Montreal Canadiens reportedly trade for the next Tom Wilson

Appearing on The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro, Wilde broke down the profile of first-round pick Gleb Pugachyov and landed on a comparison that immediately caught attention around the hockey world: Washington Capitals winger Tom Wilson.

Wilde's reasoning centers on more than just physicality. Pugachyov, listed at 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, plays the kind of imposing, hard-nosed game that defines Wilson's identity in Washington, but Wilde was careful to note he is not simply a fighter.

Like Wilson, Pugachyov reads the game well, protects the puck effectively and uses his frame to create space rather than just intimidate.

Wilde pointed out that few players in the league share that exact mix of size, hockey sense and edge, which is part of what makes the projection so notable.

He also floated Josh Anderson as a secondary comparison, suggesting Pugachyov's eventual ceiling could land somewhere between the two power forwards if his development goes as hoped.

Montreal entered the 2026 NHL Draft holding the 28th overall selection, but Kent Hughes and the front office moved up two spots to ensure they landed their target.

The Canadiens sent the 28th overall pick and a third-round selection in 2027 to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for the 26th overall pick. Vegas had originally acquired that selection in a separate deal that sent winger Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers.

The move signaled just how much value Montreal's scouting staff placed on Pugachyov, who spent the 2025-26 season across three levels of Russian hockey, including MHL, VHL and KHL action.

Teams rarely spend extra draft capital to jump just two spots unless they fear losing their guy, and that urgency lines up with Wilde's enthusiasm on the podcast.

If Pugachyov develops into even a fraction of the player Wilson has become, the Canadiens will look like they got tremendous value late in the first round.

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