Prospect Info: 2024 Memorial Cup (Beck): May 24-June 2nd | TSN, RDS, NHLN, TSN.ca, RDS.ca

[Redux91]

Leafs guy named MVP

You hate to see it

They had a guy score 69 goals this year.
69.

They're golfing.

He's good, he ain't the answer.

 

[Kimota]

It was 6-2 Oshawa

From the sound of it, more like happy princesses.

 

[Rapala]

That's what I'm hoping for, but I'll take just being better than Dvorak/Evans.

Which is exactly what people need to be looking at.
Current members of our roster both AHL and NHL.
We need to get better one player at a time and one game at a time.
Unfortunately Good teams can't be built like modular housing.
Two halfs on a pre-poured foundation.

 

[themilosh]

Which is exactly what people need to be looking at.
Current members of our roster both AHL and NHL.
We need to get better one player at a time and one game at a time.
Unfortunately Good teams can't be built like modular housing.
Two halfs on a pre-poured foundation.

Hugo has neen tasked with badically gutting/rebuilding the entire system.. CH has been so poorly managed from Houle to MB we have 30 years of stench to purge.
This is why drafting a D or an F makes no difference, everything is needed. And when the time comes we can make those Dallas over the top type TDL deals to double down.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Hugo has neen tasked with badically gutting/rebuilding the entire system.. CH has been so poorly managed from Houle to MB we have 30 years of stench to purge.
This is why drafting a D or an F makes no difference, everything is needed. And when the time comes we can make those Dallas over the top type TDL deals to double down.

I don't agree that Hughes had to rebuild/gut the entire system. He started with Suzuki, Caufield, Romanov, Guhle, Roy, Mailloux, Xhekaj, Primeau, Kapanen. Pieces to trade for more assets like Toffoli and Chiarot.

Hughes has just done a better job at doing the rebuild right. Better long term vision

 

[Hoochi Papa]

Hugo has neen tasked with badically gutting/rebuilding the entire system.. CH has been so poorly managed from Houle to MB we have 30 years of stench to purge.
This is why drafting a D or an F makes no difference, everything is needed. And when the time comes we can make those Dallas over the top type TDL deals to double down.

Habs definitely shouldn't be locked on forward with their first round pick. They have plenty of 2nd-3rd pair depth in defensive prospects but if they do believe there's cornerstone 1D available, then go for it. According to their own expectations Reinbacher won't be one. If every interesting forward is taken at 5th and there's a drop in talent, don't reach for need like Bergevin.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Habs definitely shouldn't be locked on forward with their first round pick. They have plenty of 2nd-3rd pair depth in defensive prospects but if they do believe there's cornerstone 1D available, then go for it. According to their own expectations Reinbacher won't be one. If every interesting forward is taken at 5th and there's a drop in talent, don't reach for need like Bergevin.

I see so many people talking about this but, if there were legitimate sure-fire 1Ds in this draft, why aren't they being drafted in the 3 subsequent picks ahead of the Habs by 3 teams with also clear needs on defense?

And before we say that Demidov is a high octane offensive talent, sure but he's not Connor Bedard, he's not a center, and he's a smaller winger, which is the least valuable position in the NHL.

So the real answer is that the Habs are locked on a forward with their first pick because not only is that their biggest need, but because there are no surefire 1Ds that will be available when they pick, as they will be long gone before we pick at 5. The real calculus is whether or not the Habs should take another left shot defenseman who isn't a sure fire 1D and plays a lot like Guhle (Dickinson), another left shot defenseman with some skating issues, an offensive game that isn't sure to completely translate and holes in their defense game like Hutson (Buium), or a RD that is a defensive issue, has brain cramps in his own end, has some disciplinary issues on the ice and needs to play on the PP to be effective (Parekh) over a forward.

 

[Habs Icing]

Hugo has neen tasked with badically gutting/rebuilding the entire system.. CH has been so poorly managed from Houle to MB we have 30 years of stench to purge.
This is why drafting a D or an F makes no difference, everything is needed. And when the time comes we can make those Dallas over the top type TDL deals to double down.

I disagree. It does make a difference.

These are the D-men in the organization:

LEFT-HANDED (7)
Matheson
Guhle
Hutson
Harris
Struble
Xhekaj
Engstrom

LongShots
Nurmi
Trudeau
Mittestadt


RIGHT-HANDED (6)
Savard
Reinbacher
Kovacevic
Mailloux
Barron
Konyushkov

LongShots
Kostenko
Sobolev
Tournigy

Seven on the left and six on the right. To further complicate matters, Guhle, Engstrom and Harris can play on both sides but we'll put that tidbit aside. That's thirteen legit players for seven - maybe eight - spots on the big team.

Now do it for the top nine forwards. I'll let you do it. We have a short fall of legit players for the forward positions, especially for the 2nd line.. All you got is Dach and maybe Newhook.

We have almost double the number of players for the defensive positions available. On the forward side we have 7 (cross our fingers) players for the top two lines: CC, Suzuki, Slaf, Dach, Newhook, Mesar and Roy.

I see that as a huge shot fall! So, no, it makes a big difference if we draft forwards as opposed to d-men.

 

[Harry Kakalovich]

Habs definitely shouldn't be locked on forward with their first round pick. They have plenty of 2nd-3rd pair depth in defensive prospects but if they do believe there's cornerstone 1D available, then go for it. According to their own expectations Reinbacher won't be one. If every interesting forward is taken at 5th and there's a drop in talent, don't reach for need like Bergevin.

Every team identifies different players. Habs have had some hard-luck passing on D to pick a F in the past with some of their top 5 picks. There is a lot of pressure to pick a forward this year, but there are also good arguments to be made for most of these top-15 picks, so it really comes down to which ones the Habs scouts believe in. There will be no way to know much in this draft until draft night, so we'll just have to wait and see.

Bottom line, if they find an impact player at 5, no matter the position that will be a huge help moving forward.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Memorial Cup is set.

WHL Champs: Moose Jaw Warriors

OHL Champs: London Knights

QMJHL Champs: Drummondville Voltigeurs

Host: Saginaw Spirit (Beck)

 

[sampollock]

Go MJ Warriors

 

[gusfring]

London will roll.

 

[morhilane]

Memorial Cup is set.

WHL Champs: Moose Jaw Warriors

OHL Champs: London Knights

QMJHL Champs: Drummondville Voltigeurs

Host: Saginaw Spirit (Beck)

Warrios, Knights, Spirit(s)...Voltigeurs.

Someone forgot their D&D manual when they named their junior team.

 

[Shred]

Warrios, Knights, Spirit(s)...Voltigeurs.

Someone forgot their D&D manual when they named their junior team.

They are also named after soldiers so not so different from Knights and Warriors.

 

[Scintillating10]

Hope tournament is good. Because CHL playoffs been crap so far. Must set record for sweeps

 

[Adam Michaels]

It starts tonight.

Saginaw (Beck) vs. Moose Jaw @ 7:30PM ET

 

[Whitesnake]

I see so many people talking about this but, if there were legitimate sure-fire 1Ds in this draft, why aren't they being drafted in the 3 subsequent picks ahead of the Habs by 3 teams with also clear needs on defense?

And before we say that Demidov is a high octane offensive talent, sure but he's not Connor Bedard, he's not a center, and he's a smaller winger, which is the least valuable position in the NHL.

So the real answer is that the Habs are locked on a forward with their first pick because not only is that their biggest need, but because there are no surefire 1Ds that will be available when they pick, as they will be long gone before we pick at 5. The real calculus is whether or not the Habs should take another left shot defenseman who isn't a sure fire 1D and plays a lot like Guhle (Dickinson), another left shot defenseman with some skating issues, an offensive game that isn't sure to completely translate and holes in their defense game like Hutson (Buium), or a RD that is a defensive issue, has brain cramps in his own end, has some disciplinary issues on the ice and needs to play on the PP to be effective (Parekh) over a forward.

Yeesh...not sure how right that analysis of Buium is....like Hutson? Really? The issue is this though...after Celebrini you then can make the exact same kind of evaluation with any picks. For every point you make for d-men, I can make the same number of points for forwards. But it's fine to disregard those points just because of our needs? You don't have hesitations with Sennecke? With Lindstrom? With Iginla?

Geez, at this point, if the only thing sure is Celebrini, why wouldn't you advocate for trading down and pick up another 1st rounder? I mean, need for need....question marks for questions marks...might as well pick 2 guys? More chances to hit?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Yeesh...not sure how right that analysis of Buium is....like Hutson? Really? The issue is this though...after Celebrini you then can make the exact same kind of evaluation with any picks. For every point you make for d-men, I can make the same number of points for forwards. But it's fine to disregard those points just because of our needs? You don't have hesitations with Sennecke? With Lindstrom? With Iginla?

Geez, at this point, if the only thing sure is Celebrini, why wouldn't you advocate for trading down and pick up another 1st rounder? I mean, need for need....question marks for questions marks...might as well pick 2 guys? More chances to hit?

Yes, like Hutson.. they create their offense in very similar ways and both have question marks about how well they can defend. Lane's is size related, Buium's is not size related but more IQ related. So you're not going to invest a top 5 pick into what you already have in your system with the same strengths and similar weaknesses.

But yes, if you are picking top 5 why would you double down on what you already have with similar question marks? You'd obviously go for the position and things you need on your team. Hitting on Buium means you have to find the right trade for Hutson. Hitting on Iginla or Sennecke impacts us in no way but gives us dimensions we need.

There's question marks at everyone but no you don't trade down now, you trust your scouts and pick the highest rated guy on your list and account for, if everyone has the same amount of uncertainty, who makes us better compared to our in house alternatives if they hit.

 

[Whitesnake]

Yes, like Hutson.. they create their offense in very similar ways and both have question marks about how well they can defend. Lane's is size related, Buium's is not size related but more IQ related. So you're not going to invest a top 5 pick into what you already have in your system with the same strengths and similar weaknesses.

But yes, if you are picking top 5 why would you double down on what you already have with similar question marks? You'd obviously go for the position and things you need on your team. Hitting on Buium means you have to find the right trade for Hutson. Hitting on Iginla or Sennecke impacts us in no way but gives us dimensions we need.

There's question marks at everyone but no you don't trade down now, you trust your scouts and pick the highest rated guy on your list and account for, if everyone has the same amount of uncertainty, who makes us better compared to our in house alternatives if they hit.

For Buium, I totally don't agree. But it's all good. People will be surprised with that player.

Thing is....when are we competing? When are we finally becoming a team that can compete and contend? What is the problem in having to deale Hutson, Mailloux, and whoever if we happen to get in return a 21-22 year old instead of drafting a 18-year old and waiting for him? People rave about Suzuki and Dach and Newhook....3 guys we got through trades. 3 guys we got thanks to picks and players we got at the draft (Pacioretty).

Maybe this is where we are at? By having confidence in the pros in charge..maybe have confidence also in Hughes and Gorton and the pro scouts to use picks to get a little older players?

My pick, right now, is Iginla. Sennecke not far behind. But I do have d-men between them. Because I believe they have more value. Either for us, or in a trade later.

 

[WeThreeKings]

For Buium, I totally don't agree. But it's all good. People will be surprised with that player.

Thing is....when are we competing? When are we finally becoming a team that can compete and contend? What is the problem in having to deale Hutson, Mailloux, and whoever if we happen to get in return a 21-22 year old instead of drafting a 18-year old and waiting for him? People rave about Suzuki and Dach and Newhook....3 guys we got through trades. 3 guys we got thanks to picks and players we got at the draft (Pacioretty).

Maybe this is where we are at? By having confidence in the pros in charge..maybe have confidence also in Hughes and Gorton and the pro scouts to use picks to get a little older players?

My pick, right now, is Iginla. Sennecke not far behind. But I do have d-men between them. Because I believe they have more value. Either for us, or in a trade later.

I don't mind others liking Buium more than me but that's kind of where we are at, right? Last year we knew who the top 4 players were going to be. There's no such feeling about that right now, except we are pretty confident Celebrini is at 1 and Levshunov should go in the top 4. Outside of that, we can't even get agreement that Demidov goes at 2 or at 5, or if Dickinson is in the top 4 or not, if Silayev is top 4 or not.

So when you have it wide open like that, I don't think the BPA is so clear that needs don't factor in. Levshunov there at 5, yeah things probably change. Outside of that, I don't think you can make a solid argument that a LD will be absolutely bonkers BPA that we can eschew the bigger need. Nor do I think Hughes makes comments about the LD if he doesn't know his scouts aren't banging the table for one and what was said on The Athletic podcast today is that the information around the Habs organization is they are beyond thrilled with how their defense, particularly left defense is developing.

The competing question is always dictated by the roster but it's clear they want to be in the playoff hunt next year. The problem is that if you make the investment on the LD you aren't sure about, and they don't hit, you wasted a premium pick on a position you didn't need. If they do hit, you are running into a situation where you have to trade one of the LD off your roster that are already advanced and probably established at that point. In which you then have to find the right trade and that right trade might not be out there for you to make. Look at how badly Philly got fleeced being forced to deal Gauthier, when teams see you coming a mile away, it doesn't always go over very well.

The messaging about being focused on any position but LD is surely off their evaluation of the LD in the draft and the LD on their roster and in their system. I don't know about you, but if my work gives me a $500 bonus, I'm probably gonna invest it on something I need rather than hoping to get something that might be better than what I already have.

 

[SwiftyHab]

how are you guys tracking the scores of the memorial cup? CHL app?

 

[angusyoung]

how are you guys tracking the scores of the memorial cup? CHL app?

I'm old school,still using carrier pigeons.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

how are you guys tracking the scores of the memorial cup? CHL app?

Yes.

 

[Habs]

friggen Portland taking out my Cougars than eating a dick against MJ. That pisses me off

 

[Whitesnake]

Eager to see Beck. I was dissapointed offensively this year. Not statswise. But how he handled himself. And he tried to find open spaces. I thought he was playing it safe more often than not. I want him to be more assertive. Let's go Owen.