Prospect Info: Zachary Fucale

[Goldenhands]

I wouldn't mind seeing him get a start or two. Might as well see if he is worth qualifying or if the Habs should be looking at someone different to help McNiven in Laval next year and be a 3rd stringer for the Habs (I doubt McNiven will be ready for 3rd string duty next year, then again I doubt Fucale is either).

I heard he asked to be traded some weeks ago but no taker, I would be surprised if the Habs retain his services considering how many good young goaltenders we already have in the pipeline, to me Fucale is at the bottom of our depth chart..

 

[John B]

I heard he asked to be traded some weeks ago but no taker, I would be surprised if the Habs retain his services considering how many good young goaltenders we already have in the pipeline, to me Fucale is at the bottom of our depth chart..

It wouldn't be a huge loss if Fucale weren't resigned. There will be some 3rd string options in free agency as well. I think it depends. Hawkey has another year of NCAA eligibility if the Habs choose not to sign him early. Primeau still has another 3 years in the NCAA if the Habs let him play it out. With Price's injury history I'm not sure McNiven and Hawkey would be the best duo to have to call up.

 

[Schwang]

It wouldn't be a huge loss if Fucale weren't resigned. There will be some 3rd string options in free agency as well. I think it depends. Hawkey has another year of NCAA eligibility if the Habs choose not to sign him early. Primeau still has another 3 years in the NCAA if the Habs let him play it out. With Price's injury history I'm not sure McNiven and Hawkey would be the best duo to have to call up.

Let him walk. Bad pick and very over rated goalie. He'll never see duty in the NHL.

 

[Luigi Habs]

I was mad when we picked him and still mad now.

 

[Roke]

If the Habs are going to start a genuine rebuild next year Fucale should be the starting goalie. His only value is leading a tank and since he has juniors, draft, and World juniors pedigree you can probably get away with it for a couple of years.

Otherwise he has no value. Using early round draft picks on goalies is never a great idea but using one on a guy who wasn't good at stopping pucks in junior was ridiculous.

 

[optimus2861]

I was mad when we picked him and still mad now.

I wasn't mad about it; he was legitimately good-to-great at 17 and still OK for the most part at 18, though there were some warning signs. He's just never progressed or has even regressed from that point.

Career minor league player or destined for Europe.

 

[Wats]

Ride him to the end of the season and hope he obtains some sort of trade value.

 

[montreal]

Ride him to the end of the season and hope he obtains some sort of trade value.

don't see them doing that since it would look bad, 3rd string goalie in the AHL, so our 5th string goalie. Would be an outcry of tanking if they played him every game. But Lindgren needs to play and I'm sure he'll get most of the starts unless Price is back sooner then later.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I was mad when we picked him and still mad now.

Were you made when we drafted Price and we had Theodore?

 

[Habs Halifax]

don't see them doing that since it would look bad, 3rd string goalie in the AHL, so our 5th string goalie. Would be an outcry of tanking if they played him every game. But Lindgren needs to play and I'm sure he'll get most of the starts unless Price is back sooner then later.

I would ride with Fucale for a few games. We need to test him as he might need to be released here soon. Better to test him at the NHL vs the grave yard in Laval. If the NHL calls, you tell them that we have an asset we don't know about and before we release him, we want to know for sure. Who cares if you look bad.

 

[AngryMichel]

Check the size of his whole. He'l never make it. His whole is a bit smaller than when i say him first but still mush to big.

 

[montreal]

I would ride with Fucale for a few games. We need to test him as he might need to be released here soon. Better to test him at the NHL vs the grave yard in Laval. If the NHL calls, you tell them that we have an asset we don't know about and before we release him, we want to know for sure. Who cares if you look bad.

there's a big difference between playing him for a few games and playing him every game in terms of perception of tanking on purpose. If Price is done for the season and Nemi is as well, Fucale has to play games, but putting your 5th string goalie in for every game would certainly look like we are flat out tanking. I don't if there's anything the league can actually do if they were to flat out tank and play Fucale every game.

 

[Yoshidas Island]

there's a big difference between playing him for a few games and playing him every game in terms of perception of tanking on purpose. If Price is done for the season and Nemi is as well, Fucale has to play games, but putting your 5th string goalie in for every game would certainly look like we are flat out tanking. I don't if there's anything the league can actually do if they were to flat out tank and play Fucale every game.

Well it's not like we are sitting Price as the backup every night just so we can play Fucale. Give Fucale a couple of games from here until the end of the season and see whether or not there's realistically anything that's worth keeping.

 

[Beer and Chips]

"He's no Price"
AHL Champion
World Junior Champion
Price is the next Roy
The experts have spoken
I have no idea if Fucale has a future in the NHL, he has been passed by Lundgren, plays behind a terrible AHL team and if slotted will play behind a terrible NHL team.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I watched Fucale very close with the Mooseheads. We fell into the trap of that team being so good in front of him. 77-7-1 record including playoffs and Memorial Cup. Has their ever been a better Junior team? I'm bias but that team was dam good.

 

[justafan22]

Waiver eligible next year right?

 

[montreal]

Well it's not like we are sitting Price as the backup every night just so we can play Fucale. Give Fucale a couple of games from here until the end of the season and see whether or not there's realistically anything that's worth keeping.

that's logical and there's no issue, the issue would be playing your 5th string goalie every game for the rest of the season. They should play Fucale, why not, just don't see him getting every game if Price/Nemi are out the rest of the way.

Waiver eligible next year right?

yes, not that it matters. who would pick him up and put him on their NHL team?

 

[Yoshidas Island]

that's logical and there's no issue, the issue would be playing your 5th string goalie every game for the rest of the season. They should play Fucale, why not, just don't see him getting every game if Price/Nemi are out the rest of the way.

Yeah I phrased my message in an argumentative tone but I was really agreeing with you. I feel like I'm one of the few members on this board who still thinks Fucale has a chance to carve out a career, so I'm looking forward to him playing a couple of games.

 

[Roke]

there's a big difference between playing him for a few games and playing him every game in terms of perception of tanking on purpose. If Price is done for the season and Nemi is as well, Fucale has to play games, but putting your 5th string goalie in for every game would certainly look like we are flat out tanking. I don't if there's anything the league can actually do if they were to flat out tank and play Fucale every game.

In the McDavid/Eichel draft Buffalo jettisoned every goalie who was stopping pucks.

Now Buffalo aren't smart and their rebuild's a disaster because all they did was sit on a terrible roster and rely on draft picks coming good but tanking with terrible goaltending in a lost season is just following the incentives the NHL has made.

 

[Habs Halifax]

there's a big difference between playing him for a few games and playing him every game in terms of perception of tanking on purpose. If Price is done for the season and Nemi is as well, Fucale has to play games, but putting your 5th string goalie in for every game would certainly look like we are flat out tanking. I don't if there's anything the league can actually do if they were to flat out tank and play Fucale every game.

I would like to see Fucale play. Gives him some NHL pay checks and who knows what he can do. Might be his last shot... with our team anyways! I'm bias cause I'm I live in Halifax and he was great for the Mooseheads

 

[Luigi Habs]

Were you made when we drafted Price and we had Theodore?

I wasn’t mad because we had Price already. We needed goalies in our system but Fucale had many question marks surrounding him. He played on one of the best junior team of his generation and for me he lacked composure required to be an NHLer.

And for Price yes I was mad but for different reasons. I wanted us to draft a center, either Brule or Kopitar. But you won’t see me complaining about the Price pick.

 

[Booba]

Waiver eligible next year right?

yes, not that it matters. who would pick him up and put him on their NHL team?

He ain't.

However, he would be able to block any assignment to the ECHL due to the fact that isn't on a ELC.

 

[Blame the referee]

4-0 after 1 period and Fucale stay on the Bench ... pretty safe to say that Fucale Will never start a game with the Habs

 

[Booba]

It's a shame CJ didn't let him play for period or two.

Fucale's development hasn't gone as well as expected but he's been a good soldier for the organisation during the past five years.

He bounced around the AHL, ECHL, Spengler Cup and NHL (when we needed an emergency goalie) and never seem to complained.

Hopefully he'll get to see a few NHL minutes before the end of the season.

 

[montreal]

He ain't.

However, he would be able to block any assignment to the ECHL due to the fact that isn't on a ELC.

yea I forgot as I just said in another thread a day or so ago about Lindgren not needing to clear waivers next year along with Fucale.