Laval Rocket: 2023-24 Laval Rocket Thread

[WeThreeKings]

Vincent Rohrer won a title in the Swiss League, any chance we see him in Laval in the foreseeable future?

He's going to play out his Swiss League contract and then likely come over.

They're very happy with the work Crawford is doing with him and he's been going hard in the gym. Crawford thinks he could have a David Perron like impact in the NHL.

 

[rik schau]

If you're going to paraphrase from an article at least depict what was said accurately.

“He’s going to be that Mike Keane type of player. Or (David) Perron, that’s who he plays like to me, Perron in Detroit,” Crawford said. “And he just turned 19, too. He turned 19 in September, so he was right on the edge of the last days of the draft. So we have him for two years — obviously, if he blossoms quickly and becomes a guy that they want, they hold all the cards — but for them, him being here, it doesn’t cost them. They’d have to sign him by the end of this year or lose him, and this way they get two extra years for free. So it’s really smart on their part.

 

[Rapala]

It's a tough call but Galipeau has been better than Trudeau who had a couple of penalties last Friday. Trudeau is not a prospect and shouldn't be treated like one.
Maybe you dress 7 D...

Quick edit- Galipeau was a +20 on a bad defensive team.

Trudeau didn't have a great season IMO
After all the talk last season it's easy to see he is not Habs material.
And yes Galipeau was hard to play against which was sorely needed all season long.

He's going to play out his Swiss League contract and then likely come over.

They're very happy with the work Crawford is doing with him and he's been going hard in the gym. Crawford thinks he could have a David Perron like impact in the NHL.

Good to hear I didn't like his game too much when I saw him lose against Beck and Peterborough two seasons ago.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Trudeau didn't have a great season IMO
After all the talk last season it's easy to see he is not Habs material.
And yes Galipeau was hard to play against which was sorely needed all season long.

Trudeau likely gets moved in a deal somehow, like Fairbrother was.

 

[1909]

Trudeau likely gets moved in a deal somehow, like Fairbrother was.

I still think they need him on the left side. Their depth will depend of what’s gonna happen with the Habs’ management decisions.

Left side: Bisson - Struble (?) - Engstrom - Trudeau - Galipeau (Norlinder won’t be kept)
Right side: Reinbacher - Mailloux (?) - ???????? (one of the lefties will have to play there).

Thy gonna need to sign another depth guy. Some young unsigned guys could surprise at the rookies’ camp.

And I don’t think Hutson will ever play at AHL level.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I don’t think Hutson will ever play at AHL level.

Oh, I'm fairly sure he will, because he needs to.

I'm less sure that Hutson will ever be a top-5 NHL D, capable of 18+ minutes per night.

 

[Shutdown]

Oh, I'm fairly sure he will, because he needs to.

I'm less sure that Hutson will ever be a top-5 NHL D, capable of 18+ minutes per night.

small sample size but he played 23.5 and 22 minutes his first two games. he'll play more than 18 minutes per night over his career.

 

[BaseballCoach]

small sample size but he played 23.5 and 22 minutes his first two games. he'll play more than 18 minutes per night over his career.

The two game audition made for a special context, however. We were not playing to necessarily win.

Once we are playing to win, the whole question will be about Hutson's ability to defend at ES. Three possibilities - he might:

• be perfectly ok with 18+ minutes in a top-4 or at least top-5 role
• be limited to a specialist role like Gaston Gingras or M. A. Bergeron
• never escape the American League

 

[Treb]

The two game audition made for a special context, however. We were not playing to necessarily win.

Once we are playing to win, the whole question will be about Hutson's ability to defend at ES. Three possibilities - he might:

• be perfectly ok with 18+ minutes in a top-4 or at least top-5 role
• be limited to a specialist role like Gaston Gingras or M. A. Bergeron
• never escape the American League

It's not a certainty he ever plays in the AHL.

 

[BaseballCoach]

It's not a certainty he ever plays in the AHL.

If he never plays in the AHL it will be because he surpassed my expectations by quite a bit.

 

[Treb]

If he never plays in the AHL it will be because he surpassed my expectations by quite a bit.

Considering your evaluation of him seems abnormally low, yeah.

He is currently our best prospect, #2 at worst.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Considering your evaluation of him seems abnormally low, yeah.

He is currently our best prospect, #2 at worst.

I don't know what is "abnormal". My concerns are precisely the concerns scouts had when he went 58th in 2022.

His NCAA stats did not surprise me, I expected them.

He still needs to improve his backward skating, defensive zone reads and strength.

I would say the abnormal thing is the over the top hype over good NCAA numbers, when his team gave him the freedom to pursue such numbers.

But I will be so happy to be wrong and that he can handle big NHL minutes.

 

[montreal]

His NCAA stats did not surprise me, I expected them.

you expected him to be the best U-20 blueliner in the NCAA for the last 40 years?

 

[BaseballCoach]

you expected him to be the best U-20 blueliner in the NCAA for the last 40 years?

Not "the best" at all.

He has been "high scoring", and in fact, not that much more high scoring as some others in the past 2-3 years.

Yes, I did literally expect well over 1.0 ppg given his style of play, level of competition, etc.

I would not say his WJC results are anywhere near "the best ever", though, would you? Or his WC play last year? If he was the best college Defenceman in 40 years, do you think he woul;d be invited to the 2024 WC over 37 year old Jeff Petry?

Let's never forget the whole picture. On big ice, his non-stellar speed becomes more important than shimmies and shakes, but in a pro league, he may have less miles to travel but his opponents are bigger and stronger and play more physically than his college opponents did.

Where I have hope is that the Habs development team may be able to work wonders with this kid who seems very motivated to improve.

 

[montreal]

Not "the best" at all.

He has been "high scoring", and in fact, not that much more high scoring as some others in the past 2-3 years.

Yes, I did literally expect well op0ver 1.0 ppg given his style of play, level of competition, etc.

He is the best, there's no question on that. That's what getting the most points in 40 years means, that no one was better then you. People don't ask if you were the best but where their others close to you in points? Or you had the most points of any U-20 D in the NCAA in the last 40 years but how did your WJC's go?

 

[BaseballCoach]

He is the best, there's no question on that. That's what getting the most points in 40 years means, that no one was better then you. People don't ask if you were the best but where their others close to you in points? Or you had the most points of any U-20 D in the NCAA in the last 40 years but how did your WJC's go?

By a hair, yes, but the most points per game does not mean "the best NCAA defenceman in 40 years" which is what wasd written. From experience, I can say that Serge Savard was a better defenceman than Paul Coffey. Points are not all a D-man needs to show.

 

[montreal]

By a hair, yes, but the most points per game does not mean "the best NCAA defenceman in 40 years" which is what wasd written. From experience, I can say that Serge Savard was a better defenceman than Paul Coffey. Points are not all a D-man needs to show.

No U-20 defensemen in the last 40+ years has put up more points then Lane Hutson, that makes him the best, when you are at the top of the list and no one is above you, you are the best. It doesn't mean the best at everything but you said his stats didn't surprise you, when in fact Hutson has been the best at putting up points in over 40 years but that somehow didn't surprise you?

 

[Addik04]

No U-20 defensemen in the last 40+ years has put up more points then Lane Hutson, that makes him the best, when you are at the top of the list and no one is above you, you are the best. It doesn't mean the best at everything but you said his stats didn't surprise you, when in fact Hutson has been the best at putting up points in over 40 years but that somehow didn't surprise you?

On top of that, I would say that he brings way more things positively than what he may be causing.

 

[salbutera]

A top-10 PP, w a healthy Dach + top-6 addition this summer gives Habs a strong chance at wildcard spot next playoffs- Hutson will be the straw that stirs the drink as QB on Habs PP starting season opener…. he’s not there to defend

 

[BaseballCoach]

A top-10 PP, w a healthy Dach + top-6 addition this summer gives Habs a strong chance at wildcard spot next playoffs- Hutson will be the straw that stirs the drink as QB on Habs PP starting season opener…. he’s not there to defend

PP last season was decent in the second half once Slaf replaced Anderson. It will be better with Dach joining on it too.

Matheson, meanwhile, was 8th in the league in PP points folr a d-man. I don't think he is losing his spot to a rookie on game 1 of the season. Suzuki-Slaf-Dach-Caufield-Matheson is probably a top-10 PP already.

I do think there is a 50/50 chance Lane gets PP1 time in Laval over Mailloux, if Mailloux doesn't graduate.

There is no reason to rush Lane Hutson into the NHL before he can gain the trust of the coaches to defend at a non-liability level. Our PP will be fine. They should fix the penalty kill first.

 

[salbutera]

Unless he bombs at camp or due to injury recovery stint Hutson won’t see a day of AHL IMO - I see an eerily similar development path to Adam Fox albeit I don’t expect Hutson to be as strong defensively

 

[1909]

When I see Hughes being a prime target for Oilers against Canucks, I don’t want to imagine Hutson in a Playoffs game before few seasons of NHL experience.

 

[salbutera]

When I see Hughes being a prime target for Oilers against Canucks, I don’t want to imagine Hutson in a Playoffs game before few seasons of NHL experience.

But aren’t the top players always targeted at playoff time? It’s not as if Hutson will morph into Schwarzenegger at some point

 

[BaseballCoach]

Unless he bombs at camp or due to injury recovery stint Hutson won’t see a day of AHL IMO - I see an eerily similar development path to Adam Fox albeit I don’t expect Hutson to be as strong defensively

Going from defensively suspect player in college/international competition straight to an NHL regular with no seasoning! Wishful thinking?