After the 1957–58 season, the Rangers left him unprotected for the annual intra-league draft, and Lewicki became Montreal Canadiens property. Although he had a good training camp, and earned a bonus for his play, he was shipped to the Chicago Black Hawks. Lewicki and other players who had been picked from the Rangers' system were picked by the Canadiens simply to hurt the Rangers and the Canadiens had no plans to play them.