puckgoalnet said:
I didn't get to watch any of the games ... but as a Columbus fan I'm interested in hearing what those who have been able to watch Pineault and Dupuis think about their game. Where would you project them to in the NHL? How long before you think they're ready?
Well, you can see right away he has speed, power and energy - he stands out. He also has one heck of a shot - just missed a few more goals and it's clearly a powerful one (the commentators commented on how the team sets up for his shot and the guys in front are a bit afraid of it). He also turned into a good penalty killer with Moncton over the last half of the season and from what I saw, displayed a few nice moves in getting to the next. He seems to be more of a scorer than playmaker.
In the end, he does not have elite vision or imagination and will need to find a roll as a trigger man with a team. But clearly he can also fill a checking roll, which should help him find his way to Columbus sooner than if he were just trying to crack a scoring line.
I would say he has at least a year in the AHL, perhaps a year of splitting time in the AHL after that and then a few years on a checking line in Columbus. By that time, you'll know whether you have a solid checker who gets you 10-15 goals, or a nice trigger man/poor man's power forward who is ready to step up and get you 25 goals on a scoring line. Either way, he looks like a decent and fairly safe prospect at this point - something you probably would not have said a year ago. I don't think you'll ever see a 70-80 point season out of him, but 25 goals and 50 points might be doable if he progresses and finds a roll with the right linemates.
also 2 guys who fell to us(1 in the first, 1 in the second) that we are lucky to have
