Montreal's Jeff Gorton on better-than-expected start and potential impact on team's next draft pick

There's little question that the Montreal Canadiens are off to a better-than-expected start to the 2022-23 season. Projected to finish at the bottom of the league before the new season began, the Habs have gone 8-6-1 in their first 15 games, with young guys not just getting a look, but stepping up in big ways offensively and defensively. While this should be good news, there's been plenty of talk by analysts and fans over what this means for Montreal's next draft pick.

2022-23 was supposed to be somewhat of a throwaway season for the Habs. Young guys in the system would get development time, veterans would likely get dealt for assets, and the team would get a high pick in what is supposed to be the deepest NHL draft in years next summer, a nugget of hope for what was expected to be a dismal year. If that doesn't happen, Canadiens' Executive Vice President Jeff Gorton said no one will be disappointed.

"There's nobody in the organization talking about having a bad season to get a really good player," said Gorton on The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro. "Players don't think like that, coaches don't think like."

He's right. No player or coach is going out on the ice to lose. Athletes in highly competitive sports would never make it thinking that way.

"Believe me I watch them play everyday and they're not thinking like that," said Gorton.

As for fans that think the team may regret it in the long run, Gorton told them to relax and have fun watching the team develop as there are many games ahead yet.

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