Speculation: Undrafted FA Thread (NCAA/CHL/Euro) II

[Pompeius Magnus]

So it looks like the next big NCAA FA to fight over will be David Farrance, as it sounds like he is going to return to BU for his Senior year and rumors suggest he wants to be a FA next summer instead of signing with Nashville, we should hear more about it next year. He had a great year, top scoring D in the NCAA, led his team in points.

He's a hell of a skater from the backend, very good at moving the puck. He could be something of a Quinn Hughes-lite for a team if everything goes right. I don't remember him producing huge numbers with the USDP, I guess he's a bit of a late bloomer in that aspect.

 

[EXPOS123]

So it looks like the next big NCAA FA to fight over will be David Farrance, as it sounds like he is going to return to BU for his Senior year and rumors suggest he wants to be a FA next summer instead of signing with Nashville, we should hear more about it next year. He had a great year, top scoring D in the NCAA, led his team in points.

Good to know, but the Habs never sign the top guys - for some reason, they 'd rather go after the leftover scraps or bypass this route completely. Same for the European ones.

 

[Treb]

Good to know, but the Habs never sign the top guys - for some reason, they 'd rather go after the leftover scraps or bypass this route completely. Same for the European ones.

It's more the FA that are bypassing us than the reverse. Panarin is a good example.

NCAA FA love signing for US teams or contender and we haven't been either for a while.

 

[EXPOS123]

It's more the FA that are bypassing us than the reverse. Panarin is a good example.

NCAA FA love signing for US teams or contender and we haven't been either for a while.

That's just a cop out - how do you explain Ottawa landing some goods ones?

 

[Treb]

That's just a cop out - how do you explain Ottawa landing some goods ones?

And we got Yann Danis back in the days.

All I'm saying is that they try to get the big ones, but fail.

 

[montreal]

That's just a cop out - how do you explain Ottawa landing some goods ones?

it's not a cop out it's just logical, the Habs are just another team as they haven't been anything special since the '70's and most of these college kids were born in the late '90's so unless you are from the area or even anywhere in Canada many likely don't know too much about our past. UFA's, NCAA FA's, heck MB even said he wanted to use a draft pick on a pint sized overager with poor skating rather then risk him not wanting to sign with his home town club.

So they are worried about kids from the QMJHL even wanting to sign here, that should be very telling to Molson and MB to the media and fans as we are all to blame to some degree. Molson and MB have run the organization into the ground or at least haven't done much to improve our standing in the league.

The media has the rep as being the worst in the NHL, as locals will remember Theodore getting his pic taken in the hospital without his consent, or Gainey having to speak out for Brezzy being booed to countless other examples.

The fans are the most bi-polar, rabid group I have ever seen in my life of following spots. If you win a cup it's said they treat you like a god and when you lose you are dog shit to them. Taxes and the weather don't help i'm sure but at the end of the day the players need to want to sign here.

The Habs haven't done well with NCAA FA's, Danis was sought after and was coming off a great year on a terrible team, was in the mix for the Hobey Baker. But I'm sure being from here helped. Carr and Lindgren were really good in the NCAA, Trotter as well.

That said I assume if we ever start making the playoffs consistently again, perhaps with some new leadership one day hopefully, and of course money talks. But you can't make players sign here, you can only improve things on your end enough so that they start to actually consider signing here and not using us to drive up the price to sign elsewhere.

 

[EXPOS123]

it's not a cop out it's just logical, the Habs are just another team as they haven't been anything special since the '70's and most of these college kids were born in the late '90's so unless you are from the area or even anywhere in Canada many likely don't know too much about our past. UFA's, NCAA FA's, heck MB even said he wanted to use a draft pick on a pint sized overager with poor skating rather then risk him not wanting to sign with his home town club.

So they are worried about kids from the QMJHL even wanting to sign here, that should be very telling to Molson and MB to the media and fans as we are all to blame to some degree. Molson and MB have run the organization into the ground or at least haven't done much to improve our standing in the league.

The media has the rep as being the worst in the NHL, as locals will remember Theodore getting his pic taken in the hospital without his consent, or Gainey having to speak out for Brezzy being booed to countless other examples.

The fans are the most bi-polar, rabid group I have ever seen in my life of following spots. If you win a cup it's said they treat you like a god and when you lose you are dog shit to them. Taxes and the weather don't help i'm sure but at the end of the day the players need to want to sign here.

The Habs haven't done well with NCAA FA's, Danis was sought after and was coming off a great year on a terrible team, was in the mix for the Hobey Baker. But I'm sure being from here helped. Carr and Lindgren were really good in the NCAA, Trotter as well.

That said I assume if we ever start making the playoffs consistently again, perhaps with some new leadership one day hopefully, and of course money talks. But you can't make players sign here, you can only improve things on your end enough so that they start to actually consider signing here and not using us to drive up the price to sign elsewhere.

The problem is not “you can’t make players sign here” - which I get with NHL free agents, but even at that at least you hear some mention of the Habs going after them. The bigger issue is that you never hear the Habs in on the top NCAA or International Fa’s - it’s almost like they don’t even try. And I’m talking about the higher ranked ones, not the Verbeeks of the world. Given how little talent they have at the NHL level, you would think they could easily lure a guy by playing the card of “ we have so many open spots that you could easily jump right in”

 

[montreal]

The problem is not “you can’t make players sign here” - which I get with NHL free agents, but even at that at least you hear some mention of the Habs going after them. The bigger issue is that you never hear the Habs in on the top NCAA or International Fa’s - it’s almost like they don’t even try. And I’m talking about the higher ranked ones, not the Verbeeks of the world. Given how little talent they have at the NHL level, you would think they could easily lure a guy by playing the card of “ we have so many open spots that you could easily jump right in”

they have been as they went after Mike Reilly who was highly touted but opted for the Wild his hometown team. Just like UFA's they have been rumored to be in on top guys but for various reasons haven't had much luck. Going forward they will likely be less interested in NCAA FA's since their system is deep and they have tons of picks so they will need to be very careful about the 50 contracts.

 

[Treb]

The problem is not “you can’t make players sign here” - which I get with NHL free agents, but even at that at least you hear some mention of the Habs going after them. The bigger issue is that you never hear the Habs in on the top NCAA or International Fa’s - it’s almost like they don’t even try. And I’m talking about the higher ranked ones, not the Verbeeks of the world. Given how little talent they have at the NHL level, you would think they could easily lure a guy by playing the card of “ we have so many open spots that you could easily jump right in”

You usually only hear about team being considered, so of course MTL is not going to appear often. We were in on Panarin off the top of my head.

 

[Adam Michaels]

You usually only hear about team being considered, so of course MTL is not going to appear often. We were in on Panarin off the top of my head.

Man, Panarin was going to sign with Montreal. His team in the KHL was a game away from being eliminated from the conference finals and he was going to come here. But his team mounted a comeback, made the finals, and won the cup. More teams got involved because he was a big reason why they turned it around in the conference finals and then won. And that's when Panarin had the luxury of choice.

Other teams were interested before. But I remember reading that Montreal was the first team to show interest earlier in the year and he had said he would sign with them after his year was over. But other teams started showing up during those playoffs. And we know he ended up signing with Chicago.

 

[ngc_5128]

That's just a cop out - how do you explain Ottawa landing some goods ones?

They guarantee big minutes on the NHL team, they don't have a log jam of players high up in the line up that would impede their NHL aspirations, or they play them in a game to burn a year of their contract. While I'm not saying they couldn't have done it, Montreal has often been in a dog fight for the last playoff spot where those last few games of the season matter quite a bit and that's when the top NCAA guys are available.

 

[Treb]

Also, who has Ottawa got from NCAA/Euro FA?

I see Alsing and Aspirot, but they aren't really high profile. Who am I missing?

EDIT: I mean if you go farther back you have Da Costa, Butler, Derek Smith etc. Can't say they had much luck either.

 

[OB5]

Is this thread just about current NHLers that were unsigned etc. or can we talk about the current unsigned UFAs that are eligible to sign today at noon?

 

[Adam Michaels]

Is this thread just about current NHLers that were unsigned etc. or can we talk about the current unsigned UFAs that are eligible to sign today at noon?

I would think that today, Columbus will sign Grigorenko. They had signed him months ago, but because he had played in the KHL and was drafted by the NHL in the past, they had to wait to make it official on July 1st. But July 1st is now July 13th for non-NHL contracted players.

 

[OB5]

I would think that today, Columbus will sign Grigorenko. They had signed him months ago, but because he had played in the KHL and was drafted by the NHL in the past, they had to wait to make it official on July 1st. But July 1st is now July 13th for non-NHL contracted players.

I'm hoping we see the Habs make a signing...but I don't think we see it.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I'm hoping we see the Habs make a signing...but I don't think we see it.

Two names that were linked with the Habs were Okulov and Marchenko. But Okulov extended with CSKA and Marchenko signed with Lokomotiv.

Another player that was linked to Habs was Dimitrij Jaskin. He signed with a KHL team but there was a report that he has an NHL-out clause in his deal.

We shall see.

 

[OB5]

Two names that were linked with the Habs were Okulov and Marchenko. But Okulov extended with CSKA and Marchenko signed with Lokomotiv.

Another player that was linked to Habs was Dimitrij Jaskin. He signed with a KHL team but there was a report that he has an NHL-out clause in his deal.

We shall see.

Bingo. I think all the players that were linked to the Habs have all signed with other teams. Par for the course.

 

[Treb]

Bingo. I think all the players that were linked to the Habs have all signed with other teams. Par for the course.

We signed Demchenko. Plus Hawel to an AHL deal.

 

[OB5]

We signed Demchenko. Plus Hawel to an AHL deal.

Yeah but those were random...in Demchenko's case anyways. I guess they never really sign players they're rumored to get anyways.

 

[montreal]

I could see some Euro's opting to stay since their leagues start in 2 months vs the unknown of the NHL/AHL.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I could see some Euro's opting to stay since their leagues start in 2 months vs the unknown of the NHL/AHL.

On HNIC this past Saturday, Chris Johnston reported that the NHL may not allow European drafted players to play this year due to the pandemic. The decision isn't made yet. But for those Euro players, whether they want to come to NA or not, that decision may end up being taken for them.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Although he is not undrafted, Ryan Shea is a free agent right now. He was drafted by the Blackhawks in 2015 and lost the rights to him on August 15. So he is a UFA.

He played with Harris at Northeastern. He is an LD, 6'1'' and 176 lbs. He's 23 years old.

He was NE's top scoring D with 31 pts in 33 games played. Harris was second among D.

LD isn't exactly a position of need, though. But by scouting Primeau, Haris, and Struble, Habs have definitely watched Shea play a lot.

 

[montreal]

I wouldn't have much interest in shea if we had our own ECHL team and signed him to an AHL contract perhaps.

the guy i really wanted to see us trade for from NU was Davies who was Harris's D partner in his Freshman year.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Shea signed with Dallas.

Also, Cam Morrison from Notre Dame signed with the Blackhawks yesterday. He was drafted by the Avs, who lost his rights on the 15th.

 

[montreal]

the pens signed undrafted NCAA defensemen from ASU, Maniscalco, had a really solid Sophomore season though I don't know what to make of ASU since I don't watch them much. He's a local kid of sorts as he is from PA but closer to the flyers then Pens.