Montreal Canadiens add Kazakh power forward in first round of NHL Entry Draft

Montreal Canadiens president of hockey operations Jeff Gorton, left, and general manager Kent Hughes speak to the media during their end of season news conference in Brossard, Que., on Monday, June 1, 2026. (Christinne Muschi/The Canadian Press)

The Montreal Canadiens added some size to the roster on Friday night to start a weekend of moves and deals.

It’s fair to say few Habs fans were looking forward to the 2026 NHL Entry Draft with the eager anticipation of the drafts in 2024 (fifth pick), 2023 (fifth) or 2022, when the team chose first overall and brought Slovak Juraj Slafkovsky to the Belle Province.

The only first-round pick for Montreal was at no. 26 when they selected 6′3″, 198-pound right winger Gleb Pugachyov from the Russian Junior League.

The Habs moved up to pick the teen from Kazakhstan by trading the team’s 28th pick and a third-round pick next season.

The 18-year-old scored 10 goals and added 14 assists in 33 games in the Russian juniors.

Montreal then moved up to pick 57 in the second round by trading with the Carolina Hurricanes for pick 61 and 125.

The Habs then drafted 6′3″, 194-pound right-handed defenceman Timofei Runtso from Marina del Rey, California.

In 68 games last season with the Victoria Royals in the Western Hockey League, the 18-year-old Bellorusian-American scored 11 goals and provided 33 assists. He is set to join the University of Miami in Ohio next season.

Here are the Canadiens picks:

*Montreal acquired the no. 57 pick from the Carolina Hurricanes for the no. 61 pick and the Habs fourth round (no.125) pick.

This chart will be updated as picks and trades are made.