Confirmed with Link: Jordan Harris Signed to 2-Year ELC

[schwang26]

depending on what league you are coming from Nicklas Lidstrom is considered one of the greatest defensemen of all time and at 20 in the SHL he had 4 goals and 23 pts in 38 games.

When Markov was 19 in what was then the RSL, he had 15 pts in 43 games, among defensemen that was tied for 22nd OA in points. The next year he had 21 in 38 games which was tied for 15th OA in points among defensemen.

True, but that's also European leagues, where defencemen don't typically put up huge numbers, and you're referencing 2 guys who played there decades ago.

 

[Deebs]

 

[Deebs]

 

[montreal]

True, but that's also European leagues, where defencemen don't typically put up huge numbers, and you're referencing 2 guys who played there decades ago.

I used the Euro leagues because I think many on here don't understand the leagues that well and how the numbers aren't always impressive but doesn't mean that the player can't end up being very good in time.

I was working so I didn't have all day to go through numbers, so I used an easy example for 2 blueliners I loved to watch.

Here's a more recent one, Cale Makar. He turned 19 about 2 weeks into his Freshman season. He was tied for 52nd in points for defensemen in the NCAA with 21 in 34 games. Jordan Harris has the exact same production in his age 19 season, 21 points in 33 games. The difference is Makar opted to return to the NCAA for his Sophomore year and ended up breaking out in a major way to lead the NCAA in points for defensemen with 49 though Adam Fox had the better season by ppg by a good bit.

After his Freshman year many were down on Makar as his numbers just weren't that impressive for a 4th OA pick. To me you have to take stats with a grain of salt as they need to be put in the right context and that's not easy thing to do if you haven't seen much of them play, in general terms.

 

[JianYang]

They didn't really know he was going to be Markov until he'd been in the NHL a couple of years. The offense was always there, but it wasn't always certain that he'd be able to defend.

The hype was real. He had a 9 rating on HF, and I think he was the only habs player ever given a 9 rating. Price may have been as well, but I think it was 8.5. It turns out that the 9 rating was pretty much on the button.

First couple years were a bit tough, but that was to be expected. I remember him playing a preseason game in his rookie year, and even the homer canuck commentators were raving about how much of a slam dunk he was on their first viewing.

 

[dcyhabs]

The hype was real. He had a 9 rating on HF, and I think he was the only habs player ever given a 9 rating. Price may have been as well, but I think it was 8.5

First couple years were a bit tough, but that was to be expected. I remember him playing a preseason game in his rookie year, and even the homer canuck commentators were raving about how much of a slam dunk he was on their first viewing.

I remember him putting up crazy points to start but also getting deked embarassingly 1 on 2 (not 2 on 1, one guy against him and his D partner) by mediocre third liners in his first seasons. The coaches said they had to really grind on him to change, prove to him that what they wanted was right. Shows it was a different time from "the NHL isn't at teaching league," as they did a lot of teaching first year or two, and very worthwhile. I had no idea about HF back then, but I don't remember it being a slam dunk that he'd be a complete D.

Watching him paired with a young Brisebois was always an adventure, they would score and be scored on.

 

[expy]

Good body position on the box-out.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Good body position on the box-out.

Great skater and good IQ. But he's going to have to get physically stronger IMO. No doubt in my mind that he gets pushed around in our own zone.

Playing D in the NHL is very tough. I have hopes in Harris but I think he slides into the long development road like Barron, Mailloux, Norlinder, Clague, Brook, Struble, Fairbrother. Guys like Guhle and Romanov are just different breeds. Think the Rangers with Schneider vs Lundkvist

5'-11", 179 lbs. I'd like to see him around 190 or 195 in a season or two. He's going to need to add muscle and there is just no other way to spin it or try to brush it under the rug.

 

[salbutera]

So Harris says his intent all along was to finish his 4-year education then sign w Habs.

“Only time I had second thoughts about signing w Mtl was when there was a change in management….very unfortunate it worked out that way”

 

[JianYang]

I remember him putting up crazy points to start but also getting deked embarassingly 1 on 2 (not 2 on 1, one guy against him and his D partner) by mediocre third liners in his first seasons. The coaches said they had to really grind on him to change, prove to him that what they wanted was right. Shows it was a different time from "the NHL isn't at teaching league," as they did a lot of teaching first year or two, and very worthwhile. I had no idea about HF back then, but I don't remember it being a slam dunk that he'd be a complete D.

Watching him paired with a young Brisebois was always an adventure, they would score and be scored on.

Brisebois wasn't ideal at all for a rookie. He had his own issues, and I certainly wouldn't wish a rookie to learn from him at that point in his career. Add a rookie Therrien and a brand new culture. There were certainly obstacles for markov to succeed.

The expectations were pretty high, even if it didn't all come together in his first couple years.

Its kind of like the sedins. High expectations even if it took them a few years to get it, but they got there. Markov probably caught on quicker than the sedins though.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

You gotta give the young guy some time with the team and practices. This isn't a Laval call-up where they might have some exposure to the system or players.

I don't mind waiting until Saturday for his debut.

No issues waiting til the weekend, just hoping to see him and Barron get lots of reps in down the stretch including PP time (as well as Romanov) so they can gauge where they are, what to work on during the summer and a glimpse of how the line up might stack up come the Fall.

Wideman playing 14 (sheltered) mins/night taking up a roster spot and valuable PP time when there should be zero reason to bring him back is a waste of an opportunity

 

[montreal]

 

[HuGo Sham]

So Harris says his intent all along was to finish his 4-year education then sign w Habs.

“Only time I had second thoughts about signing w Mtl was when there was a change in management….very unfortunate it worked out that way”

unfortunate for whom?

 

[26Mats]

In the video from practice today he looked closer to Byron's size than any of those players mentioned.

Whether he can handle the physicality of the NHL, not the speed, is what will likely determine whether he's an NHL D.

 

[FormerLurker]

unfortunate for whom?

I think he means unfortunate for the previous management. Sounds like he had a good relationship with them and there was some uncertainty about his decision to sign when the management changed, before Hughes was brought in.

 

[montreal]

In the video from practice today he looked closer to Byron's size than any of those players mentioned.

Whether he can handle the physicality of the NHL, not the speed, is what will likely determine whether he's an NHL D.

It's a big jump from the NCAA to the NHL, the speed, size, strength, of players is going to be a big adjustment. In his Freshman year, he turned 18 3 months before the season started yet was on the top pairing and played great. It's his IQ, poise, positioning, mobility, he uses them so well despite lacking strength and mass.

 

[montreal]

I had said I hadn't heard anything that said he wasn't going to sign and that I felt all along that he would sign. Now Harris says today that he was always intending to sign. Just goes to show you can't really trust the twitter world

 

[AlexGretzchenvid]

I just don't see much more than a top-6 with him.. an undersized one at that. Hope he proves me wrong.

 

[jfm133]

So he said his plan was to sign with Montréal all along. The only doubt was after Bergevin was fired, not before, after...

 

[Tetragrammaton]

I just don't see much more than a top-6 with him.. an undersized one at that. Hope he proves me wrong.

That would be fine we need a quality bottom pairing defenceman.

 

[FloJack]

I had said I hadn't heard anything that said he wasn't going to sign and that I felt all along that he would sign. Now Harris says today that he was always intending to sign. Just goes to show you can't really trust the twitter world

Right, because after signing he was going to say, yeah, I was gonna blow off the Habs all along but then Kent took over.

It’s all PR. Who knows what the truth is? Silly conclusion.

 

[FloJack]

So he said his plan was to sign with Montréal all along. The only doubt was after Bergevin was fired, not before, after...

I just said in the other thread that it’s all PR, is he going to say, I wasn’t going to sign actually but I like the new guy better?

Not discrediting, Harris, Bergevin or Hughes, but this is just all lip service. Nothing to really see here.

 

[montreal]

Right, because after signing he was going to say, yeah, I was gonna blow off the Habs all along but then Kent took over.

It’s all PR. Who knows what the truth is? Silly conclusion.

often there are rumors on NCAA boards about players that are looking to leave early or don't want to sign with their team, there was no talk about Harris not wanting to sign. He stated several times in media while MB was still here he planned on signing. Of course we can not know what really goes through a players head. Harris didn't have to talk about it but he chose to.

The same stuff was said when Evans didn't sign after his Junior year and all year we heard how he won't sign with us but it's actually rare when players don't sign with the team that drafted them. I just think it gets overblown.

 

[Scintillating10]

I thought Harris was one of our better players last night

 

[26Mats]

I thought Harris was one of our better players last night

Hopefully MSL did also.