Jeremie Biakabutuka signs ELC with Blues. (3-years)

[Ranksu]

Pietro's replacement RHD.

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[67Blues]

Good luck Kerbs

 

[jura]

Biakabutuka, repeat that fast 3 times

 

[JoernAZ]

Well, we cant say that they arent trying to find young D's and prepare them for a possible NHL career. I like it a lot.

Would prefer that before signing 30+ year players to play in AHL only. Its a wilcard signing with nothing to lose.

 

[542365]

He actually scored a really nice end to end goal on the Monday of prospect camp. I wasn’t really watching him outside of that though. Whatever. He’s a big boy and seemed to skate well. Might work out.

 

[Blanick]

I attended several days of camp and don't get this signing at all. Was he only performing well when I looked away because in my viewing he was pretty rough to watch.

 

[Bobby Orrtuzzo]

I attended several days of camp and don't get this signing at all. Was he only performing well when I looked away because in my viewing he was pretty rough to watch.

I get the sense it’s a mostly Springfield move. I guess a RHD isn’t a bad thing considering we’re LHD heavy.

 

[Daley Tarasenkshow]

I attended several days of camp and don't get this signing at all. Was he only performing well when I looked away because in my viewing he was pretty rough to watch.

It's possible prospect camp didn't really have anything to do with the signing. I would guess he caught the eyes of the scouts during the season, and once they saw his work ethic, character, and motivation up close, he was signed. Really regardless of his play over a handful of days. He seems to be impressive physically as well.

 

[ToastedRavioli]

Prospect camp can be a fun week that can really showcase the ability of certain players like Dvorsky, Stenberg, Pekarcik, ETC. However, I think people put way too much weight in it when judging players whose primary abilities are not shown well in 3v3/4v4. Biakabutuka is likely never going to play 3v3 in a pro game in his life. Whether he performed poorly or great during the scrimmages isn't entirely relevant. I'm assuming the Blues' scouts saw him over the course of last season and liked his ability to play in a system as a defensemen during regular play.

 

[Beauterham]

I attended several days of camp and don't get this signing at all. Was he only performing well when I looked away because in my viewing he was pretty rough to watch.

Well, he's big, mobile and he shoots right, so he has that going for him. The Blues apparantly think they could 'polish' up some deficiencies hoping he'd be more than AHL-fodder one day.

He was at Detroits prospect- and (after that) main camp as an invite last summer and did really well. Derek Lalonde really liked his play and he earned to stay almost throughout the entire camp untill he was cut just before opening night. It earned him a AHL-contract with the Griffins after his season in the 'Q' ended. I guess he didn't liked his chances as he only got to play three games and decided to opt for something else. As far as I see it he's probably in the 'Hunter Skinner-range' skillwise. I can see him being on our 3rd pairing in the AHL, I can also see him playing for Tulsa/Worcester in the ECHL.


Also a bit 'worried' if Gaudet is going to play for Springfield, or if he's going the ECHL-route. Duszak, Kessel, Lööf, Jacobs, Malmström, Kalynuk are probably ahead of Gaudet in the peckingorder while there's also a chance one of Perunovich or Rosén might be moved to the AHL, not even mentioning Skinner and Biakabutuka. It might be a little bit too crowded on D. in Springfield (IMO for development purposes it might've been better not to have signed Jacobs and Kalynuk but rather signed two AHL/ECHL-tweeners on AHL deals who could've started out in Tulsa/Worcester).

 

[Bye Bye Blueston]

Well, he's big, mobile and he shoots right, so he has that going for him. The Blues apparantly think they could 'polish' up some deficiencies hoping he'd be more than AHL-fodder one day.

He was at Detroits prospect- and (after that) main camp as an invite last summer and did really well. Derek Lalonde really liked his play and he earned to stay almost throughout the entire camp untill he was cut just before opening night. It earned him a AHL-contract with the Griffins after his season in the 'Q' ended. I guess he didn't liked his chances as he only got to play three games and decided to opt for something else. As far as I see it he's probably in the 'Hunter Skinner-range' skillwise. I can see him being on our 3rd pairing in the AHL, I can also see him playing for Tulsa/Worcester in the ECHL.


Also a bit 'worried' if Gaudet is going to play for Springfield, or if he's going the ECHL-route. Duszak, Kessel, Lööf, Jacobs, Malmström, Kalynuk are probably ahead of Gaudet in the peckingorder while there's also a chance one of Perunovich or Rosén might be moved to the AHL, not even mentioning Skinner and Biakabutuka. It might be a little bit too crowded on D. in Springfield (IMO for development purposes it might've been better not to have signed Jacobs and Kalynuk but rather signed two AHL/ECHL-tweeners on AHL deals who could've started out in Tulsa/Worcester).

i would expect we will prioritize the development of guy's like gaudet over ahl filler. i don't think it will hurta 19-year-old to spend some time in echl, but if he goes there it should be because he isn't ready for ahl and not bc we have career minor leaguer taking icetime from him. and since we control the ahl club, i trust that is what we will do.

 

[Beauterham]

@SergeConstantin74 As a 'Q-guy', any opinion on Biakabutuka? Do you think there is some potential there? From what I've read he's big, mobile and a right hand shot while he considers himself as a two-way defender.

 

[TurgPavs]

All I know is his Uncle was a stud at RB for Michigan back in the day, friggin Touchdown Timmy, is what Keith Jackson would call him, because he couldnt pronounce Biakabutuka.

Cool to see his nephew in the AHL, considering what his family had to do to get out of Zaire in the late 1970's.