Montreal Canadiens: Should they draft Filip Zadina or Jesperi Kotkaniemi?

The Montreal Canadiens have a tough decision to make with the third overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft – do they go with Filip Zadina or Jesperi Kotkaniemi?

The Montreal Canadiens got lucky at the 2018 NHL Draft lottery. With the fourth-best odds to get the first overall pick, the Habs moved up one spot to the third overall pick. The 2018 draft is a deep draft at the top. Which direction should Montreal go in? Players like Filip Zadina, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, and Adam Boqvist all should be available.

Should they go with a defenseman like Boqvist? Maybe draft a center like Kotkaniemi? Or perhaps account for the loss of Alex Galchenyuk (and potential loss of Max Pacioretty who will be a free agent in 12 months) by drafting a goal scorer in Zadina? It’s a difficult decision, but luckily, the Canadiens are pretty much ensured of getting someone who will be a difference maker.

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Montreal could use a dynamic defenseman, but there are some second-round options that are intriguing and the Habs will likely take a chance on. Plus, Boqvist isn’t as good at what he does as Zadina and Kotkaniemi are at what they do. So as good as Boqvist is, he’s probably not the right selection. Though he would still be a very good one.

This leaves the Canadiens with two feasible options – Zadina and Kotkaniemi. Some scouts have the latter over the former, so it wouldn’t be a reach if Kotkaniemi is higher on Montreal’s board than Zadina. While it’s not wise to draft purely for need in the NHL draft, both players would address a significant issue with the Canadiens. Let’s review both players.

Filip Zadina

Zadina is the more skilled player of the two. Though some scouts have Kotkaniemi over him, his lowest major draft ranking is fourth. Zadina is not a center, but then again, this draft isn’t a great one for centers. Outside of Andrei Svechnikov, there isn’t a more talented forward in the 2018 NHL Draft than him.

He fills the Habs need for a goal scorer. Scoring goals is hard to do in the NHL, but you need to do it to win games. Zadina led all draft-eligible QMJHL forwards in both goals (44) and points (82). His offensive IQ is off the charts. Zadina is creative. Not only is he an excellent finisher, he also sets up a lot of chances for his teammates.

Zadina added 12 points in nine games during the postseason. At the WJC-20, he had eight points, including seven goals. Zadina has outstanding accuracy and a knack for scoring goals. Of the two players, he’s the most NHL ready.

Jesperi Kotkaniemi

In a relatively weak class for centers, many have him either as the best center in the draft or right behind Brady Tkachuk. Kotkaniemi had an impressive draft season, holding his own against adults in Liiga (29 points in 57 games).

He has recently seen a huge rise in his draft stock, as teams have been won over by him. Kotkaniemi’s position likely plays a role in this, as teams like to build down the middle with center depth. While his offense is impressive, it’s not as outstanding as Zadina’s. Also, Kotkaniemi will likely take a little bit longer to be NHL ready.

Verdict

This decision comes down to several factors. First of all, do the Canadiens believe Kotkaniemi can be a number one center? If they sincerely do, choosing him over Zadina is justified. It’s very hard to find a top center and the Canadiens have been looking for one for over a decade.

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Secondly, is Montreal planning on re-signing Max Pacioretty? That might affect who they choose. But in the end, Zadina appears to be the right choice. He’s been one of the big three in the 2018 NHL Draft for a while. There’s a very good reason for that.