Cayden Lindstrom’s herniated disc is a game-changer for Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton.
According to The Athletic, Arpon Basu, the leaders of the Montreal Canadiens are now considering the possibility of selecting a defender if Ivan Demidov is not available.
And if Lindstrom is available, CH leaders will be concerned about the state of his back. It seems unlikely they’ll select another defender, despite the herniated disc controversy in our opinion. But The Athletic says that this could change everything and that the option of selecting a defender should not be ruled out.
In the scenario where neither Demidov nor Lindstrom are available at fifth, this could create a complex and uneven situation for the Canadiens.
They particularly like University of Denver left-handed defenseman Zeev Buium and Saginaw Spirit right-handed defenseman Zayne Parekh.
These two players possess significant puck-moving ability, something the Canadiens lack outside of Lane Hutson, whose future as an NHL defenseman is not yet assured, especially if the CH plans to trade Mike Matheson .
Buium and Parekh would therefore be considered for the fifth choice, although it is difficult to say which would be preferred, despite the fact that Parekh shoots from the right, which is an added advantage. But Buium is a much more complete defender.
6-foot-7 Russian defenseman Anton Silayev could also be considered in this scenario.
However, the Canadiens might prefer a defenseman who can move the puck rather than a giant who can skate and punish opponents but has limited offensive potential.
However, it is difficult to predict what the Canadians will do at fifth place, because it even seems that they are not sure of their choice, especially because it will strongly depend on the selections made before them, which remains completely unpredictable.
However, if Chicago opts for Michigan State defenseman Artyom Levshunov, and the Ducks also select a defenseman at third, one of Lindstrom or Demidov will become a member of the Montreal Canadiens, regardless of the Russian risk or the Lindstrom disc herniation.
If Columbus doesn’t pick Lindstrom or Demidov, he will pick Demidov. Lindstrom remains an option. But it’s PLAN B, thanks to his herniated disc and his lie to hide it.
Demidov is PLAN A…
The CH will not select a defender. It doesn’t matter what The Athletic says.
