The Canadiens had some swings and misses in the 2014 Draft Class, but their last swing was a walk-off.
It’s official draft month! In June, we’ll look back at some of the draft classes to examine how previous Habs front offices handled their selections. It is too early to analyze several of Kent Hughes’ first draft classes. The 2014 class will be the focus of our seventh look at history.
Montreal Canadiens’ 2015 Draft Class: Noah Juulsen Highlights Lackluster Group
The 2014 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, and Leon Draisaitl were the first three picks, going to the Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, and Edmonton Oilers, respectively. The list of final participant picks doesn’t end there; Sam Bennett went fourth overall to the Calgary Flames. The 2014 Draft Class pleased the Florida Panthers, but disappointed the Montreal Canadiens.
Round 1: 26th Overall: Nikita Scherbak
Scherbak received a three-year entry-level contract soon after the draft but returned to the WHL. Scherbak made his NHL debut during the 2016-17 season, scoring on his first shot against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He spent his first two professional seasons with the St. John’s Ice Caps, then divided the next season evenly between Laval and Montreal. The Los Angeles Kings claimed Scherbak on waivers for the 2018-19 season after the Canadiens sent him to Laval.Scherbak has not played in the NHL since then, instead spending time in the KHL, AHL, Czech Extraliga, and Slovakia.
Round 3: 73rd Overall: Brett Lernout
Lernout served five seasons with the Montreal Canadiens organization. He appeared in 21 NHL games and recorded one point and six penalty minutes. He signed a professional tryout contract with the Colorado Eagles on February 10, 2021. Lernout recorded three assists in the final 12 games of his professional career.
Round 5: 125th Overall: Nikolas Koberstein
Koberstein did not sign with the Canadiens when his college career concluded. After being drafted, he spent a season in the USHL before playing four years in the NCAA with Alaska-Fairbanks. Koberstein played nine games in the ECHL at the end of his senior season before spending 22 games the next season with HockeyEttan in Sweden.
147th Overall: Daniel Audette
Audette had a lot of potential as a late-blooming athlete following his draft year, but it never materialized for Donald Audette’s son. He spent four seasons in the Montreal Canadiens’ farm system before playing one year in Springfield. He then toured Europe, playing in the Liiga, the KHL, and the SHL before settling into the Swiss National League. He will play for Kloten in 2024-25.
Round 6: 177th Overall: Hayden Hawkey
It’s difficult to think that a prospect with a name like Hayden Hawkey didn’t succeed in professional hockey. He played four seasons at Providence College before spending three seasons in the ECHL. Hawkey now competes in the Italian professional leagues, with save percentages of.947 and.925 at various levels.
Round 7: 207th Overall: Jake Evans
Jake Evans didn’t think hockey would work out for him. He spent four seasons at Notre Dame to finish his degree, believing he’d be working a nine-to-five. Evans, on the other hand, is now 22nd in games played from the 2014 Draft Class and plays an important role on the Canadiens’ roster. He is not recognized for his scoring ability, yet he is ranked 40th in the draft class. Not bad for the 207th overall choice.
