Logan Cooley to the rescue: he may save the Montreal Canadiens

Currently, there's a very tight race for the best draft pick position in the NHL for the 2024 draft, which notably involves the Canadiens.

As of now, four teams could tip the scales and change the landscape between the 5th and 8th positions, including the Canadiens (CH), the Coyotes, the Senators, and the Flames. Only three points separate these four spots.

With a few games left in the season, each win (or loss in this case) directly impacts the chances of finishing the year with the best possible ranking.

There's been a lot of talk about Juraj Slafkovsky's end of the season in Montreal, but the player who was picked two spots behind him in the same draft, Logan Cooley, is also finishing his first professional campaign in a remarkable way.

He has totaled six goals and 11 points in his last 10 games, and yesterday against the Vancouver Canucks, the 19-year-old forward scored the game-winning goal for his team in overtime.

Thus, the two points allow Arizona to slip two ranks in the NHL's reverse standings, temporarily giving the 5th position to the Canadiens.

However, the Coyotes have played one more game than Martin St-Louis's squad, meaning that tonight's matchup against the New York Islanders could have a significant impact on what happens next for the Canadiens.

Here is the lottery ranking as of today: