The 2023 NHL Draft promises to be one of the best in recent years, with many good players with the potential to become great players. For the Habs, currently 28th overall, there is a little over an 8% chance of winning the Connor Bedard lottery. It's possible, but let's be objective, the chances of drafting at number five are much better in his case. If that were the scenario, a young American named Will Smith is linked to the Tricolore for a very specific reasons. The center played under Kent Hughes from the age of 12 to 15 and would be thrilled to play for the Habs. <q>I know him very well. I really like him and he's one of the best coaches I've ever had. He really showed me how to play the right way. I would love to have Kent back in the NHL. To play for the Canadiens, a team with such a rich history, would be very special.</q> A 104-point scorer in 52 games in the U.S. development program, Smith has a very bright future in the NHL. <div align='center'><blockquote class='twitter-tweet' data-lang='en'><a href='https://twitter.com/Antho_Martineau/status/1642876620041068546?t=H52pK8heDgOw72dAJX0gAA&s=19'> </a></blockquote></div> Credit: <a href='https://www.habsetlnh.com/equipe-lnh/canadiens-de-montreal/Le-joueur-vise-par-Kent-Hughes-avec-son-choix-de-premiere-ronde-au-repechage-2023-deja-revele' class='link_marqueur' target='_blank' rel='noopener'>Habsetlnh.com</a>