Recalled/Assigned: Mattias Norlinder Called Up

montreal

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Mar 21, 2002
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I like it cause he clearly needs a change of scene right now as he is playing like he wants to be back in Sweden next year. Houle is clearly not a fan and you can see why but he has not handled him as I would have liked, I don't see how last year he thought it was a good idea to take him off the PP and put him on the PK although he did improve his defensive game as the season went on. This year it's been like he doesn't give a shit or is just tuned it out as he just doesn't seem to play with any urgency.

See if they can get anything out of him or if not terminate the contract so he can go home.
 

HomaridII

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May 23, 2006
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Let’s see if 1) they play him and 2) what his attitude is up here. It’s a game breaking chance for him. With his skills if he puts in 100% effort his skills will shine through.
 

HomaridII

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May 23, 2006
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Worst Dman in Laval gets called up. Damn the options are slim.


Laval fans wanted that too in Laval. He has been brutal.
At this point you are into no.11 in the depth chart. Of course the options are slim.

WIdeman - injured
Savard - injured
Harris - Injured
Xhekaj - Injured

+ the 6 playing. Norlinder is no.11 ...

If they want by merit they would have called william trudeau perhaps but do we really want him or Maillaux sitting in the pressbox and playing 1 game every 3?
 

Rapala

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Mar 29, 2013
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I like it cause he clearly needs a change of scene right now as he is playing like he wants to be back in Sweden next year. Houle is clearly not a fan and you can see why but he has not handled him as I would have liked, I don't see how last year he thought it was a good idea to take him off the PP and put him on the PK although he did improve his defensive game as the season went on. This year it's been like he doesn't give a shit or is just tuned it out as he just doesn't seem to play with any urgency.

See if they can get anything out of him or if not terminate the contract so he can go home.
I like your assessment. I sensed a different Norlinder at camp. One who thought he was able to take that next step. When he didn't his game fell off a cliff.
 

Ezpz

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Apr 16, 2013
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Watch him play really good and expose further how shit Houle is
I think this is more likely than not to happen. I don't get why Norlinder doesn't get pp1 time in Laval when that's likely the only way he'd be useful to the NHL team. If he plays well or serviceable in Montreal but isn't even league average in the AHL some questions need to be raised.
 

1909

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Jul 6, 2016
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At this point you are into no.11 in the depth chart. Of course the options are slim.

WIdeman - injured
Savard - injured
Harris - Injured
Xhekaj - Injured

+ the 6 playing. Norlinder is no.11 ...

If they want by merit they would have called william trudeau perhaps but do we really want him or Maillaux sitting in the pressbox and playing 1 game every 3?
Hopefully, he won't play at all during that trip and Xhekaj will be back at some point after the trip.
 

Don D

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Oct 15, 2017
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Surprising choice! Habs want to give him a trial since he cannot harm their playoff chances. He had some good scouting reviews earlier on, but never reached the expectations.
Forecaster: The Swedish defenseman is an excellent skater who jumps into the play frequently, moves the puck well and has a good hockey IQ. Can quarterback a power play and is a slick passer. At 6’0”, he needs to add strength to compete at the NHL level. Uses his stick well to break up plays, a talent he will have to hone at the NHL level because he will never be a physical defenseman.
 

Tyson

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Mar 1, 2007
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At this point you are into no.11 in the depth chart. Of course the options are slim.

WIdeman - injured
Savard - injured
Harris - Injured
Xhekaj - Injured

+ the 6 playing. Norlinder is no.11 ...

If they want by merit they would have called william trudeau perhaps but do we really want him or Maillaux sitting in the pressbox and playing 1 game every 3?
Trudeau has more potential and I am sure a quick cup of coffee in the NHL would have made a huge difference to him. I have watched every Laval game and it's not my imagination, Norlinder with his play is closer to the ECHL than the NHL.

Watch him play really good and expose further how shit Houle is
I am not a Houle fan but don't pass the buck to Houle on this one, Norlinder has arguably been Laval's worse D and it's not close. Ask the half dozen guys who watch Laval every game.
 

Ezpz

No mad pls
Apr 16, 2013
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So we got like 3 defensemen in Laval right now right?
Nah still got seven without call-ups. It's ridiculous how many dmen we signed. Mailloux, Trudeau, keeper, beaudin, galipeau, bisson, JPJ are there and Tourigny is in TR.
 
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Don D

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Trudeau has more potential and I am sure a quick cup of coffee in the NHL would have made a huge difference to him. I have watched every Laval game and it's not my imagination, Norlinder with his play is closer to the ECHL than the NHL.


I am not a Houle fan but don't pass the buck to Houle on this one, Norlinder has arguably been Laval's worse D and it's not close. Ask the half dozen guys who watch Laval every game.
Not sure Trudeau has more potential but he may be more stable. In the past, Norlinder has been rated higher by most scouts and more was expected from him. He has disappointed so far. Trudeau was a steady force in junior but was not the best D on the Charlottetwn team, behind Lukas Cormier.
William may turn out better but Nolinder has a higher end, higher fail.
 
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morhilane

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So we got like 3 defensemen in Laval right now right?

Trudeau, Mailloux, Bisson, Keeper, Beaudin, Galipeau (back from injury a few games ago I think). Parker-Jones can play D, he was injured but was at practice in a regular jersey today.
 
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WeThreeKings

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Sep 19, 2006
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Trudeau has more potential and I am sure a quick cup of coffee in the NHL would have made a huge difference to him. I have watched every Laval game and it's not my imagination, Norlinder with his play is closer to the ECHL than the NHL.


I am not a Houle fan but don't pass the buck to Houle on this one, Norlinder has arguably been Laval's worse D and it's not close. Ask the half dozen guys who watch Laval every game.

Norlinders struggles in Laval are mental more than anything. Houle is a bad coach who happens to exasperate that because he's an old school dinosaur.

I'm not saying Norlinder is deserving of the call up based on play because he's not but Houle has been terrible for Norlinder and has never deployed him logically at any point either.
 

JianYang

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Sep 29, 2017
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He's lucky that the Habs are so deep in injuries right now, or he likely never gets a sniff with the way he has disappointingly followed up his training camp.

I thought the formula to making back to Montreal was to follow up his camp with a strong AHL showing. I couldn't have been more wrong, but then again, I guess you can't predict injuries (although I should know better seeing as this is the Montreal canadiens)
 
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L4br3cqu3

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He's lucky that the Habs are so deep in injuries right now, or he likely never gets a sniff with the way he has disappointingly followed up his training camp.

I thought the formula to making back to Montreal was to follow up his camp with a strong AHL showing. I couldn't have been more wrong, but then again, I guess you can't predict injuries (although I should know better seeing as this is the Montreal canadiens)

I share the viewpoint of a couple posters here, I think Houle is mismanaging him, in fact I hope he's fired this season just cause I think he doesn't have the mindset to coach a developing team in this era (but that's just a feeling, not an educated guess).

For Norlinder, I wasn't as hyped on him as many here were before, but given his age, his contract situation and the flashes he had in pre-season, I think in his case it's just time to see if he has what it takes or not for NA hockey, if he does, fine, if he doesn't, well we have a crapload of D prospects incoming anyway.

If he plays, of course, which he probably won't unless St-Louis decides to play a 11F/7D lineup tonight.
 

Adam Michaels

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Jun 12, 2016
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Trudeau has more potential and I am sure a quick cup of coffee in the NHL would have made a huge difference to him. I have watched every Laval game and it's not my imagination, Norlinder with his play is closer to the ECHL than the NHL.

You're not wrong in saying tht Trudeau deserves the call up more than Norlinder does. However, the way I see it is that Norlinder is in the final year of his ELC, whereas Trudeau still has another year. So the way I see it is they need to evaluate Norlinder in the NHL more at this point to see if he's either worth extending, maybe using him in a trade, or simply let him go at the end of the season.

For what it's worth, I still think Trudeau will get called up at some point this year.
 
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