Montreal Canadiens' Saturday picks 'surreal' for young draftees
Eight players had stars in their eyes Saturday as Montreal locked in their NHL draft picks:
- Forward Riley Kidney (63rd overall)
- Forward Oliver Kapanen (64th overall)
- Defenseman Dmitri Kostenko (87th overall)
- Defenseman William Trudeau (113th overall)
- Defenseman Daniil Sobolev (142nd overall)
- Forward Joshua Roy (150th overall)
- Forward Xavier Simoneau (191st overall)
- Goalie Joe Vrbetic (214th overall)
Riley Kidney of the Quebec Junior Hockey League's Acadie-Bathurst Titan joined the Canadiens prospect pool at the end of the second round, picked 63rd overall.
The five-foot-11, 168-pound centre said being drafted was "a dream come true."
"It kind of feels surreal right now. My phone's blowing up," he said, silencing a call. "Words can't describe how I feel right now."
“When I was younger, I was always watching them,” he said.
It's a Canadian team. It's a historic franchise.”
For those unacquainted with the young player, he described his playstyle as “aggressive,” adding that he takes tips from Mitch Marner and Montreal’s own Nick Suzuki.
“They both have great vision. When I watch them, I try to model my game off of them.”
Oliver Kapenen, who followed Kidney’s pick, didn’t hide his excitement to join Montreal.
“I can't believe it happened,” he said, speaking to reporters via video conference.
“I'm feeling good right now,” he said, adding fans can expect him to make plays with or without the puck.
Kapanen is the cousin of Kasperi Kapanen, who plays for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He played for the Kalevan Pallo junior team in Finland, recording 41 points in 37 games. He also represented Finland at the World Under-18 Championship.
William Trudeau, a Quebecer himself, “jumped with joy” when he heard his name.
Trudeau joined the Charlottetown Islanders as a defenseman in 2019 and has played 98 games with the franchise. So far, he’s scored 12 regular season goals and eight more in the playoffs.
He promised the team “won’t regret their pick.”
Russian-born Sobolov, who responded to reporter questions with the aid of a Russian-language interpreter, has never been to Montreal.
He’s been to the playoffs twice in his home country, offering two goals and four assists over 48 games in the 2019-2020 season.
He’ll stay on with the Windsor Spitfires, with whom he has yet to play a game, until he’s called to Montreal.
“I know Montreal is a beautiful city,” he said, according to his interpreter.
Another Quebecer was next in line – Joshua Roy said he was playing softball with his family when he heard the news.
“Everybody came running to tell me that I was picked by Montreal in the sixth round. It was fun to experience that moment with them. I left the game because I was too excited.”
The 17-year-old made the QMJHL playoffs most-recently with the Sherbrooke Phoenix, scoring once and assisting three times, with 13 goals in his back pocket from the regular season.
“I've been following the Canadiens since I was a kid,” he told reporters. “It's also an honor for my parents and my grandparents because they're big fans of the Canadiens, too.”
The third Quebecer to be called to the Bleu Blanc Rouge was Xavier Simoneau.
Simoneau, who stands at 5’7”, brought the Drummondville Voltigeurs to the QMJHL playoffs three times since 2017.
Most recently, he pushed 10 goals and 27 assists in 27 regular season games.
“It's a dream to be drafted,” he said. “I feel like a kid. I was really moved and happy.”
Dmitri Kostenko and Joe Vrbetic did not give interviews after their picks.
Kostenko, another Russian-born player, represented his country twice in the international junior team before joining the grown-up league. He's had two playoff runs in Russia's U18 and MHL providing 2 goals and 22 assists after 18 playoff games.
Ontarian goalie Joe Vrbetic logged a .881 save percentage with the OHL North Bay Battalion across 42 games last year.
-- With files from Canadian Press Reporter Gemma Karstens-Smith
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Israel attacks Iran, Reuters sources say; drones reported over Isfahan
Israel has attacked Iran, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters, as Iranian state media reported early on Friday that its forces had destroyed drones, days after Iran launched a retaliatory drone strike on Israel.
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer denied bail after being charged with killing Canadian couple
American millionaire Jonathan Lehrer, one of two men charged in the killings of a Canadian couple in Dominica, has been denied bail.
Nearly half of China's major cities are sinking, researchers say
Nearly half of China's major cities are suffering 'moderate to severe' levels of subsidence, putting millions at risk of flooding especially as sea levels rise.
Prince Harry formally confirms he is now a U.S. resident
Prince Harry, the son of King Charles III and fifth in line to the British throne, has formally confirmed he is now a U.S. resident.
Judge says 'no evidence fully supports' murder case against Umar Zameer as jury starts deliberations
The judge presiding over the trial of a man accused of fatally running over a Toronto police officer is telling jurors the possible verdicts they may reach based on the evidence in the case.
Health Canada to change sperm donor screening rules for men who have sex with men
Health Canada will change its longstanding policy restricting gay and bisexual men from donating to sperm banks in Canada, CTV News has learned. The federal health agency has adopted a revised directive removing the ban on gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men, effective May 8.
Colin Jost names one celebrity who is great at hosting 'Saturday Night Live'
Colin Jost, who co-anchors Saturday Night Live's 'Weekend Update,' revealed who he thinks is one of the best hosts on the show.
Sports columnist apologizes for 'oafish' comments directed at Caitlin Clark. The controversy isn't over
A male columnist has apologized for a cringeworthy moment during former University of Iowa superstar and college basketball's highest scorer Caitlin Clark's first news conference as an Indiana Fever player.
'Shopaholic' author Sophie Kinsella reveals brain cancer diagnosis
Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author behind the 'Shopaholic' book series, has revealed that she is receiving treatment for brain cancer.