A Montreal Canadiens prospect is drawing one of the boldest comparisons in franchise history.
Grant McCagg said on HabsCast this week that after breaking down the game tape, he's warmed up fast to Gleb Pugachyov's defensive game.
McCagg didn't hold back with the comparison either, floating the idea that Montreal may have drafted a Bob Gainey clone.
That's not a name thrown around lightly in Montreal.
Gainey remains one of the most decorated two-way forwards in franchise history, a Selke winner and a Cup champion as a player.
McCagg said the context around Pugachyov's defensive habits is exactly what changed his mind on the player in a hurry, calling it a real shift in his own evaluation.
The breakdown airs tonight at 7 PM ET on HabsCast, with McCagg walking through the tape play by play.
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Why the Bob Gainey comparison means so much in Montreal
Comparisons like this carry real weight in Montreal, a market that remembers exactly what Gainey meant to this franchise for over a decade.
GM Kent Hughes has stayed active building out Montreal's pipeline, and a two-way prospect drawing this kind of praise only adds to that momentum.
Coach Martin St-Louis has shown he values defensive detail in his forwards, which makes a prospect like this an even better fit for how Montreal wants to play.
Bold comparisons this early can set a player up to disappoint, but if the tape really backs it up, this is exactly the kind of hype worth watching closely.
Whether Pugachyov actually grows into that kind of two-way reputation is still years away from being answered.
For now, Montreal has a new name worth watching, and the tape breakdown tonight should offer a real first look at why.
Does comparing Gleb Pugachyov to Bob Gainey set unfair expectations?
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