At 6-5, Paupanekis brings a physical element to his game, but he’s not just known for that. Despite his size, he’s a really good skater and can provide offense with his heavy shot. His playmaking skills are underrated; he uses his body and wide stance to protect the puck, which gives him time to find open teammates. Several scouts had him going as early as the second round, so it’s not a surprise Montreal traded up to get him when he was available at 69. Paupanekis is labelled as a power forward, but he’s very smart and skilled. He turned eyes at Habs development camp – I could see him being a steal in the third round as he has many translatable NHL attributes.

Selected 69th overall, Hayden Paupanekis is now a member of the Montreal Canadiens.

Paupanekis has been a late riser. It’s not hard to see why—these tools in this frame are hard to come by. That said, his pace and compete level can be inconsistent. He’s capable of strong defensive and physical plays when he’s in position, but he often lets himself drift around the defensive zone. However, what he does bring is undeniable and sets him apart from some of the other big forwards in the Draft. Paupanekis has good creativity, one-on-one handling skill, and playmaking instincts, which, combined with his skating, make him solid in transition. –

Final Rankings – An imposing, two-way center with the ability to play as a true power-forward, Hayden Paupanekis is also an extremely fluid skater for his size. Questions remain regarding long-term offensive upside, but he plays with his head up in possession, and he’s shown flashes of high-end finishing talent.—