Prospect Info: Luke Tuch

[Ezpz]

There are only a handful of guys drafted after him that will play regularly in the NHL. Not sure what you expect here.

I don't expect anything. I think he's a C+ prospect.

 

[417]

He'd be perfect. I just don't get why he doesn't want to sign.

There's no indication he doesn't

 

[417]

It’s the optics. Who is he to demand anything? What veteran that’s been with you all season are you healthy scratching to make room for a grinder? At least all the guys know who Lane is, he was up for a Hobey Baker before and was breaking records. Tuch is just some average NCAA player.

He's not “demanding” anything that isn't available for him to have.

If the Habs don't want to give it to him then they shouldn't and he can risk finding another team who will, which is far from a guarantee.

 

[Runner77]

It's possible Tuch feels that way. But it hasn't stopped American drafted players like Caufield, Harris, Struble, Primeau, and just recently Hutson from signing their ELC's with Habs.

Reason no. 1 for a team like the Habs (fishbowl, rapacious and unscrupulous media, taxes, weather etc) have to prioritize homegrown talent.

It’s far easier to get them to stay here if they’ve started their careers here.

Not the same ballgame when you’re competing for players who are free to go anywhere they want and typically use us to get a better deal in the sunbelt or other destination of preference.

Given the high success ratio of getting NCAA players to sign here, can’t think of a better way to guarantee incoming talent. You can’t build a successful team by overly relying on trades and free agency — the foregoing ought to be principally complementary strategies, as we’ve seen with the league’s best teams.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

He's not “demanding” anything that isn't available for him to have.

If the Habs don't want to give it to him then they shouldn't and he can risk finding another team who will, which is far from a guarantee.

It also may very well be that he will not come regardless of whether or not Montreal gives him the max allowable salary+ offer. I think this is more about Tuch exercising autonomy than being hung up on any one detail in negotiations.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Reason no. 1 for a team like the Habs (fishbowl, rapacious and unscrupulous media, taxes, weather etc) have to prioritize homegrown talent.

It’s far easier to get them to stay here if they’ve started their careers here.

Not the same ballgame when you’re competing for players who are free to go anywhere they want and typically use us to get a better deal in the sunbelt or other destination of preference.

Given the high success ratio of getting NCAA players to sign here, can’t think of a better way to guarantee incoming talent. You can’t build a successful team by overly relying on trades and free agency — the foregoing ought to be principally complementary strategies, as we’ve seen with the league’s best teams.

You would also have to believe that to some degree, the presence of two of the greatest American NCAA players in the last 5 years and Kent Hughes' connections to NCAA hockey have to play an enticing role for players in Tuch's situation. I am sure that there is an allure to sign with his brother's organization but there is also a similar type of allure to follow Lane to Montreal and trust Kent Hughes to treat him well. There may also be some familiarity with Nicholas who has USNTDP ties.

 

[salbutera]

Reason no. 1 for a team like the Habs (fishbowl, rapacious and unscrupulous media, taxes, weather etc) have to prioritize homegrown talent.

It’s far easier to get them to stay here if they’ve started their careers here.

Not the same ballgame when you’re competing for players who are free to go anywhere they want and typically use us to get a better deal in the sunbelt or other destination of preference.

Given the high success ratio of getting NCAA players to sign here, can’t think of a better way to guarantee incoming talent. You can’t build a successful team by overly relying on trades and free agency — the foregoing ought to be principally complementary strategies, as we’ve seen with the league’s best teams.

That’s all nice, but Quebec hockey development system sucks, even the few homegrown players that have NHL talent are starting to bolt to the US prep & college to develop:

Alex Kilorn, Chiasson, Matheson, Levi

so fewer & fewer homegrown are even making NHL and more & more of those few are opting for USA hockey as development path to NHL

 

[Leto]

That’s all nice, but Quebec hockey development system sucks, even the few homegrown players that have NHL talent are starting to bolt to the US prep & college to develop:

Alex Kilorn, Chiasson, Matheson, Levi

so fewer & fewer homegrown are even making NHL and more & more are opting for USA hockey as development path to NHL

With how Marek & Friedman are talking about it, it's a matter of time before the NCAA opens its doors to CHL players. With that, the NCAA will be at the top of the pyramid of development and homegrown talents will systematically flow through the collegiate circuit.​

 

[Runner77]

That’s all nice, but Quebec hockey development system sucks, even the few homegrown players that have NHL talent are starting to bolt to the US prep & college to develop:

Alex Kilorn, Chiasson, Matheson, Levi

so fewer & fewer homegrown are even making NHL and more & more of those few are opting for USA hockey as development path to NHL

My bad for using “homegrown” instead of “drafted and developed by the Habs”. Locally born players always garner fan interest but as you stated, they’re in short supply.

 

[montreal]

Luke's Tuch's last 3 seasons in the NCAA,

'21-'22 - 10 pts
'22-'23 - 20 pts
'23-'24 - 30 pts

it's too bad he didn't go back for a 5th year to try and get 40 pts.

 

[Tyson]

I am looking forward to seeing him at training camp. A very big kid who has played 4 full seasons in the NCAA. I get the feeling he will impress.

 

[Hannibal]

I am looking forward to seeing him at training camp. A very big kid who has played 4 full seasons in the NCAA. I get the feeling he will impress.

We need him on our bottom 6

 

[Habs]

can't be worse than Farrell and Mysar , just can't be.

Can't wait for the Mysar/Farrell fanclub to pop by and tell me how wrong I am.

 

[Tyson]

can't be worse than Farrell and Mysar , just can't be.

Can't wait for the Mysar/Farrell fanclub to pop by and tell me how wrong I am.

Mesar needs to come to camp and show something. Farrell is AHL fodder.

 

[themilosh]

can't be worse than Farrell and Mysar , just can't be.

Can't wait for the Mysar/Farrell fanclub to pop by and tell me how wrong I am.

i think you can include Kidney too

 

[CHwest]

can't be worse than Farrell and Mysar , just can't be.

Can't wait for the Mysar/Farrell fanclub to pop by and tell me how wrong I am.

Last weeks bread is this weeks crouton.

 

[Habs]

Last weeks bread is this weeks crouton.

There's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over.

 

[themilosh]

Last weeks bread is this weeks crouton.

But those croutons are just the Chef's kiss on top of a Ceasar Salad.

There's a big difference between kneeling down and bending over.

Just ask Marcellus Wallace.

 

[Ezpz]

I don't think tuch is a great prospect in any way but it is more likely that a guy with fourth line projectable skills makes the club than a top six players, yes. Top six requires a lot more and is more competitive.

I'd still much rather take gambles on Farrell or Mesar types than Tuch types though. Even at the draft he wasn't a "he has hidden upside" type like Florian Xhekaj. He was pretty much projected as a fourth liner, and Mysak a third liner. Tuchs report was basically forget what you know about his brother, he's not remotely as skilled, doesn't have his speed, and is less physical. What great ambition Bergevin had with his picks.

Don't forget Farrell was picked only after bergevin went after two low upside scrub picks in the same round who didn't even get close to ahl deals.


I prefer picking big guys over small but I'll take upside over no upside as a tiebreaker. Obviously Hughes has targeted big guys with upside and fixable flaws ala Xhekaj, Slaf, Hage, Koivu, and most of the rest of the 2024 draft.

I mean would you prefer picking lane hutson or Luke Tuch? Gotta go for the talent when it's projected to be elite. It's low upside skill on a small frame that's a bigger issue, but bergy largely avoided those picks for low upside skill on big frames like lernout, dlr, mccarron, poehling, KK, struble. It finally worked with Guhle and mailloux at least. But Guhle was a top half pick and mailloux would have been without his off ice issue.

 

[morhilane]

Don't forget Farrell was picked only after bergevin went after two low upside scrub picks in the same round who didn't even get close to ahl deals.

Habs have Jack Smith rights until August 2026....he is still a scrub made of glass thought.

 

[Tyson]

I don't think tuch is a great prospect in any way but it is more likely that a guy with fourth line projectable skills makes the club than a top six players, yes. Top six requires a lot more and is more competitive.

I'd still much rather take gambles on Farrell or Mesar types than Tuch types though. Even at the draft he wasn't a "he has hidden upside" type like Florian Xhekaj. He was pretty much projected as a fourth liner, and Mysak a third liner. Tuchs report was basically forget what you know about his brother, he's not remotely as skilled, doesn't have his speed, and is less physical. What great ambition Bergevin had with his picks.

Don't forget Farrell was picked only after bergevin went after two low upside scrub picks in the same round who didn't even get close to ahl deals.


I prefer picking big guys over small but I'll take upside over no upside as a tiebreaker. Obviously Hughes has targeted big guys with upside and fixable flaws ala Xhekaj, Slaf, Hage, Koivu, and most of the rest of the 2024 draft.

I mean would you prefer picking lane hutson or Luke Tuch? Gotta go for the talent when it's projected to be elite. It's low upside skill on a small frame that's a bigger issue, but bergy largely avoided those picks for low upside skill on big frames like lernout, dlr, mccarron, poehling, KK, struble. It finally worked with Guhle and mailloux at least. But Guhle was a top half pick and mailloux would have been without his off ice issue.

If Tuch become a solid 4th liner then that's a good thing. Every contender has had 4 good lines.
Tuch will never be mistaken for a top 6 player.
The world needs ditch diggers too.

 

[Rapala]

Tuch turned 22 last month but keep in mind he lost a year of development due to covid and injuries, he played on 42 games in his 1st 2 years, he played 40 last season and 39 this year.

He's been slower to develop in part because I think he has some similar issues to McCarron in that he's not sure what he is yet. With both players in the USNDTP, they were the big guys that crashed and banged but both sort of got away from that 4th line grinding physical game and tried to focus more on the offensive side of things. Tuch has talked about how much energy it takes to play that kind of game and how he wanted to focus more on playing the game and less on just hitting people.

When you watch his games over the years I think you see someone that maybe at times thinks too much instead of just playing like he did last game where he uses his speed and size to wreck havoc and cause players to hurry up before he smashed into them at high speed. To me that's where he's at his best in terms of what his role could be in the NHL as I don't know if he has close to his brothers offensive skill.

FWIW
I thought Tuch had more scoring chances in his team's final game than anyone else on his team including Celebrini.
So he was effective at some things.

 

[yianik]

I don't think tuch is a great prospect in any way but it is more likely that a guy with fourth line projectable skills makes the club than a top six players, yes. Top six requires a lot more and is more competitive.

I'd still much rather take gambles on Farrell or Mesar types than Tuch types though. Even at the draft he wasn't a "he has hidden upside" type like Florian Xhekaj. He was pretty much projected as a fourth liner, and Mysak a third liner. Tuchs report was basically forget what you know about his brother, he's not remotely as skilled, doesn't have his speed, and is less physical. What great ambition Bergevin had with his picks.

Don't forget Farrell was picked only after bergevin went after two low upside scrub picks in the same round who didn't even get close to ahl deals.


I prefer picking big guys over small but I'll take upside over no upside as a tiebreaker. Obviously Hughes has targeted big guys with upside and fixable flaws ala Xhekaj, Slaf, Hage, Koivu, and most of the rest of the 2024 draft.

I mean would you prefer picking lane hutson or Luke Tuch? Gotta go for the talent when it's projected to be elite. It's low upside skill on a small frame that's a bigger issue, but bergy largely avoided those picks for low upside skill on big frames like lernout, dlr, mccarron, poehling, KK, struble. It finally worked with Guhle and mailloux at least. But Guhle was a top half pick and mailloux would have been without his off ice issue.

At last years pre-draft behind the scenes video Gorton told the scouts you don't draft kids projecting them to be role players and 4th liners. It's the kids that don't pan out as top players that become your role players and 4th liners. He said you draft kids whom you project to have the possibility of upside.

These guys are refreshing.

 

[Rapala]

My bad for using “homegrown” instead of “drafted and developed by the Habs”. Locally born players always garner fan interest but as you stated, they’re in short supply.

Locally born players have often avoided us like the plague or else wished they could have.
Some of them do come when their careers are done though.