Confirmed with Link: Habs sign 2 Czech defensemen, David Sklenicka and Michal Moravcik

[Voodoozz]

I live in Pilsen so i've been watching these two guys pretty closely. It needs to be said is that these guys (Moravcik in particular) made a big jump this year, last season Moravcik was the worst D in the Pilsen team. This year he was dominant on the ice every shift and he ended the season with a great Worlds performance.

Sklenicka and Mora are very different players. Moravcik is a huge guy (not very physical though) with a good hockey sense, solid pass and a fantastic reach, not a fast skater but very smooth.

Sklenicka on the other hand is a speedster. The kid can flat out fly, he's got pretty decent hands for a D and he's not afraid to hit people. A great PKer. His hockey sense isn't the greatest but he has that athletic ability. Both guys have rather average shot.

They shouldn't be expected to come over and play great hockey right away, they'll need some time to adjust to the NA game. I've always considered Sklenicka to be the much more talented guy, it was quite a surprise for me he didn't get drafted but Moravcik's progress this year has truly impressed me. Both are hard working, modest guys so there shouldn't be any attitude problems. The potential is there for sure and anything can happen. Another Czech D Jan Rutta came over to Chicago last year directly from the Czech Extraliga and was able to make the jump immediately.

Best of luck to them.

 

[Habs]

And these guys are supposed to help the team?

Expect the unexpected , never doubt the mind of a genius. Bergy playing 4D chess like Good Will Hunting. Now you know what it would have been like if Tesla ran a hockey team.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

I live in Pilsen so i've been watching these two guys pretty closely. It needs to be said is that these guys (Moravcik in particular) made a big jump this year, last season Moravcik was the worst D in the Pilsen team. This year he was dominant on the ice every shift and he ended the season with a great Worlds performance.

Sklenicka and Mora are very different players. Moravcik is a huge guy (not very physical though) with a good hockey sense, solid pass and a fantastic reach, not a fast skater but very smooth.

Sklenicka on the other hand is a speedster. The kid can flat out fly, he's got pretty decent hands for a D and he's not afraid to hit people. A great PKer. His hockey sense isn't the greatest but he has that athletic ability. Both guys have rather average shot.

They shouldn't be expected to come over and play great hockey right away, they'll need some time to adjust to the NA game. I've always considered Sklenicka to be the much more talented guy, it was quite a surprise for me he didn't get drafted but Moravcik's progress this year has truly impressed me. Both are hard working, modest guys so there shouldn't be any attitude problems. The potential is there for sure and anything can happen. Another Czech D Jan Rutta came over to Chicago last year directly from the Czech Extraliga and was able to make the jump immediately.

Best of luck to them.

Thanks for the info on these guys!

 

[Et le But]

As always I have no problem with signings like this. 90 percent of these Euro or college free agents are not NHL quality but as long as we have roster spaces left it's a fine thing to gamble on. At a minimim Czechs seem to want to play in Montreal and it's good to keep the connection alive even after Sekac and Jerabek were nothings.

 

[Tyson]

I'd sign him to a AHL contract. Let them battle it out for a spot.

Someone will sign him to an nhl contract

 

[Runner77]

I don't get these tweets. Usually Aivis Kalnins is an even-keel kind of guy, who just reports the facts or when it's about rumors, he's reliable.

But these comments seem to be out of character, it's a like a personal condemnation of Bergevin (not that he hasn't done anything to deserve criticism) that destroys with the same brush, what these players may bring to the team.

Regardless, it looks like there was interest in these players from the KHL:

Both players had interest from the KHL but chose to sign with the Montreal Canadiens instead. Both players will probably go to Laval Rocket for development and an adjustment to the North American game. ...

This is a path that Marc Bergevin likes to take. He has signed Jakub Jerabek and Jiri Sekac, both Czech players from the KHL, as well as being in the mix for players such as Michal Kempny, Artemi Panarin, and Vadim Shipachyov.

Some of the moves work out better than others, but there is little risk in bringing players like this over.

Montreal Canadiens sign defencemen Michal Moravčík and David Sklenička

They may not have the greatest upside, but teams sign these kinds of players all the time. To me, it just look like decent housekeeping. These are the types of players who are bound to get ice time when injuries hit or when multiple call-ups happen. Plus, they're still young enough. Who knows how much input Bouchard in their signing.

 

[CapSpace]

Yesssss!!!

Signing some guys so Zadina feels like home?

Now bring back Plekanec and we're set!

Is Hemsky still around?

You wrote his name and that injured him to the lower body.

 

[le_sean]

Gee I wonder who they will draft now.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Habs officially announce the signings. And like Niemi's case, they say what the contract is. They don't give out the numbers specicially, but they say it's the maximun allowable for ELC's + max bonuses + max AHL salary.

Little details, but fun to get that info right off the bat instead of "terms of the deal are undisclosed."

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Ezpz]

I mean Spacek talked mad shit about the team after leaving and called Montreal a circus. Not sure he'd be giving out info freely, even with the regime change.

 

[Belial]

He is going to have NHL interest for sure but no team is going to overpay as there are plenty of these types available every year. Hope they sign him though. The more depth the better. I think it comes down to what team he thinks is his best fit. Most contracts will be similar that team offer him IMO

There's no overpaying with these type of deals, he'll get his standard ELC...

Taormina is probably gone, but Parisi was solid for Laval, Valiev will begin negotiating a new contract in June and Bourque never even got a real chance in Laval.

Taormina is signed for the next year.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

I mean Spacek talked mad **** about the team after leaving and called Montreal a circus. Not sure he'd be giving out info freely, even with the regime change.

He did? I don't recall that.

 

[Belial]

I mean Spacek talked mad **** about the team after leaving and called Montreal a circus. Not sure he'd be giving out info freely, even with the regime change.

Spacek as our D coach incoming!

 

[Tyson]

I hope they don't take too much ice time away from Mete and Juulsen in Laval.

Mete will be with the big club. Speed and transition are vital in this day and age and he brings both.
Juulsen should play 25 minutes a night in Laval.

Lernout is ready for 6/7 slot

 

[le_sean]

I mean they managed to trade Jerabek for a 5th at the deadline despite him barely playing. Getting guys for free is usually not a bad thing.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

We needed organizational depth on the left side.

 

[mariolemieux66]

Mete will be with the big club. Speed and transition are vital in this day and age and he brings both

Mete will benefit much more playing top minutes in all situations with Bouchard in Laval. He's not ready for the NHL yet. We suck so much that we rushed him.

Lernout should spend the year with Montreal .

 

[Vachon23]

hope that doesn’t mean that they don't gonna sign Galipeau

 

[Runner77]

Mete will benefit much more playing top minutes in all situation with Bouchard in Laval. He's not ready for the NHL yet. We suck so much that we rushed him.

Lernout should spend the year with Montreal .

I hope he gets to spend some time in Laval. Of course, it's going to depend on what Bergevin does with his D at the NHL level this summer.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

Mete will benefit much more playing top minutes in all situations with Bouchard in Laval. He's not ready for the NHL yet. We suck so much that we rushed him.

Lernout should spend the year with Montreal .

I agree same for Juulsenm.

 

[Habs Halifax]

There's no overpaying with these type of deals, he'll get his standard ELC..

He is not getting a full max ELC with bonus structure... is what I meant

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

So, I do we know anything about those guys? Appart from we liked Moravcik at WC?

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

We have a spot for galipeau.

(updated)
Ahl LD: the 2 czechs we signed, Bourque, Valiev

Bourque can go to the echl
Valiev will go to the khl

Ahl RD: Taormina, Fleury, Melancon, Plant

Juulsen and Lernout (waiver eligible) very likely makes the team next season.

We have 1 spot on LD

 

[SoundAndFury]

Neither guy will ever be full time NHLers

Literally two wasted contract spots.

Or they become a new Rutta or Kempny for the price of nothing but a contract spot and you probably act like you knew it all along. Surely risk not worth taking, am I right? It's better to sign some FA projects from QMJHL to play in the ECHL than two of the best Ds in the Czech pro league. Solid reasoning.

Sure I find it unlikely Moravcik becomes full time NHLer, jury is out for Sklenička but thinking it's a risk not worth taking is just moronic.