The Montreal Canadiens did exactly what Pierre Gauthier said they would do when it came time to walk to the podium for Friday night's first round of the NHL Draft – they took the best player available, regardless of position.

It is definitely the sensible way to go, especially when a prospect like Nathan Beaulieu falls in your lap at the 17th pick.

TSN's Bob McKenzie had Beaulieu ranked at No. 11 based on his survey of NHL scouts, NHL Central Scouting ranked him fifth among North American skaters, the International Scouting Services had him at 14th, and the two experts who helped me with my draft preview – Mark Edwards of Hockeyprospect.com and Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus – each had him at No. 8.

"I don't mind slipping when I end up in an organization like this," Beaulieu told reporters in Minneapolis. "I couldn't be happier right now."

Beaulieu is coming off a Memorial Cup championship with the St. John Sea Dogs (pictured), his father Jacques is an assistant coach for the London Knights (where fellow Habs defensive prospect Jarred Tinordi plays), and he is by most accounts an excellent skater who can move the puck and quarterback a power play. (UPDATE: Jacques Beaulieu was in fact hired as head coach and GM of the Sarnia Sting on May 10. Thanks to @johnnystinger on Twiter and Matt in the comments section for setting me straight).

Furthermore, he plays a position where the Canadiens don't have much organizational depth, because aside from Tinordi there are few enticing defensive prospects waiting in the wings now that P.K. Subban and Yannick Weber have graduated to the NHL.

Frankly, there is not a whole lot about Beaulieu to complain about.

Except one thing: he's not a big forward.

Because even though the Canadiens just have the one backend blue chipper in Tinordi, I would argue they have no potential power forwards in the organizational depth chart.

It's something I felt the organization needed, and also something that was available in abundance in this draft.

Trades were available

Gauthier said on the TSN broadcast that he received many phone calls inquiring about the possibility of trading for his pick once the Canadiens went on the clock, with Beaulieu having slid and still available at No. 17.

We'll never know, but I wonder if any of those phone calls had teams dangling the same sort of package Gauthier used to move up five slots in last year's draft to grab Tinordi, namely a later first rounder with a second rounder.

As enticing as Beaulieu was – and he may very well turn into a star player, don't get me wrong – adding a second round pick in a draft where the second round has lots of value remaining may not have been a bad idea.

Considering Maple Leafs GM Brian Burke gave up the 30th and 39th picks to Anaheim in exchange for the 22nd pick overall so he could get his hands on Tyler Biggs, exactly the type of forward the Canadiens could use in their organization, I would have to imagine Gauthier could have still received a first round pick and added one in the second by trading down.

Having said that, circumstances at the draft are hard to predict and it's possible Beaulieu was so high on the Canadiens draft list that passing him up was just unthinkable to scouting director Trevor Timmins, and that Gauthier deferred to him.

So, as it stands now, Montreal enters Saturday's portion of the draft without a pick in the second round and then one in each of the four rounds that follow at No. 78, No. 113, No. 138, No. 168 and No. 198.

Opportunities remain 

However, the possibility does exist that Gauthier has a few irons in the fire to get himself a couple more picks in the top 60.

James Wisniewski doesn't appear to be a part of Gauthier's plans, and as the top scoring defenseman available in free agency (albeit by just one point over Vancouver's Christian Ehrhoff) his negotiating rights could fetch something from a team seeking an offensive defenceman who wants the inside track on signing him.

There is also the Benoit Pouliot situation, as he is due a qualifying offer for $1.35 million or else he will become an unrestricted free agent. Perhaps there's a team out there who would be willing to pay that price to retain him, because I'm all but positive Gauthier isn't.

Barring either of those scenarios panning out and landing the Canadiens a second round pick, it's hard not to feel as though an opportunity was wasted Friday night.

Beaulieu's availability on the draft board could have landed Gauthier two picks in the top 60, something the Canadiens last had in 2007 when they selected Ryan McDonagh, Max Pacioretty and P.K. Subban in the first two rounds.

With the prospect cupboard beginning to look a little bare, and with the depth of this draft class, perhaps quantity should have been given precedence over quality.

It is up to Beaulieu to prove Gauthier and Timmins were right.