Montreal Canadiens’ 5 Worst Draft Picks Since 2000

Drafting is one of the most crucial aspects of building a successful sports franchise. The decisions made in the draft can shape a team’s future for years, as they bring in young talent that can either become stars or fail to meet expectations. While hitting on a draft pick can provide a team with a foundation for long-term success, missing the mark can have lasting consequences. Poor draft decisions can set a franchise back, create gaps that are hard to fill, and ultimately impact a team’s ability to compete. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the Montreal Canadiens’ five worst draft picks since 2000, and explore how those choices have impacted the team’s future.

5 – Jarred Tinordi, 22^nd Overall in 2010

The Canadiens drafted defenseman Jarred Tinordi 22nd overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-6 American came off a solid season with the United States National Team Development Program and was projected to be a top-four shutdown defenseman. Tinordi then played two seasons with the London Knights in the Ontario Hockey League and was never really able to make the jump full-time with the Habs. The son of ex-NHL defenseman Mark Tinordi only played 46 games in Montreal before leaving. He has tallied an underwhelming 205 games to this day.

With this selection, Pierre Gauthier, Montreal’s general manager at that time, passed on such players as Kevin Hayes (24^th), Evgeny Kuznetsov (26^th), Charlie Coyle (28^th) and Brock Nelson (30^th). At least, the Canadiens selected Brendan Gallagher later in the fifth round.

4 – Alexander Perezhogin, 25^th Overall in 2001

In the 2001 NHL Draft, the Montreal Canadiens selected Alexander Perezhogin 25th overall. The Russian forward was known for his impressive speed and outstanding puck skills, which he often used to glide around defenders. He showed great promise as a potential top-six forward with a high ceiling. In his first season with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Hamilton Bulldogs, Perezhogin recorded 50 points in 77 games, getting fans excited with his potential. The forward, unfortunately, never panned out in Montreal, recording only 34 points in 128 games. He finally played the rest of his career in the Kontinental Hockey League. The Canadiens could have selected Derek Roy (32^nd), Fedor Tyutin (40^th) and Michael Cammalleri (49^th) with that pick.

3 – Nikita Scherbak, 26^th Overall in 2014

Drafted 26^th overall in 2014, Nikita Scherbak was projected as a middle-six forward with a solid offensive upside. The Russian forward recorded 78 and 82 points seasons in the Western Hockey League, before joining the Habs organization. In 2017-2018, he even recorded 30 points in 2016 games for the Laval Rocket in the AHL. Scherbak only played 29 games in Montreal, putting seven points on the scoresheets.

Scherbak was claimed off waivers by the Los Angeles Kings in 2018, but only played eight games for them and was gone the following season. When the Canadiens made this selectino, Adrian Kempe (29^th), Ivan Barbashev (33^rd) and Thatcher Demko (36^th) were still available to be picked.