That would be an absolute disaster, Wright is the best available player right now and it's not even close.

Wright was literally one of the best skaters at the CHL prospect game skills competition

Isles decline

Cooley may have a big higher ceiling in terms of point production but even that is a stretch. By all accounts he is not on the same level as Wright in terms of his entire game. Wright is the better player and i dont think theres any chance the habs draft anyone besides him.

Cooley should be the one they take.

This is where I’m confused. On one hand you’ve got people talking about how Wright will be an elite 1C and other the other you’ve got guys at theAthletic and Bob McKenzie talking about how he’ll be a good top 6 player but Cooley is far more dynamic and has a higher offensive ceiling. Throw in that he’s had an okay year in the O by first overall pick standards and was pretty much invisible in the two games at the world juniors and I’m not sure what to think. I just want another top Center to pair with Suzuki for the next decade. Whichever one Hughes selects I have faith in to be the right choice.

Well you’re a leafs fan so Wright it is 🤣

The best explanation i saw for the distinction is that Wright fits the mold of a bergeron type of player. Yes he can get you 75-85 points but he's not pulling out highlight reel goals. However he is able to be a factor on the pk and defensively. Too me that compliments Suzuki nicely and now you have two young centers that play a solid 200 foot game, Write could potentially be lining up with Roy and Farrell on his wings in a couple season and i think that could makea very solid 2nd line (or first) depending on production.

Cooley is more offensively dynamic and certainly has the higher ceiling but also has the lower floor. That is a huge risk as you could get Trevor Zegras or you could end up with Kotkaniemi or Zadina as well. Now Wright on the other hand is going to top out at a Bergeron type of player putting up 60-80 points as a top line C but his floor is a 50-60 point 2nd line center capable of playing the 2 way game. For me this is not the time to gamble with 1 OVA take the sure thing. There is no issue for me to have a 1-2 punch of Suzuki-Wright for the next 10+ years and IF we manage to land an elite center like a Bedard then you have a great trade chip in either Zuke or Wright.

ha - in all seriousness though, I've been on the non-Wright train since the start of the year. I think he'll be a good player, but I think this needs to be about game breaking talent for the Habs, and Logan Cooley has the most game breaking potential in the draft. He's a dual threat on offense, and plays with strong intensity. He's a player that MSL will be able to work wonders with.

Jack D. Hughes and Logan Cooley only played in three games together at NTDP (another four U18s). Logan actually moved up from U17s mid-season when Jack got hurt, so Mr. Hughes may not have seen as much of Cooley as one would think.

On Cooley over Wright...

Dan Marr, from NHL Central Scouting, said in January that it was two-man race for 1st overall at mid-terms and said last week that the gap between Wright and Cooley has narrowed.

Bob McKenzie said yesterday that the race for #1 overall has tightened up considerably. But also suggests its a three-man race between Wright, Cooley and Slafkovsky.

Wright appears to be the most obvious choice for #1, but it by no means is the unanimous call we have seen in recent years. It reminds me a lot of 2017 (Nolan Patrick was the long-term 'lock' for 1st overall and had very similar numbers to Wright).

If you mean, "skaters" as in non-goalies, yes.
If you mean, "skaters" as in he had the best skating ability, I would disagree.

And best player from CHL doesn't mean best player in draft.

He was top 5 in every skating related contest at the event. He is a high end skater.

He is exactly what Gorton and Hughes want

Lambert and Cooley are probably the best skaters in this draft.