Development: surprise in the top-5 and Will Smith drafted by the Montreal Canadiens, according to a former agent

With less than a month before the NHL Draft taking place in Nashville in June, the time has come for some experts to weigh in and present their famed Mock Drafts.

This exercise is often a good preview of what will occur in the first round, and again this year, Canadiens fans will undoubtedly be attentive as Kent Hughes holds the fifth overall pick and we still don't know who the lucky pick from the management will be.

On BPM Sports, insider David Ettedgui revealed his final 2023 Mock Draft alongside Max Truman and Georges Laraque, and according to his list, Canadiens fans might be pleased with the player the management could select.

Unsurprisingly, Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli are the top two picks, with Swedish Leo Carlsson coming in third.


But at the fourth spot, Ettedgui surprises by predicting that the San Jose Sharks would lean towards a certain Matvei Michkov, despite the uncertainty surrounding his selection.

This brings us to the Canadiens' pick at the fifth spot with a fan-favorite choice, namely Will Smith.


The American prospect is making not only NHL scouts but also Canadiens fans drool, and for many experts, he would be the perfect choice for the organization.

To round out the top 10, Swiss defender David Reinbacher, American forward Ryan Leonard, Slovak forward Dalibor Drovsky, forward Zach Benson, and finally Swedish defender Axel Sandin-Pellikka follow in that order.

Of course, it's very likely that the actual top 10 might be slightly different, but the idea that the Canadiens could have the chance to draft young Will Smith makes sense as he could continue his development with the American program if the Canadiens draft him in the fifth spot.

That said, there's still time for the organization to do its homework and choose the best prospect for the team's future.