Prospect Info: [ 2018 - 71st] Jordan Harris (NCAA - Northeastern University)

[Schwang]

Unless he's REALLY good, it'd be tough to put another rookie in the lineup especially on defence. They don't have the luxury.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

I'd be intrigued to see him get a look next to Edmundson or Weber.. do a quick assessment of his game at the NHL level and if he needs pro ripening, send him to Laval.

At least with Ducharme there is a higher possibility of him getting a chance to play.

With Julien we would've likely had to watch Mete, Ouellet, Olofsson, Leskinen fail for a few games each before Harris was even considered.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Not sure how reliable they are but the piece about it being a foregone conclusion is nice.

The reason I think Harris hasn't been signed yet is because there is a slim chance that Northeastern are selected to play in the NCAA Tournament. Under normal circumstances they wouldn't, but due to COVID and some teams having opted out, they may be able to get in from the back door this time.

And Harris would rather remain eligible to play should Northeastern get in, however slim their chance is.

They'll know 100% on Sunday. So if NE is confirmed to be out, I expect him to sign his ELC.

This is me guessing here. Because I doubt that the organization would wait before signing him when they didn't wait in previous years (like Poehling and Primeau, who were signed the day after their teams were eliminated). And with the 14-day quarantine, there is even more incentive to sign him ASAP.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Unless he's REALLY good, it'd be tough to put another rookie in the lineup especially on defence. They don't have the luxury.

He wouldn't be asked to step up in our top 4 and play difficult minutes, he would just be replacing the atrocious 13 minutes Mete and Ouellet have been giving us on our 3rd pair.

 

[417]

If they sign him and he comes to Montreal and they later decide to send him down, couldn't they do that?

I'm not sure I get the issue of whether he's coming to the Habs or the Rocket. Can't that be decided later?

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

If they sign him and he comes to Montreal and they later decide to send him down, couldn't they do that?

I'm not sure I get the issue of whether he's coming to the Habs or the Rocket. Can't that be decided later?

I would guess Harris wants to play at least a game in the NHL this year to burn a year off his ELC, similar to Poehling.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Unless he's REALLY good, it'd be tough to put another rookie in the lineup especially on defence. They don't have the luxury.

I, too, would rather see him get time in the AHL first. But sometimes with the college prospects (and some Euro prospects), you have to guarantee them an NHL game and burn a year off their ELC in order to convince them to sign.

And in Harris' case, he can choose not to sign and hit free agency next summer. If it takes an NHL game and burning a year off his ELC in order to guarantee he will sign, Habs will do it.

 

[26Mats]

The reason I think Harris hasn't been signed yet is because there is a slim chance that Northeastern are selected to play in the NCAA Tournament. Under normal circumstances they wouldn't, but due to COVID and some teams having opted out, they may be able to get in from the back door this time.

And Harris would rather remain eligible to play should Northeastern get in, however slim their chance is.

They'll know 100% on Sunday. So if NE is confirmed to be out, I expect him to sign his ELC.

This is me guessing here. Because I doubt that the organization would wait before signing him when they didn't wait in previous years (like Poehling and Primeau, who were signed the day after their teams were eliminated). And with the 14-day quarantine, there is even more incentive to sign him ASAP.

They signed Fairbrother the moment he was eligible to be signed.

I've been wondering why Harris hasn't been signed yet. This may explain it.

 

[417]

Why is it seemingly every other teams NCAA prospects, especially the ones drafted in the first few rounds...

Always jump straight to their NHL team and help them down the stretch.

But ours have to go through the AHL purgatory?

 

[Habaddict]

I, too, would rather see him get time in the AHL first. But sometimes with the college prospects (and some Euro prospects), you have to guarantee them an NHL game and burn a year off their ELC in order to convince them to sign.

And in Harris' case, he can choose not to sign and hit free agency next summer. If it takes an NHL game and burning a year off his ELC in order to guarantee he will sign, Habs will do it.

Although I'm also reluctant to rush a kid
into the NHL, Harris may be an exception. His biggest need is likely adding more strength. That is done mostly in the off season anyhow. And he must be 21 or so, not really
too young.

 

[Mrb1p]

Why is it seemingly every other teams NCAA prospects, especially the ones drafted in the first few rounds...

Always jump straight to their NHL team and help them down the stretch.

But ours have to go through the AHL purgatory?

Lol, because were better than all of those puny NHL rusher.

Charlie McAvoy ? AHL!
Adam Fox ???? AHL!
Dante Fabbro? SCRUB!
Mario Ferraro ? Never heard of him!
Ian Mitchell? LOL!
Brock Boeser ? bust.
Jordan Greenway ? Coincidence.

 

[Fazkovsky]

Cant wait to see what he does in laval at least

 

[schnapshot]

Why is it seemingly every other teams NCAA prospects, especially the ones drafted in the first few rounds...

Always jump straight to their NHL team and help them down the stretch.

But ours have to go through the AHL purgatory?

Most of the ones who came in for a playoff push (McAvoy, Makar, Boeser) were blue-chip prospects, which Harris isn’t (although he is good).

The ones that weren’t (Greenway, Fabbro) had a limited impact.

 

[habsfan92]

Can Harris fight? You know, to replace Chairot

 

[26Mats]

Cant wait to see what he does in laval at least

I have no problem with him, and even Caufield, starting in Laval, as opposed to practicing with the big club amd not playing.

Let them get in game action at the pro level. If it's too easy for them, then call them up to start practicing with the big club AND playing in games after a few practices.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

My favourite non CC habs prospect. I think he can play now and not be worse than Chiarot was.

 

[1909]

My favourite non CC habs prospect. I think he can play now and not be worse than Chiarot was.

Very doubtful.... Chiarot was very effective last season as well as during the July's Playoffs.... This year, I think, he is a bit overwhelmed to still play on the first pairing and is trying to do way too much... even fighting for sweet nothing reasons.

Harris has to adapt to the pro game at AHL level for a while. He is no Cale Makar !

 

[417]

Most of the ones who came in for a playoff push (McAvoy, Makar, Boeser) were blue-chip prospects, which Harris isn’t (although he is good).

The ones that weren’t (Greenway, Fabbro) had a limited impact.

That's not my necessarily true...there are guys who weren't blue chip prospects who just joined their NHL teams and played a role.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

That's not my necessarily true...there are guys who weren't blue chip prospects who just joined their NHL teams and played a role.

Examples ?

 

[montreal]

Harris can 100% play in the NHL right now in terms of skating, speed, mobility, IQ, poise. He needs to add mass and strength, put him with Weber or Edmundson or Chia if he were healthy. He plays such a good defensive game, such a high IQ player. But time in the AHL to adjust would be better.

Keep in mind he's one of the top blueliners in the NCAA this year. If he had one more point, no U-21 defensemen in the NCAA would have more points then him while playing 5-8 less games then the closest players to him (York, LaCombe and Dilibertore)

 

[26Mats]

My favourite non CC habs prospect. I think he can play now and not be worse than Chiarot was.

But can he be better than Mete or Ouellet?

At any rate, there is no rush with him. He's got 3, 4 years before he has to pass through waivers. Let's give him whatever development time he needs - if any.

 

[WeThreeKings]

They're gonna give him a game to burn a year of the ELC.. and we will see how he handles it.

There's no risk in development to play a game or 3 in the NHL. The risk is when you play a guy in the NHL, give him no minutes, play him in his wrong position, put him with shit players, give no ice time and treat them like shit for extended period of time.

 

[montreal]

They're gonna give him a game to burn a year of the ELC.. and we will see how he handles it.

There's no risk in development to play a game or 3 in the NHL. The risk is when you play a guy in the NHL, give him no minutes, play him in his wrong position, put him with shit players, give no ice time and treat them like shit for extended period of time.

with Harris at least the good news is there's no wrong position unless they put him in net as he can play both sides in the same shift and not miss a beat.

What worries is the coaching staff, if they think Kulak and especially slow Ouellet are better options then playing Mete at LD which should be clear is the only place to play him, they appear to have gotten both wrong and continue to.

 

[417]

Examples ?

A few were mentioned earlier...it's not it's uncommon.

I'm not saying he should get uncontested shot at top pairing for the rest of the year.

But no reason he shouldn't get a game to see how he does.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

But can he be better than Mete or Ouellet?

At any rate, there is no rush with him. He's got 3, 4 years before he has to pass through waivers. Let's give him whatever development time he needs - if any.

There’s little doubt in my mind that Harris would be atleast as good as those guys, easily better than Ouellet. No harm in trying him out for 1-3 games and see how it goes.