Every player that has been called up from Laval over the past 2 seasons looked ready and performed well. I am no fan of Houle and his staff but fair is fair...they do a pretty good job of getting young players ready.
Recalled/Assigned: Arber Xhekaj Assigned to Laval (Taken Off IR)
- Thread starter Adam Michaels
- Start date
Estimated_Prophet
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The criticism is generally unfounded and is typical fan generated noise entirely devoid of specific/accurate criticism.
They are playing MSL's system.....I don't know how many times I need to shout this out lol, there are absolutely zero grounds for criticism based on the system. Houle has done a tremendous job of preparing players for the NHL and sacrificing his coaching record to do so for the greater good of the organization.
Fans often blame coaches the same way primitive humans blamed the sun gods/witches etc.........it is done without the knowledge to actually come to an evidence based conclusion where discussions are focused on actual cause and effect as opposed to burning effigies in the absence of intellectual discourse.
Hey, maybe there are problems with Houle but I don't know of any and neither do any of the posters on this board. Just typical mud slinging at the easiest target.
One thing is for sure Houle and his staff are better than Lefebvre and Bouchard. Those 2 didn't help developed too many future NHL players except for maybe Evans.
Bouchard: Evans, Juulsen, McCarron, Lindgren, Poehling, RHP, Pezzetta, Ylonen
Houle: RHP, Pezzetta, Ylonen, Barron
Currently, all the ones Houle "developed" into NHLer were all also developed by Bouchard except Barron.
Ezpz
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McCarron in particular credits Bouchard with turning his game around. Likewise Pezz was not even a legitimate prospect pre-Bouchard. Tbh weise hating him tells me he was there to develop kids and didnt care about vets.
DAChampion
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BJCOLLINS
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First, let’s not forget record setting man games lost due to injury ! That’s what prompted these players being called up. Secondly, MSL has a midas touch with young players. Look I get your point and I have a renewed faith with HuGo. I do however have issue with some coaching selections both in Laval & the Habs, our pp coach is also a glaring mistake.
Deebs
Without you, everything falls apart
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Technically, it's MB who didn't extend/renew his contract after the 2021 playoffs. The same off season where MB did everything wrong...
Deebs
Without you, everything falls apart
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I don't care how he left or what happened to that regimes GM, he's been gone for a few years now so obviously the staff since have done quite a bit for the development of our young players that have gone through Laval.
Nova_Scotia_Vees
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The Real Timo
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Maybe some coaches are good at developing plugs only. That's a skill too. So maybe Bouchard was good for borderline 4th liners like Mikey M and Pezz. But Laval has been abysmal for years... just like the "big" club.
DAChampion
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WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
He played 2 games and Savard is back.
Do you think Struble deserves to be sent down right now?
I don't.
Kosseca
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- Feb 23, 2020
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I agree 100%. Struble is learning the NHL and Arber is back to "school" to make him a top4 Dman in lieu of a meat grinder.
WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
Yep, there's nothing wrong with Xhekaj perfecting his game in Laval.
They clearly think high of Xhekaj and he will be a key part of the identity and blueline of the future. He brings elements few do in the entire league and we know they value that.
He just has some things to clean up, it happens, especially with young defenseman.
Kosseca
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I was explaining it this way to a work buddy earlier: pretend Arber is a MD, he can be a family doctor and help right now or he can go back to Med School and be a specialist like a surgeon. Habs has a lot of "family doctor" type of guy, but only a few with the potential to be a surgeon.
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
Probably time to move Matheson when a guy like Arber isn't playing.
SlafySZN
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- May 21, 2022
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Xhekaj is not above the AHL.
He’s an undrafted dman who has things to learn and probably wouldn’t have seen a minute of the NHL yet if he was on any other team.
Deebs
Without you, everything falls apart
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26Mats
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Xhekaj can go to Laval without waivers and can use the development time.
We'll see what Kovacevic gets us in a trade...
WeThreeKings
Demidov is a HAB
They don't even play the same side of the defense.
26Mats
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Struble or Xhekaj will most probably have to learn the right side if they are to stay long term.
If Hutson makes it, there's a log jam ahead of them
Guhle
Matheson
Hutson
Xhekaj
Struble
SlafySZN
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I mean, yeah.
During a rebuild when a young player has to learn in the AHL guys like Kovacevic are the type to have a spot in the lineup until a young player is ready
