Green Bay Gamblers defenseman Cooper Cleaves (93) fires a shot against the Waterloo Black Hawks on Saturday, January 25, 2025, at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon, Wis. Waterloo won the game, 6-3.
Tork Mason/USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin
With pick #93, the Montreal Canadiens have selected Cooper Cleaves from Dartmouth College of the NCAA.
Elite Prospects
A draft-plus-two player, the Canadiens clearly like what they saw from the 20-year-old in his first year of collegiate hockey. Almost matching his production in the USHL from the previous year, it’s easy to see why they were intrigued by his transition.
Cleaves is another right-shot defenceman, and that seems to be the position the organization is targeting on the second day of the draft. Cleaves is closer to joining the professional ranks than a typical draft prospect, which may have factored into this selection.
Despite trading away their own fourth-round pick to move up in the second round, the Canadiens will be back on the clock with the Winnipeg Jets’ fourth-rounder at 103rd.
