcast, the NHL announced Bill Guerin as the winner of the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. Kent Hughes finished fifth in voting with four second place and eight third place votes. Voting took place at the conclusion of the first round of the playoffs by General Managers, NHL executives, and media.
- While fans waited to see whether the Canadiens would respond to moves made by division rivals, the club completed two minor‑league trades. The Canadiens moved Luke Tuch to Columbus Blue Jackets in exchange for forward Hunter McKown, then followed by sending William Trudeau to the New York Rangers for forward Brett Berard the next day.
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