Hayden Paupanekis News: Drafted by Habs in Round 3

Paupanekis was the 69th overall pick by Montreal in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft on Saturday.

Paupanekis split this past season between Spokane and Kelowna of the WHL, getting traded to the Rockets right after New Year's. He played a key role for his new club following the move and was much more effective than his overall numbers (11 goals, 19 points, minus-28 rating in 32 games) indicated. Even on his best days, Paupanekis isn't known as a high-end scorer. He has plenty of size, standing 6-foot-4 and weighing 205 pounds. He is a defensively responsible center who plays hard and can kill penalties. It's not a sexy profile, but Paupanekis could develop into a bottom-six NHL regular with some future seasoning.