Laval Rocket: 2023-24 Laval Rocket Thread
- Thread starter Adam Michaels
- Start date
You know your Habs history for sure. Nicely done!
I think Laval's success will be based on how well the AHL vets lead and show these kids and for these kids to play to their potential. The AHL is a hard league for 20 year old first year players.
C - Gabriel Bourque
A - Mitchell Stephens
A - Lucas Condotta
A - Tobie Paquette-Bisson
A - Mitchell Stephens
A - Lucas Condotta
A - Tobie Paquette-Bisson
Gaylord Q Tinkledink
Registered User
- Apr 29, 2018
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Maybe not strongest, but youngest, likely in the running with Bergevin who showed he's an idiot by going with an ultra young team in the AHL his first year as GM, which I called out on my other account.
You need a good mix. I think the team this year might be a bit more heavy on the youngsters than I would like, but we'll see how they do.
It's better to be a little short on vets than to have too many and the youngsters don't get any time.
Team_Spirit
95% Elliotte
- Jul 3, 2002
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Condo seems like a great guy. Getting a letter in his 2nd pro year is something to be proud of. Congrats
Happy they gave the C to a player commited to the program in Laval rather than a guy on an NHL contract as in previous years.
jrom
Registered User
- Mar 28, 2022
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Agreed, he was captain of his NCAA team in his last season, with praises for his work ethic & leadership, we need good AHL leaders also !
montreal
Go Habs Go
certainly not the strongest but could be the youngest. I think they will be a playoff team but I'm not expecting them to be one of the top teams in the league.
Pompeius Magnus
Registered User
I'm still a bit worried that we didn't get a couple of more established AHL vets to carry some of the load, this is a super young roster all around. I'm a bit worried about the rough stuff as well, JPJ and McKay can bring some sandpaper but they won't keep the more physical teams in check. It's a legit factor in the AHL and we might get out muscled on some nights like we were last season.
Adam Michaels
Registered User
Yesterday was Laval's media day. Today they practice.
Armia cleared waivers, but he is still with the Habs. And Xhekaj was sent to Laval. But all that is more to do with cap math than it does hockey. With Armia clearing waivers, Habs can send him down at any moment before their opening game tomorrow. And Xhekaj of course is a paper transaction. He is still with the Habs.
Lindstrom, however, was sent down to Laval. So he should be at practice today. And so should Norlinder and Heineman. So we might get a glimpse of their lines and D pairings that could give us a hint on their opening night roster this Friday.
Armia cleared waivers, but he is still with the Habs. And Xhekaj was sent to Laval. But all that is more to do with cap math than it does hockey. With Armia clearing waivers, Habs can send him down at any moment before their opening game tomorrow. And Xhekaj of course is a paper transaction. He is still with the Habs.
Lindstrom, however, was sent down to Laval. So he should be at practice today. And so should Norlinder and Heineman. So we might get a glimpse of their lines and D pairings that could give us a hint on their opening night roster this Friday.
Adam Michaels
Registered User
I think they have a decent core of vets starting with Bourque, Gignac, Keeper, Maillet, Bisson, Beaudin, McKay, I am sure I am missing a couple but this is a decent group.
EveryDay
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- Jun 13, 2009
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Heineman-Maillet-Roy
Andersson-Mitchell-Armia
Farrell-Condotta-Légaré
Davidson-Gignac-Bourque
McKay-Mysak-Simoneau
Mesar: Kitchener
Kidney: Trois-Rivières
Norlinder-Lindstrom
Trudeau-Bisson
Struble-Mailloux
Beaudin-Keeper-Galipeau
Dobes
Mann
Andersson-Mitchell-Armia
Farrell-Condotta-Légaré
Davidson-Gignac-Bourque
McKay-Mysak-Simoneau
Mesar: Kitchener
Kidney: Trois-Rivières
Norlinder-Lindstrom
Trudeau-Bisson
Struble-Mailloux
Beaudin-Keeper-Galipeau
Dobes
Mann
Pompeius Magnus
Registered User
I'm talking about the AHL lifer types, a Chris Terry or a T.J. Tynan. Vets who know the league inside out and are used to carrying an offense.
Lines at practice:
Main trios seem to be:
Heineman-Maillet-Roy
Farrell-Stephens-Mesar
Simoneau-Kidney-Andersson
Norlinder-Mailloux
Trudeau-Lindstrom
Struble-P.-Bisson
Beaudin-Keeper
Galipeau
That first pairing is not a good idea..
Davidson, Condotta, Mysak, McKay, Légaré and Bourque are on the ice rotating in.
Brandon Gignac was wearing a gray non-contact jersey
Main trios seem to be:
Heineman-Maillet-Roy
Farrell-Stephens-Mesar
Simoneau-Kidney-Andersson
Norlinder-Mailloux
Trudeau-Lindstrom
Struble-P.-Bisson
Beaudin-Keeper
Galipeau
That first pairing is not a good idea..
Davidson, Condotta, Mysak, McKay, Légaré and Bourque are on the ice rotating in.
Brandon Gignac was wearing a gray non-contact jersey
Adam Michaels
Registered User
Just to specify, those weren't the lines at practice today. I think @EveryDay was simply writing the line-up he either predicts or wants to see. @Habsfan18 posted the actual lines and D pairings from practice.
Armia isn't technically with the Rocket yet. He cleared waivers, but he was kept on the main roster for cap reasons. Anthony Marcotte mentioned that Armia will be officially sent down to Laval some time today (probably after 5PM). It will be a curious thing to see where he will be lined up. Because personally, I love the fact Heineman, Roy, Farrell & Mesar are the Top-6 wingers.
___________________________________
Some quotes from after practice:
The Rocket are playing their first 4 games at home. It was the same thing last year, but they got off to a bad start. Gabriel Bourque mentions that there is a lot of talent on the roster and the key thing is that everyone needs to accept their roles and push in the same direction. And as captain, it'll be his duty to ensure it's like that. Because last year, guys were complaining about their ice time and their spot in the line-up and that was a reason they got off to a bad start.
JF Houle says that his expecation is that they will start the season with the roster they have while he waits to see what the decision management will take regarding Mesar. And as Marcotte mentions, there shouldn't be anyone else sent down to 3R after Parker-Jones and Tourigny were earlier.
Heineman and Norlinder are proud of their camps with the Habs. They are also aware that there are things they need to work on. Norlinder specifically mentioned that confidence made the difference for him this camp. He intends to carry over his good play at camp into his play in Laval. And it seems he will be on the top pair with Mailloux.
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Adam Michaels
Registered User
I don't know if anyone else noticed, but Norlinder always has a smile on his face or laughing. He seems like a kid who's enjoying himself. Even last year struggling at times and taking longer to adapt, he still always seemed like he was exactly where he wants to be.
montreal
Go Habs Go
that's likely part of the problem. It was said about Scherbak a lot in his years, that he just didn't take things serious enough, was always joking around, etc...
Last year I hated how Norlinder would skate half ass only to realize he's in trouble or could be so he kicks into high gear. I NEVER saw him do that in the SHL/Allsvenskan and he looked like a shell of himself so he likely wasn't comfortable or confident on the smaller ice so this year will be extremely interesting as I figured by next year he would be in the NHL full time or back in the SHL if he regressed.
Adam Michaels
Registered User
Redux91
I do Three bullets.
I make a habit of checking people's mugshots over the years on hockeydb lol, if you tap on their face you can rotate through their pics over the years, you can always see if maybe 'things are going well' for a guy and sometimes even you can tell if 'things are going a lil rough' sometimes too lol
More often than not it's just a plain snapshot that means absolutely nothing at all lol
But again, I always make a habit of seeing the progressions for some reason
Norlinder for example, as you said ALWAYS smiling lol, never wavers
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Adam Michaels
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Whitesnake
If you rebuild, they will come.
- Jan 5, 2003
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Strange how things work....Parker-Jones goes from being very good at the Habs camp to...not Rocket material. lol
Sucks for him, but I’m sure he’ll find his way back to the Rocket soon enough.
He was a standout every game he played in.
Sometimes it’s just not fair, but kudos to the kid for not giving up and progressing every year.
