Prospect Info: 68th Scott Walford

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Agalloch

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Was pretty high on him but I think injured have stunted his development too much. Probably a 3rd pairing D at best, or career AHLer (a la Lernout) He's not playing bad hockey or anything but I see almost no difference in his play from now since when he was drafted. Hasn't really developed at all.

Too bad then. Most likely a career AHLer.
 

Habs

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As , much as I hate to poop on the parade, I've watched Walford a few times this year, nothing special at all. Soft as butter, gets knocked off the puck easy. Rarely drives the play and his shot is forgettable.
 
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montreal

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As , much as I hate to poop on the parade, I've watched Walford a few times this year, nothing special at all. Soft as butter, gets knocked off the puck easy. Rarely drives the play and his shot is forgettable.

I'm not sure if they even sign him by the June deadline. He's got the skating, mobility, speed, works hard, solid in his own end. But not sure it's enough to get an NHL contract. With Brook incoming, Tyszka will likely be signed imo, plus having Fleury, hard to say what they will do. I could see it coming down to how much room they have on the 50. I would lean towards signing him, put him in the ECHL if need be and see how it goes. But it depends on what other moves they make to see where we are looking for the 50.
 

Habs

We should have drafted Michkov
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I'm not sure if they even sign him by the June deadline. He's got the skating, mobility, speed, works hard, solid in his own end. But not sure it's enough to get an NHL contract. With Brook incoming, Tyszka will likely be signed imo, plus having Fleury, hard to say what they will do. I could see it coming down to how much room they have on the 50. I would lean towards signing him, put him in the ECHL if need be and see how it goes. But it depends on what other moves they make to see where we are looking for the 50.

I just don't find him very effective in his own end, when he's under pressure. Victoria is a soft team regardless, but Walford isn't helping out under pressure.
 

montreal

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I just don't find him very effective in his own end, when he's under pressure. Victoria is a soft team regardless, but Walford isn't helping out under pressure.

I haven't seen much of him this year, just 2 games and those were vs Russia. I thought he played well enough, saw him a few times last year and liked his defensive game. We'll see what the Habs think of him after the season. I wouldn't be surprised if he's not signed, but wouldn't mind it if they do. He's had some injury setbacks, so not sure how much that's impacted his development. I seem to recall at the draft most posters weren't happy that he was taken that high but perhaps he could be one of those guys that spends 4 years between the ECHL and AHL and then gets a cup of coffee in the NHL at some point.
 
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Tyson

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3 points last night, he is quietly having a decent year. It’s probably not enough to warrant a contract but who knows...
 
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Le Barron de HF

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I would sign him, we've got nothing to lose. He's more worthy of a contract than a Didier (I know he got an AHL deal, just saying that he'sa he's better prospect imo). We are thin on the left side anyway. Prefer to sign him than roll the die on guys like Johnston, Hanley or Parisi. Best case scenario he becomes a Matt Hunwick type of player.
 

Adam Michaels

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3 points last night, he is quietly having a decent year. It’s probably not enough to warrant a contract but who knows...

I think he will be signed. But I would be surprised if he ever cracks the NHL. But it would surely be good to have him in Laval. He and Tyszka both need to be signed by this summer.
 

Habs Halifax

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I would sign him, we've got nothing to lose. He's more worthy of a contract than a Didier (I know he got an AHL deal, just saying that he'sa he's better prospect imo). We are thin on the left side anyway. Prefer to sign him than roll the die on guys like Johnston, Hanley or Parisi. Best case scenario he becomes a Matt Hunwick type of player.

50 contract limit is likely the only issue. They will wait last moment on if they sign him or not
 

Whitesnake

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Jan 5, 2003
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I wouldn't sign Walford on talent. But he could be signed on opportunity. Koberstein will not be signed. Tyszka will be. Walford it's on the fence though right now...we only have 29 contracts commited for next year. You can safely add Armia, Lehkonen, Suzuki and Teasdale. And maybe Poehling too. That's 34. McCarron could be let go. Same with Olofsson, Audette, Froese, Shinkaruk, Lernout, Ouellet. But you still will need players to fill those spots. You could see Juulsen cracking the lineup. Fleury and maybe even Evans. And you need to think of 2020 with Hillis, Fondstad, McShane and maybe Poehling if he wasn't signed. But there are still spots to fill and maybe they think Walford is worth it.

My guess....they won't. They'll sign Tyszka and that's it. If they do is because how weak that left position still is when they take that decision.
 

Adam Michaels

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Both should be signed imo. It'd be more controversial than when the Habs brass decided not to sign Bradley.

I agree. I know Bradley hasn't amounted to anything. But I was perplexed as to why they didn't sign him. At this moment, it looks like Habs brass didn't see much improvement in his game. I still would have signed him and see what can become of him. Although to be fair, he'd come into Lefebvre. Had he come in now with Bouchard, I'd feel a lot more comfortable.

Walford and Tyszka need to be signed because if they don't amount to much in the NHL, they can still be interesting for Laval.

From all of the prospects, we don't know yet who can crack the Habs' line-up out of camp, but Brook, Suzuki, Teasdale, Walford (if signed), Tyszka (if signed), Poehling, (if signed), and any other undrafted player signed will all be eligible for Laval next season. Adding them to Fleury, Evans, Vejdemo, and Alain (if they play in Laval next season) will make the Rocket a real fun team to follow next year.
 

1909

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Jul 6, 2016
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Shinkaruk is as good as gone and I wouldn't be surprised if one of the Czech's defenseman gets his contract mutually terminated. Olafsson will be interesting to see.

If he ever solve his shoulders' problems....
 

montreal

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I would sign him, we've got nothing to lose. He's more worthy of a contract than a Didier (I know he got an AHL deal, just saying that he'sa he's better prospect imo). We are thin on the left side anyway. Prefer to sign him than roll the die on guys like Johnston, Hanley or Parisi. Best case scenario he becomes a Matt Hunwick type of player.

As others have said I think it will come down to the 50 and how much room we are expected to have. In addition we need to see how he finishes the season + playoffs (haven't checked the whl standings).

I think he will be signed. But I would be surprised if he ever cracks the NHL. But it would surely be good to have him in Laval. He and Tyszka both need to be signed by this summer.

It will be interesting to see if they do sign one or both what they do with each as I'm usually against having 20 year olds in the CHL but with Tyszka he's only had 1 full season and currently has 192 games in the WHL under his belt so he really could benefit from another season in the dub but would count against the 50.

Walford has a few more games in at 210 so perhaps they would keep him instead of returning him to the dub as an overager, not sure he would have a spot in Laval but a stay in the ECHL could be good for him.

Both should be signed imo. It'd be more controversial than when the Habs brass decided not to sign Bradley.

I would say Bradley at least to me was a bigger surprise since he was coming off a 30+ goal season and over a ppg while being a center. But so far it looks like they made the right call.

I wouldn't sign Walford on talent. But he could be signed on opportunity. Koberstein will not be signed. Tyszka will be. Walford it's on the fence though right now...we only have 29 contracts commited for next year. You can safely add Armia, Lehkonen, Suzuki and Teasdale. And maybe Poehling too. That's 34. McCarron could be let go. Same with Olofsson, Audette, Froese, Shinkaruk, Lernout, Ouellet. But you still will need players to fill those spots. You could see Juulsen cracking the lineup. Fleury and maybe even Evans. And you need to think of 2020 with Hillis, Fondstad, McShane and maybe Poehling if he wasn't signed. But there are still spots to fill and maybe they think Walford is worth it.

My guess....they won't. They'll sign Tyszka and that's it. If they do is because how weak that left position still is when they take that decision.

it's hard to project what they will do this off-season, if they can't move Schlemko perhaps he gets bought out as I don't think they would want Alzner, Schlemko, and Ouellet all in Laval. Now of course they could just let Ouellet walk but to me he's been the best of the 3 in Laval so far, really like the offense he's brought.

G- Price, Lindgren, McNiven (plus I'd think we'll sign a FA, perhaps Harvey since he impressed at camp, or someone from the NCAA) So we should be looking at 4 contracts, maybe 5 if they want a vet to work with McNiven while Lindgren backs up Price and then a FA like Harvey or whoever in the ECHL as I don't think Marcoux is back. Perhaps if LaCouvee impresses enough he can get that 5th spot, or they could go the AHL contract route again. So 4 or 5 contracts

D- Weber, Petry, Mete, Alzner, Schlemko, Reilly, Kulak, Juulsen, Brook, Fleury, Sklenicka, Moravcik. Now it gets tough, I would be surprised if Benn is back, I would bring back Ouellet, we don't know what they will do with Olofsson or if he will be healthy. There's the rumors about Juulsen so we have to see there. I could see Schlemko get bought out maybe. I also wonder what they do with Reilly, if he's earn a contract and a spot for next year, I assume so but I know at one point they weren't happy with him.

Then you have Tyszka who I think easily gets signed, Walford who I'm 50/50 gets signed and Koberstein who I don't see getting signed but then again they signed guys like Pezzetta, Waked, so you never know.

We know we'll have at around 12, maybe 14 contracts.

F- Drouin, Domi, Tatar, Gallagher, Shaw, Armia, Kotka, Lek, Byron, Danault, Peca, DLO, Chaput, Evans, Vejdemo, Alain, Verbeek, Pezzetta, Waked, Suzuki, Teasdale.

So that's 21 plus McCarron, Hudon, Agostino, Audette. Say all but Audette are back, that would be 24. Poehling would put us at 25.

So we could be say around 44 plus a couple vet forwards for Laval. Then there's the chance they bring over Romanov as well.

Shinkaruk is as good as gone and I wouldn't be surprised if one of the Czech's defenseman gets his contract mutually terminated. Olafsson will be interesting to see.

for sure Shinkaruk is gone, he's been terrible. Olofsson is a tough one since he's had so many shoulder problems so we just don't know where he's at in his recovery and if they would want to use a contract spot on someone that's got a chronic shoulder. I fully expect Sklenicka back, I bet they like him as he's been pretty solid for Laval. Moravcik hasn't been as noticeable so perhaps he will want to return to the Czech league since he's not playing much this year.
 

canadiensnation

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As others have said I think it will come down to the 50 and how much room we are expected to have. In addition we need to see how he finishes the season + playoffs (haven't checked the whl standings).



It will be interesting to see if they do sign one or both what they do with each as I'm usually against having 20 year olds in the CHL but with Tyszka he's only had 1 full season and currently has 192 games in the WHL under his belt so he really could benefit from another season in the dub but would count against the 50.

Walford has a few more games in at 210 so perhaps they would keep him instead of returning him to the dub as an overager, not sure he would have a spot in Laval but a stay in the ECHL could be good for him.



I would say Bradley at least to me was a bigger surprise since he was coming off a 30+ goal season and over a ppg while being a center. But so far it looks like they made the right call.



it's hard to project what they will do this off-season, if they can't move Schlemko perhaps he gets bought out as I don't think they would want Alzner, Schlemko, and Ouellet all in Laval. Now of course they could just let Ouellet walk but to me he's been the best of the 3 in Laval so far, really like the offense he's brought.

G- Price, Lindgren, McNiven (plus I'd think we'll sign a FA, perhaps Harvey since he impressed at camp, or someone from the NCAA) So we should be looking at 4 contracts, maybe 5 if they want a vet to work with McNiven while Lindgren backs up Price and then a FA like Harvey or whoever in the ECHL as I don't think Marcoux is back. Perhaps if LaCouvee impresses enough he can get that 5th spot, or they could go the AHL contract route again. So 4 or 5 contracts

D- Weber, Petry, Mete, Alzner, Schlemko, Reilly, Kulak, Juulsen, Brook, Fleury, Sklenicka, Moravcik. Now it gets tough, I would be surprised if Benn is back, I would bring back Ouellet, we don't know what they will do with Olofsson or if he will be healthy. There's the rumors about Juulsen so we have to see there. I could see Schlemko get bought out maybe. I also wonder what they do with Reilly, if he's earn a contract and a spot for next year, I assume so but I know at one point they weren't happy with him.

Then you have Tyszka who I think easily gets signed, Walford who I'm 50/50 gets signed and Koberstein who I don't see getting signed but then again they signed guys like Pezzetta, Waked, so you never know.

We know we'll have at around 12, maybe 14 contracts.

F- Drouin, Domi, Tatar, Gallagher, Shaw, Armia, Kotka, Lek, Byron, Danault, Peca, DLO, Chaput, Evans, Vejdemo, Alain, Verbeek, Pezzetta, Waked, Suzuki, Teasdale.

So that's 21 plus McCarron, Hudon, Agostino, Audette. Say all but Audette are back, that would be 24. Poehling would put us at 25.

So we could be say around 44 plus a couple vet forwards for Laval. Then there's the chance they bring over Romanov as well.



for sure Shinkaruk is gone, he's been terrible. Olofsson is a tough one since he's had so many shoulder problems so we just don't know where he's at in his recovery and if they would want to use a contract spot on someone that's got a chronic shoulder. I fully expect Sklenicka back, I bet they like him as he's been pretty solid for Laval. Moravcik hasn't been as noticeable so perhaps he will want to return to the Czech league since he's not playing much this year.
If they can get Walford on a AHL/ECHL deal that would be great.

I don't know if Audette will be back, I would let him go.
 

dackelljuneaubulis02

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Oct 13, 2012
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They did pick Walford pretty early in that draft. I don't know how much that would factor in but if he keeps putting up points I feel like we'll sign him.
 

montreal

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If they can get Walford on a AHL/ECHL deal that would be great.

I don't know if Audette will be back, I would let him go.

perhaps if there's no room and they think he won't get picked in the draft, they will sign Walford to an AHL contract.

I don't expect Audette back but he is playing his best hockey since turning pro after a terrible start to the season. Plus with his dad working for us I could possibly see him back but if he continues to play better then his chances to return should increase at least a decent amount.
 
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