As you know, the Canadiens will have two selections in the first round of the draft, thanks to the pick obtained from the Florida Panthers. There is still a good chance that Kent Hughes will be able to add two players within the top-15 of the 2023 draft, if there are no trades involving the Florida pick. There are two races to watch for the Canadiens, the first being the one against the Arizona Coyotes for the 5th best odds in the lottery, as only one point separates the two teams, with only two games left in their respective seasons. <div align='center' style='padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px;'><img src='https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/i/photo/253302.webp' width='100%' border='0' alt='image' loading='lazy' defer /></div> Theoretically, the Canadiens have the advantage in the last two games to maintain their position ahead of the Coyotes. This would give the team an additional 1% chance in the lottery, but also a guarantee of drafting within the top-7, in the scenario where two teams behind the Canadiens were to win the first two picks of the draft. Martin St-Louis' team must face the New York Islanders, who must absolutely win this game to maximize their chances of making the playoffs, and they end their season against the league's best team, the Boston Bruins. On the other hand, the Coyotes will face the Seattle Kraken and the Vancouver Canucks, with one team already guaranteed to make the playoffs and the other already eliminated. The other race to watch for Canadiens fans is the Panthers' quest for playoff qualification. Of course, for the Canadiens' benefit, it is important that Florida does not confirm their presence in the playoffs. Currently, it is the Panthers and the Islanders who hold the two wildcard spots, with the Pittsburgh Penguins closely following with one point behind. All three teams have only two games left in their respective seasons. <div align='center' style='padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px;'><img src='https://i.marqueur.com/habsetlnh/i/photo/253303.webp' width='100%' border='0' alt='image' loading='lazy' defer /></div> What's interesting for the Canadiens is that theoretically, the odds are against the Panthers, as they will have to beat two powerful teams in succession, the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Carolina Hurricanes, to maximize their chances of qualifying. On the other hand, unless there is a major disappointment, the Penguins are expected to fare better, as they will be playing against the Chicago Blackhawks and the Columbus Blue Jackets in their last two games, two of the worst teams in the league. The same goes for the Islanders, who will face the Washington Capitals, as well as the Canadiens to finish the season. So, the best-case scenario for the Montreal organization would be to retain the 5th position for the lottery, and see the Panthers eliminated from playoff qualification. On paper, everything is set for this to happen if everything goes as hoped for the Canadiens.