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Post by HABSINFL on Nov 19, 2009 8:58:51 GMT -5
The freshman is off to a good start at Harvard. The Canadiens 2009 first pick is tie for the team lead in scoring with 7 points, 2 goals and 5 assists in 5 games.
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Post by HFTO on Nov 19, 2009 9:35:16 GMT -5
..sign him and lets bring him up!...lol
HFTO
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Nov 19, 2009 18:27:24 GMT -5
..sign him and lets bring him up!...lol HFTO Bring him up! If he's not ready to play in the NHL he can take over as GM until he is ready. He has the Harvard brains and couldn't do worse. |
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Post by jkr on Nov 19, 2009 18:57:44 GMT -5
Maybe move this to the prospects page.
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Post by claudemouton on Jan 16, 2010 14:17:53 GMT -5
Leblanc's stats at Harvard are nothing to write home about. He's wasting his time there playing with a crummy team. Hockeywise, he won't learn much at Harvard and he'll develop a losing mentality. Does he want to become an economist for the Caisses Desjardins or a hockey player for the Montreal Canadiens ? If hockey is his first choice, he'd be better off playing with a top team in the OHL or QMJHL. You never get the best of two worlds. You have to make a choice and give it all you've got.
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Post by Skilly on Jan 16, 2010 16:53:40 GMT -5
I am not a fan of the NCAA route ... but I sure hope "The White Ghost" doesn't disappear. Its high time one of these picks panned out for us
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Post by BadCompany on Jan 20, 2010 8:32:22 GMT -5
Big week for Leblanc. Leblanc, Harvard gathering steamNEHJ Player of the Week
Louis Leblanc, fr., Harvard
Leblanc became the first Crimson player since current Florida Panthers forward Dominic Moore to record consecutive multiple-goal games. He has been especially clutch in ECAC Hockey play, leading the league with three game-winning goals and pacing all ECAC Hockey freshmen with 13 points in conference games.Making a splash5. Louis Leblanc, C – Harvard Crimson (ECAC): The Crimson haven’t had a very busy schedule so far, but Leblanc is making a splash nonetheless. The Canadian freshman has 14 points in 14 games and four goals in his past two games, earning him ECAC weekly honors. In a veteran conference, Leblanc is making serious noise.Firing Louis LeblancA wintry afternoon marked the perfect occasion for a Montreal Express to come roaring into the Bright Center yesterday as highly touted freshman Louis Leblanc scored two goals to help Harvard dispatch Dartmouth, 4-1, before 2,306 fans.
For Leblanc, the first Quebec-born player since 1988 to be drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round, it was his second straight two-goal outing, making him the first Crimson skater to register multiple-goal efforts in consecutive games since current Florida Panthers player Dominic Moore on Feb. 10 and 14, 2003Etc. |
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Post by seventeen on Jan 20, 2010 19:14:00 GMT -5
I think he'll be a pretty decent player. Thanks for the updates, BC. I cringed, though, when that one statement reminded me of the last Quebec born player drafted in the first round in 1988, then I realized he wasn't referring to Eric Chouinard, who happened to be born in Georgia, not Quebec. Wrong Eric. It was Charron they were referring to, though the similarity didn't end in the name alone, sigh.
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Post by cigarviper on Jan 20, 2010 19:25:36 GMT -5
I hope this kid can handle pressure....  |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jan 24, 2010 23:45:27 GMT -5
Louis had another two point night on Saturday with a 1+1 against RPI. He is still on a point per game pace as a freshie with 16 points in 16 games on a team that is hardly a powerhouse. He is definitely a big part of their offense. He and fellow West Islander Michael Biega lead the team in offense. Michael is one of three Biega brothers on the team.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Mar 5, 2010 18:21:01 GMT -5
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Post by Doc Holliday on Mar 6, 2010 9:22:31 GMT -5
Nice accoladaes but Leblanc plays in a REALLY subpar league and the hockey program in Harvard isn't among the best out there to say the least. Hockey wise, it's almost a lost year of devellopment. Not a lot of games played, nor in a competitive environment.
In interview, yesterday on RDS, Leblanc said he has no intention whatsoever to play in Junior (LHJMQ) next year so we're looking at another year in Harvard as studying seems to be his main focus. If he does that, I wonder what 2 years of slow devellopment will do to his carreer, he sure will have a lot of catching up to do...
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Post by drkcloud on Mar 6, 2010 13:07:25 GMT -5
Wasted pick. The kid has a lot of things going for him but you have to wonder about his drive to be a hockey player above all else. I'd be surprised if he ever played a game in the nhl
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Post by Anardil1 on Mar 6, 2010 13:31:15 GMT -5
In the same interview he also stated that after next season, he intends to turn pro. Can we give the kid at least a shot with the Bulldogs before pasting the bust label on his forehead?
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Post by Rhiessan on May 28, 2010 21:11:45 GMT -5
In the same interview he also stated that after next season, he intends to turn pro. Can we give the kid at least a shot with the Bulldogs before pasting the bust label on his forehead? According to Jimmy Murphy, Leblanc will be in the Dogs camp next year. We shall see. |
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Post by Doc Holliday on May 29, 2010 8:29:12 GMT -5
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on May 29, 2010 11:50:16 GMT -5
Best player in the Ivy League is like prettiest girl on "The View". Not calling him a bust, but remembering when Andrei Kostitsyn was just a bottle of meds away from NHL stardom. We are fed a lot of crap about our draftees that were Mr. Minnesota or the best player in Kamchatka about to become the next great one. After 4 years of college and grad school in Hamilton they are nowhere to be seen, 
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Post by seventeen on May 29, 2010 23:41:40 GMT -5
Shorts too tight, HFLA?  |
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on May 30, 2010 2:59:57 GMT -5
Shorts too tight, HFLA? Not critical of Louis Leblanc, he did about as well as possible, playing for Harvard. My frustration is with the recent string of disappointing draft picks and the pickers. I heard how Andrei Kostitsyn is a top 3 pick who fell into our hands because other GM's worried about his epilepsy. Seems his heart is more of the problem. While our choices are off to college, other draftees are in the NHL. Fisher went from superman skater for a big man to kryptonite slow development. Chipchura, our future captain? We played a whole season without a captain. If our drafting was any worse, we'd be called the leafs. All that plus as Bill Clinton said, "my shorts are too tight."  |
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Post by seventeen on Jun 2, 2010 1:02:10 GMT -5
Sometimes picks come with some baggage which is undeserved and they pay back the doubting scouts big time later on. Two that come immediately to mind are Mike Bossy from 1977 and Joe Sakic from 1987.
Bossy was considered 'soft' by a lot of scouts. Right wingers drafted ahead of him included Mike Crombeen, Lucien Deblois, Mark Napier, John Anderson and Ric Seiling. The scouts were right, though, he was soft. Only 210 penalty minutes in 752 career games. Useless player.
I was especially annoyed in 87 when we missed out on Sakic by two spots. Maybe the Habs weren't that hot on him and didn't move up from 17th spot because they had doubts too. Notables drafted ahead of Joe were, Wayne McBean, Chris Joseph, Dave Archibald, Luke Richardson, Jimmy Waite, Bryan Fogarty, Jayson More, Yves Racine, Keith Osborne, Dean Chynoweth and my favourite whipping boy, Stephane Quintal. Turgeon, Shanahan and Glen Wesley were 1,2, 3 that year, but Joe was the best. The number of inconsequential players selected ahead of him is staggering. Joe was smaller, otherwise I can't think of any reason to dislike him. The Hockey News draft report had scouts saying that the puck followed him around (a standard description of just about any superstar you can name), yet he doesn't go until #15. A lot of stupid scouts, hey? Total up the points for those guys ahead of him except for the first 3 and you get 1,168 points. Joe had 1,641 all by himself.
Yes, the Habs swung for the fences and struck out with Kostitsyn. At least I now believe they struck out and I've been more patient than most with AK. Strange thing was the Red Line guy, an independent scout, loved AK and described his WJC performances as terrific. He supposedly carried Belarus on his back. Maybe he has more heart playing for his country than for a pay check. Sure fizzled in these playoffs.
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Post by Boston_Habs on Jun 2, 2010 10:12:20 GMT -5
Yes, the Habs swung for the fences and struck out with Kostitsyn. At least I now believe they struck out and I've been more patient than most with AK. Strange thing was the Red Line guy, an independent scout, loved AK and described his WJC performances as terrific. He supposedly carried Belarus on his back. Maybe he has more heart playing for his country than for a pay check. Sure fizzled in these playoffs. When it comes to AK, I think there were simply too many unknowns in a loaded draft year to justify the pick. You can't just go on the skill set, and I remember the Red Line Report guy raving about him. At the time you needed to weigh AKost's skill/size with the fact that he played against weak competition in Belarus and also it's much harder to do the kind of personal/character due diligence you can do with North American players. I think the fact that AKost ended up doing great at the WJC is what tipped the scale in his favor, but in the end that was too small a sample against elite competition. With Leblanc, it's just way too early but at least Mike Bossy and Joe Sakic had demonstrated that they could be DOMINANT players at the junior level. Leblanc hasn't really dominated anywhere. He had an OK but not great year at Harvard and it's not even likely that he will make the WJC this year as a 19-year old. Still, I'm OK with the pick but he's going to need to start to put up some numbers. The ECAC is probably the weakest major conference in the NCAA and he should be able to assert his game more. |
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Post by roke on Jun 2, 2010 18:10:01 GMT -5
To nitpick, Kostitsyn was actually with CSKA Moscow, although he only played 6 games with the Big team during his season and spent most of the season with their "B"/Junior team.
I also don't think the issue with Kostitsyn is character. It might be a bit of work ethic, but I think the main thing is his hockey sense isn't anywhere near his skill level and that's the thing that has held him back. That has to be fairly hard to judge when you have 17 or 18 year-olds playing against numerous players of similar skill level; especially when you're watching them play major junior in their home rinks (where the coach can get the matchups).
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Post by BadCompany on Jun 6, 2010 8:05:46 GMT -5
The Montreal Juniors acquired Leblanc's rights yesterday, in exchange for once-highly-touted prospect Guillaume Asselin, and a 1st round pick. A high price to pay for a kid who may never play for them.
On the other hand, there have been rumors of this trade for quite some time now, with the logic being that Leblanc could continue his education at McGill University, "Canada's Harvard." While Avstin has said it won't happen, the Juniors also hold his rights, so how cool would it be if both he and Leblanc suited up in Montreal next year?
As an aside, the Juniors really don't believe in draft picks, do they? Traded a whole bunch of them this year AND next year, including their first and second round picks for both years...
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Post by Anardil1 on Jun 6, 2010 11:03:32 GMT -5
If the Juniors manage to convince Leblanc and Avstin to report, they will have an exciting team. One that I'll go watch several times. I've got my fingers crossed!
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Post by roke on Jun 6, 2010 12:45:36 GMT -5
I don't want Leblanc playing junior hockey in Montreal; too close to the spotlight too soon. I would have been comfortable with him playing pretty much anywhere else in the Q.
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Post by Doc Holliday on Jul 17, 2010 7:14:26 GMT -5
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Post by clear observer on Jul 17, 2010 12:42:54 GMT -5
true desire to be a hockey player. Par for the course when scouting/drafting 18-yr olds. Ambition, drive, intestinal fortitude; always key traits to look for. |
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Post by habsask on Jul 20, 2010 17:10:49 GMT -5
Me too Doc. He's 19 and he's playing at a level that isn't as good as Canadian junior hockey. Oh boy. Competitive drive? Maybe academically but not apparently for hockey. Another pick wasted? I sure hope not. Tinordi on the other hand was champing at the bit to get to the Habs. It goes w/o saying that you need to assess a prospect's physical talent but the Habs really need to do a better job of scouting other aspects. I hope PG realizes this and will address it in replacing the scouts whose contracts lapsed. (ie in effect he fired them) |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 20, 2010 18:55:48 GMT -5
In his draft year, the scouting reports all referred to his competitive nature and how he battles hard and does not like to lose while at Omaha in the USHL. I doubt that has gone anywhere. He also had his timelines about turning pro and figured he would be ready in two years. So, that gets him looking for a contract after this season. If he makes the Junior team, that season is considerably more intense than just an Ivy League schedule.
If he uses his time off the ice to work out and also get more on ice practice time along with his time needed for his studies, it is not all lost. The CHL route would be the the path that best prepares a young player for the rigours of a long pro schedule; however, he can still stay on the same timelines if he does indeed turn pro after this season. What will likely help is that his old teammate, Danny Kristo, will also be in a position next summer to consider signing his entry level deal as well if he continues on his development path. The NCAA route has not hurt his development.
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Post by Skilly on Jul 20, 2010 19:42:30 GMT -5
In his draft year, the scouting reports all referred to his competitive nature and how he battles hard and does not like to lose while at Omaha in the USHL. I doubt that has gone anywhere. He also had his timelines about turning pro and figured he would be ready in two years. So, that gets him looking for a contract after this season. If he makes the Junior team, that season is considerably more intense than just an Ivy League schedule. If he uses his time off the ice to work out and also get more on ice practice time along with his time needed for his studies, it is not all lost. The CHL route would be the the path that best prepares a young player for the rigours of a long pro schedule; however, he can still stay on the same timelines if he does indeed turn pro after this season. What will likely help is that his old teammate, Danny Kristo, will also be in a position next summer to consider signing his entry level deal as well if he continues on his development path. The NCAA route has not hurt his development. Might as well draft Seth Ambroz too .... I like Louis ... I hate the NCAA route, it never works out well for us .... but I think next year's class is very weak, and Louis has his eyes on the Calder Trophy. I think if the Habs use him in an offensive role, he just may have a chance in 2011-12. But of course, there will be cries that he should spent time in Hamilton and we may see him make the team as a 24 yr old eventually ... ahhh those develoment years in the college system .....  |
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