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Alexei Emelin - Future # 1 Defenseman?

Jigger77

Registered User
Dec 21, 2007
7,985
364
Montreal
Things I really like about Emelin, obviously the big hits. (who doesn't). But also I think he's underrated offensively. He never really got a chance on the PP last year and I would have liked to see it. Especially when it was obvious the team wasn't going anywhere.

The thing he really needs to improve imo - defensive zone coverage. He's running around and chasing quite a bit and it leaves guys wide open. Needs to adjust that. At least it's something that's very doable with experience so I have no doubt he will.
 

Vinny Bombatz

Registered User
Jan 16, 2012
295
2
This is how I picture the Habs in 5 years from now.

5 on 5

LD - RD

#1) Tinordi Subban
#2) Gorges Emelin
#3) Beaulieau X
#4) Diaz

(X) some vet UFA Signing

PP

#1) Beaulieau Subban
#2) Gorges/Emelin X

PK

#1) Tinordi Emelin
#2) Gorges Subban

Emelin has all the potential to be a force for us (top 3)
 
OldCraig71

OldCraig71

Juice Arse
Feb 2, 2009
35,741
56,663
No one cares
Watch any hockey game and see who gets used in key situations when the game is on the line and the pressure is on. That is not Alexei Emelin. KHL yes, NHL no. We were weak last year and if he was valued so highly he would have been given a bigger role, he was'nt. He got 2 million which is 5-6 D man money, which is exactly how the organization sees him.:)
 

Monctonscout

Monctonscout
Jan 26, 2008
34,935
1
Craig71 said:
Watch any hockey game and see who gets used in key situations when the game is on the line and the pressure is on. That is not Alexei Emelin. KHL yes, NHL no. We were weak last year and if he was valued so highly he would have been given a bigger role, he was'nt. He got 2 million which is 5-6 D man money, which is exactly how the organization sees him.:)
Click to expand...

He was in his 1st year NA and in the NHL and still got #4-5 ice time most nights. I think this year his minutes will get bumped up a bit more from 17:18 to around 19 minutes or more.
 
niftymove

niftymove

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
349
0
I dont care if he is number 1 or 3, as long as he keeps destroying Ryan Malone ....
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Lol

Emelin is a good stay-at-home D. Will never be a star for his offense prowesses. But he will be a star for his devasting hits...untill some goon break his titanium jaw and skull! :shakehead
 
Charon

Charon

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
144
4
I think Emelin has the potential to be a good second pairing defenceman, but not a top pairing d-man. I would play him with Markov to start the year off, and have Subban and Gorges as the #1 pair. Bouillon and either Kaberle or Diaz will be the #3.
 

hogtownhabsfan*

Guest
Vinny Bombatz said:
This is how I picture the Habs in 5 years from now.

5 on 5

LD - RD

#1) Tinordi Subban
#2) Gorges Diaz
#3) Emelin Beaulieu/Ellis/Thrower


(X) some vet UFA Signing

PP

#1) Beaulieau Subban
#2) Gorges/Emelin Diaz

PK

#1) Gorges Emelin
#2) Tinordi Subban

Emelin has all the potential to be a force for us (top 3)
Click to expand...

Fixed.

You are severely underrating Diaz, and since we lack right shooting D anyway, I really think he gets a lot of opportunity.
 

MarkovtoSubban

Registered User
Mar 11, 2009
1,669
54
Toronto
Vinny Bombatz said:
This is how I picture the Habs in 5 years from now.

5 on 5

LD - RD

#1) Tinordi Subban
#2) Gorges Emelin
#3) Beaulieau X
#4) Diaz

(X) some vet UFA Signing

PP

#1) Beaulieau Subban
#2) Gorges/Emelin X

PK

#1) Tinordi Emelin
#2) Gorges Subban

Emelin has all the potential to be a force for us (top 3)
Click to expand...

This as future d pairings:

Tinordi - Subban
Gorges-Thrower
Beaulieu-Ellis

If all grow into their potential will just be too good for Emelin and Diaz to find a spot.
 
LeMAD

LeMAD

Registered User
Mar 1, 2006
4,448
1
Montreal
lemad.freehostia.com
NewHabsEra said:
Hopefully thats sarcasm cause if not, thats a very bad lack of hockey knowledge, the kid progressed extremmely well last year and you clearly can see the potential..
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At his best last year, Emelin was still bad. The open ice hits are fun, but they have no impact on the game.

I could see potential, and I guess the transistion from Russia to North America must be tough, but so far he brings nothing to the table offensively, and defensively he's the worst dman we had for as long as I can remember.
 

Monctonscout

Monctonscout
Jan 26, 2008
34,935
1
LeMAD said:
At his best last year, Emelin was still bad. The open ice hits are fun, but they have no impact on the game.

I could see potential, and I guess the transistion from Russia to North America must be tough, but so far he brings nothing to the table offensively, and defensively he's the worst dman we had for as long as I can remember.
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Not sure how you get that his best games were bad. He is solid positionally and makes a good first pass. We saw very few glaring mistakes which is a good thing for a d-man. Not sure where you saw that he was terrible defensively. He had a few rough spots early on, no doubt a result of new language, ice size and system, but after taht you barely noticed him out there.

Big hits do have an impact, it changes how the opposition plays as they now have to carefully go in the corners or skate through center ice instaed of just focusing on offense, so they won't be as effective as otherwise.
 
Charon

Charon

Registered User
Jul 24, 2008
144
4
One method I use to evaluate a player's "depth" chart value (i.e., is he a #1 or a #2 defenceman?) is to look at the depth charts of a few other organizations, and then decide where the player in question would fit in.

For example, if we take Emelin and compare him with the defence in San Jose... where does he fit in the depth chart?

Dan Boyle Brent Burns
Brad Stuart Marc-Edouard Vlasic
Douglas Murray Justin Braun
Jason Demers Sena Acolatse
Nick Petrecki Taylor Doherty

I would argue that Emelin would definitely fit in the depth chart below the top 4 on this team, but he could replace Murray or Braun without significant detriment to their team in the near term. So I'd say Emelin would be a bottom pairing d-man on SJ.

By doing this for a few other teams, you can get an idea of his "real" depth chart value league-wide.

I think if I were to do this comparison for all 30 teams, I would find that he would find spot on the bottom pairing for the vast majority of teams, and in some cases he might be a 7th d-man or a 4th d-man.
 
Comrade Blunderbore

Comrade Blunderbore

Генерал Файлюра
Mar 30, 2010
1,761
2
КПЗ
you won't see all of Emelin until your coach lets him to move the puck. he looked like his hands were tied most time last season, give him some PP time and a little freedom and he'll be turning some heads soon.
 
FlyingKostitsyn

FlyingKostitsyn

Registered User
Mar 7, 2008
8,231
11
Quebec
TinordiandSubban said:
This as future d pairings:

Tinordi - Subban
Gorges-Thrower
Beaulieu-Ellis

If all grow into their potential will just be too good for Emelin and Diaz to find a spot.
Click to expand...

Lets wait a bit shall we? Thrower might be 3-4 years away from making it, let alone be a second pair d-man... Theres no guarantee Beaulieu, Tinordi, Ellis and Thrower all reach their potential, let alone become NHLers for us. Trades happen and so do injuries and unachieved potential. I'd be very surprised if we ever have that defense corp. What if we draft or sign star UFA defensemen?
 
Et le But

Et le But

Registered User
Nov 28, 2010
20,473
2,448
New York
FlyingKostitsyn said:
Lets wait a bit shall we? Thrower might be 3-4 years away from making it, let alone be a second pair d-man... Theres no guarantee Beaulieu, Tinordi, Ellis and Thrower all reach their potential, let alone become NHLers for us. Trades happen and so do injuries and unachieved potential. I'd be very surprised if we ever have that defense corp. What if we draft or sign star UFA defensemen?
Click to expand...

It's also likely that Gorges will be a shell of himself by the time any of those guys (if ever) are NHL ready. Gorges takes a beating out there.

I like our defensive prospects but there's a reason only Tinordi and Beaulieu were first round picks.
 
EurOConnEcton

EurOConnEcton

Registered User
Feb 17, 2008
336
18
Montreal
Jigger77 said:
Things I really like about Emelin, obviously the big hits. (who doesn't). But also I think he's underrated offensively. He never really got a chance on the PP last year and I would have liked to see it. Especially when it was obvious the team wasn't going anywhere.

The thing he really needs to improve imo - defensive zone coverage. He's running around and chasing quite a bit and it leaves guys wide open. Needs to adjust that. At least it's something that's very doable with experience so I have no doubt he will.
Click to expand...


This sums him up well..

Strengths: Hard hits, and is an underrated at moving the puck up.
Weakness: Sometimes seems lost in his defensive coverage in our own zone.

If he can work on his positioning and keep improving offensively i think he can easily be a top 3-4 d-man in this league for many years to come.
 

hogtownhabsfan*

Guest
FlyingKostitsyn said:
Lets wait a bit shall we? Thrower might be 3-4 years away from making it, let alone be a second pair d-man... Theres no guarantee Beaulieu, Tinordi, Ellis and Thrower all reach their potential, let alone become NHLers for us. Trades happen and so do injuries and unachieved potential. I'd be very surprised if we ever have that defense corp. What if we draft or sign star UFA defensemen?
Click to expand...

Tinordi is an NHL lock IMO. Everyone else though has quite a bit of developing to do still.
 
That

That

Registered User
Aug 25, 2012
1,993
3
Toronto
Love Emelin. He's one of the best open ice hitters in the NHL, very fun to watch.

As mentioned, he's pretty underrated offensively too. He's got a good first pass and makes good reads offensively. Hopefully he'll be used more on the power play, his shot and good passing would be interesting to see.

Defensively, he's a still a work in progress. With extended time in his own zone he would just stand in front of the net and not doing anything, but I guess that's better than running around chasing the puck carrier. He could stand to be more assertive in front of the net as well. Positioning could use work too.

I think he's still got quite a bit of potential even though he's 26.
 
Sentak77

Sentak77

Registered User
Sep 2, 2012
7
0
Holy this is only my second threat here at HF... and 5 pages :3 haha off topic sorry :P
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