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Post by NWTHabsFan on Mar 22, 2020 9:49:29 GMT -5
I was pleased to see the Canadiens organization have re-signed Alex Belzile for next season. Given how much he brings to the table for the Rocket, I have no problem using one of Montreal's fifty pro contracts on him. Fully agree. He was the team’s top player until he got hurt. With more young guys joining next season, you need some good veteran leadership and guys that are okay playing in the AHL (unlike the ones they shipped out at the trade deadline). |
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Post by folatre on Mar 22, 2020 14:23:34 GMT -5
For sure, having a handful of experienced guys is a good idea, though one would assume that not all of the vets in Laval will be offered a new contract.
Dauphin seemed invigorated playing for the Rocket, so I imagine that he gets a deal comparable (maybe a little less money) to Belzile. I imagine that Bouchard will have quite a bit of input of whether the team needs Blandisi and Lucchini in order to be competitive.
I would imagine they try to keep Olafsson. And in my estimation it would be a good call to keep Ouellet even it means giving him a $200,000 raise. How bad does Hudon want a change of scenery?
Is this finally the summer Bergevin makes one of his worst mistakes (Alzner) go away via the buyout mechanism?
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Post by BadCompany on Mar 23, 2020 8:19:49 GMT -5
For sure, having a handful of experienced guys is a good idea, though one would assume that not all of the vets in Laval will be offered a new contract. Dauphin seemed invigorated playing for the Rocket, so I imagine that he gets a deal comparable (maybe a little less money) to Belzile. I imagine that Bouchard will have quite a bit of input of whether the team needs Blandisi and Lucchini in order to be competitive. I would imagine they try to keep Olafsson. And in my estimation it would be a good call to keep Ouellet even it means giving him a $200,000 raise. How bad does Hudon want a change of scenery? Is this finally the summer Bergevin makes one of his worst mistakes (Alzner) go away via the buyout mechanism? I see no reason to buy out Alzner. Why have him count against the cap for another four years, when he'll be gone in two, if not sooner? We don't have any cap issues, so that's not a problem. And who knows? Maybe Seattle will want him to provide a veteran presence, and/or boost up their cap number. Unlikely, but then I thought that he played fairly decently down the stretch (just like I thought he played fairly decently in training camp last fall). As an aside - and this isn't aimed at you folatre - we can't keep complaining that Bergevin isn't using his cap space, and then turn around and complain when he does because it didn't work out. We had what? $9 million in cap space? So let's say they didn't sign Alzner, what would have changed? We'd either have $13 million in cap space, or we'd sign somebody else who is just as mediocre. We don't have the pick of any player in the league - we have to sign who is available AND who is willing to come here. That's a finite number of players. The truth is there are a LOT of teams with bad contracts. Probably most. Some of those are WAY worse than Alzner's $4.625 million hit. WAY worse. With actual, team-hurting ramifications. The only thing Alzner is hurting is Molson's bottom line, and that is the least of my concerns. If we're still paying Karl Alzner four years from now, then I will be concerned. As for Belzile, Dauphin and Hudon, as long as they are performing I don't think it hurts to have some local veterans playing in Laval. It's good for public relations of course, and some of those guys may be more inclined to stick around and help out the franchise, instead of bolting for say Europe, or whichever AHL team is closest to wherever they normally live. If they're invested in the team, the organization, and the community, that can be passed on to the real kids coming into the system. A guy like Riley Barber, for example, probably (apparently) didn't have the same passion for playing in Montreal as a guy like Belzile does. If attitude is infectious, then I know which guy I would rather have on the team. (though of course talent and production should always win out) |
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Post by seventeen on Mar 23, 2020 19:50:34 GMT -5
The one complaint I'd have about the CAP space is that it wasn't used to take on a short term bad contract in order to grab another prospect. Not an Armia. Someone younger who may not have progressed as well as their team expected. There's always a few of those guys around. For all my my opinions about Carolina's cheapness and management, they certainly know how to play that game well. Teravainen and Leafs first round pick in 2020 were acquired that way.
Otherwise, I agree. There's no sense spending any money when you team is not going to be better as a result. And I hate buyouts in general. Long term pain for short term gain. Not my cup of tea. Buying out Steve Mason was a wasted exercise. It didn't hurt us, but might have if we'd been competitive and needed to add a player.
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Post by folatre on Mar 23, 2020 20:08:55 GMT -5
BC, you are probably right about Alzner hanging on somewhere within the organization for at least another year. But, hey, Molson's VP of Finance might whisper in his ear, Boss you can save $1.6 million in real dollars if you turf this guy via the buyout.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Mar 25, 2020 12:12:53 GMT -5
Another guy returns, mainly for Laval. He was very solid down the stretch. Pretty decent defender when he is healthy. Firms up the D a bit more for Laval.
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Post by folatre on Mar 25, 2020 12:29:34 GMT -5
He is a good AHL d-man when he avoids injuries, so this is positive news for Laval.
If one looks at the deal he is taking, it probably suggests a couple of thing. First, he is not really viewed as a NHL prospect anymore because he will be 26 in December and now he is taking a two-way contract on the heels of having a two-year one-way contract in his pocket. Second, Bouchard must like Olofsson and Olofsson must be comfortable playing in Laval because, unless I am mistaken, he could have signed with another organization this summer.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Apr 3, 2020 14:14:12 GMT -5
Dauphin seemed to play well down the stretch.
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Post by folatre on Apr 3, 2020 20:07:29 GMT -5
For sure, this makes sense. And he is coming in slightly cheaper ($200,000 guaranteed in the AHL) than Belzile.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Apr 24, 2020 13:50:43 GMT -5
He is so effective at the AHL level, but just cannot consistently convert that in the NHL. The classic tweener.
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Post by folatre on Apr 24, 2020 16:56:58 GMT -5
Yeah, he is a tweener. I have always liked Hudon and pulled for him. Maybe he can still consolidate in the league because he has a quick release and a heavy shot, but the combination of being below average by NHL standards in terms of size, speed, and defensive play makes it unlikely.
Montreal has a tough decision to make because no one would deny the guy is a ringer at the AHL level. However, revenues could be greatly diminished during the 2020-21 season and Molson seems like an executive who even in good times focuses hard on containing costs, so paying Hudon close to $1 million to likely play in Laval is probably not something he wants to do.
And from Hudon's perspective, it likely seems time to move on.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Apr 27, 2020 22:24:08 GMT -5
Looking more and more like the AHL will cancel the season soon. I have seen a few folks musing if this could financially destroy a few AHL franchises if it goes on into next season. This would potentially be more acute with independent teams not owned by NHL parents with deeper pockets. The AHL needs bums in the seats.
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Post by folatre on Apr 28, 2020 11:50:01 GMT -5
Good point, NW. Television money in the AHL is miniscule in comparison to operating costs. It may not make any financial sense for the league to start 2020-21 if there are no fans permitted.
If I am not mistaken, about twenty AHL clubs are owned by the same person/entity that owns the NHL club, while the remainder have affiliation agreements. So, in theory, it may seem that the clubs with affiliation agreements would be in a more precarious situation since their actual owners are not billionaires. But, in reality, I am not sure the distinction will matter all that much because most NHL owners if they are experiencing reduced revenue from the NHL season will be loathe to bankroll AHL clubs out of their own pocket.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 8, 2020 13:22:44 GMT -5
Good add on an AHL deal. He made it all the way to a main camp invite with us last year. Good size. Played in Guelph before last season, so has some ties to Suzuki and Hillis.
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Post by folatre on May 8, 2020 14:45:23 GMT -5
Nothing wrong with taking a chance on a big rangy kid on an AHL-only contract. He kind of reminds of me of that project, Mason Marchment, the Leafs had been cultivating the last 3-5 years.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 12, 2020 12:01:32 GMT -5
With the rest of the AHL season officially cancelled, it is time to look towards next season and whatever that looks like for the AHL and Rocket.
Here is an excerpt from yesterday’s call with Bouchard on a few of our favourite prospects in Laval this past season.
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Post by jkr on May 12, 2020 12:12:31 GMT -5
With the rest of the AHL season officially cancelled, it is time to look towards next season and whatever that looks like for the AHL and Rocket. Here is an excerpt from yesterday’s call with Bouchard on a few of our favourite prospects in Laval this past season. When someone starts a sentence with the word "honestly" my guard is up.  |
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Post by GNick99 on May 13, 2020 6:12:06 GMT -5
With the rest of the AHL season officially cancelled, it is time to look towards next season and whatever that looks like for the AHL and Rocket. Here is an excerpt from yesterday’s call with Bouchard on a few of our favourite prospects in Laval this past season. Good post! Especially on the injuries to Poehling, Koktaniemi, Juulsen, which have played a major role in lack of development of our top prospects recent years. I did not know of that site but seems very informative. I bookmarked it for future browsing. If not for Covid I would be out working and not on these websites, so it has it benefits. lol Bouchard you can tell sounds like a major motivator. Which maybe missing key we never had in the past. |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 20, 2020 11:11:30 GMT -5
Cayden gets some recognition from the league.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 22, 2020 10:25:20 GMT -5
Another good use of a AHL contract. He played well down the stretch. Good depth guy.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 29, 2020 14:30:32 GMT -5
I figured they might go this route. They hold RHP’s NHL rights for another year, so no other team can sign him. This way he gets a place to play pro hockey within the system, and he does not use up one of the 50 NHL contract spots until next summer (and the Habs can assess his play in Laval for a season before taking that step).
A team captain. Memorial Cup champion. All the best in pro hockey!
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Post by folatre on May 29, 2020 19:21:37 GMT -5
Good call, this is a good solution for him to get a crack at professional hockey. His commitment level is really high so that is the kind of kid Bouchard is happy to work with.
One thing to ponder for all of these kids, given the news about minor league baseball basically being written off this year, is how they will develop in 2020-21 without a fully functioning league and games, and just as important how will they earn a paycheque? It seems pretty clear that at least half of the AHL franchises will not even contemplate playing without fans in the stands.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on May 29, 2020 23:53:16 GMT -5
Good call, this is a good solution for him to get a crack at professional hockey. His commitment level is really high so that is the kind of kid Bouchard is happy to work with. One thing to ponder for all of these kids, given the news about minor league baseball basically being written off this year, is how they will develop in 2020-21 without a fully functioning league and games, and just as important how will they earn a paycheque? It seems pretty clear that at least half of the AHL franchises will not even contemplate playing without fans in the stands. A big issue, development wise. We need to see where this goes for sure. The Habs have been a step or two behind the curve on player development. This is where the vision really rises to the top. |
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Post by folatre on May 30, 2020 10:08:55 GMT -5
If you ran the AHL team on a shoestring for a season, I think expenditures could be kept under $5 million (obviously quite a few contracts would have to be subjected to emergency roll back measures). Smart organizations would dig deep and understand how short-sighted it would be to stunt the development of prospects.
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Post by seventeen on May 30, 2020 13:34:39 GMT -5
I have often used the Toronto Raptors as an example of what the Habs could be doing to improve the team. I think I mentioned it before, but having a reputation as a good development organization helps recruit players. Both Fred Van Vleet and now Terrence Davis, undrafted players, chose the Raptors over other teams in large part because they knew they could improve more in that climate than with other clubs. Van Vleet was the only player other than Kawhi to receive Finals MVP votes last playoff run. Davis is getting better and better and looking like a great pick-up. Pascal Siakim was as raw as them come as a 27th overall draft pick (at which points there are a ton more flops than successes) and has become an all-star in 4 seasons. Development matters. Habs Development strategy:  |
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Post by folatre on May 30, 2020 15:53:41 GMT -5
I really want to give Bouchard the benefit of the doubt (perhaps because I want so badly to believe change is on the way), but yeah the draft and development record in the Bergevin era is poor.
Regarding drafting, in the first round it has seemed unclear whether the philosophy is best player available or best player at a particular position of need. And there has certainly been a tendency to rush kids into the NHL and then for the coaches (Therrien and Julien) to project frustration at kids making the kind of mistakes that young players make in the NHL and to compound the development ramifications by calling them out publicly.
I watch a fair number of Ottawa games and their talented kids like Chabot and Tkachuk make plenty of boneheaded plays (neutral zone turnovers, bad coverage reads in the d-zone), but their coaches have avoided throwing them under in the bus in the media or reducing their ice time.
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Post by Willie Dog on Jun 26, 2020 11:54:36 GMT -5
I really want to give Bouchard the benefit of the doubt (perhaps because I want so badly to believe change is on the way), but yeah the draft and development record in the Bergevin era is poor. Regarding drafting, in the first round it has seemed unclear whether the philosophy is best player available or best player at a particular position of need. And there has certainly been a tendency to rush kids into the NHL and then for the coaches (Therrien and Julien) to project frustration at kids making the kind of mistakes that young players make in the NHL and to compound the development ramifications by calling them out publicly. I watch a fair number of Ottawa games and their talented kids like Chabot and Tkachuk make plenty of boneheaded plays (neutral zone turnovers, bad coverage reads in the d-zone), but their coaches have avoided throwing them under in the bus in the media or reducing their ice time. Exactly bud, Ottawa is doing it right... and we have CJ... benching a kid for a mistake... As long as CJ is coach, it will be tough on a kid to succeed, they'll have to have PK/bGal type character or they will crumble... What kind of coach says it's not their job to teach?  If it's not, then tell your GM not to bring in just drafted players... putz. |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 26, 2020 15:40:34 GMT -5
If you have an hour and want some interesting insight into the Habs development and coaching traits, as well as some views on Bouchard’s coaching style (strengths and limitation), give a listen to the June 16 Athletic podcast with Jack Han. Han is a young hockey innovator, with some fresh new takes that likely would give our groupthink old guard a bit of a heart stressor. He did work the Habs, but has worked for the Leafs org for the last three years. As much as I cannot stand the Leafs, they are a far more advanced and innovative hockey club in terms of player development. We are miles behind. theathletic.com/podcast/106-le-support-athltique/ |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 2, 2020 12:53:30 GMT -5
Some AHL deals adding some depth without using up NHL contract spots. The defender looks like a strong add. Good puck moving D who put up good rookie numbers at Stockton and was the captain of his NCAA team.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 2, 2020 12:57:09 GMT -5
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If it's not, then tell your GM not to bring in just drafted players... putz.:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/archetype/6F6VF25GCFF2HFJCOITRJSGNPE.jpg)