Player Discussion Nikita Scherbak - Stay In Yo Lane Edition

[Adam Michaels]

Cherry would love that goal 'celebration'

Kid is just stone faced like he's been there and done that

But he's Russian, so Cherry will be very confused about how to feel.

 

[BLONG7]

This kid has talent.................but is CJ playing him on the 4th line? Seriously?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Sweet goal last night.

 

[Dannyhab]

So is he a legit top 6 winger next season or what? This is the big question!!!!

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

I think Hudon will get better, he seems so close to being more this year, really think he's going to breakout in a year or two. Lekhonen I hope it's just a sophomore slump, he's certainly got the skills.

Guys like Hudon and Lehkonen would benefit a lot if we actually had some offensive centres who could pass the puck, both have very good shots but most of the time don't have anyone to feed them the puck.

The positive thing about both is they at least get a lot of shots and scoring opportunities by creating their own offence, I'm not expecting top line offensive numbers from them in the future but could see both as guys who regularly put up 40-50 points.

 

[Tyson]

Scherbak might actually emerge from the AHL abyss and become a legitimate top 6. That would be a first

 

[NotProkofievian]

Another beautiful goal from Scherby.

 

[sheed36]

This kid has talent.................but is CJ playing him on the 4th line? Seriously?

It's the Habs way it seems especially when having defense first coaches like MT and Julien who preach defense first. Just look at how the Bruins are handling Ryan Donato right now. They bring him in and he's playing with good offensive players in a role where he can succeed and he is. The Habs should pay very close attention to how the Bruins are doing things since they know what they're doing in building a winner.

 

[Habs100]

It's the Habs way it seems especially when having defense first coaches like MT and Julien who preach defense first. Just look at how the Bruins are handling Ryan Donato right now. They bring him in and he's playing with good offensive players in a role where he can succeed and he is. The Habs should pay very close attention to how the Bruins are doing things since they know what they're doing in building a winner.

Is it really so hard for clode to play Galchenyuk and Scherbak together, especially now with all the injuries?

Julien would rather play with DLR and L. Shaw as his 2nd and 3rd line centers than give Chucky an opportunity to learn the defensive side of the center position. He should be fired immediately.

 

[snakeye]

Cherry would love that goal 'celebration'

Kid is just stone faced like he's been there and done that

Lmao totally missed that. It's as if he skates away after touching an iced puck.

 

[Fixxer]

Hope he gets in the top 6 at some point because, all he seems to need is ice-time to produce. Love this kid. He seems to like pulling off slick moves. Great defensively.

 

[KevSkillz4]

He got big potential.

Can’t wait to see Drouin, Galchenyuk, Hudon and Scherbak next year!

 

[montreal]

Great defensively.

he's still very weak defensively, makes a lot of mistakes, which is to be expected from a high skilled playmaker but it's going to be a problem for CJ.

 

[Fixxer]

he's still very weak defensively, makes a lot of mistakes, which is to be expected from a high skilled playmaker but it's going to be a problem for CJ.

Yeah, maybe I should have said that he is committed defensively. I still think he does better than Drouin and Galchenyuk in the D zone. That's not saying much. lol Still love these players though, don't get me wrong.

 

[Habs Icing]

he's still very weak defensively, makes a lot of mistakes, which is to be expected from a high skilled playmaker but it's going to be a problem for CJ.

That's not what I see. Last game Julien had him out in the dying seconds of the game in the defensive zone. And it's not the first time in a close game he has done that with Scherbak .

 

[montreal]

Yeah, maybe I should have said that he is committed defensively. I still think he does better than Drouin and Galchenyuk in the D zone. That's not saying much. lol Still love these players though, don't get me wrong.

agreed, he has greatly improved his effort level on the defensive side of things.

That's not what I see. Last game Julien had him out in the dying seconds of the game in the defensive zone. And it's not the first time in a close game he has done that with Scherbak .

I'm talking more of the AHL this year since I barely watch any Hab games. But I wouldn't put too much into anything from meaningless games right now. Clearly he's improving and the effort is there but still makes some very strange decisions and then the lack of strength at times gives him trouble.

 

[le_sean]

Big difference in skating and effort level. This doesn’t happen often to prospects, I’m impressed by his progression.

 

[Habs Icing]

agreed, he has greatly improved his effort level on the defensive side of things.



I'm talking more of the AHL this year since I barely watch any Hab games. But I wouldn't put too much into anything from meaningless games right now. Clearly he's improving and the effort is there but still makes some very strange decisions and then the lack of strength at times gives him trouble.

I agree with you. He is weak on his skates. That definitely needs to improve.

 

[David Suzuki]

Big difference in skating and effort level. This doesn’t happen often to prospects, I’m impressed by his progression.

He went from a bust to a bright light in a few months. Good for him. He should be a top 6 for us and at worse he's an offensive top 9 guys already. Great jump this year. Timmins may have drafted an nhl skilled player here! lol

 

[Be a Hab]

I’m excited to see Scherbak next season. He has really grown these past few months and as shown flashes of great talent. He’s been a bright spot in a very dark season this year.

 

[waitin425]

I was at the game Saturday night (first time ever in Montreal). Scherbak looked dangerous in the first period and showed flashes of brilliance. I think he has amazing puck possession and can control a play for a long time. He flipped the puck to himself at one point and dangled around a defencemen. Looked amazing. The second and third he was somewhat invisible but I watched him quite a bit. He has a style similar to, but obviously waaaaayyy behind, Malkin. He looks almost effortless out there and has a long lanky stride. Those are my two cents. I hope he can crack our top 6 as I see a ring of promise in this kid.

As for the rest of the team. Hudon looked good. chucks first period goal was slick. Drouin was invisible. Juulsen was terrible on Saturday. McCarron is a big man and I think he can contribute.

Everyone else I didn’t really watch closely or didn't stand out. Oh wait. Carey was putrid

Hopefully next year we get back to some exciting hockey

 

[Mario le Magnifique]

He went from a bust to a bright light in a few months. Good for him. He should be a top 6 for us and at worse he's an offensive top 9 guys already. Great jump this year. Timmins may have drafted an nhl skilled player here! lol

Bust ?!?! Come on now. Kid had an serious injury streak. No one was knowing what he could do when 100% healthy. Y'know, when you get injured, you don't get back immediately to the player you were originally for numerous reasons, especially during development. It takes time. Same happened to Hudon. Got injured a lot, 3 years of AHL and suddenly he has developped quite nicely, but was never 'a bust' because he was drafted in the 5fth round. I just hate it when people call a 'bust' way too prematurely only based on draft position. First rounder = bust if he dosen't impress immediately (although he missed 38 games in 2 AHL seasons and had a knee surgery etc). It's hard to progress when you have to heal and rehab, gain the timing back, gain confidence, etc. I think I heard Julien in an interview saying that they were never discouraged by this kid's development, as he had been injured at inoportune moments. I myself gave the kid a pass although we all were underwhelmed by his play in training camps.

 

[HBDay]

Bust ?!?! Come on now. Kid had an serious injury streak. No one was knowing what he could do when 100% healthy. Y'know, when you get injured, you don't get back immediately to the player you were originally for numerous reasons, especially during development. It takes time. Same happened to Hudon. Got injured a lot, 3 years of AHL and suddenly he has developped quite nicely, but was never 'a bust' because he was drafted in the 5fth round. I just hate it when people call a 'bust' way too prematurely only based on draft position. First rounder = bust if he dosen't impress immediately (although he missed 38 games in 2 AHL seasons and had a knee surgery etc). It's hard to progress when you have to heal and rehab, gain the timing back, gain confidence, etc. I think I heard Julien in an interview saying that they were never discouraged by this kid's development, as he had been injured at inoportune moments. I myself gave the kid a pass although we all were underwhelmed by his play in training camps.

I wouldn't say he was considered a bust at any point this season considering he was producing at over a point per game in the AHL this year. But certainly last season and the season before there was lots of murmurs of him being a bust.

 

[admiralcadillac]

He went from a bust to a bright light in a few months. Good for him. He should be a top 6 for us and at worse he's an offensive top 9 guys already. Great jump this year. Timmins may have drafted an nhl skilled player here! lol

He was never a bust

 

[Schwang]

So is he a legit top 6 winger next season or what? This is the big question!!!!

He is but of course they won’t use him there.