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

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I've posted about Kaski several times. What's the first opportunity that he can be signed?



I’m not sure but I want this guy for sure! I realize we are already stacked at RD, but quite frankly with Juulsen’s injury, picking up Kaski would be an excellent insurance plan I think he could bring a much need offensive spark from the back end that right now only Weber & Petry bring to the table.

Doesn’t hurt to try, it would be a free asset and it’s not like we don’t have the cap space to make him a nice offer. Plus the fact we have a good Finnish player base to build off of has to be good in luring him in, and as well as player chemistry.
 
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My top 3 UDFA targets right now:

Jimmy Schuldt (LD - SCSU)
Oliwer Kaski (RD - Lahti Pelicans - Liiga)
Jere Innala (LW/RW - HPK - Liiga)
 
Tampa signs Jimmy Huntington. We never sign the guys from our own backyard. Watch him become a star in Tampa.



Usual stuff.... TB is super active in the Q.

At least we got Alain and Teasdale.
 
Both are struggling

Success in juniors doesnt equal to professional success. That is the reason why Euro league seems more interesting but Enqvist and a few others didnt pan out either.

It's why I don't care a whole lot about missing out on these guys. I remember when it was the apocalypse that we missed out on Yannick Riendeau.
 
How good is Jimmy Schultdt

And Huntington is not better then Waked not a big lost honestly

He seems decent enough to earn a Pro contract but I have read some skeptics on this board on how well will he perform in the pros. Which is the same skepticism on any player that never played the pros.
 
Both are struggling

Success in juniors doesnt equal to professional success. That is the reason why Euro league seems more interesting but Enqvist and a few others didnt pan out either.

Alain is not struggling. He is in a learning process under Bouchard.
 
Tampa signs Jimmy Huntington. We never sign the guys from our own backyard. Watch him become a star in Tampa.



Curious, can someone name a player the Bolts signed as a UFA from the Q that actually succeeded?

Both Gourde and Marchessault were actually signed by other teams, not TBay.
 
Curious, can someone name a player the Bolts signed as a UFA from the Q that actually succeeded?

Both Gourde and Marchessault were actually signed by other teams, not TBay.

He has not succeeded yet, but Barré-Boulet is looking very good in his first AHL season.

It's not just signing straight out of junior. Tampa has given a lot of chances to Q/Québec players. Kucherov, Palat, Paquette, Joseph, Gourde, Marchessault, Dumont, Bournival, Drouin, Killorn, Martel, Erne, Domingue. Kudos to Brisebois and Yzerman for looking at underrated talent pools (Q & smaller players).
 
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As of March 1st, teams can sign players from the CHL. Habs can now sign Walford and Tyszka and any other undrafted player.
 
With some NCAA playoffs starting this weekend, you should start to see FA's getting signed. The top NCAA FA should be up for grabs as I would be surprised to see Michigan St advance past the 1st round.
 
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What's the earliest the Habs can sign Kaski, assuming they can lure him?
 
Tampa signs Jimmy Huntington. We never sign the guys from our own backyard. Watch him become a star in Tampa.



Fwiw I don't see it with Huntington. Barre Boulet was obviously an elite player. Was clear last year, not sure I see it with Huntington but I'm far from an expert. I think Teasdale is better then him by a fair margin.
 
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Who are some names you'd like us to sign?

Taro Hirose, Cam Lee and a goalie, either Harvey or someone from the NCAA.

some FA NCAA goalies,

Andrew Shortridge is having a big year as a Junior

Tommy Nappier is having a big year as a Sophomore on one of the top teams in the NCAA

Hunter Shepard, I really was impressed with him but at 6'0 he doesn't have that big frame. What a year he's having on a bad Michigan St team.

Jake Kielly, another Junior there was talk of NHL teams interested in him last year as he had a great season and is repeating so I got to think teams will be calling and he'll be 23 in Sept. I haven't seen him this year but liked what I saw last year.

Devin Cooley, a Sophmore he's got that big frame and looked good in the little I saw of him as he's a teammate of Stapley's at Denver. He'll turn 22 in the off-season but I would be a bit surprised if he turns pro as he hasn't played that much.

Matthew Galajda, I haven't seen him but the Sophmore has put up back to back impressive numbers at Cornell, a well coached program.

Cal Morris, I liked him a lot, he won the Mike Richter award last year as the top goalie in the league, teammate of Jake Evans. His numbers aren't as good this year as Notre Dame took a big hit losing Evans and other top scorers.
 
So the Habs pursued Huntington and he chose Tampa Bay. Just a daily reminder that not every player in the Q wants to sign with the Habs and that reputation as an organization is a huge reason why players go where they go.

Doesn’t mean anything

If you are good enough, you play. Drouin and Danault are examples. In the A, Alain is getting a good opportunity.
 
Doesn’t mean anything

If you are good enough, you play. Drouin and Danault are examples. In the A, Alain is getting a good opportunity.

It means a lot. Tampa Bay is a successful team and they have had success with UDFA and I doubt MBs reputation around the league for agents is super high considering his public handling of Markov and Radulov.
 
It means a lot. Tampa Bay is a successful team and they have had success with UDFA and I doubt MBs reputation around the league for agents is super high considering his public handling of Markov and Radulov.
The Habs' current roster status has much more impact on their reputation than two negotiations that happened three years ago.
 

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