2012 Draft: Habs' Size Bet Fizzled

0:00It's March 9th for the NHL. Let's get into it. Follow and subscribe for more Teen News every day. The Montreal-Canadians' 2012 draft class came at a hopeful time for fans. Fresh office surprise jumped to second in the Eastern Conference in a division title. General manager Mark Bergervin targeted big, skilled forwards, and goal-tending depth. Their first round pick, 6-foot-six-center Michael McCarran at number 25. Embodied the size of front plan, while later selections like Jacob. De La Rose and goalie Zachary Foucail aim to build toughness and stability. Earlier this week in draft retrospectives, we've seen how most of these picks fell short. McCarran managed just 69 NHL games before a trade to Nashville. De La Rose showed defensive promise, but bounced around waivers and leagues, ending up back in Europe. Foucault dominated juniors with a memorial cup, but stuck to the minors, playing only four NHL games years later with Washington.

1:00Fans got excited about the potential, especially with Sweet Arturie Laconen, picked 55th overall. He stuck around six seasons, hustled in the top nine, and after a trade to Colorado, scored eight goals in the playoffs and root to a Stanley Cup win. In 2022, still, injuries and development issues plagued others like Connor Crisp and Martin Reway, who never cracked the lineup. Meanwhile, hindsight reveals painful misses. Right after McCarran, Chicago grabbed Ryan Hartman, now a 30-goal score with Minnesota. Pittsburgh snagged goalie Tristan Jerry 8 spots after Foucail, turning him into an all-star. Third rounders like Jake Gwensel, who has two cups and 40 goal seasons, slipped by entirely. In the end, the class had flashes of skill but mostly fizzled in the NHL, with Laconen as the clear win. It highlighted Bergervin's focus on size over surefire producers, leaving Hab supporters dreaming of what ifs in a draft full of late-round gems. This story is shared with support from our sponsor, Your Pillow, Your Podcast, Your Moment,

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