Trevor Timmins evaluates the Canadiens' draft

DALLAS - Following the second day of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft in Dallas, assistant general manager Trevor Timmins met with members of the media to evaluate the Canadiens' selections.

Here's a look at Timmins' thoughts on several of the players who joined the fold over the weekend.
Jesperi KotkaniemiCenter - 6-foot-2, 183 poundsFirst round pick, third overall
"He's a player who really took off during the second half of the season. He has a lot of assets. We project that he'll become a first or second-line center in the future."
"Along with Poehling, who we drafted in the first round last year, we're confident that we'll soon be able to count on two quality centermen down the road."
"Did we draft him just because he plays center? Not at all. He creates plays, he has a good shot, he can defend, he's big, he has character and he competes. He hasn't even come close to reaching his potential."

Jesse Ylö nenCenter - 6-feet-0, 168 poundsSecond round pick, 35th overall
"He's a young player who has phenomenal speed. He has a lot of assets, a lot of potential physically and as a hockey player."
"His physical development will be key to his progression, but if you look around the NHL, it isn't as important as it once was. Guys like Mitch Marner, he wasn't big when he was drafted. It isn't as important a factor as it used to be."

Alexander RomanovDefenseman - 5-foot-11, 185 poundsSecond round pick, 38th overall
"We were all excited to get him. We invited him to our combine in Stockholm. We liked him a lot. He looks a bit like Alexei Emelin, with a ton of energy."
"He's a great player. He plays like a pro. He's fast. He moves the puck fast. Check out the videos of him. I'm convinced that you'll like what you see and you'll understand why we got him. We didn't want to miss out on him. We thought we couldn't wait for our next pick."
"We really started being interested in him at the World Junior A Challenge when he played for the Russian National Team. It was on a smaller ice surface in Nova Scotia and he really stepped up his game and played well there. With less time and space, he showed us that he could make good decisions with the puck. He can play physical. He does it all."

Jacob OlofssonCenter - 6-foot-3, 190 poundsSecond round pick, 56th overall
"We couldn't believe that he was still available. Our Swedish scout was going to fall off his chair. He would have strangled me if we didn't pick him."
"He's a good player, a two-way center. He has good size and skates well. He competes and has good hockey sense."

Cameron HillisCenter - 5-foot-10, 168 pounds Third round pick, 66th overall
"He's 5-foot-10, but he plays like he's 6-foot-4."
"He's energetic. He has exceptional cardio. He never stops. He was a rookie with Guelph in the OHL this year and he ended up being the top-line center for a team that already had several players drafted by NHL teams. He's a young player that never stops and he has good hockey sense. That's a good combination."
"He isn't as physical as Brendan Gallagher, but he's just as determined."

Jordan HarrisDefenseman - 5-foot-11, 179 poundsThird round pick, 71st overall
"We wanted to add an offensive defenseman. A dynamic skater. Right there, he was available. We like his assets and he'll be able to develop over the next four years at university."