Confirmed with Link: Joël Bouchard Named Laval Rocket Head Coach (Confirmed: Daniel Jacob Named Assistant Coach)

[BLONG7]

he started off playing great but his play dipped a little and even if it didn't, getting points in 1 out of 26 games for a 1st round pick is brutal. The minute he starts to string together some offense they call him up. The point isn't if it was the right or wrong call, the point is it's backfired several times, why take the risk? Why not just leave him down there until he's dominating. Now the concern is if his offensive game doesn't develop when they could have left him be and see what he ended up doing.

Juulsen was always going to be an NHLer since he was picked, his defensive game is just that good, but if his offensive game doesn't develop it will just be another mistake made at the development level that his organization continues to make.

Having Therrien, and Sly as coaches the last several years, has made a mess of the development of quite a few of our draft picks...sad.

Let's hope Bouchard, can change all that as we move forward.

 

[Runner77]

As I've mentioned in the past, we risk having Juulsen turn into a Mark Fayne (when he was good) rather than a Bieksa if we don't let him develop some more in the AHL. How many cases are there of guys exploding and learning at the NHL level? There's Garrison that one year and that's it for me.

I'd like to see as many of the Habs's best prospects get a Bouchardian treatment before making the jump.

 

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

I hope Bergevin won't let Yzerman steal him from us

 

[Adam Michaels]

I hope Bergevin won't let Yzerman steal him from us

Won't let Yzerman steal who from us?

 

[MakeTheGoalsLarger]

Won't let Yzerman steal who from us?

Bouchard

 

[Adam Michaels]

Bouchard

But he's already hired by Habs. Or do you mean down the road?

 

[WinterLion]

he started off playing great but his play dipped a little and even if it didn't, getting points in 1 out of 26 games for a 1st round pick is brutal. The minute he starts to string together some offense they call him up. The point isn't if it was the right or wrong call, the point is it's backfired several times, why take the risk? Why not just leave him down there until he's dominating. Now the concern is if his offensive game doesn't develop when they could have left him be and see what he ended up doing.

Juulsen was always going to be an NHLer since he was picked, his defensive game is just that good, but if his offensive game doesn't develop it will just be another mistake made at the development level that his organization continues to make.

I know you often feel like these guys are being rushed, and I agree with you that letting guys develop their offense in the A is important. I just think that it's good to give guys that deserve it a tatste of the NHL. There are lots of reasons for this. I guess ultimately I don't buy the idea that these guys are being ruined by being "rushed"... I don't buy if Juulsen doesn't develop an offensive game it is because of the games he played at the NHL. I think that is just too simple and there are a bunch of factors...

Of course it can be a mistake to move guys permanently too early, but I think there is also some benefit to giving guys a taste and then sending them back down with a very real idea of what they need to work on.

 

[montreal]

I know you often feel like these guys are being rushed, and I agree with you that letting guys develop their offense in the A is important. I just think that it's good to give guys that deserve it a tatste of the NHL. There are lots of reasons for this. I guess ultimately I don't buy the idea that these guys are being ruined by being "rushed"... I don't buy if Juulsen doesn't develop an offensive game it is because of the games he played at the NHL. I think that is just too simple and there are a bunch of factors...

Of course it can be a mistake to move guys permanently too early, but I think there is also some benefit to giving guys a taste and then sending them back down with a very real idea of what they need to work on.

Hockey is so much mental, you mess with a young kids confidence, there's no telling what impact it will have. The point isn't about if it will ruin him, the point is why keep repeating your mistakes when they could easily just use some caution and re-think their approach that hasn't been working.

 

[WinterLion]

Hockey is so much mental, you mess with a young kids confidence, there's no telling what impact it will have. The point isn't about if it will ruin him, the point is why keep repeating your mistakes when they could easily just use some caution and re-think their approach that hasn't been working.

Every kid is different and what works with one kid doesn't necessarily work with another. I agree that they should continue to strive to be better. I just feel that we can easily over-simplify these things and lay blame on specific things, when there are so many moving parts. Saying that rushing players is what caused our recent lack success with prospects is an easy answer, but it is not telling the whole story. In fact there are many many things that went into it.

 

[montreal]

Every kid is different and what works with one kid doesn't necessarily work with another. I agree that they should continue to strive to be better. I just feel that we can easily over-simplify these things and lay blame on specific things, when there are so many moving parts. Saying that rushing players is what caused our recent lack success with prospects is an easy answer, but it is not telling the whole story. In fact there are many many things that went into it.

sure, and there are several different areas to blame from the scouts, to management, to coaching at both the NHL and AHL levels and the players themselves. But if you keep repeating the same mistakes, even if it's indirectly, it begs the question why keep repeating the same things and why not try to be more cautious. What's so hard about leaving a kid in the AHL a little longer. We are talking about a 1st round pick that had points in 1 game out of 26. 38 games is half a season.

I just don't know how that anyone could look at his production and think yea let's bring him to the NHL at 20 years old. I'm not saying it will impact him cause I don't know, my point is we have a problem at the development level and management keeps repeating the same moves which is not logical.

 

[WinterLion]

sure, and there are several different areas to blame from the scouts, to management, to coaching at both the NHL and AHL levels and the players themselves. But if you keep repeating the same mistakes, even if it's indirectly, it begs the question why keep repeating the same things and why not try to be more cautious. What's so hard about leaving a kid in the AHL a little longer. We are talking about a 1st round pick that had points in 1 game out of 26. 38 games is half a season.

I just don't know how that anyone could look at his production and think yea let's bring him to the NHL at 20 years old. I'm not saying it will impact him cause I don't know, my point is we have a problem at the development level and management keeps repeating the same moves which is not logical.

Actually Juulsens advanced stats were amazing both in the NHL and AHL...

Here is an article about it in the Athletic. I'm sorry for the paywall, but it basically says that Juulsen was leading all other Laval D by quite a wide margin and that he continued to have great stats in Montreal.

Season Review: An impressive start to Noah Juulsen's...

 

[Belial]

Joel is going to graduate so many studs that Bergevin will don't know what to do with them!

 

[montreal]

Actually Juulsens advanced stats were amazing both in the NHL and AHL...

Here is an article about it in the Athletic. I'm sorry for the paywall, but it basically says that Juulsen was leading all other Laval D by quite a wide margin and that he continued to have great stats in Montreal.

Season Review: An impressive start to Noah Juulsen's...

I watched most of Juulsen's AHL games, he was very good to start when you consider he missed the start of the season and the rest of the players had almost 2 months of time already. But his play trailed off, I'm not an advanced stats guy. But even though he was playing well, and was their best D, he still had points in 1 out of 26 games to start. For a 1st round pick that's just terrible no matter what the advanced stats say as you have to produce at a better clip.

His defensive game is very good so I can see why they called him up, the problem is he was just starting to produce and it's a risk I don't feel they should be taking.

 

[LaP]

I'd like to see as many of the Habs's best prospects get a Bouchardian treatment before making the jump.

Be ready for a whole year of "Bouchard is winning because he has a better team" excuse from the usual crowd. Will get old very fast.

 

[admiralcadillac]

Be ready for a whole year of "Bouchard is winning because he has a better team" excuse from the usual crowd. Will get old very fast.

I love how you assume it won't be because the team is better. Your comment indicates you're just as bad.

 

[WinterLion]

I watched most of Juulsen's AHL games, he was very good to start when you consider he missed the start of the season and the rest of the players had almost 2 months of time already. But his play trailed off, I'm not an advanced stats guy. But even though he was playing well, and was their best D, he still had points in 1 out of 26 games to start. For a 1st round pick that's just terrible no matter what the advanced stats say as you have to produce at a better clip.

His defensive game is very good so I can see why they called him up, the problem is he was just starting to produce and it's a risk I don't feel they should be taking.

I'm sure they weighed the risks. But you are definitely entitled to second guess the management team. Overall they have to do a better job at producing players and building the pipeline. It seems like they know that... hopefully they can also execute.

 

[WinterLion]

Be ready for a whole year of "Bouchard is winning because he has a better team" excuse from the usual crowd. Will get old very fast.

I certainly hope Bouchard will be better than Sly. I want to see Laval competitive.... hopefully they have better players AND a better coach! I don't care just get those kids playing meaningful games for f*** sake.

 

[GHJimmy]

I certainly hope Bouchard will be better than Sly. I want to see Laval competitive.... hopefully they have better players AND a better coach! I don't care just get those kids playing meaningful games for **** sake.

Of course they'll get better!!! Have you read his resume over the past years? He and Ducharme let a gold medal game and so much more success! These are the guys we needed! They have coached so many young prospects over the years, even Drouin.

 

[Runner77]

I certainly hope Bouchard will be better than Sly. ...

He better be. Sly is not exactly a tough act to follow.

That said, Bouchard inspires confidence. I like the fact that he moved up the ranks, did so over many years as he was entrusted with increasing responsibilities and won at the highest levels. As important, he seems to be able to build a rapport with his players which in turn allows him to get the best out of them.

Now, if only we can get the same type of competent personnel in Pro and Amateur Scouting.

 

[GHJimmy]

Everyone here is hoping he's better than sly... What the f is these new people doing here? He led his team to a 50 win season, won gold medal with young future first rounders, led his own team Armada to playoffs without top prospects in list.. Hence we got Alain.. Worked with ducharme over the years and practically coached top first rounders and they succeeded! Sure he's mean and very angry looking man, but that wakes them up! All of our ELC should go back to AHL and get coached under him! So they don't get called up not even NHL ready...

 

[jaffy27]

I'm pretty sure Assat HC Mikael Kotkaniemi has a vested interest in Jesperi Kotkaniemi's development. A lot of the Kotkaniemi will be a center stuff comes from Assat.

Also, lets not pretend management in Montreal has a decent track record developing centers. The coaching staff in the AHL is new, but management is the same.

So Bergevin is gonna be developing Centres in Laval??

Pretty sure the coaching staff in Laval are the ones developing the players in Laval.....

#INBOUCHARDITRUST

 

[NotProkofievian]

So Bergevin is gonna be developing Centres in Laval??

Pretty sure the coaching staff in Laval are the ones developing the players in Laval.....

#INBOUCHARDITRUST

#INLITERALLYEVERYONEMARCBERGEVINHASHIREDITRUST

 

[Mrb1p]

Ah thanks I was not aware. Still stand by my point however, if a pro team allows nepotism to be part of there every day operations then their run much worst then the Habs.

Except the Habs did allow nepotism to be part of their every day operations... Larry Carriere and Sly lefebvre.

 

[Captain Mountain]

So Bergevin is gonna be developing Centres in Laval??

Pretty sure the coaching staff in Laval are the ones developing the players in Laval.....

#INBOUCHARDITRUST

Organizational philosophy and strategy is dictated my management. Even if Bouchard is a good AHL coach (which isn't a given), management decides other aspects of development. Bergevin, Lapointe, Ramage and Boullion all play big roles in player development.

#STOPWITHTHEBLINDTRUST

 

[Captain Mountain]

Ah thanks I was not aware. Still stand by my point however, if a pro team allows nepotism to be part of there every day operations then their run much worst then the Habs.

Nepotism/Cronyism/Favouritism is pervasive on every team in every league of hockey.

And in this instance, we shouldn't care. No related scouts and coaches see Kotkakniemi as/ play Kotkaniemi at center. Assat intends to do so too. He wasn't drafted because his father was the coach.