The Canadiens continued their trend of trading up on day two of the NHL Draft, shifting the 79th and 108th picks to move up to the 69th overall choice. With the nicest pick in the draft, the Canadiens selected towering centre Hayden Paupanekis from Kelowna in the WHL.
Standing at 6’4″ and weighing in at 196 pounds, Paupanekis is a large centre with solid skating skills for a player of his stature. In 32 games with the Rockets he posted 11 goals and eight assists, and will take part in the 2026 Memorial Cup as Kelowna is the host.
Montreal will now be back on the clock at 81st and 82nd overall later in the third round.
