Alex Bourret

[Nich]

i am hearing a bunch of different things on him and am not sure what to buy...so i was just wondering if anybody who has been following him or has seen him play recently, what do you think about him as a player? has he taken a step back since being drafted?

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[HFNHL Canadiens]

Gunnar Stahl skills in Eric Cartmans body

 

[Stinkin' Root Beer]

The biggest knock I've heard, too, is that his conditioning isn't/wasn't quite up to snuff. If I remeber correctly, there was a HF article on him earlier this season that mentioned his transition to the pro game has been bumpy but not a disaster. Wouldn't his conditioning be something that a couple years in the pros could remedy?

 

[xander]

32 points in 45 games for a 20 year old (a young 20 at that) in his first pro season isn't that bad. It's not all world, but for all the 'bust' talk being thrown around you'd think he wasn't producing at all and had killed Don Waddell's dog. His scoring increased incrementally, but steadily, durring his years in junior, so it wouldn't be that suprising to see this pattern in his pro career too.

as Stinkin' Root Beer said, if his biggest problem is his conditioning then that's a fixable problem.

But I havn't seen the guy play, so I don't have a real read on him. Can sombody with some expiriance watching him tell us more?

 

[btn]

as Stinkin' Root Beer said, if his biggest problem is his conditioning then that's a fixable problem.

If paying him to play hockey is not enough incentive to get him to lay off the pizza and hit the gym, what is? Some coaching yelling at him probably isn't going to do it.

 

[xander]

If paying him to play hockey is not enough incentive to get him to lay off the pizza and hit the gym, what is? Some coaching yelling at him probably isn't going to do it.

I don't know enough about his situation to comment, but the guy's still only 20, maturity comes at differant times for differant people.

I'm not making excuses for him, I don't know enough about him to do so. It just seems like the book has been closed pretty fast on a guy whose only 20, and really has produced respectably since his draft year.

 

[Lux Aurumque*]

Honestly, I'd ignore most Thrashers fans when it comes to Bourret. We're struggling to understand and accept the fact that we gave him up for Pascal Dupuis.

 

[kostybros]

I really don't understand why the trashers did this. I follow the Q closely and Alex Bourret is not the most talented guy but he's a hard working guy(on the ice) and is a natural scorer. he will be a very good pesky 3red liner that can score IMO(he has the tucker type of upside).
The knock on him is that doesn't work hard enough in the gym and he likes to party too much...wich doesn't him to stay in shape. There was the same knock on Steve Bernier and he is now more focused on his game and I think Alex will do the same.
So Alex, you're now in the US pro game, swixh to bud light and get off the blunt...

 

[Heat McManus]

I really don't understand why the trashers did this. I follow the Q closely and Alex Bourret is not the most talented guy but he's a hard working guy(on the ice) and is a natural scorer. he will be a very good pesky 3red liner that can score IMO(he has the tucker type of upside).
The knock on him is that doesn't work hard enough in the gym and he likes to party too much...wich doesn't him to stay in shape. There was the same knock on Steve Bernier and he is now more focused on his game and I think Alex will do the same.
So Alex, you're now in the US pro game, swixh to bud light and get off the blunt...

Thrashers are definately gearing up for this years cup run and Bourret has yet to dress for an NHL game.

 

[Pizza]

If paying him to play hockey is not enough incentive to get him to lay off the pizza and hit the gym, what is? Some coaching yelling at him probably isn't going to do it.

aahhhh but Shony does not yell, he merely extends a very long arm and points at the stairs of the Hartford Civic Center....and says "run boy, just run". It worked very nicely for Brandon Dubinsky, who's got at least as much attitude as young Alex does.

We'll see, but my guess is Shony and staff will turn Bourret around soon enough.

 

[Beatnik]

Bourret is one of the most frustrating player I've ever seen in the Q. So talented and so strong but he just floats around. He's Théo Fleury without the heart.


You never know, he might wake up someday under the influence of a vet or a coach. The tools are definitely there.

 

[montreal]

32 points in 45 games for a 20 year old (a young 20 at that) in his first pro season isn't that bad. It's not all world, but for all the 'bust' talk being thrown around you'd think he wasn't producing at all and had killed Don Waddell's dog. His scoring increased incrementally, but steadily, durring his years in junior, so it wouldn't be that suprising to see this pattern in his pro career too.

as Stinkin' Root Beer said, if his biggest problem is his conditioning then that's a fixable problem.

But I havn't seen the guy play, so I don't have a real read on him. Can sombody with some expiriance watching him tell us more?

I've seen him a couple times against Hamilton, didn't really stand out too much. From watching him in the Q, he can throw some big time hits though. As for hist stats, the Wolves are by far the top scoring team in the AHL. They average over 4 goals a game, 261 goals on the year, out of the 28 ahl teams only 4 have over 200. No team is within 30 goals and that's with losing Krog for most of the season as he was on fire at the start of the season.

 

[Form and Substance]

I've known Bourret for quite a while...that guy has a lot of natural strength, it was apparent since his days destroying minor hockey leagues. He made the jump to Midget level hockey at a very very early age (13 to be exact, most kids are 16-17 at that level), and held his own physically. He also has a lot of natural talent, I think his problem is that he's relied far too much on this combination of gifts and that it's hindered his work ethic at least off the ice. He was a great skater on top of that.

 

[Form and Substance]

Thrashers are definately gearing up for this years cup run and Bourret has yet to dress for an NHL game.

Marek Zagrapan hasn't dressed for the Sabres either. Give them time. Next season Bourret will be a ppg player for the Wolves.

 

[God Bless Canada]

While conditioning is a concern, I don't think it's a big one. It's the sort of thing that should be able to be rectified, and if it isn't, then there's a much deeper issue - a lack of work ethic.

I remember scouts were really concerned about Brenden Morrow's conditioning at the same age, and while Morrow is a guy who is natually a little pudgy, he worked very hard at getting his weight down.

Bourret has a lot to like: good speed, good skill, lots of aggression. He has a history of putting up points. Once he learns the value of spending time in the gym, he'll be fine. I think he can be a gritty second line scorer at best, a grinding energy player at worst. I can't really speak on his performance in the A this year - haven't seen him play or read anything on his performance - but 32 points in 45 games for a kid who turned 20 when the season started is a good start to a pro career.

 

[SPG]

Marek Zagrapan hasn't dressed for the Sabres either. Give them time. Next season Bourret will be a ppg player for the Wolves.

With the Wolfpack you mean?

 

[FTowwn]

Well the Thrashers must not have thought to highly of him if they give up a youngster amd recemt 1st rpound pick like that for Pascal Dupuis

 

[Form and Substance]

With the Wolfpack you mean?

Right. I found out after I posted that he was traded lol.

 

[ATLANTARANGER*]

Bourret will certainly be in for a surprise when he attends his first NYRs prospect camp over this summer. He will come to understand the work ethic that is required of all NYR prospects. If he embraces it he will turn the corner and take the next step.

You look at the progress that many of our prospects have made and all will tell you that the time they spend at our training facility in the summer has a huge impact.

 

[TSV]

Like everyone said, he's only 20 !!!!!!
he even could have spent one more year in the Q !! (i'm pretty sure)

at first he had trouble to adapt to the AHL lifestyle (living in the US, learning english...) and some of you are judging him on a half season... for a rookie !!

i'm sure the change will help him, the rangers will push him harder and make cause a surprize next camp... I hope... you can do it alex !!

 

[LaLaLaprise]

Bourret will certainly be in for a surprise when he attends his first NYRs prospect camp over this summer. He will come to understand the work ethic that is required of all NYR prospects. If he embraces it he will turn the corner and take the next step.

You look at the progress that many of our prospects have made and all will tell you that the time they spend at our training facility in the summer has a huge impact.

???

You are over blowing his work ethic and fitness. In his 1st NHL camp Hartley called him out but in his 2nd camp he arrived in way better shape.

He is on pace for a 60 point AHL rookie season as a young 20 year old.

DW is gonna regret this trade big time in 2 years.

 

[Richter35]

dw aint ganna have a job in 2 years, so i dont think he's worried haha

 

[hab]

its crazy how many people defend the trade, Dupuis has been 4th line material all year( actually the wild didn't even want him on there fourth line ) and they traded a good.... yes good... young player to get him. Then they threw in a draft pick to add to the insanity.....

the trade was an absolute joke and Waddell should lose his job for having less ability to run an NHL team than the average somewhat educated hockey fan!!!!!

 

[TSV]

remember that NYR paid adam hall to gt Dupuis when he was made available to every team !!

 

[FLYLine27*]

remember that NYR paid adam hall to gt Dupuis when he was made available to every team !!

Um, Adam Hall was horrible for us.