I think this may be the most interesting camp yet. We're potentially very deep in forwards with lots of young talent fighting for spots. I'll say we're solid on defense, but we certainly aren't real deep in talent. A lot depends on how certain players do in pro tryouts.
The kids have been broken into three camps. Team A is returning players and teams B & C are the rest. Team A is practising the first two days while teams B & C are scrimmaging. Unusual I suppose.
I attended the first scrimmage this morning. My first reaction walking into the building was I must have gotten the time wrong. There were very few fans attending. First days in the past have always had OK crowds with maybe two or even three hundred fans and parents watching. There were less than 100 this morning. A harbinger of season attendance? I hope not.
I suppose one shouldn't expect too much out of the first scrimmage. It does take some kids time to get their feet wet, especially newcomers to junior hockey. It was a pretty one sided affair with Team B (White ) dominating play for the first period and a more even contest in the second half. I had White winning 5-2. Physical play was below what one would have expected to see, again.
The line of Aiden Kelly, Jonathan Huberdeau, and Scott Olke dominated play practically every shift. I think they got all five goals. The first was the nicest with Kelly setting up Huberdeau on a great play in front. Kelly IMO was the dominant player on the ice and looked ready to walk into the lineup. He's big, aggressive, skilled, and confident. Huberdeau I think notched three. All of them were skilled dekes or shots. He has very gifted hands. It's very obvious why we drafted him so high. I can't say I was impressed with his whole package though. He has things to work on like skating and physical play. I can see him eventually becoming a top scorer in the league though. Olke was pretty impressive too. He's got good hands for a big guy and made some nice plays. He needs work on skating, but it looked to me more like bad habits and technique rather than lack of ability. I'm hoping he'll be able to work on that this year. He could be a real nice power forward down the road.
There wasn't much else on White that consistently stood out. Steve Wakeham showed some speed and skill, but at 5'11" and 136lbs he was not what you'd call intimidating. I saw flashed from Alex Zafiris, Michael Andrew, and Jordon Mock, but not the consistency. Andrew Langan played very solidly, but I didn't see the heart I saw the lst two years. Looking more from him as camp progresses. None of the D stood out for White.
Team C (Blue) had trouble maintaining pressure the whole game. They got outworked most of it, and they were generally outskilled. Zach Phillips, Joseph Manno, and Gino Goguen played together. Phillips definately has the scoring touch. He didn't score, but he beat goalie Richard Tingley and hit the cross bar and a beautiful shot. I was really suprised at some of the bad habits I saw though. He plays mostly with one hand on the stick, carries the puck with his head down, does not skate when he doesn't have the puck, and looks back over his shoulder in the neutral zone. I was not impressed with his skating, puck handling, or passing. He showed no defensive skills whatsoever. I think he needs a lot of work to be productive at this level, but, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. His linemates were not the same lavel as Kelly's. Given the right coaching and work from within, he should eventually be a very nice player. To me he's a project. He reminded me very much of Didomenico his first year but without the same puck handling skills or skating ability. I'm really interested to see if he progresses during camp and proves me wrong. Beyond that I can't pick out any forward on Blue who impressed. Brandon McDonald played with heart, but he just doesn't have the strength or skill to play this level, even at 6'3". Joseph Manno and Josh Leblanc showed brief flashes.
On defense I didn't see any offense. They were on their heels the whole game. I wanted to see Durepos make some plays, but instead he had to play defense the whole game. And he did that very well. I was impressed with his composure and positioning. He was really solid back there. He was up in the play on forward looking to contribute, but never got the puck at the point. He had one semi rush and one mediocre slap shot from a chance he created on the left. Though there was nothing fancy out there, I thought he looked real mature. I didn't see any real breakout pass ability, but his forwards we're just not there most of the time. Vincent Fournier looked solid too.
Giroux and Tingley played goal the whole game. Neither looked bad and neither looked outstanding. Giroux got over-powered a few times with 1, 2, and even 3 left alone on the doorstep. None of the goals were goalies' faults.
I also was at the Sea Dog camp this morning..and in some cases saw what you saw while in others saw things completely different, the beauty of sport I guess... thought the Kelly, Huberdeau, Oke line was very good..but man you have a dislike on already for the Phillips kid who I know the Sea dog brass loved...and you spent a whole paragraph picking apart his game...you clearly are pushing Kelly and slamming Phillips, not a smart thing to do....
Durepois was very good, to be expected, no other defence jumped out , first ice session first day of camp, no real surprises.. you critic Durepois and break out passes, probably his strength..
Goalies were fine again first skate, first day of camp, o need to be too critical of anyone Im sure as wek progresses the real players will start to emerge
I'll admit I have a bias towards complete, two-way hockey players. Kids breaking into this league rarely didplay that ability. I also admit I was watching our higher draft picks more than the others.
I don't care where anybody's from, what their background is, or whether or not I like the kid and his family. I only care about what they are doing now. Kelly was the best player this morning. There's no doubt about that IMO. Phillips left me both impressed at some of his skill but mostly wondering about his past coaching.
On the first shift by Phillips he came in with his head down and I cursed in a low voice "Geezes C. get your head up kid. You'll get killed at this level playing like that!" I didn't know it was him. The skill level is there for sure, but I guess the degree of some of his bad habits caught me. I really question the coaching he's had in prep school.
Please fill me in on tonight's scrimmage. I couldn't make it.
....guess Gardiner MacDougall who has coached him off and on for years with the V Reds doesnt know much....
...you just gotta be careful not to slam a 16 year old, 17 year old etc etc as today they have computer capabilities and can read and if a kid was to read your type of post in particular after one day of camp it could be devasating to them, you either dont have kids or have no common sense..your post was for the most part very negative about a few kids...
..clearly Kelly is your guy, super, nice boy nice player, best to him....
I was at the evening scrimmage and thought that Huberdeau was the most exciting player to watch. He is a playmaker straight up and he was surprisingly taking the body in the corners and behind the net. He kinda reminded me of Andrew Howes last year at camp except he's got way more skill and vision. Zack Phillips was the best player on the opposing team and he notched three or four really nice goals. He cuts to middle nice and has a good release. That area of ice may prove a problem though if he doesn't watch out for large defensemen bearing down.
The only defensemen that stood out for me were Durepos and Schriver. Both played on opposite teams and both looked poised and confident with the puck. There wasn't much offense from the backend in this game as well but it seemed like the forwards wanted to take the puck to the net every chance they got.
The most disappointing aspect of the night were the goaltenders. They didn't impress at all and looked lost when the puck was fought over near the net.
....guess Gardiner MacDougall who has coached him off and on for years with the V Reds doesnt know much....
...you just gotta be careful not to slam a 16 year old, 17 year old etc etc as today they have computer capabilities and can read and if a kid was to read your type of post in particular after one day of camp it could be devasating to them, you either dont have kids or have no common sense..your post was for the most part very negative about a few kids...
..clearly Kelly is your guy, super, nice boy nice player, best to him....
I think youre taking X's comments to hard. We all can see Phillips is a good player, he was just pointing out some things about his game, thats all.
This kid has been in the US system for what, 3 years prior to now? He may have benefited from Coach Mac for about 1-2 weeks per year during the VRed Camp but I'm pretty sure Rogerr Shannon coached those teams when they played actual games. The majority of time, Phillips was in the US, so yea, X has a right to question this kids coaching. Obviously anything he could learn from MacDougall is a plus. The fact remains that SJ is very lucky to have these players in their system.
The first full-team scrimmage tonight was a lot of fun to watch. I saw many many plusses and very few minuses.
Blue
Beaulieu - what have they been feeding this kid? I thought 6'2" had to be a mistake, but no, he's all of that now. He played very well with a lot of confidence.
Jordan Mock - made some dandy plays around the net with Oullet. He was in the play constantly. I really liked his game tonight.
Huberdeau - is a sniper, and when they fed him, he looked good. When he had to fight for the puck or skate with it, he looked like a sniper. It'll be very interesting to see how he develops.
Oullet - looked like a first line center tonight. He was everywhere.
Anthony - was slow out of the gates, but he was very strong the second half.
Thomas - I was very impressed with his ability to handle the puck. His hands looked very soft, and he looked very large. He's going to push for serious ice time this year.
Guathier - looked solid offensively and defensively. Played with an edge. He obviously knows there's tough competition to make the team this year.
Gagné - He's a whiz out there, but I was more taken with the apparent weight he's added. Not sure about inches up though.
Aiden Kelly - didn't show much offensively, but his defensive play was outstanding IMHO. He's the only guy I saw follow his man to the net, and he did it more than once. Got beat around a couple of times.
Langan - played much more aggressively tonight. Played real smart again.
White
Sauvé - somebody pissed in his cornflakes this morning. He played with a nasty edge nearly the whole game. I saw three [cheap] shots to the back after the whistle, and he didn't let any noob have a free ride. It'll be interesting to see if this keeps up.
Petersen - started out slow, but he was very strong after the break. I hope for his sake he makes the AHL, but I won't cry if he doesn't
Pard - another kid on the bubble? He was fast and had his shot loaded tonight. The post he hit was a rocket fom a wide angle. He has to play in this league this year.
Pettigrew & Manno - I think they played together. Both played very well, especially Manno. They made lots of agressive, skilled plays around the net. I doubt either cracks this lineup, but I can see them both doing well in the league sometime.
Phillips - my boy. I was very impressed with his game tonight. He had the most jump of anyone in the warmup, and he continued all game. re the one-handed stick: he hardly showed this tendency all night. I thought he was working at it, but who knows? He was deep defensively and played almost great two-way hockey. His defense is still airy, but at least he tried tonight. He even blocked a shot, on purpose His passing was crisp, and he played very much a team game. Not once did I see him looking back over his shoulder for a pass. he even threw a check! Ya, I'm seeing this kid not only make th team but contribute. Growth during tryouts is one of the most impressive feats in hockey!
Oke - played solid but nothing real special. He was not a liability, but he wasn't a force.
Wakeham - I kept noticing this kid. He's fast and skilled. Made some great moves.
Durepos - showed some great hands tonight on the point. His one-timer goal was a beaut! His footwork was off though, and he got schooled a few times in teh neutral zone. But he also played very solidly defensively. He's very aware out there. Love to see a kid like that yelling to his partner it's all clear as he skates into a corner.
Here are my thoughts on last night's game (keep in mind i have only seen the one event thus far)
goalies...st laurent was clearly the best, spear and tingley were both good, and giroux was average (that first goal was terrible from a goalie standpoint)
defense
sauve (rd) that's right, yann played the right for once...loved his game and hope he's allowed to keep that side and his mean streak
durepos...solid positionally...seemed to work well with yann, hopefully they can be a pairing
lecomte...scored on a floater from the.blueline, was good defensively
mcewan...played a low risk game, didn't hurt his team
brake...looked hurt, trailed every offensive rush...decent in his own end
fournier...tried to do too much, made a few big mistakes
beaulieu...played a similar game to sauve from ld (without the mean streak)
gagne...played his uptempo game, was good but obviously not giving his all
despres,..see gagne, simon wa relaxing and having fun
sock...needs to be on the team...good skater who didn't hesitate to shoot
Jordan Mock - lots of speed, nice shot...seemed to be out of position a bit though
Andrews - didn't do much but his line was blue's worst (so it was hard to evaluate)
Huberdeau - looked good the whole time...he wanted the puck more than everyone else and took it
Ouellet - good, smooth skater...if he Pard, and Petersen became a line, they'd be the fastest in the league
Brandon McDonald, Clifford Mugford - should never have played if they weren't going to be allowed to fight...they were trying to intimidate one another the whole team and each took a couple of healthy runs at people
Philip Richer, Andrew Langan - hardest workers of the game...if Langan had worked this hard last year, he would have made it...unfortunately, they are a bit small
Gauthier...seems to have gotten bigger, looked like he was skating well as well
Kelly - obvious skill, played 2 way...didn't do much but was always in the right spot
Goguen - didn't see as much of him as I wanted...he seemed to play well but had little in the way of results
Pettigrew - played most of the game on a line that was hemmed in a lot...showed some skill
Manno - horrible first 30 minutes (hooked at least a half dozen players), then played well after that...wasn't spectacular
Phillips - obvious talent, but I wouldn't put him above Kelly or Huberdeau based on what I saw...skating was good at best
Wakeham - with Pettigrew and Walker on white's worst line...again, has skill but was hemmed in a lot
Walker - had by far the worst game...he seemed to play like he didn't care, and for a guy that gets by on hard work, that's not good...
McDonald - should have been cut before...he is by far the least talented player left and seems to want to try to cheap shot people
Despres - his usual solid self...laid some nice hits...inconsistent offensively
Mock - picked a beautiful night to bring his A game...he was always in the middle of things
St-Laurent - clearly the best goalie...Karel is clearly our number 1 heading into the season
Spear - IMO, the backup position is solely between Nick and Richard Tingley...Spear's numbers have been better so far, but he's also played on the better team (I think he has to clearly outplay Tingley for a spot)
Goguen - wasn't noticeable at all...he made some plays, but generally was on the perimeter
Beaulieu - looked good in the first half...didn't notice him at all in the 2nd (did he even play?)
Langan, Richer - once again, the hardest workers...they are making themselves difficult to cut, but unfortunately, we could be that deep (both could easily play in this league)
Kelly - had a good game...has good confidence with the puck, and seems to have a very good all-around game
Gagne - was motoring out there...hopefully he's allowed to play a more up-tempo game this year...he's also heavy enough to hit people off the puck now
Thomas - seems to have worked on his puck skills...the guy seems to have chemistry with Anthony
Gauthier - was always buzzing around the puck...carries it a bit much, but he made the pass when it was time to
Ouellet - had a hell of a game (hattrick)...he kept using his speed to create plays
Phillips - centred Anthony and Thomas...had an amazing game...scored a nice goal from the slot
Andrews - wasn't really noticeable...he was hemmed in a lot
Bourret - was positionally good, but got rocked a few times...can be a slow decision maker
Sock - not quite as good as last game, but still has a great skillset...looks for the right play before he commits
Doiron - was noticeably worse than last game (the hitting clearly effected his play), but still was positionally solid and made good decisions with the puck
White
McEwan - was good at both ends...played his low risk game again
Fournier - got hit quite a bit, panicked a bit as well
Brake - made a few mistakes, but was in decent position defensively
Leduc - scored himself a hard-work goal...he's like the energizer bunny (which is why he, Thomas, and Kirky should be the captain candidates)
MacAuley - has gotten bigger and better, tough to see last year's player becoming this, but he is now the leading candidate to steal a higher spot in the lineup
Kirky - had a great rebound game...still played a lot with Pard and they had some chemistry
Petersen - didn't look like he was as into it...didn't get the chance to blow by anyone (since they paid a little more attention positionally)
Oke - was solid as the other guy on Kirky's line...he and Kelly are very similar players
Jurco - didn't appear to conditioned as well as the others (didn't take a shift every time around)...his agility reminds me of Voracek
Pard - was flying every chance he got...hit a goal post which led to Kirky's goal
Pettigrew - keeps showing that he can skate and shoot, yet has been the other guy on every line they've tried...
Manno - had a great game...he is a very good skater, with a nice shot, and also can play physical
Huberdeau - the most effected by physical play...Huberdeau didn't have his best day...he's someone that you can see that if he gets space, he's going to cause trouble, but right now, bumping him tends to knock him down
Wakeham - showed flashes of skill but kept making mistakes (both offensively and defensively)
Walker - brought his effort tonight...playing a nice checking role
Durepos - was inconsistent (there were times when he played like he was holding a grenade, and times when he looked calm)
Lecomte - was steady eddy...even threw a hit...if he decides he is going to care this year, he is likely in our top 6...
Giroux - keeps giving up weak goals...he is having a nightmare of a camp (like St-Laurent's first two)
Tingley - got scored on more than Spear, but also faced almost all the good shots (because he is 2 years younger, he is still ahead as far as I see it, because I'd prefer to go with a 19 starter and 16 rookie backup to a 19 starter and a 18 rookie backup)
Sauve - played the right again...threw some hits, joined the rush, didn't make any major mistakes...the chemistry between him and Durepos appears pretty good...
Beaulieu - looked good in the first half...didn't notice him at all in the 2nd (did he even play?)
He left half way though the first period. I heard someone say he got a shot in the foot.
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Langan, Richer - once again, the hardest workers...they are making themselves difficult to cut, but unfortunately, we could be that deep (both could easily play in this league)
It's going to be very interesting what shakes out. When you add all the guys with Q experience plus the guys new guys that have been signed, I get 20 forwards. There's 10 to 12 16 & 17yr olds that could play in this league this year, O & D. One has to think that they are having some intense trade talks. These young ones are too good to send home in most cases, but we can't carry 8 to 10 youngsters and compete, especially if our 20's return.
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Gagne - was motoring out there...hopefully he's allowed to play a more up-tempo game this year...he's also heavy enough to hit people off the puck now
Gagne, Despres, and Sauve were all very offensive minded. They played like shackels have been broken! It was mostly ugly stuff, but they were having fun out there for a change. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
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MacAuley - has gotten bigger and better, tough to see last year's player becoming this, but he is now the leading candidate to steal a higher spot in the lineup
I disagree on this guy. Most of the rest I do agree with. I've see very little from him in camp, but I haven't been looking for him much.
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Jurco - didn't appear to conditioned as well as the others (didn't take a shift every time around)...his agility reminds me of Voracek
Intereting comment on the conditioning. I noticed him huffing and puffing at the ends of a few shifts. He just played in a big tourney, so you don't expect to see this. I was really encouraged by his play though. He's not afraid of the corners! And he played them very well every time he went in. Some of those passes he made were outstanding! He's easily the best 16/17yr old we have so far. A 17yr old kid with a three word english vocab new to NA hockey has a lot to work through. This is a kid they'll be very patient with.
He left half way though the first period. I heard someone say he got a shot in the foot.
It's going to be very interesting what shakes out. When you add all the guys with Q experience plus the guys new guys that have been signed, I get 20 forwards. There's 10 to 12 16 & 17yr olds that could play in this league this year, O & D. One has to think that they are having some intense trade talks. These young ones are too good to send home in most cases, but we can't carry 8 to 10 youngsters and compete, especially if our 20's return.
Gagne, Despres, and Sauve were all very offensive minded. They played like shackels have been broken! It was mostly ugly stuff, but they were having fun out there for a change. And that's all I'm going to say about that.
I disagree on this guy. Most of the rest I do agree with. I've see very little from him in camp, but I haven't been looking for him much.
Intereting comment on the conditioning. I noticed him huffing and puffing at the ends of a few shifts. He just played in a big tourney, so you don't expect to see this. I was really encouraged by his play though. He's not afraid of the corners! And he played them very well every time he went in. Some of those passes he made were outstanding! He's easily the best 16/17yr old we have so far. A 17yr old kid with a three word english vocab new to NA hockey has a lot to work through. This is a kid they'll be very patient with.
I only said candidate for MacAuley...but he looks like he has a ton more confidence...he is playing all over the ice (both ends), and he and Leduc kept having lunch pail shifts
I really hope Despres, Gagne, and Sauve are the right side of our D...that way, all three get to play a full offensive game...then again, Gagne seems to be able to do it pretty well from the left too, so maybe leave Nate on his right...
Gotta think some of these young guys that have had up to 13 icetimes in the last week are going to hit the wall sometime soon..lol !!
Jurco, I'll reserve comment for a bit.....Huberdeau will find the going tough at 150lbs , just reality not to be disrespectful cause i like him ..
I agree on Huberdeau. He'll be awhile before he's ready to contribute regularly, but he's got outstanding potential.
Anthony looked a bit thin to me too. I kept thinking he was one of the new kids lining up. Once he got going he stood out though. He looks stronger on his skates this camp. He looked very hard to knock off the puck.
There are not many openings in the Dog Pound, so, just for argument, let's see how the following list compares to Opening Night (or Opening Night if no one went to NHL camps. That said, look for an opening roster of about 27.)
Goalers--St. Laurent, Gelinas
Defense--Despres, Sauve, McEwan, Beaulieu, Gagne, Durepos, Lecompte
Forwards--Thomas, Kirkpatrick, Anthony, MacAulay, Phillips, Ouelett, Jurco, Galiev, Huberdeau, Kelly, Johnston, Petersen, Hoffman, Oke, Leduc.
Notes from camp: Either Petersen is fighting a breathing problem or he showed up for Q camp (prior to NHL camp) in lousy cardio condition. Puffing like a steam engine, but you can see he's got the skillset. Looks a little slight for a possible AHLer, would probably benefit from this year in the weightroom in the Q.
Mike Thomas is making great strides in his progression. He's a man playing with boys and will be more than just an intimidator this year. With Johnston to share the cop role, New Maryland's own will be a presence on the ice and on the scoresheet. Going to NHL camp will just make him hungrier.
Nathan Beaulieu was a better defenseman at 15 than he was at 16. He's going to have a monster year. Mark it down.
Having a goaler's mask going to the HHOF is one thing but this year the Pound Puppies need a masked man who can make the save when it counts. Could be a lot of 7-6 games this season.
Note to Gerard and Mike--Welcome to town. Firewagon hockey sells. Activate the D.
Can't wait for the new unies. The pre Edge sweaters were just one more curse left from the Tipper era.
There are not many openings in the Dog Pound, so, just for argument, let's see how the following list compares to Opening Night (or Opening Night if no one went to NHL camps. That said, look for an opening roster of about 27.)
Goalers--St. Laurent, Gelinas
Defense--Despres, Sauve, McEwan, Beaulieu, Gagne, Durepos, Lecompte
Forwards--Thomas, Kirkpatrick, Anthony, MacAulay, Phillips, Ouelett, Jurco, Galiev, Huberdeau, Kelly, Johnston, Petersen, Hoffman, Oke, Leduc.
Of course opening day will see a bunch of these guys at NHL camps.
I am hearing Petersen is expected back while Hoffman isn't.
I'm not clear on the CEGEP thing. Do we have to keep all the Quebec kids that are still here? If so, that it going to force some moves as Huberdeau and Olke will be staying. If they do have to stay, then I'm seeing something like this for forwards
Galiev Kirkpatrick Petersen
Anthony Ouellet Jurco
Huberdeau Phillips Thomas
MacAuley Guathier Pard
Oke
Kelly - MJAHL or AAA
Hoffman - AHL
Langan - MJAHL
Leduc - release or trade
MacDonald - MJAHL
Kelly and Langan are showing they deserve to stay. Looking for some big movement at Christmas.
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Mike Thomas is making great strides in his progression. He's a man playing with boys and will be more than just an intimidator this year. With Johnston to share the cop role, New Maryland's own will be a presence on the ice and on the scoresheet. Going to NHL camp will just make him hungrier.
Ya, he looks very fit and mean, and somehow his hands look softer. He's still not a top playmaker or scorer, but he'll be a solid leader that will contribute in all situations.
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Nathan Beaulieu was a better defenseman at 15 than he was at 16. He's going to have a monster year. Mark it down.
Nate's size is really surprising to me. He does have great hands and good vision and now a big reach. His strength is nowhere near dominant yet. He's making some very good decisions this camp; however, he's still making a few boneheaded ones. His blueline play is often scary, but these coaches will work on that. Bad blueline decisions will be addressed.
Some roadblocks do exist too. Coach Hussey is apparently not a big fan of his, or at least wasn't coming out of midget. That may create some problems. Also the coaches' son thing still lingers. He does not have the full respect of all his teammates. I see no negative evidence during preseason games, but I did during scrimmages. Hopefully that will all fade away soon.
So far I've really noticed all the D joining the play in the offensive zone. I think that's a sign of greatness, especially if you can also eliminate or reduce the defensive difficulties that typically arise: odd-man rushes. I'm looking for very good offense from our defensive corps this year.
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Having a goaler's mask going to the HHOF is one thing but this year the Pound Puppies need a masked man who can make the save when it counts. Could be a lot of 7-6 games this season.
Everything points to a big Christmas trade. Of course it depends on who returns from NHL camps, Galiev's and Jurco's progress, and the youngsters' progress. I can see several trade options.
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Note to Gerard and Mike--Welcome to town. Firewagon hockey sells. Activate the D.
So far so good. I'm impressed with their demeanor behind the bench. They all seemed to be focussed on the kids. Very little attention is ever given to what's happening on the other side of the boards, at least not with their eyes or gestures. That tells me a few things.
- They are very experienced. Obviously right? But these guys are reading the game like a preacher reads his bible. They can coach with their eyes closed
- Assessment is very much a team game. The scouting staff are very much involved.
- They have already made most of their decisions.
- Referees will like doing our games!
It's very encouraging to see Kelly almost constantly in guys' ears explaining things. Gallant is sometimes too, but he's primarily running the show. I noticed that when kids asked him questions on the bench, he gave them is full undivided attention until the kid was satisfied, totally ignoring the play on teh ice. I've never seen kids ask questions on our bench before! There's going to be a lot of knowledge transfer in this organisation, and kids are really going to want to play here in the future! Hussey's job seems to be cheerleader and butt slapper. Rah
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Can't wait for the new unies. The pre Edge sweaters were just one more curse left from the Tipper era.
Same here. I'd like to see an all black third jersey sometime too.
Think you are very close, perhaps overestimating Huberdeau a bit and jury is out on the Euros once the "real hockey" starts, remember Galiev scored only once in the world u-18 and was thrown alot of bones by Indiana, PP time and lots of ice, hope he is as good as being advertised, but am a touch skeptical, we CDN for some reason cut Euros alot of slack even thou we produce the best players in the world, I'll stop now, LOL, guess I have a little Harold Ballard in me.......
Was at the game last night to get a look at the squad. Here are some things I found.
-Jurco looks like the real deal. He has great vision and moves very well. When he gets some more size to him he will be something special.
-If this was a team filled of Mike Thomas they wouldnt lose a game. The guy does everything you need out there. He is my choice for Captain. (He did take a bad penalty tho).
-Gagne is great with the puck and an amazing skater. If he had some size to him he would be unreal.
-Despres was a horse out there and will be a man among boys this year.
-Phillips didnt do too much to impress me out there, looked to be lagging quite a bit.
-Spear let in weak goals and got yanked. Gelinas came in and did well. He will press St-Laurant for some time between the pipes.
-Their Penalty Killing was horrid. 3/5 goals for Lewiston. They didnt box out well and didnt press them at all. Their power play was almost as bad. 1/9 and they didnt set it up much at all.
All in all they didnt get any bounces all game, and it just didnt look like their night. Need to work on special team a lot tho.
1. Were you really at the game ?
2. What is "tho"
Answers to above...
1. No
2. Clear indicator of a lack of education or you're a homeboy, LOL !
We lose 6-1 and you critique our goalie who is 17 and a 16 year old forward and our special teams which are under the guidance of a couple of ex-NHL coaches,,,,
Think you are very close, perhaps overestimating Huberdeau a bit and jury is out on the Euros once the "real hockey" starts, remember Galiev scored only once in the world u-18 and was thrown alot of bones by Indiana, PP time and lots of ice, hope he is as good as being advertised, but am a touch skeptical, we CDN for some reason cut Euros alot of slack even thou we produce the best players in the world, I'll stop now, LOL, guess I have a little Harold Ballard in me.......
My lines were not what I expect to see. I just threw them out there.
I don't disagree about the Euros. They'll be nurtured along. I really don't expect elite performances from either in the early going. It'd be nice, but my expectations are fairly low.
I have serious doubts about Huberdeau's rediness, but I see him getting more ice time in pre-season than I expected. Personally I'd play him at left wing. I don't think he's much of a center yet. Of course I again favour two-way big and physical centers. The rabbits usually give up too much on defense for my liking.
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-Their Penalty Killing was horrid. 3/5 goals for Lewiston. They didnt box out well and didnt press them at all. Their power play was almost as bad. 1/9 and they didnt set it up much at all.
If it was like the SJ game, there were no set PKs or PPs. They just rolled the lines. It was also an away game. In pre-season the home teams are expected to win and the visitors are expected to lose. We've seen that every year. The outcomes and these stats are meaningless.
Look for some varied PKs and PPs during the first couple of months. Player performance will dictate who gets the time. It'll be ugly at times, especially until the NHL issues are settled.
I agree with your thoughts. I believe our Euros will be very good..by x-mas. Typically, teams give Euros alot of slack initially and tons of ice and opportunities(PP) in order to please them and help them feel comfortable and fit in(dont want them to leave), I think the coaches have done that with Jurco, he has played with good players and got lots of ice, the other night with philips/anthony and played alot and the line was very goodl. However, at about xmas coaches will tighten the reins some and make them more accountable defensively as they do for the North American kid from the start. If they adapt then great and they go on to be huge additions and in alot of cases because of their skill level possible pro hockey players, however some dont adapt just want to play offence and end up being a liablility, discontent and end up back in their respective countries. So for me, Im waiting till xmas to give my opinions on these guys...
No need to panic in regards to the special teams they will be just fine, we did have 38 shots many high end quality chances, le May was brillant of Im sure our goalies would like to have a couple back, but hey that happens and Im not about to throw them under the bus
