Prospect Info: 2024 CHL Playoffs (Beck, Mesar, Xhekaj, Guindon, Miller & Sobolev)

[SOLR]

He's a Smurf with mid line hands and weak as a wet rag. Last thing the Habs need. He's above a Kidney, level of a Farrell. Would you spend a first on Farrell??

All these guys are developing, take a chill pill. Judge them when they are 23.

 

[Natey]

Only reason Mesar was chosen because he is Slaf best friend.

What a dumb take.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Beck @ 7PM ET. Game 6 vs. Soo Greyhounds. Saginaw is up 3-2 in the series. A win today and they pass to the Conference Final.
Beck with 10 pts (2G, 8A) in 9 GP

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Only reason Mesar was chosen because he is Slaf best friend.

It may also have been the result of an over exposure complex. In the team’s continuing assessment of Slafkovsky, our management may have become fixated on his Slovakian teammate to the detriment of other possible player options. Sometimes familiarity distorts independent assessment.

Nevertheless its far too early to throw Mesar on the scrap heap of failed high draft choices.

 

[Miller Time]

I love reading posters cry and cry about 26th overall pick lmao , he's not even that bad relax , these are the same posters who wanna go get stamkos as a UFA so we can win now but cry about a 26th overall pick not being a sure fire top 6 er like its the end of the world

And many of the same who were crying about Slaf all of 2023.

Some posters just don't have a good understanding of what sport development & progression look like... Combine that with a compulsive need for immediate gratification, and you get this deluge of stupid takes.

To je to

 

[Rapala]

It may also have been the result of over an exposure complex. In the team’s continuing assessment of Slafkovsky, our management may have become fixated on his Slovakian teammate to the detriment of other possible player options. Sometimes familiarity distorts independent assessment.

Nevertheless its far too early to throw Mesar on the scrap heap of failed high draft choices.

Scrap heap No
Redundant asset pile probably.

 

[montreal]

And many of the same who were crying about Slaf all of 2023.

Some posters just don't have a good understanding of what sport development & progression look like... Combine that with a compulsive need for immediate gratification, and you get this deluge of stupid takes.

To je to

to be fair Slaf looked like ass last year and even at the start of the season it sounds like it wasn't going great for him. Then add the Habs track record for development in the last 10 years and no one should get called out for doubting them once again. My problem is the f***ing assholes that just shit all over these prospects because they didn't light it up right away, I can understand being disappointed but I can NEVER get behind how some f***ing assholes sit behind a computer and call 18, 19, 20 year olds names, talk about how much they stink, etc... It's pathetic imo when you read the Slaf thread last year, the Reinbacher draft day thread, KK threads, etc..

But yea many posters don't know the difference between their ass and a hole in the ground. I think it's social media's fault, for some reason it makes people that clearly don't know what they are talking about but are so convinced they are right and you are wrong. I never understood that, if you don't know what you are talking about just say so. I will always bring up if I haven't seen much of a prospect, as I almost always have issues getting to see the non Russian Euro leagues.

 

[montreal]

I posted the last game of Mesar's, it was easily one of the best efforts i've ever seen from him so hopefully he can build off that next season. He's got to add mass and work on his lower body strength, look to shoot a little more to keep goalies/D honest.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

It may also have been the result of over an exposure complex. In the team’s continuing assessment of Slafkovsky, our management may have become fixated on his Slovakian teammate to the detriment of other possible player options. Sometimes familiarity distorts independent assessment.

Nevertheless it’s far too early to throw Mesar on the scrap heap of failed high draft choices

I posted the last game of Mesar's, it was easily one of the best efforts i've ever seen from him so hopefully he can build off that next season. He's got to add mass and work on his lower body strength, look to shoot a little more to keep goalies/D honest.

I like that he seems to show up for big games. Good sign but he does need to be more consistent.

From the vids I saw of him, it’s not an enormous hurdle. Rarely saw him dogging it but he’d often leave you wanting just a bit more. When you see him have a REALLY good game then you could see what was missing.

I think his critics think he’s this mercurial floater not unlike Kovalev or Drouin. I don’t think that’s necessarily true from what I’ve seen.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

It may also have been the result of over an exposure complex. In the team’s continuing assessment of Slafkovsky, our management may have become fixated on his Slovakian teammate to the detriment of other possible player options. Sometimes familiarity distorts independent assessment.

Nevertheless its far too early to throw Mesar on the scrap heap of failed high draft choices.

If this is true, hopefully, they've done the same with FloJack's teammate, Marek Vanacker.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

His style of skating is, in my opinion, better suited to the wing. He plays center in Montreal due to necessity. Such is the state of our team.

He's also terrible at face-offs, but great along the boards.

 

[Garnet76]

Mesar was a gamble pick but if he puts it together he could be elite. That's the exact type of pick I wanted from a second first round pick from a rebuilding team with a bunch of draft capital. Hutson was the same type of pick and that's turning out pretty good so far. These picks are high risk, high reward and that's how you get elite talent later in drafts.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

If this is true, hopefully, they've done the same with FloJack's teammate, Marek Vanacker.

If they haven't they are blind.

I have said it repeatedly, Hughes will be judge more on what he does with respect to the Winnipeg pick than who he goes with at 5 OA.

I can live with any of the usual suspects that have been analyzed and discussed ad nauseam here for the last two months. There are, however, a handful of forwards who will be available at the 15 OA to 31 OA range who, if selected, would immediately become Montreal's best forward prospect. Vanacker is one of them. Hopefully, Hughes won't be sitting on his hands and if one of these elite forwards 'drops' he is pro-active and uses some of his available assets (the Avalanche's second round pick, or one of his young defencemen) to move up and grab that forward.

Let's see just how intuitive and resourceful Hughes actually is.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

If this is true, hopefully, they've done the same with FloJack's teammate, Marek Vanacker.

Speaking of "FloJack', he continues to impress and surprise with his play at the AHL level. I know it's a small sample size, but this kid is showing with his skating, anticipation and physical play, that he is here (pro hockey) to stay. He is not overwhelmed at all by the pace of the game in the AHL. There is, in this writer's opinion, little that can be gained by returning this young, emerging player to the OHL.

I know he's a fourth round pick. But sometimes you just get lucky. And this is a franchise that sorely needs a bit of luck.

Placing us in a position to draft Vanacker would not be an issue of luck. But a case of good asset management.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Speaking of "FloJack', he continues to impress and surprise with his play at the AHL level. I know it's a small sample size, but this kid is showing with his skating, anticipation and physical play) that he is here (pro hockey) to stay. He is not overwhelmed at all by the pace of the game in the AHL. There is, in this writer's opinion, little that can be gained by returning this young, emerging player to the OHL.

I know he's a fourth round pick. But sometimes you just get lucky. And this is a franchise that sorely needs a bit of luck.

Placing us in a position to draft Vanacker would not be an issue of luck. But a case of good asset management.

Xhekaj surprised me too. I thought he might go back for an overage season like his brother. I don't think he needs it.

 

[Tyson]

Xhekaj surprised me too. I thought he might go back for an overage season like his brother. I don't think he needs it.

He will train hard, probably get much stronger and faster in this off season. This could end up being a huge pick in the 4th round. He didn't look out of place in Laval.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Mesar was a gamble pick but if he puts it together he could be elite. That's the exact type of pick I wanted from a second first round pick from a rebuilding team with a bunch of draft capital. Hutson was the same type of pick and that's turning out pretty good so far. These picks are high risk, high reward and that's how you get elite talent later in drafts.

Dead on. It’s like people don’t remember all the whining about not going after high upside picks.

People thinking he’ll bust is perfectly reasonable (though a tad premature) but the fans acting like he has no upside aren’t worth listening to.

He will train hard, probably get much stronger and faster in this off season. This could end up being a huge pick in the 4th round. He didn't look out of place in Laval.

I like his floor. I’m sure all of us are secretly/not-so secretly hoping he finds that untapped upside that he’s shown plenty flashes of. But even if he doesn’t you can’t help but feel he’d be a great 4th liner.

 

[Tyson]

Dead on. It’s like people don’t remember all the whining about not going after high upside picks.

People thinking he’ll bust is perfectly reasonable (though a tad premature) but the fans acting like he has no upside aren’t worth listening to.


I like his floor. I’m sure all of us are secretly/not-so secretly hoping he finds that untapped upside that he’s shown plenty flashes of. But even if he doesn’t you can’t help but feel he’d be a great 4th liner.

Yep you need 4 solid lines. Every contender has a solid 4th line, Vegas rolled 4 lines and they won the cup.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Speaking of "FloJack', he continues to impress and surprise with his play at the AHL level. I know it's a small sample size, but this kid is showing with his skating, anticipation and physical play) that he is here (pro hockey) to stay. He is not overwhelmed at all by the pace of the game in the AHL. There is, in this writer's opinion, little that can be gained by returning this young, emerging player to the OHL.

I know he's a fourth round pick. But sometimes you just get lucky. And this is a franchise that sorely needs a bit of luck.

Placing us in a position to draft Vanacker would not be an issue of luck. But a case of good asset management.

If they can get a GM to bite. Getting a 2nd to move down 5-7 spots should be worth it if said GM doesn't have a decided preference in that range. If the Jerks get to the Conference final and they need to move up over 10 spots it isn't likely to happen.

 

[Habs13]

Speaking of "FloJack', he continues to impress and surprise with his play at the AHL level. I know it's a small sample size, but this kid is showing with his skating, anticipation and physical play) that he is here (pro hockey) to stay. He is not overwhelmed at all by the pace of the game in the AHL. There is, in this writer's opinion, little that can be gained by returning this young, emerging player to the OHL.

I know he's a fourth round pick. But sometimes you just get lucky. And this is a franchise that sorely needs a bit of luck.

Placing us in a position to draft Vanacker would not be an issue of luck. But a case of good asset management.

I got shit on big time a month ago when I said Florian should be playing AHL next year. I think a lot of people post without seeing the kids play.

 

[1909]

People wanted Kulich who is the same and doing nothing.

Kulich is bigger, heavier, stronger than Mesar + He just played two full seasons at AHL level against men, and kept scoring at a regular pace.

Let's see now how Mesar gonna do next season in Laval.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I got shit on big time a month ago when I said Florian should be playing AHL next year. I think a lot of people post without seeing the kids play.

I think a lot of GM's draft without actually seeing the kids they select play.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I think a lot of GM's draft without actually seeing the kids they select play.

GMs generally help scout or at least see their 1st round picks, but after that, it's usually left to the Chief Scout to select.

 

[Bombshell11]

Kulich is bigger, heavier, stronger than Mesar + He just played two full seasons at AHL level against men, and kept scoring at a regular pace.

Let's see now how Mesar gonna do next season in Laval.

You don't need to be big, heavy and utterly strong to be a playmaker.
We're comparing apples to oranges.

GMs generally help scout or at least see their 1st round picks, but after that, it's usually left to the Chief Scout to select.

Who made the decision to trade 2 high picks for Hughe's boy (Newhook) you think?

 

[MarkovsKnee]

You don't need to be big, heavy and utterly strong to be a playmaker.
We're comparing apples to oranges.



Who made the decision to trade 2 high picks for Hughe's boy (Newhook) you think?

I said select.

GMs make the trade calls.