Prospect Info: Draft 2025 Habs you're on the clock

[WeThreeKings]

The level of compete is always overstated with big guys who haven't filled out close to what their body will require. His consistency is an issue, but he is a legit top-six talent due to his size, skating and skill.- Pronman

It more consistency than effort.

As for the Jarvis comparison, nice player and all but in the current NHL doesn't get you over the line. We don't need another smallish player (5'10-6") in our top 9. More importantly it the injury concern for Bear. I don;t think there is enough of a difference to take on the risk.

He had 4 PIM man. At his size. At that level. Thats soft. It shows on tape, too.

Bear plays like hes 6'4. Lakovic plays like hes 5'7. Size without implication and application is useless.

 

[koivalev]

The level of compete is always overstated with big guys who haven't filled out close to what their body will require. His consistency is an issue, but he is a legit top-six talent due to his size, skating and skill.- Pronman

It more consistency than effort.

As for the Jarvis comparison, nice player and all but in the current NHL doesn't get you over the line. We don't need another smallish player (5'10-6") in our top 9. More importantly it the injury concern for Bear. I don;t think there is enough of a difference to take on the risk.

Pronman has negative credibility as a source of scouting. As for the Jarvis comp, in the mid teens it's not about getting you over the line, it's about adding pieces that make you a solid team.

Jarvis is a legitimately Selke-level winger lol, with respect you'd have to be out of your mind not to take him at 16 or 17, whether he's 5'10" or 10'5".

 

[Habnot]

Sure let's continue collecting undersized players. You already have Hutson and Caufield playing top 6 minutes. Demidov is listed as 6"1' but he will never be a physical player.

I don;t see the great need for Bear except it's Snake's player of the year. You talk about Pronman but he's much plugged than Snake who only looks at the players through a prism of skill. Habs have all the skill they need, they need big bodies that can play on your top 9 F top 4 D. Anyone not seeing this is living in bizarro world where the playoffs have the same value as the regular season.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Sure let's continue collecting undersized players. You already have Hutson and Caufield playing top 6 minutes. Demidov is listed as 6"1' but he will never be a physical player.

I don;t see the great need for Bear except it's Snake's player of the year. You talk about Pronman but he's much plugged than Snake who only looks at the players through a prism of skill. Habs have all the skill they need, they need big bodies that can play on your top 9 F top 4 D. Anyone not seeing this is living in bizarro world where the playoffs have the same value as the regular season.

Bear is 6 foot and already 180 pounds. He would add playoff elements to our roster by the way he plays and how he is built and willed to play it.

Trying to discredit Bear adding value to the Habs in the playoffs while advocating for the most troubled prospect in terms of compete and physicality, is a weird stance to take.

 

[DemidovSZN]

Sure let's continue collecting undersized players. You already have Hutson and Caufield playing top 6 minutes. Demidov is listed as 6"1' but he will never be a physical player.

I don;t see the great need for Bear except it's Snake's player of the year. You talk about Pronman but he's much plugged than Snake who only looks at the players through a prism of skill. Habs have all the skill they need, they need big bodies that can play on your top 9 F top 4 D. Anyone not seeing this is living in bizarro world where the playoffs have the same value as the regular season.

Bear is not small at all.

And you’re literally just talked about playoffs and physicality . Bear has every quality + skills to perform in the playoffs.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I must be the only one who thought Chipchura was a decent pick. The game passed him by before he even started, it is unfortunate, but no way to predict.

In the late 1990s you won with Kyle Chipchuras deep in your lineup.

 

[Habnot]

Bear is 6 foot and already 180 pounds. He would add playoff elements to our roster by the way he plays and how he is built and willed to play it.

Trying to discredit Bear adding value to the Habs in the playoffs while advocating for the most troubled prospect in terms of compete and physicality, is a weird stance to take.

1. 6" is not even remote to being considered big in the NHL - that's basically Nick Suzuki size.

2. I am not advocating only Lankovic....Anyone from Smith, Hesler, Nesbitt, Carbonneau, Aicheson that is left.

3. Bear has a risky injury - no need to take the risk. There are enough good players that can fill an actual need.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

I must be the only one who thought Chipchura was a decent pick. The game passed him by before he even started, it is unfortunate, but no way to predict.

In the late 1990s you won with Kyle Chipchuras deep in your lineup.

He wasn't a complete bust in any case, he did end up spending 9-ish seasons in the NHL, he just wasn't first round caliber. Ditto McCarron really, he did have what it took, he just wasn't a true first rounder. Even Tinordi turned out to be a decent NHLer, we just got him way too early.

 

[HabsMD97]

Trade up to draft McQueen

 

[TheBuriedHab]

The level of compete is always overstated with big guys who haven't filled out close to what their body will require. His consistency is an issue, but he is a legit top-six talent due to his size, skating and skill.- Pronman

It more consistency than effort.

As for the Jarvis comparison, nice player and all but in the current NHL doesn't get you over the line. We don't need another smallish player (5'10-6") in our top 9. More importantly it the injury concern for Bear. I don;t think there is enough of a difference to take on the risk.

I believe Protas only had 4 PIMs in his draft year as well.

Suzuki had 8 PIMs this entire season. Wouldn't consider him soft myself.

 

[Habnot]

I believe Protas only had 4 PIMs in his draft year as well.

Suzuki had 8 PIMs this entire season. Wouldn't consider him soft myself.

I never said soft - I said on the smaller side.

 

[koivalev]

1. 6" is not even remote to being considered big in the NHL - that's basically Nick Suzuki size.

2. I am not advocating only Lankovic....Anyone from Smith, Hesler, Nesbitt, Carbonneau, Aicheson that is left.

3. Bear has a risky injury - no need to take the risk. There are enough good players that can fill an actual need.

Sam Bennett was 6'0.25" and 178 lbs at the combine. If he was available at 16/17 are you telling me you wouldn't draft him?

He also had a shoulder injury going into the combine that would require a 4-6 month recovery. No draft for sure eh?

 

[TheBuriedHab]

I never said soft - I said on the smaller side.

I'm not disagreeing with anything you said. As I used Protas as an example that supports your opinion of bigger players taking time to find consistency. Slaf is still a big boy that is trying to find consisteny heading into his 4th season.

I'm disagreeing with other people who think Lakovic is soft for having 4 PIMs.

 

[koivalev]

I'm not disagreeing with anything you said. As I used Protas as an example that supports your opinion of bigger players taking time to find consistency. Slaf is still a big boy that is trying to find consisteny heading into his 4th season.

I'm disagreeing with other people who think Lakovic is soft for having 4 PIMs.

I don't think Lakovic is soft for having 4 PIMs. I think Lakovic is soft because he's soft. He's a talented player and I hope he learns to be more implicated, but right now he's soft.

 

[JadedRandom]

Sure let's continue collecting undersized players. You already have Hutson and Caufield playing top 6 minutes. Demidov is listed as 6"1' but he will never be a physical player.

I don;t see the great need for Bear except it's Snake's player of the year. You talk about Pronman but he's much plugged than Snake who only looks at the players through a prism of skill. Habs have all the skill they need, they need big bodies that can play on your top 9 F top 4 D. Anyone not seeing this is living in bizarro world where the playoffs have the same value as the regular season.

If Bear's injury doesn't affect his skating (and chances are that it will), and he develops properly, you've got a heart-and-soul, energetic, low-key physical player with average-ish defensive skill, but one that is good on possession and, not a small detail, has first-line skill and smarts.

That's what's interesting about Bear; the package of heart/soul/grit and top-line skill/smarts. Plus, Bear is about 6'0 tall, so he still has room for additional strength on his frame so "not all is lost" on that front.

Without the injury I'd have Bear just outside the top-10. With the injury I have him #14. Guy's just a great prospect.

That said, I think that the Canadiens would rather draft a Lynden Lakovic, one of the D, or a guy like Brady Martin/Roger McQueen before Bear.

The Canadiens will be looking for taller players with skill come this draft, as you've said.

But if a, say, Viktor Eklund (got him #8 on my list) falls for no good reason then the Canadiens' management would be dumb not to take him at #16/17.

 

[koivalev]

If Bear's injury doesn't affect his skating (and chances are that it will), and he develops properly, you've got a heart-and-soul, energetic, low-key physical player with average-ish defensive skill, but one that is good on possession and, not a small detail, has first-line skill and smarts.

That's what's interesting about Bear; the package of heart/soul/grit and top-line skill/smarts. Plus, Bear is about 6'0 tall, so he still has room for additional strength on his frame so "not all is lost" on that front.

Without the injury I'd have Bear just outside the top-10. With the injury I have him #14. Guy's just a great prospect.

That said, I think that the Canadiens would rather draft a Lynden Lakovic, one of the D, or a guy like Brady Martin/Roger McQueen before Bear.

The Canadiens will be looking for taller players with skill come this draft, as you've said.

But if a, say, Viktor Eklund (got him #8 on my list) falls for no good reason then the Canadiens' management would be dumb not to take him at #16/17.

Pretty much how I feel too, except I have Bear at 12.

Schaefer
Misa
Martone
Desnoyers
Hagens
Frondell
Eklund
Martin
McQueen
Kindel
Smith
Bear

For me

 

[JadedRandom]

Pretty much how I feel too, except I have Bear at 12.

Schaefer
Misa
Martone
Desnoyers
Hagens
Frondell
Eklund
Martin
McQueen
Kindel
Smith
Bear

For me

You're higher on Martin and Kindel than I am, but fair enough.

 

[koivalev]

You're higher on Martin and Kindel than I am, but fair enough.

I think both have quite a bit of physical runway. Kindel especially for me - usually the right ideas but doesn't always have the strength to pull it off, but with proper development I think he can be Suzuki-esque.

Brady Martin I think was trying to do too much a lot of the year with the Soo, but anytime he was surrounded by players of a similar caliber he shined. I'm hoping whoever he goes to doesn't try to force him into a bottom 6 crash and bang role like Calgary did with Bennett. Bennett got there eventually, but they really didn't develop him optimally IMO.

 

[Habnot]

Sam Bennett was 6'0.25" and 178 lbs at the combine. If he was available at 16/17 are you telling me you wouldn't draft him?

He also had a shoulder injury going into the combine that would require a 4-6 month recovery. No draft for sure eh?

FFS Bennett went 4th overall and kind of dropped because of the combine. Bennett was an elite prospect.

 

[koivalev]

FFS Bennett went 4th overall and kind of dropped because of the combine. Bennett was an elite prospect.

Point is, guys don't need to be huge to be impactful physically. If he heals well from that injury there's no reason to overlook him at our pick for moar size.

 

[TheBuriedHab]

I don't think Lakovic is soft for having 4 PIMs. I think Lakovic is soft because he's soft. He's a talented player and I hope he learns to be more implicated, but right now he's soft.

Don't disagree with anything there. He's the type of player I would take a swing on though, with his tools, I pray he figure it out.

 

[Habnot]

Point is, guys don't need to be huge to be impactful physically. If he heals well from that injury there's no reason to overlook him at our pick for moar size.

No shit Sherlock - but I was talking more about team composition. We already have enough players on our top 9 that are on the medium/smaller spectrum.

So do you risk selecting a better player with a risky injury vs bigger players that might not be as good as Bear but fit a need on your top 9 / top 4.

 

[koivalev]

Don't disagree with anything there. He's the type of player I would take a swing on though, with his tools, I pray he figure it out.

Yeah I hope our weird ass psychologist knows what he's doing in the interview process if we end up taking him. I've got him at 21 right now so he wouldn't be a crazy selection there, but there's definitely guys I prefer (of guys likely available: Kindel, Bear, Reschny, Cootes, Zonnon, Carbonneau, Spence).

 

[TheBuriedHab]

Yeah I hope our weird ass psychologist knows what he's doing in the interview process if we end up taking him. I've got him at 21 right now so he wouldn't be a crazy selection there, but there's definitely guys I prefer (of guys likely available: Kindel, Bear, Reschny, Cootes, Zonnon, Carbonneau, Spence).

Seriously that guy is weird af. I always skip 20 seconds whenever he's shows ups in our draft videos.

 

[koivalev]

No shit Sherlock - but I was talking more about team composition. We already have enough players on our top 9 that are on the medium/smaller spectrum.

So do you risk selecting a better player with a risky injury vs bigger players that might not be as good as Bear but fit a need on your top 9 / top 4.

Yeah, take THAT tone. I'd take the better player who's got an absolute dog in him if the medical staff deems it likely that his injury won't affect him much moving forward. Unfortunately as fans we have no way of knowing that for sure though.

I think those guys who are bigger that can round out a top 9 can be traded for or acquired through other means. Of Florida's top 9 for example, they drafted Barkov and Lundell, and that's it. On defense, they drafted Ekblad.

They got other guys through excellent pro scouting, and trading from positions of strength. I know truly small guys don't always have the best trade value, but those mid-sized guys don't typically lose value relative to ability because of size.