Watched Trudeau again yesterday. He is an exciting prospect, he made elite plays again, but was caught a few time off position and scrambled like crazy to recuperate. Played a two on one perfectly. There is still too much swing in his play from great to bad. He still needs to find that balance in risk taking. He reminds me a bit of Kris Letang. Still early to say if he can be half of Letang, but depending on how he can settle his game, we could have a special player. Trudeau is aiming to play a complete game, to be an offensive D that can defend well, this is hard to put together. Skating, mobility is already there, offensive IQ too, again, he just need to manage risk taking and to become more stable defensively. He is just 21. Ceiling is high and most underrated prospect by medias right now. In a year or so they will wake up like they did with Struble and call him a surprise.
Prospect Info: William Trudeau, LHD, Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL) - 4th round 113th pick overall
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LesCanadiens
Hardcore Curmudgeon
Nice report. Thanks. Looked so good at camp and preseason last year. Then stumbled badly defensively all of a sudden. So IMO, the framework is there as he's shown he can play defense in bunches of games. As with all young, offensive-minded D prospects (see Barron), we need to be patient and try not to overreact so much. It's very normal for defensemen to take far longer to adapt to the big jump in speed, size and physical play in the NHL.
Harry Kakalovich
Like and reply
I thought he quietly had a good camp and I continue to be pleasantly surprised by this prospect. He is rightfully overlooked in the Habs prospect pool, because of the glut of young defensemen, but I see potential for this player to play in the NHL someday (whether in Montreal or elsewhere).
Bobby Holik agent
erudite free agency sci-fi
Agreed. And likely with someone else on the bottom pairing.
If Montreal wasn't so deep on defense, I think Trudeau would have had a crack at making the team - the fact that he was cut is more testimony to how deep we are at that position, I think. My biggest knock on him is his name - I hate his name! (Because of that other clown with the same last name)
Anardil
Registered User
It's sad to say that Trudeau outplayed every highly touted dmen prospect the team has. Exhibit A for all the fans that were losing their minds about Mailloux, Engstrom et al, before camp started. I would even go as far as to say that Trudeau had a better camp than Hutson.
We can't count the chickens before they hatch. All these guys are still mere prospects. I am disappointed that no one, including the forward prospects showed much to prove their pro potential this camp. (apart from Kapanen obviously. Although we can't expect something much better than a future Evans/Dvorak replacement IMO.)
Here's hoping that they show more now that the real games are starting.
We can't count the chickens before they hatch. All these guys are still mere prospects. I am disappointed that no one, including the forward prospects showed much to prove their pro potential this camp. (apart from Kapanen obviously. Although we can't expect something much better than a future Evans/Dvorak replacement IMO.)
Here's hoping that they show more now that the real games are starting.
Trabdy2
Registered User
- Nov 30, 2018
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I disagree that Trudeau outplayed most of our hopeful D prospects. Hutson was one of our best offence creators throughout preseason, and I think Engstrom showed a lot of good things and improved substantially through the short camp. Mailloux needs more time, but there is still a lot of potential. Struble also showed some aggressiveness and physicality that is sorely needed in this lineup.
Also, from the 2022 NHL draft (from which Hutson and Engstrom were selected), only four defencemen have played a meaningful number of NHL games so far and they were all taken top 10. We will start seeing more defencemen from the 2022 draft class start taking NHL roles over the next 3 years or so. I believe that Hutson and Engstrom will both be among them, and sooner than later in that window.
Team_Spirit
95% Elliotte
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EveryDay
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Honestly I dont think he's any worst then Struble, I would like to see him get a game at the NHL level.
He's a good skater, good 1st pass and physicality he's one of the most physical player in Laval.
Paddyjack
Registered User
I never understand why he doesn't get games, when the likes of Condotta, Belzille, etc got so much. There must be something they don't like about him.
He
% deserves an NHL look, he has done more than enough to have earned a call up.
I've saw a few Laval games this year and thought he looked good. But I don't know if he really has a defining skill or attribute, and maybe that's why he hasn't been called up to the NHL. Usually guys that are all around good but don't have a defining attribute/skill end up being NHL/AHL tweeners.
Still, his situation is a bit reminiscent of Francois Beauchemin, who played 1 game for the Canadiens before going on waivers, getting claimed and eventually playing over 900 games in the NHL, and winning a cup. Some of the old timers can correct me but I seem to remember losing Beauchemin for nothing being a thing we bitched about a lot on this forum in the circa 2005-2010 era.
Still, his situation is a bit reminiscent of Francois Beauchemin, who played 1 game for the Canadiens before going on waivers, getting claimed and eventually playing over 900 games in the NHL, and winning a cup. Some of the old timers can correct me but I seem to remember losing Beauchemin for nothing being a thing we bitched about a lot on this forum in the circa 2005-2010 era.
Walksss
Registered User
- Mar 26, 2013
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Yeah he deserves a look for sure before that scenario plays out. It'll be interesting to see how HuGo manage the number of young D they'll need to integrate/evaluate over the next year or two. He's a perfect example of why they had to move on from Harris and Kovacevic before this season. There's just so many bodies.
I really think we need to give him a look just to see where he's at. Maybe at the end of this season when we're in full tank mode.
HuGort
Registered User
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
- Jul 4, 2002
- 6,231
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Aside from the recently returned Reinbacher, Trudeau has surprisingly emerged as the Canadiens best prospect on defence having passed both Mailloux (whose defensive limitations have been exposed) and Engstrom ( whose game has noticeably plateaued) on the Canadiens’ depth chart.
Trudeau is a better skater than Mailloux, is more physical and is much better defensively than Mailloux. Trudeau, who plays a much more physical game than Engstrom, is also far less prone to committing those ghastly and ill-timed turnovers that have now plagued Engstrom’s game.
While, long-term, Reinbacher is clearly the ‘class’ of the other three, it wouldn’t surprise me if Trudeau gets the first call up while Reinbacher works to get his ‘sea legs’ back playing in Laval.
He’s earned it.
HuGort
Registered User
Probably could trade Matheson replace him with Trudeau
CristianoRonaldo
Registered User
Benstheman
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- Nov 20, 2014
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Habs will eventually need defense first Dmen. All of their top prospects, except for Reinbacher are offense first (Hutson, Mailloux, Engstrom).
Trudeau is the perfect profile for 6-7 D. You can put him on the ice and not risking frequent brain farts. That's what you want from a guy playing 12-13 minutes. Not Mailloux or Engstrom.
Trudeau is the perfect profile for 6-7 D. You can put him on the ice and not risking frequent brain farts. That's what you want from a guy playing 12-13 minutes. Not Mailloux or Engstrom.
ChesterNimitz
governed by the principle of calculated risk
- Jul 4, 2002
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I wouldn't underate Trudeau's offensive potential. His skating ability, alone makes him a threat. I've watched most Laval games this year and have seen Trudeau do the proverbial 360 with the puck in the offensive zone several times this year. No other defenceman that we have in Laval has the mobility to effect such a maneuver. Will that ability translate to the NHL? I guess we will have to wait and see. But I wouldn't sell this kid short.
Beendair Donedat
You sold a dead bird to a blind kid????
I have to believe this was the first time I’ve ever read “ghastly” when it came to describing someone’s turnovers (or anything else haha) ever on here. Reminded me of old Danny Gallivan who brought an element of class and innovation to his legendary on ice descriptions. Well done Admiral.
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