Prospect Info: Habs Rookie Camp (September 15-21) Roster & Games in OP

[SergeConstantin74]

 

[GTA]

How many token French players is this team going to sign, Jesus. No scouts in the OHL or WHL?

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

Is he any good ? Is there anything there ?

 

[montreal]

How many token French players is this team going to sign, Jesus. No scouts in the OHL or WHL?

nothing wrong with loading up on local players to fill out 3R's roster. We need a lot of ECHLers since it's our 1st time having our own team in while, might as well fill it with locals who want to play there. With all the prospects we should have coming by the end of this up coming season, baring trades of course as Guhle, Harris, Norlinder, etc..., they need to be very smart about having room for them in Laval for the following season. I wouldn't expect them to look to too many undrafted FA's for Laval at least in terms of NHL contracts for the non junior aged players (since their contracts slide).

 

[GobigorGohome]

I like the Tourigny invite.

Mete part deux

 

[themilosh]

Pilote has my attention. Nice size. Does he have IQ & Can he skate?

If he did i think he would have been drafted?

 

[windycity]

Should I start being concerned I haven’t go my invite yet?

 

[windycity]

If he did i think he would have been drafted?

well if anyone is going to fall through the cracks, more likely during COVID times methinks

 

[GTA]

He's not signed, he's invited. They round out the rookie camp with local players every year. You got a problem with that?

Yes, of course I do. I want BPA to be invited to these camps, not best French player available. It’s clear they are heavily weighting the language that these players speak first and foremost. The goal should be icing the best possible set of prospects in order to win long term which seems to be secondary when you filter by anything other than talent and skill.

why don’t you have a problem with that?

 

[Treb]

Yes, of course I do. I want BPA to be invited to these camps, not best French player available. It’s clear they are heavily weighting the language that these players speak first and foremost. The goal should be icing the best possible set of prospects in order to win long term which seems to be secondary when you filter by anything other than talent and skill.

why don’t you have a problem with that?

Maybe OHL guys prefer to go to Toronto's camp?

When doing camp invites, you're competing with other teams as the undrafted guys can't go to 32 camps.

We've invited plenty of OHL/NCAA/WHL guys over the years and we're probably going to see some again this year. Covid may complicate some invites though.

We also invited a Belarussian to the camp (although he's going to play QMJHL next year).

 

[JC Superstar]

how am I a troll? Dude I’ve been a fan of this team since the 90s. Just because I want the team to prioritize skill and talent over language? I am pro-win, not anti-French.

why are you ok with prioritizing language more than anything else?

Like I once replied : at that level talent is a dime a dozen, what does it matter if it comes mostly from the Q?

 

[WinterLion]

Yes, of course I do. I want BPA to be invited to these camps, not best French player available. It’s clear they are heavily weighting the language that these players speak first and foremost. The goal should be icing the best possible set of prospects in order to win long term which seems to be secondary when you filter by anything other than talent and skill.

why don’t you have a problem with that?

The players have to accept the invitation... I think it's great that they invite local guys because there is a better chance of having the sign in Trois Riviers or Laval... This is actually a way to get better talent not worse. Do you think Joe WHL is going to want to move here if one of the Western teams is also offering him a deal? The bonus is that we also get more local talent which is always good and in the long run helps everyone...

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Mete part deux

Yeah, probably.

 

[WinterLion]

If we can make the Habs a destination of choice for Quebec born players it would be a HUGE win..... the Laffs have done this and that's how they got a bunch of their players... doing this is a very real way to compate the "US taxes" problem... Not only that but it's fun for everyone.

Unfortunately our fanbase scares many off (including Danault I think)... We should bring back Gainey just to call out the gutless cowards that need to slam players who are actually trying their best. It's really childish.

 

[themilosh]

With how good the US is getting with development leagues: USHL -> NCAA
I predict within 10 years our CHL will either have to change or slowly decay. It's an archaic system.
Sports in the amateur levels should always be through the school system.
If Im a top prospect at 15, Im eyeing NCAA 10x more than CHL.

 

[HABitual Fan]

Language debate aside, I think also having already 18 players signed to AHL contracts with Laval will scare quite a few players away. If they don't see a path to a contract, why give up a chance by picking our development camp over ones that will give them a shot at one? That number is not including the players on NHL contracts that will be sent down to Laval, and the ones that 3R has signed to ECHL contracts. It will be more the undrafted younger ones, looking for an NHL deal that slides, that might take the chance.

 

[HABitual Fan]

With how good the US is getting with development leagues: USHL -> NCAA
I predict within 10 years our CHL will either have to change or slowly decay. It's an archaic system.
Sports in the amateur levels should always be through the school system.
If Im a top prospect at 15, Im eyeing NCAA 10x more than CHL.

The problem with this, is that as you say the US system below the USHL is also getting stronger and stronger, and they are less dependent on Canadian kids for the NCAA than a few years ago. My son played in the same league with Harris, on his team there were only 2 Canadians one year, and 3 the next.

The two school leagues in Quebec starting next year are merging which is a good thing, the problem is that after grade 11, there is no alternative for these kids except either going to a US prep school if they can get in, or going back to teams under the auspices of hockey Quebec or the QMJHL. There is no possibility to continue, as the CEGEP league has too few teams and is pretty bad. What is needed is the equivalent of the USHL without Hockey Quebec to ruin it with their politics and then to have the CIS teams become like NCAA teams, and have the same rules apply to players selected from them. Their focus needs to be changed from being the home of players who couldn't make it as pros, to being the next level after the USHL level teams. Not easy to change that so the CHL route will be the one selected by the majority of these players.

 

[Engelwood]

How many token French players is this team going to sign, Jesus. No scouts in the OHL or WHL?

Most teams fill out their development camps with players that are more local. I remember Winnipeg bringing players from MB and SK mostly. With COVID this is likely amplified this year, players in many cases would rather stay close to home.

 

[Number 57]

Thomas Caron is not eligible to go back to the Q (too old) so if he's here for rookie camp I'm thinking he's a candidate for Trois-Rivières.

 

[FormerLurker]

Yes, of course I do. I want BPA to be invited to these camps, not best French player available. It’s clear they are heavily weighting the language that these players speak first and foremost. The goal should be icing the best possible set of prospects in order to win long term which seems to be secondary when you filter by anything other than talent and skill.

why don’t you have a problem with that?

The Habs already scouted every prospect-producing league in the world and drafted the prospects they thought had a chance to reach the NHL. They invite these players to the rookie camp, but there aren't enough prospects to hold scrimmages so they invite undrafted players to fill out the camp. There is no expectation that these undrafted invitees will ever play a game in the NHL, they are there simply to enable scrimmage play. The undrafted players went undrafted by every team in the league, so there is general consensus that none of these prospect will ever reach the NHL. So the Habs generate some goodwill by inviting local undrafted players, giving these kids a chance to use the facilities of probably their favourite NHL team. It's an exciting time for these kids, and the closest they will ever get to the NHL for most. Plus it cuts down on travel expenses. What is the point of inviting and paying the costs of some undrafted kid from Malmo that you deliberately chose not to draft, when this kid won't make the show, doesn't give a damn about the Habs, and may have trouble communicating with the staff and other players?

That's the reason they invite local kids.

 

[A55P2]

Camp always had a bunch of LHJMQ player. With the COVID context it's normal they want to invite more players from their backyards. Absolute non-issue.

 

[Hannibal]

So i guess rookie camp in september but no developement camp?

So we won’t be seeing our NCAA prospects ?

 

[SergeConstantin74]

Is he any good ? Is there anything there ?

Energy player, good skater, good hitter, not a bad shot, good PKer. They're probably looking at him for Trois-Rivières. His skating and physical game might help him become a role player in the AHL in the long run.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

If we can make the Habs a destination of choice for Quebec born players it would be a HUGE win..... the Laffs have done this and that's how they got a bunch of their players... doing this is a very real way to compate the "US taxes" problem... Not only that but it's fun for everyone.

Unfortunately our fanbase scares many off (including Danault I think)... We should bring back Gainey just to call out the gutless cowards that need to slam players who are actually trying their best. It's really childish.

A nice but only a wishful idea. There are very few players who are willing to play for a home town discount. These are professional athletes who have careers within which they can maximize their earnings. They are no different that any posting or reading this board. If they are so tied to Quebec or wherever they originate from, they can always come back home with their money after they retire. If you want to attract players then hire competent management that is focused solely on building a competitive team and that is not otherwise distracted by parochial considerations. If you build it, they will come.

 

[montreal]

Yes, of course I do. I want BPA to be invited to these camps, not best French player available. It’s clear they are heavily weighting the language that these players speak first and foremost. The goal should be icing the best possible set of prospects in order to win long term which seems to be secondary when you filter by anything other than talent and skill.

why don’t you have a problem with that?

We are talking about filling out a brand new ECHL team, I wouldn't think many would care about an ECHL team. Of course we have had a few NHLers that went through the ECHL like Halak, Ryder, DD, etc... but for the most part you aren't going to get too many NHLers from your ECHL team. But this is the first time I can remember us ever having to build an ECHL team from nothing, so I don't see the harm in getting locals since it has such a small chance of impacting the Habs down the road. If they really like a non Q player they can always invite them for Laval but again they need to be very careful about handing out contracts due to what could be a large group of incoming prospects which is what really matters since non drafted prospects have such a low % of being NHLers.