2022-2023 Laval Rocket

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I know the Habs do not have much in Laval, but I was looking at the overall prospect pool from a Habs perspective.

First the CHL. I am eliminating 20 year olds and undrafted players, leaving just Junior-aged guys owned by an NHL team. Also eliminating players with less than 30 games played unless they are in the top 100 overal in their league.

In ppg, the Habs have the 3rd and 5th best point-getters in the Q. Quality but not a lot of quantity.

In the OHL, the Habs have 5 skaters in the top 26, that is unbelievably strong for a 32 team NHL. But no one higher than 17th overall (Beck). Note that the Habs' four 18 year olds are all in the top 10 of their cohort. Crazy!

In the WHL, the Habs don't really have anyone 18 or 19. Davidson is an overager and is 5th overall. He is 2nd among already drafted players, and first among 20 year olds. The Habs will likely sign him to an AHL deal after this season.

In the NCAA, the Habs have both the 1st and 2nd best already-drafted scorers in ppg. That is nuts!

In Europe, we are not as strong in terms of quantity, but Engstrom and Kapanen might have NHL careers.

All in all, this is an incredible stable of prospects, we just need to look farther than Laval.

Like I said our prospects have question marks but we still have guys who have real talent and our producing as such. We've been clamouring for that for I don't know how long.

Nothing wrong with being a critic/skeptic/hater necessarily but not qualifying your criticisms of guys like Hutson and what not with the fact they're PRODUCING is silly. Personally I want my prospects putting up monster numbers and we have MANY of them. I've never seen a pool like this.

If they fail...fine. At least we're taking more risks on guys who have REAL upside. You don't get to shit on McCarron, Crisp, DLR, Juulsen picks AND Hutson, Roy, Kidney, Mailloux picks too. That's bullshit.

I'd rather fail with this crop. We've got really talented kids who have aspects of their game they need to shore up. If a third of these guys hit we could be in really good shape.

Again add 2 1st rounders, Caufield, Suzuki, Dach, Slaf, Guhle, Xhekaj and some Laval guys who can fill spots potentially and we could be competitive perennially. A Bedard would be amazing but missing out on him and/or the top 4 of '23 won't kill us.

Hate to say it but a Bruins like roster isn't a bad model and I think we have the pieces.

 

[JC Superstar]

Like I said our prospects have question marks but we still have guys who have real talent and our producing as such. We've been clamouring for that for I don't know how long.

Nothing wrong with being a critic/skeptic/hater necessarily but not qualifying your criticisms of guys like Hutson and what not with the fact they're PRODUCING is silly. Personally I want my prospects putting up monster numbers and we have MANY of them. I've never seen a pool like this.

If they fail...fine. At least we're taking more risks on guys who have REAL upside. You don't get to shit on McCarron, Crisp, DLR, Juulsen picks AND Hutson, Roy, Kidney, Mailloux picks too. That's bullshit.

I'd rather fail with this crop. We've got really talented kids who have aspects of their game they need to shore up. If a third of these guys hit we could be in really good shape.

Again add 2 1st rounders, Caufield, Suzuki, Dach, Slaf, Guhle, Xhekaj and some Laval guys who can fill spots potentially and we could be competitive perennially. A Bedard would be amazing but missing out on him and/or the top 4 of '23 won't kill us.

Hate to say it but a Bruins like roster isn't a bad model and I think we have the pieces.

The better your prospect pool is, the sooner it will be worse.

 

[BaseballCoach]

The better your prospect pool is, the sooner it will be worse.

Not if you don't fall in love with your non-essential vets (ahem Gallagher, also Byron, Armia) and over-pay them. Continually make room for more talent.

 

[Wats]

Is Teasdale coming back to prospect relevance. Really liked him in junior and feel like he can be a good 4th liner

 

[schwang26]

Is Teasdale coming back to prospect relevance. Really liked him in junior and feel like he can be a good 4th liner

I don't think he has the overall skillset to get to the NHL. Yes, he's scoring very consistently right now, but hes not a checking forward or particularly good in his own end. Just sticking a guy like that on the 4th line usually doesn't work.

 

[Wats]

I don't think he has the overall skillset to get to the NHL. Yes, he's scoring very consistently right now, but hes not a checking forward or particularly good in his own end. Just sticking a guy like that on the 4th line usually doesn't work.

He seemed like a guy who played hard during that Memorial cup season. Was thinking maybe he can become a better Darche or something.

 

[JC Superstar]

Not if you don't fall in love with your non-essential vets (ahem Gallagher, also Byron, Armia) and over-pay them. Continually make room for more talent.

If you make room for more talent, you have less in your prospect pool!

 

[BaseballCoach]

If you make room for more talent, you have less in your prospect pool!

Not necessarily. Had we traded Gallagher and Tatar for 1st rounders or equivalent prospects, we would have added to the pool. And we STILL would have been able to afford a new player in trade or UFA of $7.5M.

We could have traded Byron and Armia when they were turning UFA for prospects too, and still added $7.0M to free cap space compared to their expensive extensions.

So instead of these non-essential players, we could have Danault plus $9.0M in space, plus kept the 1st and 2nd we gave to acquire Dvorak, plus used the two firsts we got for Gallagher and Tatar and maybe two 4ths for Armia and Byron. More talent, more prospects, less mediocrity.

We did trade Petry and gained $1.4M in cap space while getting back a talented former first round pick. True we lost Poehling but it was already clear that he would never be a difference maker. Replacement level players can always be replaced.

Cap management is one of the two biggest things a team needs to execute well in order to succeed. The other is talent evaluation.

The problem in a hard cap league is almost never lack of opportunity to acquire talent. It is either not seeing the opportunity or not having the means to pay for it due to crowding out.

 

[JC Superstar]

Not necessarily. Had we traded Gallagher and Tatar for 1st rounders or equivalent prospects, we would have added to the pool. And we STILL would have been able to afford a new player in trade or UFA of $7.5M.

We could have traded Byron and Armia when they were turning UFA for prospects too, and still added $7.0M to free cap space compared to their expensive extensions.

So instead of these non-essential players, we could have Danault plus $9.0M in space, plus kept the 1st and 2nd we gave to acquire Dvorak, plus used the two firsts we got for Gallagher and Tatar and maybe two 4ths for Armia and Byron. More talent, more prospects, less mediocrity.

We did trade Petry and gained $1.4M in cap space while getting back a talented former first round pick. True we lost Poehling but it was already clear that he would never be a difference maker. Replacement level players can always be replaced.

Cap management is one of the two biggest things a team needs to execute well in order to succeed. The other is talent evaluation.

The problem in a hard cap league is almost never lack of opportunity to acquire talent. It is either not seeing the opportunity or not having the means to pay for it due to crowding out.

You're right: letting go of Tony Esposito allowed us to get Ken Dryden!

 

[montreal]

Is Teasdale coming back to prospect relevance. Really liked him in junior and feel like he can be a good 4th liner

I liked him more then others but had major concerns over the skating and lack of speed before the knee injuries. He's got hands, he works hard, he's got NHL strength/frame. I think he will see some NHL games at some point.

 

[BaseballCoach]

You're right: letting go of Tony Esposito allowed us to get Ken Dryden!

While true, we did it a dumb way.

 

[TomKosto]

Laval is going to be fun to watch next year. Probably gonna go to some games to see Roy, Farrell, Kidney, Struble, etc.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Laval is going to be fun to watch next year. Probably gonna go to some games to see Roy, Farrell, Kidney, Struble, etc.

Farrell probably makes Habs, but you never know. I think he is ahead of Harris at same age, and Harris did not stop in Laval.

He probably gets a taste this year, and Fall camp will determine a lot for him.

Struble needs to sign with us of course, but I agree he will probably be in Laval if he does.

Roy likely needs at least 50 AHL games, maybe a full season.

I like Kidney's potential but he will probably have to fight for a job in Laval. He needs to modify his game to succeed as a pro, and 20 minutes per night in Trois-Rivieres might be a good place to start for perhaps 30ish games.

 

[TomKosto]

Farrell probably makes Habs, but you never know. I think he is ahead of Harris at same age, and Harris did not stop in Laval.

He probably gets a taste this year, and Fall camp will determine a lot for him.

Struble needs to sign with us of course, but I agree he will probably be in Laval if he does.

Roy likely needs at least 50 AHL games, maybe a full season.

I like Kidney's potential but he will probably have to fight for a job in Laval. He needs to modify his game to succeed as a pro, and 20 minutes per night in Trois-Rivieres might be a good place to start for perhaps 30ish games.

Let's not rush Farrell. If he makes the team, we need a good role for him and not on the 4th line. I think he need a year in the A but we will see.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Let's not rush Farrell. If he makes the team, we need a good role for him and not on the 4th line. I think he need a year in the A but we will see.

There is room on the 3rd line for him if he does well in camp.

Still, if Suzuki can start on the 4th at age 20, Farrell can start on the 4th at almost 22.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Let's not rush Farrell. If he makes the team, we need a good role for him and not on the 4th line. I think he need a year in the A but we will see.

He will have plenty of opportunity in the top 9. As soon as the trade deadline passes, if Daddy or Drouin are still here they won't be playing much unless injuries.

 

[yoteshot]

[...]

I like Kidney's potential but he will probably have to fight for a job in Laval. He needs to modify his game to succeed as a pro, and 20 minutes per night in Trois-Rivieres might be a good place to start for perhaps 30ish games.

2nd round picks who dominate junior leagues usually don't stop in the ECHL before reaching the AHL. I'd be worried if he did.

 

[TomKosto]

There is room on the 3rd line for him if he does well in camp.

Still, if Suzuki can start on the 4th at age 20, Farrell can start on the 4th at almost 22.

Again, I'm not againts it if he prove he belongs. Excited to see him in play sooner than later.

 

[beowulf]

Laval is getting hot in time for a playoff spot push for sure. 7-2 win is always nice.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Laval is getting hot in time for a playoff spot push for sure. 7-2 win is always nice.

They're already in a playoff spot. Been in one a while now.

They just need to make sure they stay in one.

With the win yesterday, they reclaimed 4th place. But it's really tight.

They're two points behind the 2nd place team. But they're also 2 pts ahead of the 6th place team.

 

[BaseballCoach]

2nd round picks who dominate junior leagues usually don't stop in the ECHL before reaching the AHL. I'd be worried if he did.

Kidney is very much a perimeter player. And he lacks strength. At this stage, and with these flaws, he is not going to get a lot of assists in a pro mens league without playing with the best scorers and we are not about to hand him Caufield, Hoffman or Anderson.

Would he be better off on the 4th line in Laval or to start with 30 games on the first line in TR until he incorporates a more penetrating style?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Kidney is very much a perimeter player. And he lacks strength. At this stage, and with these flaws, he is not going to get a lot of assists in a pro mens league without playing with the best scorers and we are not about to hand him Caufield, Hoffman or Anderson.

Would he be better off on the 4th line in Laval or to start with 30 games on the first line in TR until he incorporates a more penetrating style?

Kidney was a perimeter player. Nicholas has worked with him on this specifically and he has been playing inside a lot more and it's paying dividends.

 

[Adam Michaels]

This could mean that Poulin will return to the line-up.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Kidney was a perimeter player. Nicholas has worked with him on this specifically and he has been playing inside a lot more and it's paying dividends.

Most of the assists I'm seeing in the recent flurry are either on the PP, secondary assists, or ENG assists.

I watched stretches of two recent games and I still saw a perimeter player. I'll be happy if you're right and he is improving on this.

This could mean that Poulin will return to the line-up.

He already did.

Where is Vrbetic?

 

[Adam Michaels]

He already did.

Where is Vrbetic?

Was already in 3R. He was sent down a while ago.