NHL announces Montreal to host 2022 NHL Draft

Forever Blueshirts Updated: Sep 17, 2021

New York Rangers Draft — Jun 21, 2019; Vancouver, BC, Canada; From left Kaapo Kakko (New York Rangers) , Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils) and Kirby Dach (Chicago Blackhawks) pose with their new team jerseys after being drafted as the top three overall picks in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Anne-Marie Sorvin-USA TODAY Sports

The Montreal Canadiens will host the 2022 NHL Draft at the Bell Centre, the league announced Friday.

The city had been scheduled to host the draft in 2020, but the event was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic instead, as it was in 2021.

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Montreal to host NHL Draft

“We are proud to announce that, once again, we are conducting our Draft in front of the great fans of the Montreal Canadiens,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “Montreal, the site of the first NHL Draft in 1963, is a wonderful place to bring the NHL family together and to focus on the future of our game.

alexis lafreniere nål draft — NYR select Lafreniere (Getty Images)

The draft will start July 7 with the first-round picks. Rounds two through seven will be held the following day.

Montreal has hosted the event 26 times, most recently in 2009. The league conducted the 2019 draft in Vancouver.

The Buffalo Sabres selected Owen Power with the No. 1 overall pick in 2021. He is committed to returning to school at Michigan in the upcoming season.