Prospect Info: [2018 - 38th] Alexander Romanov (KHL - CSKA Moscow)

[Habs Halifax]

Like you said, it would be nice if he could at least be a top 4 with the emphasis on at least.

There is a real difference when you get a top 3D because that means the player also has a good skill set and can create some offence, some points.

We have 2 legit top 3 players with a gaping hole at no.2, and both are older, especially Weber.

We have several maybe no. 4 guys if you include Alzner, but do we have any young guys who will be able to be top 3, let alone top pairing. We need TT to have connected on a couple of these picks or it's not looking good for the next few years. Right now its Brook, Mete that to me are likeliest to be top 3, possibly Juulsen, though I am not seeing it yet. Juulsen looks pretty good, just hope an offensive game comes once he is more comfortable in the NHL. And then the reclamation projects.

It's going to be interesting to see how the prospect pool develops for our future. Yeah, we have no blue chip or franchise player but the forward group looks good. What does the depth chart look like with Gallagher and under? Lots of options with the forwards but the D needs improvements. We have plenty of top 4D potential but top paring? Took us years to get depth at center in the prospect pool. Lets hope it don' take years to find top paring defenseman

Drouin / Kotkaniemi / Armia
Domi / Suzuki / Gallagher
Danault / Poehling / Lehkonen
Scherbak / Olofsson / Ylonen
Hudon / McShane / Ikonen

???? / ????
Mete / Juulsen
Romanov / Brook
Reilly / Fleury

Primeau
Lindgren
McNiven

 

[yianik]

It's going to be interesting to see how the prospect pool develops for our future. Yeah, we have not blue chip or franchise player but the forward group looks good. What does the depth chart look like with Gallagher and under? Lots of options with the forwards but the D needs improvements. We have plenty of top 4D potential but top paring? Took us years to get depth at center in the prospect pool. Lets hope it don' take years to find top paring defenseman

Drouin / Kotkaniemi / Armia
Domi / Suzuki / Gallagher
Danault / Poehling / Lehkonen
Scherbak / Olofsson / Ylonen
Hudon / McShane / Ikonen

???? / ????
Mete / Juulsen
Romanov / Brook
Reilly / Fleury

Primeau
Lindgren
McNiven

Yes.

Right now we have to bank on having a couple of top CS, and hopefully a 1C from our main group of Poehling, Kotkaniemi and Suzuki along with Olofsson and the rest. That 1st group of 3 should all be turning pro next year and getting at least some NHL ice time. If TT drafted well, a couple of these guys should be contributing some decent points within 3 -4 years from now. If TT didnt, well we are in big trouble.

To go along with the Cs, we hopefully have a winger or two who will be able to score 30 plus and a few more that will be scoring at least 20 goals, in the coming few years.

D is the biggest issue as what will Weber and Petry be like in 2- 3 years. The pipeline does have some good looking prospects, but dont know about top 3 ceiling.

Likely the best solution is moving Weber and Petry in time to get some developing high grade D prospects from a win now team.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Yes.

Right now we have to bank on having a couple of top CS, and hopefully a 1C from our main group of Poehling, Kotkaniemi and Suzuki along with Olofsson and the rest. That 1st group of 3 should all be turning pro next year and getting at least some NHL ice time. If TT drafted well, a couple of these guys should be contributing some decent points within 3 -4 years from now. If TT didnt, well we are in big trouble.

To go along with the Cs, we hopefully have a winger or two who will be able to score 30 plus and a few more that will be scoring at least 20 goals, in the coming few years.

D is the biggest issue as what will Weber and Petry be like in 2- 3 years. The pipeline does have some good looking prospects, but dont know about top 3 ceiling.

Likely the best solution is moving Weber and Petry in time to get some developing high grade D prospects from a win now team.

To be honest, I don't think we are going to be a cup contender until we are able to draft a blue chip prospect who has franchise potential value. Might take some time cause winning a draft lottery at the right time is not easy. It's best we stay at the bottom for at least another 2 years IMO. Give our team the best shot at Hughes and/or that kid from Quebec!

I like Kotkaniemi but imagine if we won last years lottery? Dahlin was perfect for our needs. Especially after we were able to get a guy like Suzuki in the Patch trade.

 

[sandviper]

It's going to be interesting to see how the prospect pool develops for our future. Yeah, we have no blue chip or franchise player but the forward group looks good. What does the depth chart look like with Gallagher and under? Lots of options with the forwards but the D needs improvements. We have plenty of top 4D potential but top paring? Took us years to get depth at center in the prospect pool. Lets hope it don' take years to find top paring defenseman

Drouin / Kotkaniemi / Armia
Domi / Suzuki / Gallagher
Danault / Poehling / Lehkonen
Scherbak / Olofsson / Ylonen
Hudon / McShane / Ikonen

???? / ????
Mete / Juulsen
Romanov / Brook
Reilly / Fleury

Primeau
Lindgren
McNiven

I agree we may not have a franchise player in our prospect pool, but I see a couple blue chippers; Kotkaniemi and Suzuki. Those are two high quality prospects that I think will have really good trade value... if we go that route.

Assuming we have one of those years and we get a decent pick next draft, there are a load of blue chip centers and defencemen available. I feel there's at least 5-7 potential franchise players in the top-10. Of course, players can fall and rise but this is a personal opinion as of today.

So, assuming we get our franchise center next draft, we can afford to move one of Suzuki or Poehling. I think a package with either one will get us a true LD prospect.

Anyhow, I am hoping (not predicting) Romanov and Brook develop into blue chippers. I think Brook's ceiling is 1st pairing, but it really has to fall into place for him. So far with Romanov, I am liking what I see. If Mete and Juulsen can reach their potential (2nd pairing IMO), our top-4 would be set.

 

[danyhabsfan]

It's going to be interesting to see how the prospect pool develops for our future. Yeah, we have no blue chip or franchise player but the forward group looks good. What does the depth chart look like with Gallagher and under? Lots of options with the forwards but the D needs improvements. We have plenty of top 4D potential but top paring? Took us years to get depth at center in the prospect pool. Lets hope it don' take years to find top paring defenseman

Drouin / Kotkaniemi / Armia
Domi / Suzuki / Gallagher
Danault / Poehling / Lehkonen
Scherbak / Olofsson / Ylonen
Hudon / McShane / Ikonen

???? / ????
Mete / Juulsen
Romanov / Brook
Reilly / Fleury

Primeau
Lindgren
McNiven

Price will be there for sure and possibly Weber.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Price will be there for sure and possibly Weber.

Hard to predict but I think they are both with us for a while. However, if we continue to struggle and finish in the bottom 5, I can see the Habs moving Weber for a very good return and eventually Price ask for a trade and waives his NMC to a few teams.

 

[yianik]

I think our best chances at getting blue chippers , or close to it as possible, is by a trade that gets us an already drafted prospect, by having a very high pick, or by moving up to get a very high or higher pick.

One of my trade ideas before the summer ended was a Chucky and Gallagher trade for Lindholm and Hanifin, but the Flames and Canes made a trade involving those players.

I would not look at doing anything right now if I was MB. The best time will be as we approach the TDL. There will be many teams in the hunt this year. What is interesting is that it isnt just the Cup contenders that could look to pony up , but teams that have been on the outside looking in for too many years who might also be buyers, like the Canes , Panthers, Sabres etc. I dont know what pieces would be wanted but we will certainly see.

What can we offer ? Well there is a difference of what we can, should and will. I have heard Petry's name but we need him now at least until Weber is back. Guessing MB would be loathe to trade him, but if you could get a young player growing his game in the NHL who isnt quite there yet but you think he has top pair potential and he is on a win now team, you have to look at it. I know under MB Weber is not going anywhere so leave him aside. A guy like Gallagher who I love, but you know you have to give to get. There are other guys who might be expendable depending on how the young guys do this year. We also have that Cap space. I had wondered about a 50 % retained Patches trade to the Hawks for their 1st and Beaudin or Jokiharju.

MB has pounded us over the head about the impossibility to get centre unless drafting 1st overall basically in a year when a franchise player is there. Now while we still dont have a 1C, for the 1st time since Koivu ( some might argue Chucky ) we actually have a shot at developing our own 1C, and for sure a 2C or two. We actually have historically had a wealth of richess in drafting top D men, like Markov, McDo, PK and possibly Sergachev ( this is recent history ) but unfortunately had GMs who squandered it away for the most part.

Anyway, I agree that this year for certain we should focus on playing young guys to see what we have. this should help inevitably lead to us towards the bottom and a high pick. CJ and the players play to win, as it should be, but MB gives CJ the players, including between the NHL and AHL. MB needs to play the longer game.

 

[yianik]

To be honest, I don't think we are going to be a cup contender until we are able to draft a blue chip prospect who has franchise potential value. Might take some time cause winning a draft lottery at the right time is not easy. It's best we stay at the bottom for at least another 2 years IMO. Give our team the best shot at Hughes and/or that kid from Quebec!

I like Kotkaniemi but imagine if we won last years lottery? Dahlin was perfect for our needs. Especially after we were able to get a guy like Suzuki in the Patch trade.

I agree. At the end we had an equal chance of picking 1,2 or 3, and luck just was not with us. Its too bad yes. Top D for next decade, check. Then we would have the option of trading Weber in time.

 

[jaffy27]

I agree we may not have a franchise player in our prospect pool, but I see a couple blue chippers; Kotkaniemi and Suzuki. Those are two high quality prospects that I think will have really good trade value... if we go that route.

Assuming we have one of those years and we get a decent pick next draft, there are a load of blue chip centers and defencemen available. I feel there's at least 5-7 potential franchise players in the top-10. Of course, players can fall and rise but this is a personal opinion as of today.

So, assuming we get our franchise center next draft, we can afford to move one of Suzuki or Poehling. I think a package with either one will get us a true LD prospect.

Anyhow, I am hoping (not predicting) Romanov and Brook develop into blue chippers. I think Brook's ceiling is 1st pairing, but it really has to fall into place for him. So far with Romanov, I am liking what I see. If Mete and Juulsen can reach their potential (2nd pairing IMO), our top-4 would be set.

I love reading your posts.....you have a well balanced optimism vs let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

 

[jaffy27]

Hard to predict but I think they are both with us for a while. However, if we continue to struggle and finish in the bottom 5, I can see the Habs moving Weber for a very good return and eventually Price ask for a trade and waives his NMC to a few teams.

If we draft one of Cozens, Dach or Hughes.....we in the hunt at playoff births as soon as the 2019-20 season.

Cozens
Kotka (Golden Eagle)
Poehling
Suzuki
Brook
Fleury
Romanov
Ylönen
Olafsson
Primeau

That folks is an impressive we’re knocking at the door group of prospects right there.

On top of the young guys we have right now and with the veteran leadership of Weber, Price, Gallagher......watch out!!!!

 

[Habs Halifax]

If we draft one of Cozens, Dach or Hughes.....we in the hunt at playoff births as soon as the 2019-20 season.

Cozens
Kotka (Golden Eagle)
Poehling
Suzuki
Brook
Fleury
Romanov
Ylönen
Olafsson
Primeau

That folks is an impressive we’re knocking at the door group of prospects right there.

On top of the young guys we have right now and with the veteran leadership of Weber, Price, Gallagher......watch out!!!!

I agree, the direction of the team takes a quick turn with inserting some real good young players over a season or two. However, are we contenders? It's hard to predict and my plan would be to do whatever we can do in the next two drafts to get a potential lottery pick. Easier said than done but we clearly need a franchise player

 

[jaffy27]

I agree, the direction of the team takes a quick turn with inserting some real good young players over a season or two. However, are we contenders? It's hard to predict and my plan would be to do whatever we can do in the next two drafts to get a potential lottery pick. Easier said than done but we clearly need a franchise player

I see us being contenders like the Leafs are in the sense where we are a high octane team with tons of promise but lose in the 1st round, maybe 2nd for a few years......

 

[HBDay]

I agree, the direction of the team takes a quick turn with inserting some real good young players over a season or two. However, are we contenders? It's hard to predict and my plan would be to do whatever we can do in the next two drafts to get a potential lottery pick. Easier said than done but we clearly need a franchise player

We wouldn't be contenders. When we get that youth influx, we will still need a year or two of growing pains. Time and time again, expierenced teams will trump vibrant youth, with of course vegas being the outlier here.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I see us being contenders like the Leafs are in the sense where we are a high octane team with tons of promise but lose in the 1st round, maybe 2nd for a few years......

I'm trying to stay patient with our future forecast. I love how our prospect pool looks today but we still got some work to do. I think the Habs management needs to be careful with jumping to quick on a team direction turn around. Like I said in the previous post... We should be doing whatever we can to try for a lottery pick win in each of the next two drafts. This is how we turn things around and become potential cup contenders.

Last thing I want is a Sabres, Coyotes, Oilers type team. Good players but lack of success.

I hope you are right! I previously thought we had a small 2 or 3 year window before Weber turns 37 and Price turns 35. I still think it's there but a lot needs to fall in line for us. We need our best prospects to reach their ceiling potential. Time will tell here in the next two seasons.

 

[Habs Halifax]

We wouldn't be contenders. When we get that youth influx, we will still need a year or two of growing pains. Time and time again, expierenced teams will trump vibrant youth, with of course vegas being the outlier here.

I think there is a small window when Price is 33-35 and Weber is 35-37. That is the 3rd season from now. That is two full years of development with our current prospects and youth on our current roster. And two more drafts where we can get more top 10 picks or if were lucky a lottery pick. The only way we become cup contenders is we have several of our prospects reach their ceiling potential.

The other thing to consider is trading Price and Weber soon so we can get those lottery picks in the next two drafts? I don't see this happening but it's the best probability to get a lottery pick win.

I think the plan is to go season by season at this point. If we have another bad season, I do see a fire sale with current management and Price/Weber. Imagine what we could get in return for them? People think not much but there is not way other teams are going to pry those assets from us for cheap. It's not happening.

 

[Hope Of Glory]

I see us being contenders like the Leafs are in the sense where we are a high octane team with tons of promise but lose in the 1st round, maybe 2nd for a few years......

That's a normal process though, no matter how talented/good we get, the kids will have to learn playoff hockey before we get any real success. The Hawks and Pens didn't win on their first try with their Cup winning core.

Hopefully the fans are patient enough and realize this. I know, I know, that's asking a lot from this group

 

[jaffy27]

That's a normal process though, no matter how talented/good we get, the kids will have to learn playoff hockey before we get any real success. The Hawks and Pens didn't win on their first try with their Cup winning core.

Hopefully the fans are patient enough and realize this. I know, I know, that's asking a lot from this group

at your last paragraph

Your post is bang on, like Robin Hood bang on....

 

[admiralcadillac]

I'm trying to stay patient with our future forecast. I love how our prospect pool looks today but we still got some work to do. I think the Habs management needs to be careful with jumping to quick on a team direction turn around. Like I said in the previous post... We should be doing whatever we can to try for a lottery pick win in each of the next two drafts. This is how we turn things around and become potential cup contenders.

Last thing I want is a Sabres, Coyotes, Oilers type team. Good players but lack of success.

I hope you are right! I previously thought we had a small 2 or 3 year window before Weber turns 37 and Price turns 35. I still think it's there but a lot needs to fall in line for us. We need our best prospects to reach their ceiling potential. Time will tell here in the next two seasons.

Our prospect pool isn't the only place worth looking at too though! Our lineup itself is very young, and if some players develop even more while in the nhl that's a bonus. How young is the lineup compared to other teams?

 

[Habs Halifax]

Our prospect pool isn't the only place worth looking at too though! Our lineup itself is very young, and if some players develop even more while in the nhl that's a bonus. How young is the lineup compared to other teams?

I agree. There is a certain measure of how many young NHL players we currently have and how good they can get. We are going to have lots of options between the current NHL youth and what we have in the pipeline. It's anybodies guess how good these guys get as a group and what vets we still have around to go along with them.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

I agree, the direction of the team takes a quick turn with inserting some real good young players over a season or two. However, are we contenders? It's hard to predict and my plan would be to do whatever we can do in the next two drafts to get a potential lottery pick. Easier said than done but we clearly need a franchise player

Unfortunately MB still sees Price as the franchise player for the next 8 years. -_-

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Sterling Archer]

So looks like not only did he make the team but he’s cementing his spot as a regular in the lineup. Colour me impressed.

 

[Adam Michaels]

After 1 period, he has 6 shifts with 3:30 TOI. He has 1 blocked shot and 1 hit so far.

 

[Hostile Offer]

When I read "third line" I was thinking maaan it's getting really weird with this kid but thankfully the tweeter didn't mean they'd use him as a forward. The role he's actually getting is not shabby at all either though! Being paired with an ex-Hab Nikita Nesterov is another interesting side note.

 

[PhysicX]

Romanov Alexander (d)

SOG 1

BLS 1

Hits 1

TOI (Shifts) 7:56(12)

TOA 02:14

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

After 2 periods.