2016 NHL Mock Draft: Coyotes draft Auston Matthews

The Montreal Canadiens lucked out a bit in the draft lottery simulation, jumping up seven spots from 10th to third. They will greatly benefit from that as they will have the opportunity to draft Patrik Laine from Finland. Laine was Puljujarvi’s teammate at the World Juniors and the dynamic duo dominated throughout the tournament. He might not have the pure skill of Puljujarvi, but he does have excellent size and has a nice, but not overpowering, grit to his game. Laine already knows how to use his size to his advantage and he’s an exceptional skater and puck handler considering his size.

While they could use a center more than a wing, Laine’s potential is too high to pass up. Moving Alex Galchenyuk to center (where he should have been in the first place) could help them overcome their lack of an elite center. Galchenyuk has shown that he has the potential to be an elite center (or at least quite close to it).

Laine is a physical wing who has the ability to score from all over the offensive zone. He knows where he has to go to score and he’s not afraid to fight it out around the crease, whether it’s to get a deflection or to screen the goalie. In short, Laine is a taller version of Brendan Gallagher.

Next: #4: Edmonton Oilers