Duncan Milroy: Talent...and work ahead of him
Oct 10, 2004 14:11:54 GMT -5
Post by M. Beaux-Eaux on Oct 10, 2004 14:11:54 GMT -5
The Bozolator grinds out:
06-10-2004
Mathias Brunet
La Presse
Hamilton
Another Michael Ryder perhaps lies in waiting.
Duncan Milroy, 21 years old, has several points in common with Ryder. He is a right hand shot like him, was an exceptional goal scorer in junior hockey in spite of gaps in his game, unexceptional skating, and his first season in the pro ranks, last year with the Bulldogs, was filled with disappointments.
This year, on the other hand, he seems definitely more confident on the ice. His beautiful performance at the rookie tournament in Pierrefonds last month (seven points, including four goals, in four games) was worth congratulations from his bosses to him and a pretty promotion. In spite of the presence of future star Andrei Kostitsyn, Milroy should by all logic occupy the first right winger position on the Bulldogs in the company of the two best forwards on the team, Chris Higgins and Tomas Plekanec. At least that's what is envisaged in the Bulldogs plans for the beginning of the season.
"He has the talent to possibly be on one of the first two lines of an NHL team, but he has work ahead of him", mentions Bulldogs GM André Savard.
"Milroy must initially become a good player in the American League. He has the hands to finish plays (to score goals), but he must improve his constancy and his acceleration. He really impressed us at the rookie tournament and we want to give him the chance to succeed. In his case, maturity counts for a lot."
Highly ranked
Milroy was highly ranked by the NHL Central Scouting Service for the 2001 draft. André Savard, in his first draft as GM of the Canadiens, also liked him a lot, but preferred Alexander Perezhogin to him with his second choice in the first round (22nd overall, obtained in the trade which enabled him to acquire Richard Zednik and Jan Bulis from the Capitals). Savard didn't hesitate to claim Milroy when he noticed that the young man was still available in the second round at the 37th selection.
After a rather ordinary first camp with the Canadiens in September 2001, this 6'1 and 198 pounds right winger was returned to the junior ranks where he had an exceptional year. He scored 45 goals in the regular season and his incredible total of 37 points, of which 17 were goals, in only 22 WHL playoff games allowed his club, the Kootenay Ice, to win the Memorial Cup.
But his output fell the following year with Kootenay and he didn't do anything noteworthy in his first season in the pros last year, with only four goals in 50 games.
"He can take Ryder as a starting point, but Jozef Balej as well", Savard mentions. "Balej did not play much his first year in Hamilton before exploding the following season."
Balej piled up 58 points in 55 games with the Bulldogs last year before being traded to the Rangers for Alex Kovalev last spring. Balej finished the season with the Rangers where a regular position should await him at the resumption of play in the NHL.
A significant year
"It's a significant year for me", says Milroy. "Especially since the American League will profit from increased attention because of the lockout."
"There's a great chance for young players like me to develop. I'm 21 years old, the time has come to show my maturity, to prove that I can play in the NHL. I had several lessons in humility over the past few years. One of which was to be ignored in the first round of the draft, when all the members of my entourage told me that I was going to be drafted early."
Milroy doesn't want to inherit the reputation of a "bust". "I don't want it said that it was a mistake to draft me."
"Instead I hope that it will be said that I was a young player who took a little more time to develop. I will likely play with good linemates and I intend to keep my place."
If ever Milroy develops as the management of the Canadiens hopes he will, he could belong to a beautiful vintage of young players drafted in 2001: Mike Komisarek (7th), Perezhogin (22nd), Milroy (37th) and Tomas Plekanec (71th), the Bulldogs leading scorer last year and undoubtedly a future NHL player.
06-10-2004
Mathias Brunet
La Presse
Hamilton
Another Michael Ryder perhaps lies in waiting.
Duncan Milroy, 21 years old, has several points in common with Ryder. He is a right hand shot like him, was an exceptional goal scorer in junior hockey in spite of gaps in his game, unexceptional skating, and his first season in the pro ranks, last year with the Bulldogs, was filled with disappointments.
This year, on the other hand, he seems definitely more confident on the ice. His beautiful performance at the rookie tournament in Pierrefonds last month (seven points, including four goals, in four games) was worth congratulations from his bosses to him and a pretty promotion. In spite of the presence of future star Andrei Kostitsyn, Milroy should by all logic occupy the first right winger position on the Bulldogs in the company of the two best forwards on the team, Chris Higgins and Tomas Plekanec. At least that's what is envisaged in the Bulldogs plans for the beginning of the season.
"He has the talent to possibly be on one of the first two lines of an NHL team, but he has work ahead of him", mentions Bulldogs GM André Savard.
"Milroy must initially become a good player in the American League. He has the hands to finish plays (to score goals), but he must improve his constancy and his acceleration. He really impressed us at the rookie tournament and we want to give him the chance to succeed. In his case, maturity counts for a lot."
Highly ranked
Milroy was highly ranked by the NHL Central Scouting Service for the 2001 draft. André Savard, in his first draft as GM of the Canadiens, also liked him a lot, but preferred Alexander Perezhogin to him with his second choice in the first round (22nd overall, obtained in the trade which enabled him to acquire Richard Zednik and Jan Bulis from the Capitals). Savard didn't hesitate to claim Milroy when he noticed that the young man was still available in the second round at the 37th selection.
After a rather ordinary first camp with the Canadiens in September 2001, this 6'1 and 198 pounds right winger was returned to the junior ranks where he had an exceptional year. He scored 45 goals in the regular season and his incredible total of 37 points, of which 17 were goals, in only 22 WHL playoff games allowed his club, the Kootenay Ice, to win the Memorial Cup.
But his output fell the following year with Kootenay and he didn't do anything noteworthy in his first season in the pros last year, with only four goals in 50 games.
"He can take Ryder as a starting point, but Jozef Balej as well", Savard mentions. "Balej did not play much his first year in Hamilton before exploding the following season."
Balej piled up 58 points in 55 games with the Bulldogs last year before being traded to the Rangers for Alex Kovalev last spring. Balej finished the season with the Rangers where a regular position should await him at the resumption of play in the NHL.
A significant year
"It's a significant year for me", says Milroy. "Especially since the American League will profit from increased attention because of the lockout."
"There's a great chance for young players like me to develop. I'm 21 years old, the time has come to show my maturity, to prove that I can play in the NHL. I had several lessons in humility over the past few years. One of which was to be ignored in the first round of the draft, when all the members of my entourage told me that I was going to be drafted early."
Milroy doesn't want to inherit the reputation of a "bust". "I don't want it said that it was a mistake to draft me."
"Instead I hope that it will be said that I was a young player who took a little more time to develop. I will likely play with good linemates and I intend to keep my place."
If ever Milroy develops as the management of the Canadiens hopes he will, he could belong to a beautiful vintage of young players drafted in 2001: Mike Komisarek (7th), Perezhogin (22nd), Milroy (37th) and Tomas Plekanec (71th), the Bulldogs leading scorer last year and undoubtedly a future NHL player.
