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Post by jkr on Jun 29, 2023 7:44:02 GMT -5
Slept on it, still pissed. My worry with this management team is trying to be a bit too cute or thinking they know more than everyone else. They could have held onto 31 and 37 and drafted two RHD with those picks if they thought that was and organizational problem and taken Michkov at #5. I didn’t mind the Newhook move but right now it’s just a theory that our development guys can turn Alex Newook into a top 6 player. What if he’s just another 3rd line guy? And then they reached for Reinbacher, who was not a consensus top 5 pick. My anecdotal view is reaching on guys graded lower in the draft doesn’t usually work out. As far as I’m concerned the tanking part of the rebuild is over and I’m not sure we got enough to show for it. We needed a player with the talent profile of Michkov and we passed on him. I’m still a bit shocked. This is where I am. Teams tank to get a shot at unique talent, take the BPA. They should not be selecting for need that high in the draft. It really feels like a missed opportunity. I would sure like to hear from Hughes about their reluctance to draft Michkov. |
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jun 29, 2023 8:10:35 GMT -5
We're going to love Reinbacher, but an opportunity to draft a Michkov level of talent may not come again for another 20 years so its hard to be excited about this selection at this stage. After hearing a few podcasts, and reading up on him here and there, the best comparable player to David Reinbacher might be Marc Methot ... just an opinion ... I also read that the Habs felt he was the best d-man in the draft ... regardless, the pick caught me totally off guard ... was never in Matvei Michkov's camp, so I didn't mind them passing on him ... Cheers. |
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Post by Boston_Habs on Jun 29, 2023 8:16:27 GMT -5
Marc Methot? That's depressing.
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Post by Boston_Habs on Jun 29, 2023 8:24:04 GMT -5
. I would sure like to hear from Hughes about their reluctance to draft Michkov. Hughes basically said that they were drafting for need and if Reinbacher was a LHD they wouldn't have taken him. That's like the cardinal sin of drafting that high. You take the BPA. And what bigger "need" do the Habs have than elite offensive talent? They must believe Michkov won't be good. They better be right on that because even if Reinbacher develops into a solid top 4 dman, this will be a disaster pick if Michkov is putting up 100 points in Philly. |
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Post by habsorbed on Jun 29, 2023 10:05:25 GMT -5
. I would sure like to hear from Hughes about their reluctance to draft Michkov. Hughes basically said that they were drafting for need and if Reinbacher was a LHD they wouldn't have taken him. That's like the cardinal sin of drafting that high. You take the BPA. And what bigger "need" do the Habs have than elite offensive talent? They must believe Michkov won't be good. They better be right on that because even if Reinbacher develops into a solid top 4 dman, this will be a disaster pick if Michkov is putting up 100 points in Philly. Agree it is the cardinal sin, particularly as you really don't know what you'll need 3 or 4 years into the future given all the intangibles. And if you pick the BPA and 5 years from now they aren't what you need even if they are an elite player, then it is very easy to trade the guy for what you "need". I'm assuming HuGo saw serious flaws in Michkov. Haven't looked to see how he performed best on best. I see he had loads of points in international competition but getting 5 points against Kasakstan really don't impress me much. Perhaps HuGo were thinking Yakupov. From everything I've read Dr. is a safer pick if you want a very good player at the least. |
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Post by mikeg on Jun 29, 2023 10:11:37 GMT -5
I am not paid millions of dollars to look after and build a team. So really, what do I know. Everything I knew pre draft was compiled by reading blogs, twitter etc. Most experts had us picking exactly who we picked. With good reason because the player fills a need.
He is not who I wanted because the internet hoard convinced me we needed a highly skilled diminutive Russian to put up points.
But, after sleeping on it, after looking what our roster looks like if Reinbacher reaches his peak performance predictors then he is a solid pick.
I still hate it, but I get it.
Time will tell, but historically, the first picked defenseman in a draft tends to pan out better than the 5th picked offensive player, so, who knows.
Sufficed to say, I am very meh.
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Post by frozone on Jun 29, 2023 10:25:01 GMT -5
Hughes basically said that they were drafting for need and if Reinbacher was a LHD they wouldn't have taken him. That's like the cardinal sin of drafting that high. You take the BPA. And what bigger "need" do the Habs have than elite offensive talent? They must believe Michkov won't be good. They better be right on that because even if Reinbacher develops into a solid top 4 dman, this will be a disaster pick if Michkov is putting up 100 points in Philly. Agree it is the cardinal sin, particularly as you really don't know what you'll need 3 or 4 years into the future given all the intangibles. And if you pick the BPA and 5 years from now they aren't what you need even if they are an elite player, then it is very easy to trade the guy for what you "need". I'm assuming HuGo saw serious flaws in Michkov. Haven't looked to see how he performed best on best. I see he had loads of points in international competition but getting 5 points against Kasakstan really don't impress me much. Perhaps HuGo were thinking Yakupov. From everything I've read Dr. is a safer pick if you want a very good player at the least. There's 3 Michkov shift-by-shift KHL games on youtube iirc. I watched them and was pretty impressed. He definitely isn't afraid and I liked his hustle. He wasn't a defensive liability as some reporters have made him out to be. His effort level and fearlessness are very good. He's excellent on the perimeter but almost equally as impressive in tight. In that sense, he's probably a more versatile offensive threat than Bedard. Bedard is his own player with his own syle. But Michkov is a wild combination of Kucherov, Gallagher, and Caufield (or something like that). I definitely see why him and Bedard were mentioned so often in the same breath. That being said, Bedard projects better in the NHL from what I've seen. Michkov is going to spend a lot of time down on the ice. His skating is shifty but overall I would call it a weakness. He's on his toes, hunched over and lacks explosiveness. His balance is just nowhere close to Bedard's. I still wouldn't bet against Michkov. Elite talent tends to succeed in the NHL when they're driven, and Michkov has that drive from what I've seen. |
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 29, 2023 10:42:36 GMT -5
Having slept on it and done a ton more research, I actually like this pick. I don’t yet love it as I unabashedly wanted Michkov or a high impact forward more.
He reminds me of a right handed, more developed Guhle at the same age. He is big, very mobile, physical (but knows when to pick his spots), solid in his own end, has good gap control, makes a good first pass, and probably has more offensive confidence than Guhle at the same age. He was used in a more defensive role with Kloten in the Swiss top league and lead his team in 5on5 ice time for defenders as a 18 year old. He also played in the Men’s worlds, as a 18 year old.
I strongly suggest folks read this article by Marc Dumont and click on the link inside the article on a very detailed scouting report and analytics projection from a company that tracked tons of his league games. It is a very reassuring report that these guys did not “blow” this pick as much as it might seem on the Twitterverse right now.
I only watched some of his international games as I was not able to see his Swiss league games. He seemed solid and confident enough. I look forward to seeing where he plays next season.
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Post by Willie Dog on Jun 29, 2023 10:48:18 GMT -5
Having slept on it and done a ton more research, I actually like this pick. I don’t yet love it as I unabashedly wanted Michkov or a high impact forward more. He reminds me of a right handed, more developed Guhle at the same age. He is big, very mobile, physical (but knows when to pick his spots), solid in his own end, has good gap control, makes a good first pass, and probably has more offensive confidence than Guhle at the same age. He was used in a more defensive role with Kloten in the Swiss top league and lead his team in 5on5 ice time for defenders as a 18 year old. He also played in the Men’s worlds, as a 18 year old. I strongly suggest folks read this article by Marc Dumont and click on the link inside the article on a very detailed scouting report and analytics projection from a company that tracked tons of his league games. It is a very reassuring report that these guys did not “blow” this pick as much as it might seem on the Twitterverse right now. I only watched some of his international games as I was not able to see his Swiss league games. He seemed solid and confident enough. I look forward to seeing where he plays next season. Like you, I feel better about this pick after sleeping on it... I was pretty peeved last night. Dschens posted the same article earlier in the thread and they gave RD a great review, comparing him to josi during his draft year. If he is anything close to Sieder we will be very happy |
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Post by halihab on Jun 29, 2023 10:51:59 GMT -5
Hmmm. To all those that are heavily criticizing the pick who would you have taken? And have you scouted the other players available in person, have you watched endless hours of tape, have you spoken to their various coaches - I very much doubt it. And of course even though you haven't you're still better informed that the Habs VP of Hockey Operations, GM and and coach who have done all the above. It's always the same...yap, yap, yap. Sheesh, give it a rest. By Unapologetic for a Change. Over and Out Doesn't mean they are always right and that they should be immune to criticism. This organization has made its share of missteps in recent years. Habs fans suffered through almost a decade of Marc Bergevin and are expecting a lot better from Kent Hughes. Are they wrong with the pick ? Too early to criticize. From what I have heard, sounds like a pretty solid D man. |
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Post by halihab on Jun 29, 2023 10:56:28 GMT -5
Just take a look at the cup champs. They won it on solid big defenseman. They did not have 1 internally drafted player in their line-up.
Defense wins in the playoffs, every time.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 29, 2023 11:11:20 GMT -5
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jun 29, 2023 11:15:12 GMT -5
And a podcast with the guy who tracked all those National League (Swiss) games.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Jun 29, 2023 11:27:20 GMT -5
Having slept on it and done a ton more research, I actually like this pick. I don’t yet love it as I unabashedly wanted Michkov or a high impact forward more. He reminds me of a right handed, more developed Guhle at the same age. He is big, very mobile, physical (but knows when to pick his spots), solid in his own end, has good gap control, makes a good first pass, and probably has more offensive confidence than Guhle at the same age. He was used in a more defensive role with Kloten in the Swiss top league and lead his team in 5on5 ice time for defenders as a 18 year old. He also played in the Men’s worlds, as a 18 year old. I strongly suggest folks read this article by Marc Dumont and click on the link inside the article on a very detailed scouting report and analytics projection from a company that tracked tons of his league games. It is a very reassuring report that these guys did not “blow” this pick as much as it might seem on the Twitterverse right now. I only watched some of his international games as I was not able to see his Swiss league games. He seemed solid and confident enough. I look forward to seeing where he plays next season. A good synopsis ... Cheers. |
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Post by seventeen on Jun 29, 2023 13:39:42 GMT -5
I would sure like to hear from Hughes about their reluctance to draft Michkov. Here's my theory: Much as we like to think Rah, rah team, there are always differences of opinion between members of a team. It's rarely (and I mean RARELY) altruistic where everyone is working toward the same goal. Some members want to get ahead so 'Their" applicant has to be chosen. Others are reticent to express their real opinions and are happy to 'get along'. Occasionally, one team member of a group of scouts will 'win' and their guy will be chosen. We have seen this expressed beautifully in the quote "I have never seen your guy play but I know my guy and my guy is better". So say one year one scout who shall remain nameless, is wonderfully expressive in recommending his guy and that guy gets chosen No. 1 (am I giving too much away?). Everyone on the team supports the decision (outside voices). But deep down, a few guys are unhappy because they think it was the wrong decision. It festers. The infection worsens as the fellow chosen does not show well at first and doubts rise. Fast forward to the next draft: There is more debate about who to pick at #5 since all the obvious players are gone. The same guy from last year, who has connections with the obviously most talented player left makes a stirring recommendation. The knives come out. "You had your way last year and look what happened?" "You like taking too much risk", blah, blah, blah. No way we're taking your guy. Having achieved retribution, the group then selects the safe, boring, but positionally ideal RHD. Does that sound realistic and explain the choice? I'm not fantasizing here. Groups act this way. Eventually it comes down to the leader and from where I sit, Hughes made a mistake this year. It's still way too early to judge Slaf. On that point, Cam Neely averaged .52 ppg his first 3 seasons in the NHL, in a high scoring era, and his 3rd season was his worst. Canucks then traded him because he wasn't working out as a power forward. The Bruins got really lucky. The moral of the story is that big, powerful players need more time to develop and mature (And then there was John Leclair). Slaf may well be that kind, or he may be a bust. We'll know 4 more seasons from now. I suspect he's already had an impact though, in the decision to pick David (Savard) Reinbacher. And who knows...Lidstrom was a very boring, but effective Dman too. Maybe there's reason for a comparison. |
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Post by Cranky on Jun 29, 2023 14:10:14 GMT -5
Slept on it...and still feel empty about a team that I follow for over 6 decades.
My issue is that we look like we are going forward in slow motion. Teams like the Bruins, NJ, Rangers dipped and came back, while we have 30 years of bs excuses.
This "new team" was suppose to change that and give us hope...but I got none left after the last two days.
What is worse, there is no imperative for the owner to push because he will ALWAYS make his MONEY, as long as the dedicated believe in the bs and he sells tickets. That is the absolute worse for us fans who live on expectations and hope.
I have expectations, but all out of patience and hope...
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Post by seventeen on Jun 29, 2023 14:23:21 GMT -5
Teams like the Bruins, NJ, Rangers dipped and came back, while we have 30 years of bs excuses. I'm curious as to who will finish higher this year, Montreal or Boston?  Not out of the realm of possibilities. The Bruins had absolutely everything go right last year. Bergeron and Krejci come back, few injuries, career year from Ullmark, Marchand and McAvoy come back far earlier than expected, etc. etc. Until they met a hungry team and their own goaltending didn't hold up. This year, possibly no Bergeron or Krejci, no Orlov, no Hall, maybe some injuries or a lot of injuries to make up for last year, Ullmark returns to normal, etc. etc. No first, no second, no third round picks. So no matter how badly they do, they get no benefit from it. To steal a quote, I can't wait to take it all away from them. |
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Post by Cranky on Jun 29, 2023 14:43:36 GMT -5
Marc Methot? That's depressing. FANTASTIC! Don't we all want our top 5 pick to turn out to be a 12 point lifer? I was going to add league minimum lifer, but some idiot paid him 3 million a year for 4 years. I would of settled for Leonard and Phillies 22nd or Foerster so now, not paid millions like those super duper bright guys around the draft table, I want to see if I'm dead wrong. |
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Post by seventeen on Jun 29, 2023 15:24:31 GMT -5
I would of settled for Leonard and Phillies 22nd or Foerster so now, not paid millions like those super duper bright guys around the draft table, I want to see if I'm dead wrong. Trouble is I don't think that offer was ever really on the table. There are too many cases of one twit on Twitter saying, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if Briere offered 7, 22 and Foerster for #5?" A few conversations later, it has become reality and why isn't Hughes saying yes to that? Hughes would have jumped at that. Briere clearly desired Michkov, meaning Habs would have at worst their choice of Reinbacher or Leonard. If Arizona loved Simashev better than Reinbacher, Montreal might have had their guy, plus 22 plus Foerster, right? Never happened. Briere rightly calculated Michkov would be there anyway at 7, so why give up assets. |
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Post by folatre on Jun 29, 2023 15:33:57 GMT -5
Hughes said there were offers. They may not have been worthwhile.
My consternation is that at #5 an overwhelming majority of scouts would say Michkov was the BPA. So the Habs braintrust (Hughes, Gorton, Bobrov, Lapointe) either consciously decided not to the take the BPA or they are literally 'smarter' than the vast majority of scouts.
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Post by jkr on Jun 29, 2023 16:47:24 GMT -5
. I would sure like to hear from Hughes about their reluctance to draft Michkov. Hughes basically said that they were drafting for need and if Reinbacher was a LHD they wouldn't have taken him. That's like the cardinal sin of drafting that high. You take the BPA. And what bigger "need" do the Habs have than elite offensive talent? They must believe Michkov won't be good. They better be right on that because even if Reinbacher develops into a solid top 4 dman, this will be a disaster pick if Michkov is putting up 100 points in Philly. How sold were they on this guy if they would have passed if he was a left hand shot?. This is 5OA , not the 5th round. They missed an opportunity that doesn't come along often. |
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Post by Tankdriver on Jun 29, 2023 16:51:58 GMT -5
I wonder how many of last year's picks were really from this current regime? Usually that first draft you kind of defer to the previous scouts opinions since they have been watching certain players for a period of time.
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Post by frozone on Jun 29, 2023 16:58:38 GMT -5
Hughes said there were offers. They may not have been worthwhile. My consternation is that at #5 an overwhelming majority of scouts would say Michkov was the BPA. So the Habs braintrust (Hughes, Gorton, Bobrov, Lapointe) either consciously decided not to the take the BPA or they are literally 'smarter' than the vast majority of scouts. I come away from this draft wondering if this truly was one of the all time great drafts. Maybe it was just one of the all time hyped drafts. If that's the case, then maybe HuGo were smarter than the scouts. When you take a step back, it really looks like they didn't value this draft very much. I mean, trading away picks 31 and 37 before even knowing who was going to fall to that range... For instance, pre-draft articles and videos had me convinced that Benson was potentially the next Mitch Marner. But looking back in history, he basically had the same numbers as Yamamoto from the 2017 draft. And Dvorsky... why was he hyped more than Alex Wennberg or Lias Andersson for example? Alex Turcotte's points/game was better than Smith's, Perreault's and Leonard's. Was this really that deep of a draft? Or does the 2023 class just look extra good because the 2022 class was such a weak one in comparison? Not to mention, all the players like Ritchie and Yager who really didn't put up eye-popping numbers this year. I think I'm trying to convince myself that we didn't miss out on anything special. |
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Post by Cranky on Jun 29, 2023 16:58:44 GMT -5
Hughes said there were offers. They may not have been worthwhile. My consternation is that at #5 an overwhelming majority of scouts would say Michkov was the BPA. So the Habs braintrust (Hughes, Gorton, Bobrov, Lapointe) either consciously decided not to the take the BPA or they are literally 'smarter' than the vast majority of scouts. That was as obvious as a sledge hammer on the toes. One could see from the video footage that he was waiting on the phone to the very last minute before he got up. No chatter on the table, no motion from anyone, just waiting for a call. Meanwhile you could hear me screaming....get that deal done! I'm going to put money on Leonard and Foerster have a far higher ceiling then Reinbacher. If those two put out 50/60 points each in 5 years, Reinbacher would have to be top 2 to match it. So what would be the argument to not do it? We would have to send back a 2nd in 2024? I would still do that if I had great scouting reports on Foerster. Hughes is no Pollock. Other then Dach, so far, better then the cluster pluck we had but certainly nothing special. |
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Post by Cranky on Jun 29, 2023 17:13:12 GMT -5
I think I'm trying to convince myself that we didn't miss out on anything special. In case of emergency, I have some industrial strength copium laced with moonshine.  Didn't we lose a regime that thought it was smarter then a dead mouse? |
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Post by Skilly on Jun 29, 2023 18:15:16 GMT -5
Hughes said there were offers. They may not have been worthwhile. My consternation is that at #5 an overwhelming majority of scouts would say Michkov was the BPA. So the Habs braintrust (Hughes, Gorton, Bobrov, Lapointe) either consciously decided not to the take the BPA or they are literally 'smarter' than the vast majority of scouts. I come away from this draft wondering if this truly was one of the all time great drafts. Maybe it was just one of the all time hyped drafts. If that's the case, then maybe HuGo were smarter than the scouts. When you take a step back, it really looks like they didn't value this draft very much. I mean, trading away picks 31 and 37 before even knowing who was going to fall to that range... For instance, pre-draft articles and videos had me convinced that Benson was potentially the next Mitch Marner. But looking back in history, he basically had the same numbers as Yamamoto from the 2017 draft. And Dvorsky... why was he hyped more than Alex Wennberg or Lias Andersson for example? Alex Turcotte's points/game was better than Smith's, Perreault's and Leonard's. Was this really that deep of a draft? Or does the 2023 class just look extra good because the 2022 class was such a weak one in comparison? Not to mention, all the players like Ritchie and Yager who really didn't put up eye-popping numbers this year. I think I'm trying to convince myself that we didn't miss out on anything special. This is where I am at too I don’t see this as a deep draft. The only players we drafted after the first round over 6 feet tall were goalies. There was more 5’10 players than I’ve ever seen before As for Reinbacher, I’m warming up to him. He is definitely well spoken, seems to have a huge hockey IQ. He has character in spades. He seems like a great person, and still holds a job as a head hunter (worked while playing in the Austrian league) The Habs not only had Carey Price at the draft, but they brought Guhle along to meet Reinbacher. So they were set on Reinbacher for a long time and we’re not trading that pick knowing Arizona was going to pick a defenseman. I’m not sold on Michkov. You look into his numbers, and his game, and there are bells that go off to me. The same bells that rang for me last year when we selected Slafkovsky. A lot of points come against poor teams. And this whole Michkov schmoozing, came across to me as rather odd. I think he had his mind made up that he was only playing for one team. And who knows how much the oligarchs will throw at him in 2 years |
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Post by PTH on Jun 29, 2023 22:05:04 GMT -5
I come away from this draft wondering if this truly was one of the all time great drafts. Maybe it was just one of the all time hyped drafts. If that's the case, then maybe HuGo were smarter than the scouts. When you take a step back, it really looks like they didn't value this draft very much. I mean, trading away picks 31 and 37 before even knowing who was going to fall to that range... For instance, pre-draft articles and videos had me convinced that Benson was potentially the next Mitch Marner. But looking back in history, he basically had the same numbers as Yamamoto from the 2017 draft. And Dvorsky... why was he hyped more than Alex Wennberg or Lias Andersson for example? Alex Turcotte's points/game was better than Smith's, Perreault's and Leonard's. Was this really that deep of a draft? Or does the 2023 class just look extra good because the 2022 class was such a weak one in comparison? Not to mention, all the players like Ritchie and Yager who really didn't put up eye-popping numbers this year. I think I'm trying to convince myself that we didn't miss out on anything special. This is where I am at too I don’t see this as a deep draft. The only players we drafted after the first round over 6 feet tall were goalies. There was more 5’10 players than I’ve ever seen before As for Reinbacher, I’m warming up to him. He is definitely well spoken, seems to have a huge hockey IQ. He has character in spades. He seems like a great person, and still holds a job as a head hunter (worked while playing in the Austrian league) The Habs not only had Carey Price at the draft, but they brought Guhle along to meet Reinbacher. So they were set on Reinbacher for a long time and we’re not trading that pick knowing Arizona was going to pick a defenseman. I’m not sold on Michkov. You look into his numbers, and his game, and there are bells that go off to me. The same bells that rang for me last year when we selected Slafkovsky. A lot of points come against poor teams. And this whole Michkov schmoozing, came across to me as rather odd. I think he had his mind made up that he was only playing for one team. And who knows how much the oligarchs will throw at him in 2 years I suspect he was lukewarm on playing outside of large American markets. That will always be yet another unknown: would he have even come over for a team he was lukewarm on. Would he pull a Fox or a Lindros? That might explain Arizona not taking him, as well. |
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Post by seventeen on Jun 30, 2023 1:20:55 GMT -5
Hughes said there were offers. They may not have been worthwhile. My consternation is that at #5 an overwhelming majority of scouts would say Michkov was the BPA. So the Habs braintrust (Hughes, Gorton, Bobrov, Lapointe) either consciously decided not to the take the BPA or they are literally 'smarter' than the vast majority of scouts. I come away from this draft wondering if this truly was one of the all time great drafts. Maybe it was just one of the all time hyped drafts. If that's the case, then maybe HuGo were smarter than the scouts. When you take a step back, it really looks like they didn't value this draft very much. I mean, trading away picks 31 and 37 before even knowing who was going to fall to that range... For instance, pre-draft articles and videos had me convinced that Benson was potentially the next Mitch Marner. But looking back in history, he basically had the same numbers as Yamamoto from the 2017 draft. And Dvorsky... why was he hyped more than Alex Wennberg or Lias Andersson for example? Alex Turcotte's points/game was better than Smith's, Perreault's and Leonard's. Was this really that deep of a draft? Or does the 2023 class just look extra good because the 2022 class was such a weak one in comparison? Not to mention, all the players like Ritchie and Yager who really didn't put up eye-popping numbers this year. I think I'm trying to convince myself that we didn't miss out on anything special. One guy who may work for a scouting service or may just be someone obsessed with draft prospects said something a couple of months ago I found interesting. He thought the top 5 were clearly stronger than previous drafts, the next 15 or so were slightly lower than previous years and after that, the same quality as previous years. I wasn’t sure what to make of that statement, but it was contrary to so much else being said. It might be evaluators wanted a strong draft and promoted it as such. We won’t know for a few years, but I wouldn’t be surprised. It’s either crazy or courageous to go against the current. This draft was certainly hyped and the top end justified their ratings. |
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Post by seventeen on Jun 30, 2023 1:37:31 GMT -5
From what I've been reading on Orville (sorry, it's easier to type that than his real name) he has more value than I originally thought. One of those tapes pointed out that rookies rarely play in the National League (not the NHL, the top Swiss league) because the pressure is so high to win there. Coaches don't play 18 year old kids except for maybe 4 minutes a game. It is to a good Swiss kid's benefit to travel to Canada and play in the CHL, which is the route most take. Those like Orville, don't take up an import spot and can play for a non-contender, will get ice time in the National League. Reinbacher did that and repaid his coach and GM by being darn good. That's darn good in what is likely the 4th best hockey league in the world. He played against men. Not NCAA types who generally top out at 23, but grizzled vets of 35, and did well against them.
I might have been underselling this guy. It was also pointed out that he's not flashy...which is why I compared him to Lidstrom, who was only efficient. Lidstrom didn't go end to end and score. He erased opposing forwards, got pucks on net and won a few Norris trophies along the way.
I also suspect the Habs braintrust doesn't have a ton of confidence in Justin Barron. If he develops further, great. If not, then Reinbacher is there to fill in that top pair RHD.
Michkov produced very well against his peers. IN the U-18's a while back, he led the tournament in scoring. So even if he did put up half his KHL points in 2 games against the worst team in the KHL, he's still a top end talent. But maybe not the franchise guy he's been touted to be. That will play itself out in a few years. I don't think this pick is a reason to start doubting Hughes and Gorton.....yet.
Anyone else excited about the upcoming season?
Caufield - Suzuki - Dach
Slaf - Monahan - Gallagher/Anderson
RHP - Newhook - Roy
Pezzetta - Evans- Ylonen
Depth - Dvorak (unless traded), Armia, Farrell
Matheson - Barron
Guhle - Savard
Xhekaj - Harris
Depth - Kovacevic, Edmundson, who cares?
Orville, Beck, Mesar, Hutson, Engstrom and Struble all getting better and will be joining soon.
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Post by Polarice on Jun 30, 2023 5:44:29 GMT -5
From what I've heard, Michkov did not want to join the Habs....hence we draft the next best player. Apparently some inside the organization are comparing Reinbacher to Shea Weber lite. Big shot, loves to hit and will punish anyone in front of the net. Wait and see I guess.
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