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

[QuebecPride]

Which D will play for St. John's, it seems that only 4 of them are sure (Bennett, Dietz, Lernout and Thrower).

We need LDs ! Which prospects can be signed ? Beaudoin?

Beaudoin wouldn't solve the LD problem, though I hope we give him another look

 

[Monctonscout]

Beaudoin wouldn't solve the LD problem, though I hope we give him another look

He's struggled for Rimouski as the Memorial Cup, at best he is an ECHL player. Will probably play CIS.

 

[Team_Spirit]

I liked Verrier and Etchegary on the Remparts. Not sure if they are signed.

Etchegary was born in St Johns so he could be a 'local' player.

 

[QuebecPride]

I liked Verrier and Etchegary on the Remparts. Not sure if they are signed.

Etchegary was born in St Johns so he could be a 'local' player.

Both are free agents. Verrier went to Detroit's rookie camp but was released. He did impress apparently. I really love the way Etchegary plays, but he's always injured. Verrier lacks foot speed to succeed in the Pros IMO, but it's never a bad idea to invite a jack of all trades to see how he does against men.

Loiseau has to be on the Habs radar. Beaudoin was at the camp last year and might get another chance again this Summer. Guindon could be a nice option in the ECHL behind Fucale and Condon, though the Habs already invited Alex Dubeau I believe. Sébastien Auger from the Seadogs is my favourite, that being said, as far as 20 year old goalies go in the 'Q. He was amazing for Saint-John the past three years.

 

[Whitesnake]

Both are free agents. Verrier went to Detroit's rookie camp but was released. He did impress apparently. I really love the way Etchegary plays, but he's always injured. Verrier lacks foot speed to succeed in the Pros IMO, but it's never a bad idea to invite a jack of all trades to see how he does against men.

Loiseau has to be on the Habs radar. Beaudoin was at the camp last year and might get another chance again this Summer. Guindon could be a nice option in the ECHL behind Fucale and Condon, though the Habs already invited Alex Dubeau I believe. Sébastien Auger from the Seadogs is my favourite, that being said, as far as 20 year old goalies go in the 'Q. He was amazing for Saint-John the past three years.

Loiseau and Joly deserves an invitation. Same for Etchegarry. Verrier too. Beaudoin should come back. Habs should be on them already.

 

[montreal]

He's struggled for Rimouski as the Memorial Cup, at best he is an ECHL player. Will probably play CIS.

agreed, I wouldn't invite him to the development camp.

I liked Verrier and Etchegary on the Remparts. Not sure if they are signed.

Etchegary was born in St Johns so he could be a 'local' player.

I could see Verrier as a ECHL player next year, wouldn't be the worst invite.

Loiseau and Joly deserves an invitation. Same for Etchegarry. Verrier too. Beaudoin should come back. Habs should be on them already.

If Joly doesn't get drafted I don't see the harm in inviting him. Loiseau I could see them inviting him. I wasn't impressed with Beaudoin, so I would pass on him,

we badly need to find some LD's over the next year or two, I'm sure we could draft a few but we also need to find some undrafted FA's or trade for one or two.

 

[Whitesnake]

Forget Loiseau. Seems he has signed an AHL contract with the Oilers farm team. Sucks. We couldn't afford that?

 

[VanNistelrooy]

I watched 60+ games of Rimouski this year only, and more than a hundred in the last three, I love Loiseau, but I don't think he has any NHL potential. I hope I'm wrong though, because I love the guy.

 

[montreal]

Forget Loiseau. Seems he has signed an AHL contract with the Oilers farm team. Sucks. We couldn't afford that?

So no one owns his NHL rights then or are you saying he just signed an AHL contract for next season. Even then it wouldn't be about affording it, it would take the Habs being interested and him/his agent wanting to sign here.

 

[Whitesnake]

So no one owns his NHL rights then or are you saying he just signed an AHL contract for next season. Even then it wouldn't be about affording it, it would take the Habs being interested and him/his agent wanting to sign here.

Just saying that we should have been able to give him a AHL contract as well.

 

[montreal]

Just saying that we should have been able to give him a AHL contract as well.

They might not have been interested in him, he might not have wanted to sign here, but if it's just an AHL contract then anyone can still sign him at any time.

Isles will not be signing D Robbie Russo, 2011 4th rd pick. 2nd team NCAA All-American at Notre Dame this season. Will become FA, teammate of Jake Evans.

 

[Shutdown]

Isles will not be signing D Robbie Russo, 2011 4th rd pick. 2nd team NCAA All-American at Notre Dame this season. Will become FA, teammate of Jake Evans.

Too bad he's another RD. Still would be a solid signing.

 

[montreal]

Too bad he's another RD. Still would be a solid signing.

I saw a good bit of him this year, wouldn't be all that interested in him but since he's a teammate of one of our prospects, I thought maybe they might have some interest since they would have watched him a few times and he had a great year. Not sure why NYI aren't signing him though.

 

[QuebecPride]

Forget Loiseau. Seems he has signed an AHL contract with the Oilers farm team. Sucks. We couldn't afford that?

I'm happy for the kid, I don't see it biting us in the arse in the futur though. But he totally deserved a chance.

 

[DangerDave]

So... Mermis was never drafted. Habs should probably look into that with the year he's had. Probably the most reliable defenseman at the tournament this year.

 

[DekeLikeYouMeanIt]

So... Mermis was never drafted. Habs should probably look into that with the year he's had. Probably the most reliable defenseman at the tournament this year.

Nope. Not even close.

 

[DangerDave]

Nope. Not even close.

Well he shut dow mcdavid hard in the ohl finals and shut down top offensive prospects like duclair and draisaitl all tournament. His defensive partner is average. Id say he's pretty reliable. I did not say best but he was very solid all year for the gens and is a big reason they won. Gens didn't have the best gaa for nothing. He is the best defenseman on the team and he's the kind of guy that could become a defensive stalwart. When a guy like dale hunter compares you to girardi, you have to be at least somewhat talented.

 

[S Bah]

Just wondering how Oshawa standout LD Dakota Mermis(Jan.5th 1994, 21 yrs.old) hasn't been drafted or signed as an overager by any AHL team yet. St.John's depth on the left side defence is thin after losing Beaulieu this year, Tinordi next season, they could use a Dman like him, IMHO.

 

[QuebecPride]

So... Mermis was never drafted. Habs should probably look into that with the year he's had. Probably the most reliable defenseman at the tournament this year.

He played a very reliable game at the tournament, but ultimately, he's not the most reliable defenseman that was there.

Morin, Kostalek, Morrissey, Bowey, Bourque, Graves, Gatenby, C. Martin... The list is long.

 

[Monctonscout]

I liked Verrier and Etchegary on the Remparts. Not sure if they are signed.

Etchegary was born in St Johns so he could be a 'local' player.

Verrier is the better player, has more of an edge.

 

[DangerDave]

He played a very reliable game at the tournament, but ultimately, he's not the most reliable defenseman that was there.

Morin, Kostalek, Morrissey, Bowey, Bourque, Graves, Gatenby, C. Martin... The list is long.

Bowey was anything but reliable. The quebec defense got shredded all tournament but were often bailed out by fucale. Just because those guys are bigger names does not mean they played as well. The fact that mermis is undrafted is incredible to me after watching a good chunk of generals games since he was traded. St johns could use a guy like him next year.

 

[QuebecPride]

Bowey was anything but reliable. The quebec defense got shredded all tournament but were often bailed out by fucale. Just because those guys are bigger names does not mean they played as well. The fact that mermis is undrafted is incredible to me after watching a good chunk of generals games since he was traded. St johns could use a guy like him next year.

EVEN if you include solely the Mem cup to base your judgement, Kostalek and Morrissey had much better tournaments than Mermis.

You seem to have watched a whole lot of Oshawa, but not much of the other teams involved in the tournament. Personally I have watched all those teams all year long, and so did dekeitlikeyoumeanit.

Mermis is a good underdog story, but he's way down the list of defensemen I'd want in my org. that were in Québec for the mem cup, wayyyyyyyyyyy down.

 

[DangerDave]

EVEN if you include solely the Mem cup to base your judgement, Kostalek and Morrissey had much better tournaments than Mermis.

You seem to have watched a whole lot of Oshawa, but not much of the other teams involved in the tournament. Personally I have watched all those teams all year long, and so did dekeitlikeyoumeanit.

Mermis is a good underdog story, but he's way down the list of defensemen I'd want in my org. that were in Québec for the mem cup, wayyyyyyyyyyy down.

In what way? Certainly not Kostalek from a stats point of view. So Kostalek and Morrissey had good tournament. Everyone is aware of that. Those guys have been drafted. My original post said "one of the most reliable defensemen at the tournament". I watched every game that tournament and I stand by what I said. I watched tons of gens games this year, many in person and Mermis is a standout on the team. Why not take a chance on a guy like that? He's clearly improved by leaps and bounds and nothing would suggest that it's going to stop. You have well respected guys like Dale Hunter saying he has potential.

In the end, you're paying a very small price for a guy that has shown that he is able to compete with the top talents in the OHL. No harm in inviting him to camp.

 

[DekeLikeYouMeanIt]

Well he shut dow mcdavid hard in the ohl finals and shut down top offensive prospects like duclair and draisaitl all tournament. His defensive partner is average. Id say he's pretty reliable. I did not say best but he was very solid all year for the gens and is a big reason they won. Gens didn't have the best gaa for nothing. He is the best defenseman on the team and he's the kind of guy that could become a defensive stalwart. When a guy like dale hunter compares you to girardi, you have to be at least somewhat talented.

No he didn't. Brown and Desrochers played better at BOTH ends. Listen Mermis could end up being decent in the future but to say he was the best D even on his own team is a stretch.

 

[DangerDave]

No he didn't. Brown and Desrochers played better at BOTH ends. Listen Mermis could end up being decent in the future but to say he was the best D even on his own team is a stretch.

Brown and Desrochers did get better as the year went on but much of that can be attributed to Mermis coming in and solidifying the generals as a whole.

Desrochers was playing third line minutes against easier competition after the trade. Desrochers is decent but I think you are overating him quite a bit. We'll see how good he actually is once he plays any sort of quality competition. Also, he got burned repeatedly when Oshawa had last change by guys like Paul and McDavid so I would be careful when I say that he is better at both ends than the go to shutdown guy on the team. Also, he finished with less points than Mermis despite getting more power play opportunities.

Brown and Mermis had instant chemistry. Mermis' speed makes up for Brown's lack of speed and puck moving ability. Brown's size makes up for Mermis' slightly below average size. Thing is that Brown is a little slugish to me. He has a hard time moving the puck out with a breakout pass and instead relies on chipping the puck off the boards. Does it work? yeah but it does not create much offensively the majority of the time.

This is just my opinion on the matter. If I were a GM, I would certainly invite Mermis to a tryout and see how he does. I watched the gens all year and they became much more defensively sound during the second half of the season. I believe he is part of the reason why this happened. Does he become an NHL player? maybe not but I can guarantee that he becomes a good AHL player and Saint Johns is a little low on those at the moment. Also he is LD which is a priority for the habs AHL club