AS wants to sign Higgins & Perezhogin this summer
Jan 2, 2003 10:59:32 GMT -5
Post by MPLABBE on Jan 2, 2003 10:59:32 GMT -5
Thanks to KILLger over at HF for digging this up:
www.hfboards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=578099#post578099
I wonder if Higgins and Perezhogin will want to sign? it would sure be nice to get these two into the system quickly...
and a Higgins article in the Gazette:
www.canada.com/montreal/sports/story.asp?id={DDBA6646-2C97-4B16-82A2-1AB12D853BB2}
Higgins facing tough decision
Habs' top draft choice to decide after season
HERB ZURKOWSKY
The Gazette
Thursday, January 02, 2003
ADVERTISEMENT
Chris Higgins, the Canadiens' top draft choice last year, said he hasn't decided whether to cut short his collegiate career and turn pro.
"I've thought about it," said Higgins, a centre with Team U.S.A. at the World Junior Hockey Championship. "If I have a good season, I'll evaluate my position after the season. But, for now, I play for Yale and my focus is on helping them. If I do, that will help my hockey career, too.
"Right now, I have no gut feeling."
The Canadiens, who selected the 5-foot-11, 192 pounder 14th overall last June, are putting no pressure on Higgins, a sophomore at the Ivy League school. But at the same time, Montreal management wouldn't be disappointed if Higgins followed the lead of Ron Hainsey and Mike Komisarek, the team's first-round picks in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Both players left college after two years.
Higgins, coincidentally, is close to Komisarek, the hulking defenceman who dropped out of the University of Michigan and is playing for Hamilton, Montreal's affiliate in the American Hockey League.
"We never really force anyone to turn pro," said Canadiens general manager André Savard, in Halifax scouting the tournament. "Sure, we're interested in signing him, but we won't put pressure on him.
"They have to make the decision. But we feel, if they want to keep on progressing, they should join the pros. You delay your NHL entry if you stay in college. To keep your progression going, you've got to take a step."
Higgins's future will become clear in time. But for now, his immediate concern is earning the Americans' first junior medal since capturing silver in 1997. The Americans, fifth in each of the last two tournaments, completed round-robin play with a 3-1 record and meet the Czech Republic this afternoon in a quarterfinal. The winner advances to face Canada tomorrow night.
Higgins is participating in this tournament for the second consecutive year. He led the U.S. in scoring last year, with four goals and two assists in seven games. It was at that competition, in the Czech Republic, that Canadiens management started noticing his exploits.
"We liked his work ethic," Savard said. "He had some offensive touch. He's not a big guy, but he's strong and tight.
"We think he's a quality prospect. He has to continue being himself. He got drafted because we thought he was a character kid with a base of talent. He's got to continue improving and learning the game. Keep it going."
Higgins has three goals in four games so far. He plays the power-play, kills penalties and has won 57.1 per cent of his faceoffs.
"The Canadiens haven't told me too much. I don't know if that's good or bad," he said. "But they drafted me for a reason: the way I play.
"I want to be known as a player who can be counted on. I'm known for my hockey sense and I believe I'm a character player. I hope my scoring touch comes because I'm counted on to score goals."
U.S. coach Lou Vairo is effusive in his praise of Higgins, an alternate captain on the team. Higgins scored two shorthanded goals on Sunday in a 3-1 victory over Switzerland - a game the Americans desperately needed to win after losing their first game, to Russia. Higgins also scored his team's first goal on Tuesday, against Slovakia.
"In order to have success, your horses have to race," Vairo said. "We needed a huge game against the Swiss. We had to dig our way out and needed our racehorses. He came through in a big way. His two shorthanded goals were beauties.
"He's one of the guys who saved the tournament for us."
Notes: Vairo claimed yesterday the Americans buried a Kennedy silver dollar somewhere under the ice at the Halifax Metro Centre for luck. The team practiced here for several days prior to the tournament. "If Canadians can bury loonies, we can bury dollars. That'll piss off some people," Vairo chirped. ... Canadian forward Derek Roy was struck on the lower lip by a puck on Tuesday, against Finland, and required six stitches.
© Copyright 2003 Montreal Gazette
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So guys, is he signing a deal this coming summer...yes or no?
www.hfboards.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=578099#post578099
I wonder if Higgins and Perezhogin will want to sign? it would sure be nice to get these two into the system quickly...
and a Higgins article in the Gazette:
www.canada.com/montreal/sports/story.asp?id={DDBA6646-2C97-4B16-82A2-1AB12D853BB2}
Higgins facing tough decision
Habs' top draft choice to decide after season
HERB ZURKOWSKY
The Gazette
Thursday, January 02, 2003
ADVERTISEMENT
Chris Higgins, the Canadiens' top draft choice last year, said he hasn't decided whether to cut short his collegiate career and turn pro.
"I've thought about it," said Higgins, a centre with Team U.S.A. at the World Junior Hockey Championship. "If I have a good season, I'll evaluate my position after the season. But, for now, I play for Yale and my focus is on helping them. If I do, that will help my hockey career, too.
"Right now, I have no gut feeling."
The Canadiens, who selected the 5-foot-11, 192 pounder 14th overall last June, are putting no pressure on Higgins, a sophomore at the Ivy League school. But at the same time, Montreal management wouldn't be disappointed if Higgins followed the lead of Ron Hainsey and Mike Komisarek, the team's first-round picks in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Both players left college after two years.
Higgins, coincidentally, is close to Komisarek, the hulking defenceman who dropped out of the University of Michigan and is playing for Hamilton, Montreal's affiliate in the American Hockey League.
"We never really force anyone to turn pro," said Canadiens general manager André Savard, in Halifax scouting the tournament. "Sure, we're interested in signing him, but we won't put pressure on him.
"They have to make the decision. But we feel, if they want to keep on progressing, they should join the pros. You delay your NHL entry if you stay in college. To keep your progression going, you've got to take a step."
Higgins's future will become clear in time. But for now, his immediate concern is earning the Americans' first junior medal since capturing silver in 1997. The Americans, fifth in each of the last two tournaments, completed round-robin play with a 3-1 record and meet the Czech Republic this afternoon in a quarterfinal. The winner advances to face Canada tomorrow night.
Higgins is participating in this tournament for the second consecutive year. He led the U.S. in scoring last year, with four goals and two assists in seven games. It was at that competition, in the Czech Republic, that Canadiens management started noticing his exploits.
"We liked his work ethic," Savard said. "He had some offensive touch. He's not a big guy, but he's strong and tight.
"We think he's a quality prospect. He has to continue being himself. He got drafted because we thought he was a character kid with a base of talent. He's got to continue improving and learning the game. Keep it going."
Higgins has three goals in four games so far. He plays the power-play, kills penalties and has won 57.1 per cent of his faceoffs.
"The Canadiens haven't told me too much. I don't know if that's good or bad," he said. "But they drafted me for a reason: the way I play.
"I want to be known as a player who can be counted on. I'm known for my hockey sense and I believe I'm a character player. I hope my scoring touch comes because I'm counted on to score goals."
U.S. coach Lou Vairo is effusive in his praise of Higgins, an alternate captain on the team. Higgins scored two shorthanded goals on Sunday in a 3-1 victory over Switzerland - a game the Americans desperately needed to win after losing their first game, to Russia. Higgins also scored his team's first goal on Tuesday, against Slovakia.
"In order to have success, your horses have to race," Vairo said. "We needed a huge game against the Swiss. We had to dig our way out and needed our racehorses. He came through in a big way. His two shorthanded goals were beauties.
"He's one of the guys who saved the tournament for us."
Notes: Vairo claimed yesterday the Americans buried a Kennedy silver dollar somewhere under the ice at the Halifax Metro Centre for luck. The team practiced here for several days prior to the tournament. "If Canadians can bury loonies, we can bury dollars. That'll piss off some people," Vairo chirped. ... Canadian forward Derek Roy was struck on the lower lip by a puck on Tuesday, against Finland, and required six stitches.
© Copyright 2003 Montreal Gazette
-----------
So guys, is he signing a deal this coming summer...yes or no?