Louis Leblanc Discussion

[shawdowmaker]

I think Louis would have benefited more from a full rookie year in Hamilton in 2011-12 instead of finishing the year with the Habs. Seems to me that after sticking with the Habs for the remainder of that season only to be shipped back down to Hamilton for a full season after was kind of a shot to the confidence and something he just couldn't battle through.

Would he have been better off sticking in the AHL for a few seasons before getting a taste of the NHL? Who knows. It's a shame he didn't pan out because I thought he would become a quality second line center.

Hamilton couldn't help him!! His skating was awful for a player that size and at that level. Not his speed but mostly shifting and turning. He would have needed to figure skate during the offseasons to improve his balance. Not sure how he went before Kreider?? bifocals anyone

 

[Habs]

Leblanc was the pick to make at the time, politics or not. Guys have short memories.

If his last name wasn't 'Leblanc' , he never gets drafted by Montreal...

 

[GREMLIN]

If his last name wasn't 'Leblanc' , he never gets drafted by Montreal...

Not true at all, Timmins doesnt work like that, explain to me why we didnt draft Keven Veilleux, Esposito, Giroux and company then.

Anybody who knew who Louis Leblanc was and what he did before his draft year would've agreed with the pick, he was one of the most hyped players in Quebec in a long time and the hype was definitely warranted. I played him in Bantam and Midget and he looked like he was going to be a star, I remember seeing Bruins scouts coming to see him play when he was 14, he was easily above a lot of other guys who are NHLers right now, he just wasnt able to keep improving year in year out.

 

[Richiebottles]

Very eerie how he resembles Harkins this year.

I am deathly afraid of picks like him for this very reason.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Not true at all, Timmins doesnt work like that, explain to me why we didnt draft Keven Veilleux, Esposito, Giroux if thats how he works.

Anybody who knew who Louis Leblanc was and what he did before his draft year would've agreed with the pick, he was one of the most hyped players in Quebec in a long time and the hype was definitely warranted. I played him in Bantam and Midget and he looked like he was going to be a star, he was easily above a lot of other guys who are NHLers right now, he just wasnt able to keep improving year in year out.

Leblanc sucked man.

"Good work ethic, isn't a great playmaker, isn't a great scorer, isn't very proficient handling the puck, fights on the boards well but doesn't have a strong frame.. displays good hockey sense but doesn't have the raw skills to perform at the level he thinks the game at."

Wooooooo.. SIGN ME UP.

 

[Richiebottles]

Leblanc sucked man.

"Good work ethic, isn't a great playmaker, isn't a great scorer, isn't very proficient handling the puck, fights on the boards well but doesn't have a strong frame.. displays good hockey sense but doesn't have the raw skills to perform at the level he thinks the game at."

Wooooooo.. SIGN ME UP.

*Cough* Harkins *Cough*

 

[GREMLIN]

Leblanc sucked man.

"Good work ethic, isn't a great playmaker, isn't a great scorer, isn't very proficient handling the puck, fights on the boards well but doesn't have a strong frame.. displays good hockey sense but doesn't have the raw skills to perform at the level he thinks the game at."

Wooooooo.. SIGN ME UP.

What does that have anything to do with my post?

 

[TheBlindFan]

at that TIME, it was a good pick... evrybody was saying so... even in HF. Drafting is a not perfecting Leblanc need to step up as any drafted players and he didn't. that is! He is not a hab anymore, so bye bye!

 

[WeThreeKings]

What does that have anything to do with my post?

That anybody who saw Leblanc play in his draft year saw that the guy was never going to become anything more than a plug. We wasted a good pick on him. Simply because of the origin of his last name.

Everybody knew if he was on the board, we would take him and it had nothing to do with his hockey merits.. because selecting a guy without any discernible skill in the top 20 of a draft is absolutely ****ing ludicrous.

 

[Shawarma*]

This guy shoes the importance of not wasting first round picks on guys who are focused on anything other than being excellent hockey players.

If I am picking a guy 15th, I am making sure that he is consumed by becoming better at his craft and will do everything he can to not just make the league, but make an impact.

This guy was never a winner and never passionate about being a pro player.

 

[WeThreeKings]

This guy shoes the importance of not wasting first round picks on guys who are focused on anything other than being excellent hockey players.

If I am picking a guy 15th, I am making sure that he is consumed by becoming better at his craft and will do everything he can to not just make the league, but make an impact.

This guy was never a winner and never passionate about being a pro player.

He also didn't have a good wrist shot, slap shot, snap shot.. he didn't have any touch to his passes.. he couldn't bully through checks.. he couldn't literally do anything on the offensive side of the puck. It was bad.

 

[Shawarma*]

He also didn't have a good wrist shot, slap shot, snap shot.. he didn't have any touch to his passes.. he couldn't bully through checks.. he couldn't literally do anything on the offensive side of the puck. It was bad.

Maybe it was all part of a plan by the Habs brass to keep the media from hounding them to select a Quebecois player in upcoming drafts.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Maybe it was all part of a plan by the Habs brass to keep the media from hounding them to select a Quebecois player in upcoming drafts.

It never stops. Only thing to do is to stop listening.

OMG HOW COULD YOU TAKE MCDONAGH OVER ESPOSITO???
HOW COULD YOU TAKE PACIORETTY OVER PERRON????

 

[GREMLIN]

That anybody who saw Leblanc play in his draft year saw that the guy was never going to become anything more than a plug. We wasted a good pick on him. Simply because of the origin of his last name.

Everybody knew if he was on the board, we would take him and it had nothing to do with his hockey merits.. because selecting a guy without any discernible skill in the top 20 of a draft is absolutely ****ing ludicrous.

Leblanc was an absolutely deadly goal scorer as a teenager, he was a gritty player with a sick release, lead the league in scoring in Midget AAA, if he comitted to the Q from the start he was probably going 1st overall ahead of Després, was a PPG as a rookie in the USHL, he had his hockey merits, he just stopped developping. Everybody knew we would draft him if he was available because he had been completely tearing up every single league he played in until his draft year and was a quebecer, it was just a natural fit, the fact that he was a quebecer was just a bonus but if you really think Trevor Timmins chose Leblanc strictly because of his last name I dont know what to say to you we'll never agree on that point, to me it was a homerun pick that didnt workout.

Sure its easy in hindsight to say that he didnt have any elite skill but the truth is he was seen as a potential offensive star by pretty much anyone who saw him play when he was growing up in the Quebec hockey world.

He also didn't have a good wrist shot, slap shot, snap shot.. he didn't have any touch to his passes.. he couldn't bully through checks.. he couldn't literally do anything on the offensive side of the puck. It was bad.

Thats just ********, his shot was sick as a 17 yo, it just didnt improve with time mostly because he never was able to gain enough strength but seriously, saying his shot wasnt anything special only proves you have not seen this kid play pre draft.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Leblanc was an absolutely deadly goal scorer as a teenager, he was a gritty player with a sick release, lead the league in scoring in Midget AAA, if he comitted to the Q from the start he was probably going 1st overall ahead of Després, was a PPG as a rookie in the USHL, he had his hockey merits, he just stopped developping. Everybody knew we would draft him if he was available because he had been completely tearing up every single league he played in until his draft year and was a quebecer, it was just a natural fit, the fact that he was a quebecer was just a bonus but if you really think Trevor Timmins chose Leblanc strictly because of his last name I dont know what to say to you we'll never agree on that point, to me it was a homerun pick that didnt workout.

Sure its easy in hindsight to say that he didnt have any elite skill but the truth is he was seen as a potential offensive star by pretty much anyone who saw him play when he was growing up in the Quebec hockey world.

Lol.. the quality of competition must've been brutal if he was a 'deadly' goal scorer.. since his actual shot was never, will never, and has not become a pro level shot. It was always weak. Like the rest of his game.

He wasn't a home-run pick.. he was taking your bat and throwing it out of the arena because you didn't wanna play that day. The pick was brutal. I hated it. I hoped the stupid "Mike Richards" comparison would become true and deferred to the myriad of people paying homage to him.. but in the end, my initial impressions and vehemence against picking him.. ended up true.

 

[Whitesnake]

I guess because people still don't want to believe that we let politics ruin our chance at actually becoming a better team.

Come on man. When we picked an anglo and we make a mistake, it's a bad pick...but when we pick a franco and it's a bad pick, it's politics? Why can't he be...a bad pick? And what about the list? So Leblanc appeared at #9 simply on politics yet...why does Kreider only appears on the acceptable list? And not even 1st on the list?

Besides, everybody had him in the 1st round. And not just as mock drafts because Habs would be picking locals. He was scheduled to go around that pick.

 

[Spinorama2]

I guess because people still don't want to believe that we let politics ruin our chance at actually becoming a better team.

It never stops. Only thing to do is to stop listening.

OMG HOW COULD YOU TAKE MCDONAGH OVER ESPOSITO???
HOW COULD YOU TAKE PACIORETTY OVER PERRON????

The prosecution rests, your honor

 

[Shawarma*]

Come on man. When we picked an anglo and we make a mistake, it's a bad pick...but when we pick a franco and it's a bad pick, it's politics? Why can't he be...a bad pick? And what about the list? So Leblanc appeared at #9 simply on politics yet...why does Kreider only appears on the acceptable list? And not even 1st on the list?

Besides, everybody had him in the 1st round. And not just as mock drafts because Habs would be picking locals. He was scheduled to go around that pick.

I don't blame politics. I blame the Habs scouts for not vetting this guy properly.

You play in the USHL and then you want to go to Harvard to get a great education? Congrats! I'm picking you in the third round if you're still available.

If I am a scout and I am interviewing a potential top 15 pick, if he even hints that he wants to do anything else but devote himself to cracking an NHL lineup, I'm taking a pass.

CAVEAT: Unless said prospect has once in a lifetime talent, which Leblanc never did.

 

[Spinorama2]

I don't blame politics. I blame the Habs scouts for not vetting this guy properly.

You play in the USHL and then you want to go to Harvard to get a great education? Congrats! I'm picking you in the third round if you're still available.

If I am a scout and I am interviewing a potential top 15 pick, if he even hints that he wants to do anything else but devote himself to cracking an NHL lineup, I'm taking a pass.

CAVEAT: Unless said prospect has once in a lifetime talent, which Leblanc never did.

no worries, it's why they passed on killorn

 

[habs03]

I think this management team just didn't like his style of play, or just didn't like him as a player.

It seems like he was soft mentally and they didn't like that.

I will say this though, he didn't play a soft game, he was better at RW than centre even though he had a high hockey IQ because he was able to win a lot of board battles even though he was kinda skinny.

Because during his call up in 2-11, he had a decent half season in Mtl, 40 games, 5 goals, 10 points a plus player mainly getting 4th line duties.

I think if he tougher mentally he would have been able to overcome his struggle and could have been a Higgins 2.0 in the NHL.

 

[Richiebottles]

I don't blame politics. I blame the Habs scouts for not vetting this guy properly.

You play in the USHL and then you want to go to Harvard to get a great education? Congrats! I'm picking you in the third round if you're still available.

If I am a scout and I am interviewing a potential top 15 pick, if he even hints that he wants to do anything else but devote himself to cracking an NHL lineup, I'm taking a pass.

CAVEAT: Unless said prospect has once in a lifetime talent, which Leblanc never did.

Agreed with this.

Going to college is fine and I can see why a player would want to but if it is a first round pick it has to be the NHL team that drafts him that dictates where he goes. If it is college it would be to bulk up and get fit. Not for education. 2nd round and beyond be my guest.

no worries, it's why they passed on killorn

To be fair so did everyone else up till when he was picked.

Killorn was always a big guy too.

I think this management team just didn't like his style of play, or just didn't like him as a player.

It seems like he was soft mentally and they didn't like that.

I will say this though, he didn't play a soft game, he was better at RW than centre even though he had a high hockey IQ because he was able to win a lot of board battles even though he was kinda skinny.

Because during his call up in 2-11, he had a decent half season in Mtl, 40 games, 5 goals, 10 points a plus player mainly getting 4th line duties.

I think if he tougher mentally he would have been able to overcome his struggle and could have been a Higgins 2.0 in the NHL.

Higgins 2.0 isn't what you want to be drafting in the first round tho.

 

[68*]

This guy was not a bad pick at the time. It's just that the other players started eating and training and surpassed him. They became men and he stayed a scrawny teenager. Just didn't have it in him to become a pro athlete.

 

[montreal]

That anybody who saw Leblanc play in his draft year saw that the guy was never going to become anything more than a plug. We wasted a good pick on him. Simply because of the origin of his last name.

Everybody knew if he was on the board, we would take him and it had nothing to do with his hockey merits.. because selecting a guy without any discernible skill in the top 20 of a draft is absolutely ****ing ludicrous.

what total BS. Bobby Mac said on the day of he draft that he could be a steal for the Habs and you know he talks to many NHL scouts. I saw him 3 times in the USHL and didn't like his skating but no way would I say that he was never going to be more then a plug. He did fine at every level up until his 2nd pro season. I know you hated the pick but come on that's a bit much.

He also didn't have a good wrist shot, slap shot, snap shot.. he didn't have any touch to his passes.. he couldn't bully through checks.. he couldn't literally do anything on the offensive side of the puck. It was bad.

funny cause it didn't stop him from being named USHL rookie of the Year and leading his team in scoring at 17, Ivy league rookie of the Year, leading his team in scoring as a Freshman, or being one of the top scorers as a 20 year old in Hamilton or being on pace for 20 points in the NHL as a 20 year old rookie.

I know he had a number of holes in his game but the kid did produce everywhere up until his 2nd pro season.

I think this management team just didn't like his style of play, or just didn't like him as a player.

It seems like he was soft mentally and they didn't like that.

I will say this though, he didn't play a soft game, he was better at RW than centre even though he had a high hockey IQ because he was able to win a lot of board battles even though he was kinda skinny.

Because during his call up in 2-11, he had a decent half season in Mtl, 40 games, 5 goals, 10 points a plus player mainly getting 4th line duties.

I think if he tougher mentally he would have been able to overcome his struggle and could have been a Higgins 2.0 in the NHL.

perhaps, I figured it's a number of things that went wrong, mental and lack of confidence being up there. Lack of improvement with his physical abilities (strength, mass, skating, speed) are what I look at the most. But being called up too soon, not being handled properly in the AHL as well are other big factors. Injuries played a part as well.

This guy was not a bad pick at the time. It's just that the other players started eating and training and surpassed him. They became men and he stayed a scrawny teenager. Just didn't have it in him to become a pro athlete.

Well to be fair, at least as of a couple months ago he was still a pro athlete since he was playing pro hockey. I don't know if he will be re-signed, I know he had career highs in games, goals, and points, tied his high in assists but he also started out well and really struggled to score goals as the season went on. I haven't seen him since he was traded, I know the team he played on was bad but we'll see if he ends up back somewhere next year or not.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Come on man. When we picked an anglo and we make a mistake, it's a bad pick...but when we pick a franco and it's a bad pick, it's politics? Why can't he be...a bad pick? And what about the list? So Leblanc appeared at #9 simply on politics yet...why does Kreider only appears on the acceptable list? And not even 1st on the list?

Besides, everybody had him in the 1st round. And not just as mock drafts because Habs would be picking locals. He was scheduled to go around that pick.

The draft was in Montreal.. come on, we all knew what the narrative was going into the draft. The Habs brass were under a ridiculous amount of ridicule for picking americans..

Remember the '07 Draft? RDS had an article calling us the Montreal Americans. Then they had a huge front page article for Fortier.. "Bienevenue a MTL, Olivier Fortier!!"

Funny enough, he was, what the worst selection we made in the draft?

There was criticism for Fisher (rightly in the end but at the time, he was a project and the book was yet to be written).

In 08 we took Kristo.

So, what happened going into 09? Well, we acquired Tanguay the summer before.. Gainey tried to go full ****** to acquire Lecavalier. Which, thankfully, didn't happen. The centennial season was in full swing and after the disastrous end, we had the draft in Montreal.

Leblanc was a quebec player projected 1st round.. and he was playing in the USHL going to the NCAA. The story wrote itself. If he was on the board. The Habs, being enslaved to politics, as they were and still are, could not pass up on Leblanc with him on the board. For **** sakes, they chanted his stupid name when they selected him. The look on his face said it all.. the guy wasn't built for this.

It was a bad pick. Politics played into it. Take politics out of it and it's still a horrendous pick. I'm just tired of people trying to defend the selection, on either side of the debate. Any person with two eyes and watched him play saw that he didn't have a stand out skill. Those guys don't make it very often.

 

[habs03]

Agreed with this.

Going to college is fine and I can see why a player would want to but if it is a first round pick it has to be the NHL team that drafts him that dictates where he goes. If it is college it would be to bulk up and get fit. Not for education. 2nd round and beyond be my guest.



To be fair so did everyone else up till when he was picked.

Killorn was always a big guy too.



Higgins 2.0 isn't what you want to be drafting in the first round tho.

Sure, but I was talking about the player himself not so much on if we should have drafted him.

IMO he has the skillset to still be in the NHL if he wasn't mentally soft.