Under the dazzling lights of the NHL Draft, two men—Kent Hughes and Mathieu Darche—locked eyes from opposite ends of the arena, each holding the fate of their franchise in a single decision. It was a moment thick with tension, the kind of silent rivalry that crackles beneath the surface and only reveals its true impact months later. The photo that now circulates—Hughes on the left, Darche on the right, captured by All Montreal Hockey / NHL—freezes this instant forever, turning a simple handshake into a chess match played in real time.

But what happened next, as the clock ticked down in the second round of 2025, would send shockwaves through the hockey world. The Montreal Canadiens, led by Hughes, made a daring move, leaping ahead in the draft order to seize the 34th overall pick. Just behind them, a cluster of teams watched, hungry for the top Russian prospects still on the board. In a single, calculated strike, Hughes claimed Alexander Zharovsky—a name few had whispered but many coveted. At just 18, Zharovsky was already making waves with Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL, stringing together standout performances while remaining a hidden gem on Montreal’s salary cap, unsigned and untouchable.

Across the draft floor, Mathieu Darche and his New York Islanders felt the sting of opportunity slipping away. Their eyes had been locked on Zharovsky, too; Vladimir Malakhov, now with the Islanders, would later admit, “We wanted Zharovsky too, but Montreal grabbed him earlier.” Instead, Darche settled for Daniil Prokhorov, another Russian power winger, taken 42nd overall. The gamble was similar, but the results—so far—couldn’t be more different. Prokhorov, also 18, signed quickly and for substantial money, but his KHL stats have been underwhelming: just one point in 13 games, and barely enough ice time to leave a mark.

Meanwhile, Zharovsky continues to ignite the KHL, his name surfacing in All-Star Game conversations and his offensive impact already eclipsing Prokhorov among the league’s young Russian forwards. The Canadiens’ fans can hardly contain their excitement, watching Hughes’ masterstroke unfold just as Darche steps into his new role with the Islanders—fresh off spending a first-overall pick on defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The comparison between these two hockey minds, once teammates in Quebec, is now a storyline that will echo through the season.

Yet, beneath the surface, something deeper is at play. The draft is more than numbers and names—it’s a battlefield of vision, patience, and risk. Hughes’ move wasn’t just about picking a player; it was about seizing a moment, outmaneuvering a rival, and setting the stage for a narrative that could define the next chapter of Montreal hockey. For now, the race is far from over. Prokhorov may yet find his stride, and Darche could still turn the tables. But as Zharovsky’s star rises in Russia, one thing is clear: in that pivotal section of the 2025 draft, Kent Hughes didn’t just make a pick—he made a statement.

What happens when two former teammates become fierce competitors, each chasing glory in the unforgiving spotlight of the NHL? The answer, still unfolding, is a story no hockey fan will want to miss.

Photo of Kent Hughes (left) and Mathieu Darche (right)

Photo credit: All Montreal Hockey / NHL

In the second round of 2025, the Canadiens moved up to advance and pick at 34th overall, just ahead of a series of teams that were monitoring the top Russian prospects.

Result: Alexander Zharovsky, 18, became the property of Montreal.

While Zharovsky continues to string together games with Salavat Yulaev Ufa in the KHL, he still does not cost a single cent on the Canadiens’ salary cap because he has not yet signed an NHL entry-level contract.

On Monday, in Russia, the young player struck again against CSKA Moscow with a goal and an assist on the power play, while remaining among the top under-20 scorers in the KHL, behind Yegor Surin, a Predators prospect.

Kent Hughes may have played a trick on Mathieu Darche at the last draft.

On the other side, Mathieu Darche’s New York Islanders got their hands, a few picks later, on another major Russian prospect: power winger Daniil Prokhorov, selected 42nd overall. Same draft class, same type of gamble, but two very different trajectories so far.

Vladimir Malakhov, who now works for the Islanders, clearly hinted that the New York Islanders wanted Zharovsky.

“The Islanders also hoped to draft Zharovsky. “But it didn’t work out – Montreal took him. We’re very happy with Prokhorov. He should have gone in the first round but slipped to the second – thankfully. I was sitting there waiting, and they asked: ‘Do we take him?’ I said, ‘Take him, please.’ We wanted Zharovsky too, but Montreal grabbed him earlier.” – Malakhov

Prokhorov, also 18, has already signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Islanders, around $915,000 per year. On the ice, however, he is struggling to produce: just one point in 13 games with Dynamo Moscow in the KHL, and ice time limited to just over four minutes per game.

Zharovsky is not yet under contract in North America, but he is playing significant minutes in Russia, inserting himself into discussions for the KHL All-Star Game and already placing ahead of Prokhorov in terms of offensive impact among young Russian forwards. That is called winning your bet, at least for now.

For Canadiens fans, the most satisfying part is that this masterstroke by Hughes comes just as Mathieu Darche has taken over the Islanders, and after he spent a first-overall pick on defenseman Matthew Schaefer. The comparison between the two hockey operations departments will come up often.

It is still early in the story and Prokhorov has time to take off, but if Zharovsky continues to produce in the KHL before joining Montreal, the narrative will be simple to tell: in that section of the 2025 draft, Kent Hughes clearly pulled ahead of his former Quebec teammate now sitting in the Islanders’ front office.