The NHL Draft is well underway.
The Canadiens had the 18th choice on Friday night, and Bob Gainey settled on Kirkland native Louis Leblanc.
It's the first time the Habs have selected a Quebecer in the first round since 1998's choice of Eric Chouinard.
Leblanc, 18 years old, won Rookie of the Year last season in the U.S. Hockey League.
He hopes to go to Harvard this winter to study economics, and work with trainer Ted Donato.
Before Bob Gainey took the stage the night went as expected.
Fans booed NHL commissioner Gary Bettman, then Islander G.M. Garth Snow snapped up John Tavares. Managers have been hungering after Tavares for a year, after an unsuccessful push to change the rules to draft him in 2008. The 18-year-old has already led two Canadian teams to gold medals at the World Junior Championships.
After Tavares's selection, the Tampa Bay Lightning picked Victor Hedman, and the Colorado Avalanche chose Matt Duschene.
On Saturday, in the Third Round the Canadiens drafted Joonas Nattinen and Mac Bennett. The Finnish player is the 65th overall pick, while Bennett is number 79.
Their 109th choice, in the Fourth Round, is Russian Alexander Avtsyn.
In the Sixth Round the Habs selected another Quebecer as the 139th overall pick. Gabriel Dumont currently plays in the QMJHL.
Other Montreal selections are Kingston's Dustin Walsh (No. 169), Indiana's Michael Cichy (No. 199) and Finland's Petteri Simila (No. 211).
