Prospect Info: Michael McNiven

[Adam Michaels]

McNiven turns 24 today:

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[Treb]

Kinda has to with the number of QC player signed by Laval/TR.

 

[DavePeak]

Google-Translated article from RDS about McNiven. He is not happy.
Michael McNiven se vide le coeur

 

[RandomTask26]

Michael McNiven se vide le coeur

Sad…and also crazy that they left him in a game when he asked to be taken out. Awful

 

[bopeep]

Google-Translated article from RDS about McNiven. He is not happy.
Michael McNiven se vide le coeur

That's unfortunate, but it sounds like he needs a fresh start elsewhere or that kind of cancer can metastasize

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

FWIW, I'm not crazy about him taking it to the press but I can sympathize with the guy. He's being kinda treated like a jobber, even after being a good soldier for a long time and doing everything that was asked of him . It's also true that his numbers have always been good and sometimes even better than the other goalies in front of him. Pro sports arent always a fair thing though and there's a lot going into these decisions.

 

[MadMslm]

Michael McNiven se vide le coeur

Sad…and also crazy that they left him in a game when he asked to be taken out. Awful

He really got the short end of the stick since his professional debut call it circumstances if you want with Lindgren and Primeau higher on the depth chart.

Exposing his feelings to the medias won’t help him in the eyes of the organization but the frustration in this situation is understandable.

If the coaching staff really knew that he wasn’t feeling well and indeed asked to be taken out, it’s a really bad look for Houle and his coaching staff. Unacceptable to make a player feel obligated to perform and indebted to his teammates like this.

His career probably over with the Canadiens, but I truly hope someone puts Houle in the spotlight for this.

 

[Habs514]

I don't blame him. He is right. I thought he played well in the preseason. I wanted him to back up Allen. He deserved a chance.

 

[dcyhabs]

He's good, and he really, really hasn't been put in a position to succeed, but he didn't look like an NHL goalie in the few Laval games I saw last year. He hasn't had enough playing time and there always seems to be someone ahead of him, not always for good reason, but the bad development appeared to affect his game last year. He should get close to half the games this year if he plays well, then judge him...

 

[Eegs]

Michael McNiven se vide le coeur

Sad…and also crazy that they left him in a game when he asked to be taken out. Awful

Wow, that's depressing. I was hoping he'd get a chance with another franchise before we brought him back for this season. Now I REALLY hope it's the case.

Actually, quite amazing, with all the crap he's been put through, that he's been able to put up relatively decent numbers when he has gotten a chance to play.

This team sometimes...

 

[EXPOS123]

He really got the short end of the stick since his professional debut call it circumstances if you want with Lindgren and Primeau higher on the depth chart.

Exposing his feelings to the medias won’t help him in the eyes of the organization but the frustration in this situation is understandable.

If the coaching staff really knew that he wasn’t feeling well and indeed asked to be taken out, it’s a really bad look for Houle and his coaching staff. Unacceptable to make a player feel obligated to perform and indebted to his teammates like this.

His career probably over with the Canadiens, but I truly hope someone puts Houle in the spotlight for this.

What’s even worse is Houle coming out and basically saying “we care more about Primeau and he’s our priority, not McNiven”

Talk about making someone feel under appreciated and under valued...sheesh

 

[DavePeak]

Could he realisticly get a better opportunity elsewhere though? Lindgren is finally (for him) gone, so is Demchenko, sure we got Montembeault at the moment but he's here to support the NHL team. Will he get taken on the waiver wire once Price comes back? Poulin is still with TR, correct?

Any AHL clubs looking for a 1B goalie? Because that's the only better opportunity I could see for him short term in NA bar an injury to a clear AHL #1...

Of course, I get that he wants his chance and that he probably feels like he's always been bypassed in the org and especially now with the org wanting to see Primeau play as much as possible.

Edit: I suppose that if Montembeault clears waivers, they'll find a team for McNiven.

 

[Tyson]

Typical Habs and their inability to hire competent managers.

The kid has gotten a raw deal and it's obvious he does not fit into the Habs longterm plans.

Houle and his idiots are not impressing me. Are we back to the LeFebvre era?

 

[WeThreeKings]

How Bergevin survives his utter disregard for scouting and development I'll never know.

 

[abo9]

Could he realisticly get a better opportunity elsewhere though? Lindgren is finally (for him) gone, so is Demchenko, sure we got Montembeault at the moment but he's here to support the NHL team. Will he get taken on the waiver wire once Price comes back? Poulin is still with TR, correct?

Any AHL clubs looking for a 1B goalie? Because that's the only better opportunity I could see for him short term in NA bar an injury to a clear AHL #1...

Of course, I get that he wants his chance and that he probably feels like he's always been bypassed in the org and especially now with the org wanting to see Primeau play as much as possible.

Edit: I suppose that if Montembeault clears waivers, they'll find a team for McNiven.

Well the issue here is clearly that they think Primeau is better and McNiven is not even worth developing, which is INSANE. So, even though he's been playing better than any goalie in this organization not named Carey Price, he's still stuck as the 4th or even 5th goalie on the depth chart because management just simply doesn't see him as anything.

On his hockeydb page, it's insane the number of teams he's been bounced to, without playing significant time, even at the ECHL level. You'd think that's because he crapped the bed, he's done good to great every where he's been (obviously difficult to evaluate without a bigger sample size... but that's on the org not him).

Really scary read, because I doubt this is limited to McNiven/Primeau. This is the most obvious example, because there is such a limited number of goalie positions on one team, but it's really reminiscing of the treatment Kotkaniemi received in Montreal. Seems like there are favorites and if you're not one of them the organization throws you around for no other reason.

He's only 2 years older than Primeau ffs. If he outplays Primeau, he should be given the net, or they should AT LEAST split 50/50 if they see so much in Primeau. Especially considering the shit McNiven's been through since going pro, I think the results shows that he could do even better if given the opportunity.

Please MB, do like Kotkaniemi, trade McNiven to a team that actually will give him a fair chance.

 

[dinodebino]

Michael McNiven se vide le coeur

Sad…and also crazy that they left him in a game when he asked to be taken out. Awful

Holy f***, this organisation… We back to a Sylvain Lefebvre type of coaching staff?

 

[montreal]

The Habs need to look into this and respond as no player should be playing injured. He's gotten a raw deal from the Habs in the past but Primeau has been the better goalie so it's a tough position as he has to play and Laval in it's history so far has not had a lot of 3 games in 3 days like other AHL teams have had.

 

[Skip Bayless]

It's about time he said something publicly.

lol dude has been getting shafted for years.

 

[MD thaivuN]

never forget the man outplayed Lindgren so badly that he got rewarded with ECHL limbo the year after.


I can't possibly see how the man would be unhappy with the org

 

[abo9]

never forget the man outplayed Lindgren so badly that he got rewarded with ECHL limbo the year after.


I can't possibly see how the man would be unhappy with the org

History is repeating with Primeau. Maybe if another player constantly outperform your favorite, just maybe your favorite is not what you think he is lol

 

[montreal]

It's about time he said something publicly.

lol dude has been getting shafted for years.

it's actually not the first time he's spoken out against the Habs, as he did before when he was getting bounced around different ECHL teams and talked about how the Habs didn't contact him when he needed practice time or something to that effect. Some of us thought he wouldn't be re-signed because it made MB look bad for sure.

 

[Whitesnake]

About time he voices his opinion. They were f***ing disrespectful with him. The Lindgren experiement lasting too long. And Primeau might not be the superstar some like to be. McNiven should have a real chance. And clearly, it's not here. Pathetic management rides again.

 

[DavePeak]

I know that a good junior goalie prospect is still a gamble and does not mean a sure NHLer, but the last years have been rough for the Habs with a bunch of inconsistent #2 with the big team and disappointments with the prospects (Fucale, Lindgren, maybe Primeau, etc).

I wish that McNiven gets a real chance, here or elsewhere. Again, I don’t see any team giving him red carpet treatment (the Canes? Lol) but hey, the kid might just need to move to shake things up and get under the spotlight.

 

[montreal]