Nick Bobrov, the Canadiens\u2019 co-director of amateur scouting, believes a team can never have too many defencemen.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s why after taking Russian forward Gleb Pugachyov<\/a> with their first-round pick (26th overall) in the NHL Draft on Friday, the Canadiens took defencemen with their next three picks when Rounds 2 to 7 were held Saturday in Buffalo.<\/p>\n The Canadiens selected California native Tim Runtso<\/a> in the second round (57th overall), Connecticut native Cooper Cleaves<\/a> in the third round (93rd overall) and Calgary native Brayden Klimpke<\/a> in the fourth round (117th overall). Runtso and Cleaves both shoot right, something NHL teams also can\u2019t have too much of. Klimpke shoots left.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cThe Ds are always in demand and we always talk about different buckets and which ones are full and which ones are becoming more empty,\u201d Bobrov said when he spoke with reporters late Saturday afternoon at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard after the draft was completed. \u201cSo, where the best fishing holes are \u2014 as we say \u2014 and it\u2019s different draft to draft. Sometimes a bucket of big forwards might be fuller than on the D side. So in this case, it just so happened that the Ds were the best players in particular spots and, obviously, you want to create more depth \u2014 organizational depth \u2014 in each position.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \u201cWe approached it in a way that every organization needs that depth and we happen to have pretty good depth right now,\u201d Bobrov added. \u201cIt never hurts to have a deeper pool, so we felt we addressed\u00a0(that) with each individual.\u201d<\/p>\n The Canadiens also selected left-shot defenceman Jean-Samuel Daigneault <\/a>\u2014 the son of former Canadiens defenceman and assistant coach J.J. Daigneault \u2014 in the seventh round (221st overall) after the 6-foot-3, 190-pounder had 0-5-5 totals in 47 games with the USHL\u2019s Muskegon Lumberjacks this season.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The Canadiens\u2019 other draft picks were forwards Parker Trottier<\/a> of the U.S. National Development Team (sixth round, 189th overall), Wesley Royston<\/a> of the OHL\u2019s Owen Sound Attack (sixth round, 190th overall) and Tyler Deakos<\/a> of the USHL\u2019s Waterloo Black Hawks (seventh round, 224th overall). Deakos was the last player selected at the draft.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was kind of a conversation: \u2018Hey, who\u2019s got the more will?’\u201d Bobrov said about making the late-round selections. \u201cBecause from late rounds, will wins, and so we\u2019re trying to get some kids that have that quality covered.\u201d<\/p>\n Runtso, who is 6-foot-2 and 186 pounds, had 11-33-44 totals in 68 games this season with the WHL\u2019s Victoria Royals. The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Cleaves had 4-6-10 totals in 30 games at Dartmouth College, while the 6-foot, 174-pound Klimpke had 4-43-47 totals in 68 games with the WHL\u2019s Saskatoon Blades.<\/p>\n \u201cTimmy Runtso, obviously, more offensive, more flashy, I guess,\u201d Bobrov said. \u201cCooper Cleaves, more stay-at-home, mature, big, defends. And Brayden Klimpke, puck mover, elite skater. So we felt that those three at the right spots were the way to go. Again, you can never have enough Ds.\u201d<\/p>\n The 20-year-old Cleaves was invited to the Canadiens\u2019 development camp last year after being passed over at the NHL Draft. Martin Lapointe, the Canadiens\u2019 director of player personnel and amateur scouting, said Cleaves made good progression this season, makes a good first pass, can play physically and can also skate with the puck. Lapointe added he likes Cleaves\u2019s \u201cupside\u201d for the future.<\/p>\n Lapointe said the Canadiens were looking for character and competitiveness with all their picks, adding the players they drafted all have those two qualities.<\/p>\n The Canadiens expect all eight players they selected at the draft to attend their development camp, which will run Tuesday through Thursday at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard. Players will report for physical and medical testing on Tuesday and be on the ice Wednesday and Thursday, wrapping up the camp with a scrimmage.<\/p>\n The Canadiens traded up from the No. 28 overall pick to No. 26 in order to select Pugachyov, who was listed at 6-foot-3 and 198 pounds by NHL Central Scouting but was measured at 6-foot-2 3\/4 and 224 pounds at his agent Dan Milstein\u2019s Gold Star camp in Miami the weekend before the draft. The 18-year-old was ranked ninth among international skaters by NHL Central Scouting after posting 10-14-24 totals in 33 games with Nizhny Novgorod Chaika in the MHL, Russia\u2019s junior league. Pugachyov also played 13 games with the KHL\u2019s Nizhny Novgorod Torpedo, posting 2-1-3 totals.<\/p>\n \t\tEditor\u2019s Picks\t<\/p>\n \u201cFor us, we traded up for Gleb because we thought that the type of energy that he brings every shift \u2014 his defensive game \u2014 is very impressive,\u201d Bobrov said. \u201cHe used to be a D growing up, so some of the roots kind of come from that. But it\u2019s infectious. <\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t have a lot of kids nowadays who are infectious and who have instant identity and you don\u2019t have to guess,\u201d Bobrov added. \u201cYou see it, you feel it. You feel it in the building. You feel it in the locker room. We were in Florida (at the Gold Star camp) and observed the way he interacts with his peers, and it\u2019s impressive. So, yes, shooting, passing, skill \u2014 all that \u2014 it\u2019s on the margins. They\u2019re all plus\/minus five, 10 per cent. But it\u2019s the oomph that the player brings. And we like the oomph.\u201d<\/p>\n Pugachyov still has two years left on his KHL contract.<\/p>\n \u201cYes, there are two years left and his agent is very good at negotiating,\u201d Bobrov said. \u201cSo we\u2019ll leave it to Dan to do it. It\u2019s flexible enough that a lot of different situations can unfold and he knows what he is doing. It\u2019s all about making sure the kid is ready at the right time to come over. It\u2019s a big change, so have to be mindful of timing on a number of different fronts.\u201d<\/p>\n