by Dan Kramer - @DanKramerHabs
One reason why Canada is the greatest country in the world is that it's always either summer or hockey season. And so it was fitting that this weekend, as evening temperatures began to cause the masses to scramble for Fall sweaters and jackets, the Montreal Canadiens found themselves back on the ice. Sort of, at least.
While the veterans are still a few days away from participating in meaningful on-ice sessions, for the first time in years, a group of young professional Habs, unsigned draft picks, and invited tryouts have been the first to sport the new lacey Bleu-Blanc-Rouge sweaters in a rookie tournament against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Be ready for the trick question at a future bar trivia night on Peel. Who was the first Hab to wear the captain 'C' in these new 2015-16 Canadiens jerseys? While we wait to see whether Max Pacioretty, P.K. Subban, or Brendan Gallagher will receive the honour in October, it's Hamilton Bulldog leading goal-scorer Dan Carr that has it on his sweater currently in London, Ontario.
After kicking off the tournament with an overtime loss to the Penguins on Friday - and that 'point' only salvaged thanks to a late tying goal from Tim Bozon - the baby Habs bested the rival Leafs 6-4 on Saturday night in a game that had an atmosphere not far off the Air Canada Centre. Budweiser Gardens - and surrounding streets - were teeming with a mix of Leaf and Hab paraphernalia as if to announce the return of the game from off-seasons considered far too long by partisans of both clubs.
It should come as no surprise that Charles Hudon is the forward stealing the spotlight for the Canadiens. Coming off an exceptional AHL rookie season where he netted 19 goals and 57 points in 75 games, there is little doubt the 21-year old will earn an NHL look at some point this coming season. He completed a frantic passing play in the offensive zone, pushing a Ryan Johnston feed into the empty side of the Leafs' cage for a third period go-ahead goal Saturday, with the Canadiens never again relinquishing a lead. Hudon himself would add the ensurance empty netter with under 10 seconds to play on a dump from center ice.
Speaking of Johnston - there's a name that won't sound familiar if you're one of the many who is too busy at barbecues and pool parties to pay close attention to Marc Bergevin's more subtle transactions during the summer months. It looked - and may still look - like the St. John's Ice Caps (Montreal's new AHL affiliate, if you missed that as well) would be thin and inexperienced on the back end for the coming season. Johnston was a mostly unheralded college signing that few knew much about, but he's gone a big way towards changing that in just a couple of games with the prospect squad.
At 5'10" and 177 lbs, Johnston lacks the size many crave of a solid blueliner, but watch him play and you quickly see he fits the mold of the hot and trendy new school analytics-supported puck mover. Frankly, it may be a small sample size, but in the opening two rookie games, he has rushed the puck up ice better than any Canadien defensive prospect not named Subban in years. And yes, that includes Nathan Beaulieu.
Johnston, who earned a contract with the club following July's Development Camp, is both speedy and shifty, and has great vision for finding his teammates. While he is still raw and was caught flat-footed or off-balance a few times on the weekend, at age 23 and with a wealth of college experience, he may be able to make an easier transition to the pro game as a rookie than some of his younger teammates, much as we saw with Greg Pateryn. He should be an important part of the St. John's blueline that is losing a lot of pieces enjoyed by Hamilton the last few seasons.
With Noah Juulsen having to withdraw from the tournament due to a concussion, many eyes were on the other first round picks participating, being Nikita Scherbak and Michael McCarron. Both showed flashes of what got them to this point, but still look like players who will follow a traditional development path through the American League rather than fast tracking to an NHL debut. For McCarron, it was confirmed that he would continue to line up at center, where he had most success in his final junior season. He leveraged his 6'6", 235 lbs frame to aggressively forecheck opposing blueliners and to stand up for teammates in a pinch. In a group of young talents champing at the bit, he was noticeably a step slower than some of his peers and rivals, but it didn't hold him back in any significant way. He should line up on St. John's second or third line depending on his production this year.
Scherbak showed more offensively of the two, but he kept his game relatively simple, with few examples of the jaw-dropping skill of which he is capable. He is a player not unlike Lars Eller in his ability to have the puck glued to his stick, but he shows stronger vision in setting up his linemates for prime scoring opportunities. Where he struggled at times was in holding pucks for too long before making a play, allowing defenders to limit his options. This is a common issue with junior players transitioning to a pro game where there is less time and space, and Scherbak should be able to adapt with experience.
Other players deserving particular mentions included Bozon, Carr, Jeremiah Addison, and tryouts Angelo Miceli and Jamal Watson. Bozon had spurts where he was quieter, but showed goal-scorer instincts, with a big marker in each of the first two games. The Ice Caps aren't overflowing with offensive talent, so he should be able to lock down a top 9 job on the rock. Similarly, Carr wasn't as much of a standout as his linemate for much of last season Hudon, but he plays a good overall game, constantly moving his feet to stay engaged with the play.
Eighteen-year old Addison has plenty of time to develop, but is already displaying a quality two-way skillset, hounding pucks at both ends of the rink. After recording three assists on Friday, 21-year old Miceli earned a spot on the powerplay Saturday, and made the crease his home, nearly getting on the scoresheet again but thwarted on the doorstep by the Leafs' netminder. He would be an interesting addition for Brampton of the ECHL, but there may not be room at a higher level of the organization for another 5'10" scorer. Lastly, Watson has similar style and size to Addison, also showing strength at both ends of the rink, and while a bit clunky with the puck, was able to score a nice shorthanded breakaway goal on Saturday with a clean deke.
The goaltenders also impressed in both the Friday and Saturday match-ups, as Montreal was outshot significantly. Zach Fucale came up with the bigger saves of the two on Friday, but ultimately took an overtime loss. With Mike Condon all but assured the starter spot for the Ice Caps, it'll be a tough decision whether to let Fucale see AHL action as a back-up, or play the lion's share in the ECHL to start the year. Even if the latter is the selected path, fans shouldn't see it as a reason to write Fucale off. Keep in mind Condon also spent his first year in the ECHL, and now appears to be a bonafide netminder prospect.
Tryout Michael McNiven got the cage on Saturday, and was impressive for an undrafted 18 year old. While the shot quality he faced wasn't as high as Fucale's, he turned aside 47 of 51 shots to secure the victory. While it's most likely he waits it out to re-enter next year's draft, the Canadiens could choose to offer him a contract without worrying about the logjam of goaltenders ahead of him much, given he has at least two years of CHL action to come.
After Sunday's final tilt against the Ottawa Senators, the next step will be the big camp, where significant questions and battles remain. If Hudon has taken a lead among his peer group for an NHL job in this stage, he will face a new challenger in Sven Andrighetto among the young-but-ready come training camp. Andrighetto - like Darren Dietz - was left out of rookie camp for having already completed two professional seasons, but will undoubtedly be given just as much of a chance to prove himself as Hudon.
Of course the rookies won't be competing in isolation any longer, and nor will they be the only ones coming in with serious motivation. Young vets like Devante Smith-Pelly and Zack Kassian will be out to prove they can live up to the hype that once surrounded them with seasons that could be turning points in their careers, while recently invited tryout Tomas Fleischmann will be seeking a contract for a top 9 spot. The likes of Christian Thomas and Michael Bournival would require waivers to be sent down to the AHL for the first times in their careers, forcing management to make some decisions, and young Jacob De La Rose will need to show he's fully recovered from off-season surgery to pick back up where he left off last season.
And the forward group will get extra pressure from the depth on the blueline, where barring a trade, the Canadiens may be forced to keep 8 men up with the big club (meaning only one reserve forward). While it's unlikely Johnston or any other rookie camp invitee challenges for a job immediately in Montreal, unless a player like Tom Gilbert or Alexei Emelin finds a new home, there will be necessary competition between Jarred Tinordi and Marc Barberio (both needing waivers) for the # 7 or 8 job. Beaulieu's play down the stretch should solidify him as a likely top 4-5 rearguard, and dependable Pateryn should fill a # 6-7 hole.
With many questions still to be answered, if are to judge things based on the past, one thing seems certain: Marc Bergevin has a plan, and we won't know what it is until it's officially announced. Interesting weeks to come.
One reason why Canada is the greatest country in the world is that it's always either summer or hockey season. And so it was fitting that this weekend, as evening temperatures began to cause the masses to scramble for Fall sweaters and jackets, the Montreal Canadiens found themselves back on the ice. Sort of, at least.
While the veterans are still a few days away from participating in meaningful on-ice sessions, for the first time in years, a group of young professional Habs, unsigned draft picks, and invited tryouts have been the first to sport the new lacey Bleu-Blanc-Rouge sweaters in a rookie tournament against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Be ready for the trick question at a future bar trivia night on Peel. Who was the first Hab to wear the captain 'C' in these new 2015-16 Canadiens jerseys? While we wait to see whether Max Pacioretty, P.K. Subban, or Brendan Gallagher will receive the honour in October, it's Hamilton Bulldog leading goal-scorer Dan Carr that has it on his sweater currently in London, Ontario.
After kicking off the tournament with an overtime loss to the Penguins on Friday - and that 'point' only salvaged thanks to a late tying goal from Tim Bozon - the baby Habs bested the rival Leafs 6-4 on Saturday night in a game that had an atmosphere not far off the Air Canada Centre. Budweiser Gardens - and surrounding streets - were teeming with a mix of Leaf and Hab paraphernalia as if to announce the return of the game from off-seasons considered far too long by partisans of both clubs.
It should come as no surprise that Charles Hudon is the forward stealing the spotlight for the Canadiens. Coming off an exceptional AHL rookie season where he netted 19 goals and 57 points in 75 games, there is little doubt the 21-year old will earn an NHL look at some point this coming season. He completed a frantic passing play in the offensive zone, pushing a Ryan Johnston feed into the empty side of the Leafs' cage for a third period go-ahead goal Saturday, with the Canadiens never again relinquishing a lead. Hudon himself would add the ensurance empty netter with under 10 seconds to play on a dump from center ice.
Speaking of Johnston - there's a name that won't sound familiar if you're one of the many who is too busy at barbecues and pool parties to pay close attention to Marc Bergevin's more subtle transactions during the summer months. It looked - and may still look - like the St. John's Ice Caps (Montreal's new AHL affiliate, if you missed that as well) would be thin and inexperienced on the back end for the coming season. Johnston was a mostly unheralded college signing that few knew much about, but he's gone a big way towards changing that in just a couple of games with the prospect squad.
At 5'10" and 177 lbs, Johnston lacks the size many crave of a solid blueliner, but watch him play and you quickly see he fits the mold of the hot and trendy new school analytics-supported puck mover. Frankly, it may be a small sample size, but in the opening two rookie games, he has rushed the puck up ice better than any Canadien defensive prospect not named Subban in years. And yes, that includes Nathan Beaulieu.
Johnston, who earned a contract with the club following July's Development Camp, is both speedy and shifty, and has great vision for finding his teammates. While he is still raw and was caught flat-footed or off-balance a few times on the weekend, at age 23 and with a wealth of college experience, he may be able to make an easier transition to the pro game as a rookie than some of his younger teammates, much as we saw with Greg Pateryn. He should be an important part of the St. John's blueline that is losing a lot of pieces enjoyed by Hamilton the last few seasons.
With Noah Juulsen having to withdraw from the tournament due to a concussion, many eyes were on the other first round picks participating, being Nikita Scherbak and Michael McCarron. Both showed flashes of what got them to this point, but still look like players who will follow a traditional development path through the American League rather than fast tracking to an NHL debut. For McCarron, it was confirmed that he would continue to line up at center, where he had most success in his final junior season. He leveraged his 6'6", 235 lbs frame to aggressively forecheck opposing blueliners and to stand up for teammates in a pinch. In a group of young talents champing at the bit, he was noticeably a step slower than some of his peers and rivals, but it didn't hold him back in any significant way. He should line up on St. John's second or third line depending on his production this year.
Scherbak showed more offensively of the two, but he kept his game relatively simple, with few examples of the jaw-dropping skill of which he is capable. He is a player not unlike Lars Eller in his ability to have the puck glued to his stick, but he shows stronger vision in setting up his linemates for prime scoring opportunities. Where he struggled at times was in holding pucks for too long before making a play, allowing defenders to limit his options. This is a common issue with junior players transitioning to a pro game where there is less time and space, and Scherbak should be able to adapt with experience.
Other players deserving particular mentions included Bozon, Carr, Jeremiah Addison, and tryouts Angelo Miceli and Jamal Watson. Bozon had spurts where he was quieter, but showed goal-scorer instincts, with a big marker in each of the first two games. The Ice Caps aren't overflowing with offensive talent, so he should be able to lock down a top 9 job on the rock. Similarly, Carr wasn't as much of a standout as his linemate for much of last season Hudon, but he plays a good overall game, constantly moving his feet to stay engaged with the play.
Eighteen-year old Addison has plenty of time to develop, but is already displaying a quality two-way skillset, hounding pucks at both ends of the rink. After recording three assists on Friday, 21-year old Miceli earned a spot on the powerplay Saturday, and made the crease his home, nearly getting on the scoresheet again but thwarted on the doorstep by the Leafs' netminder. He would be an interesting addition for Brampton of the ECHL, but there may not be room at a higher level of the organization for another 5'10" scorer. Lastly, Watson has similar style and size to Addison, also showing strength at both ends of the rink, and while a bit clunky with the puck, was able to score a nice shorthanded breakaway goal on Saturday with a clean deke.
The goaltenders also impressed in both the Friday and Saturday match-ups, as Montreal was outshot significantly. Zach Fucale came up with the bigger saves of the two on Friday, but ultimately took an overtime loss. With Mike Condon all but assured the starter spot for the Ice Caps, it'll be a tough decision whether to let Fucale see AHL action as a back-up, or play the lion's share in the ECHL to start the year. Even if the latter is the selected path, fans shouldn't see it as a reason to write Fucale off. Keep in mind Condon also spent his first year in the ECHL, and now appears to be a bonafide netminder prospect.
Tryout Michael McNiven got the cage on Saturday, and was impressive for an undrafted 18 year old. While the shot quality he faced wasn't as high as Fucale's, he turned aside 47 of 51 shots to secure the victory. While it's most likely he waits it out to re-enter next year's draft, the Canadiens could choose to offer him a contract without worrying about the logjam of goaltenders ahead of him much, given he has at least two years of CHL action to come.
After Sunday's final tilt against the Ottawa Senators, the next step will be the big camp, where significant questions and battles remain. If Hudon has taken a lead among his peer group for an NHL job in this stage, he will face a new challenger in Sven Andrighetto among the young-but-ready come training camp. Andrighetto - like Darren Dietz - was left out of rookie camp for having already completed two professional seasons, but will undoubtedly be given just as much of a chance to prove himself as Hudon.
Of course the rookies won't be competing in isolation any longer, and nor will they be the only ones coming in with serious motivation. Young vets like Devante Smith-Pelly and Zack Kassian will be out to prove they can live up to the hype that once surrounded them with seasons that could be turning points in their careers, while recently invited tryout Tomas Fleischmann will be seeking a contract for a top 9 spot. The likes of Christian Thomas and Michael Bournival would require waivers to be sent down to the AHL for the first times in their careers, forcing management to make some decisions, and young Jacob De La Rose will need to show he's fully recovered from off-season surgery to pick back up where he left off last season.
And the forward group will get extra pressure from the depth on the blueline, where barring a trade, the Canadiens may be forced to keep 8 men up with the big club (meaning only one reserve forward). While it's unlikely Johnston or any other rookie camp invitee challenges for a job immediately in Montreal, unless a player like Tom Gilbert or Alexei Emelin finds a new home, there will be necessary competition between Jarred Tinordi and Marc Barberio (both needing waivers) for the # 7 or 8 job. Beaulieu's play down the stretch should solidify him as a likely top 4-5 rearguard, and dependable Pateryn should fill a # 6-7 hole.
With many questions still to be answered, if are to judge things based on the past, one thing seems certain: Marc Bergevin has a plan, and we won't know what it is until it's officially announced. Interesting weeks to come.