Prospect Info: Michael McNiven

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

I'm starting to believe that Habs brass are reading HF. The amount of moves that have been petitioned here this summer that actually happened is impressive. Semin, Galchenyuk at centre, DD on third, this, PP and PK coaches... I'm weary.

THIS JUST IN: Deharnais literally just traded for a bag of pucks!

And the head coach for a couple rolls of tape.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

Any chance he becomes the starter for Owen Sound this season? Is Jack Flinn any good?

 

[Treb]

Any chance he becomes the starter for Owen Sound this season? Is Jack Flinn any good?

He does have better stats than Flynn. Flynn seems to not be that good.

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

https://instagram.com/p/8Bo1YNFGBh/
He sounds super happy, glad for the kid

 

[hoc123]

Good signing in my eyes. Not an a lot of games but seems to have potential, was a potential draft prospect. Anyone know more info?

 

[Whitesnake]

I will repeat what I said at draft day...can't believe this kid wasn't drafted. In a 7th-round draft? Some people are drunk. Insane that we got the kid without drafting him. We actually got a draft pick without trading. Just awesome.

This invitation demand that I made right after the draft totally came true and then some!!!

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=104389585&postcount=88

 

[PensFan101]

Hey guys, lifelong Attack fan/STH here.

First I have to say I'm so happy for McNiven, he really, really deserves it. Hopefully this is a good sign for this year and he can get his confidence back. Flinn our incumbent starter has surprised but McNiven has a higher gear.

His style of play isn't anything out of the ordinary, he's very much a modern goaltender. Has a great glove hand (for the OHL), and is fairly athletic. Capable of highlight reel saves. Has the talent certainly to become a solid pro.

His downsides? He's quite stocky, but a bit short for the modern NHL. And last season he basically fell apart after getting lit up at the CHL Prospects Game. Something changed about his game and he wasn't the same. Big reason why he didn't get drafted this summer.

The upsides? When he burst onto the scene last year, his stretch of play the first half of the season was unbelievable. Never seen a 17 year old goaltender with a run like that, including Jordan Binnington who achieved great things that year. He was lights out, and legitimately special. The big thing is consistency (as it is with so many young goalies), and coming back to the OHL with an ELC might just do that for him.

As for his status as a prospect, I think he just proved it with this camp that he's a legitimate NHL prospect. However, given how goalies work, and especially OHL goalies, extreme patience has to be exercised. Hard to say where he'll be in two years. I do have high hopes that he'll push out Flinn for the starting job, McNiven has been the favourite of Attack fans for a year now.

 

[Brock]

Hey guys, lifelong Attack fan/STH here.

First I have to say I'm so happy for McNiven, he really, really deserves it. Hopefully this is a good sign for this year and he can get his confidence back. Flinn our incumbent starter has surprised but McNiven has a higher gear.

His style of play isn't anything out of the ordinary, he's very much a modern goaltender. Has a great glove hand (for the OHL), and is fairly athletic. Capable of highlight reel saves. Has the talent certainly to become a solid pro.

His downsides? He's quite stocky, but a bit short for the modern NHL. And last season he basically fell apart after getting lit up at the CHL Prospects Game. Something changed about his game and he wasn't the same. Big reason why he didn't get drafted this summer.

The upsides? When he burst onto the scene last year, his stretch of play the first half of the season was unbelievable. Never seen a 17 year old goaltender with a run like that, including Jordan Binnington who achieved great things that year. He was lights out, and legitimately special. The big thing is consistency (as it is with so many young goalies), and coming back to the OHL with an ELC might just do that for him.

As for his status as a prospect, I think he just proved it with this camp that he's a legitimate NHL prospect. However, given how goalies work, and especially OHL goalies, extreme patience has to be exercised. Hard to say where he'll be in two years. I do have high hopes that he'll push out Flinn for the starting job, McNiven has been the favourite of Attack fans for a year now.

I'll echo what was said here.

I had McNiven rated as the 30th best prospect from the OHL going into this year's draft.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2015/05/my-final-top-50-ohl-players-for-2015_21.html

But he was much higher earlier in the year (neck and neck with Blackwood). The Prospect's Game ruined his season. Looked defeated after it.

IMO he's a solid goaltending prospect and a great pickup for you guys.

 

[Whitesnake]

Hey guys, lifelong Attack fan/STH here.

First I have to say I'm so happy for McNiven, he really, really deserves it. Hopefully this is a good sign for this year and he can get his confidence back. Flinn our incumbent starter has surprised but McNiven has a higher gear.

His style of play isn't anything out of the ordinary, he's very much a modern goaltender. Has a great glove hand (for the OHL), and is fairly athletic. Capable of highlight reel saves. Has the talent certainly to become a solid pro.

His downsides? He's quite stocky, but a bit short for the modern NHL. And last season he basically fell apart after getting lit up at the CHL Prospects Game. Something changed about his game and he wasn't the same. Big reason why he didn't get drafted this summer.

The upsides? When he burst onto the scene last year, his stretch of play the first half of the season was unbelievable. Never seen a 17 year old goaltender with a run like that, including Jordan Binnington who achieved great things that year. He was lights out, and legitimately special. The big thing is consistency (as it is with so many young goalies), and coming back to the OHL with an ELC might just do that for him.

As for his status as a prospect, I think he just proved it with this camp that he's a legitimate NHL prospect. However, given how goalies work, and especially OHL goalies, extreme patience has to be exercised. Hard to say where he'll be in two years. I do have high hopes that he'll push out Flinn for the starting job, McNiven has been the favourite of Attack fans for a year now.

I'll echo what was said here.

I had McNiven rated as the 30th best prospect from the OHL going into this year's draft.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2015/05/my-final-top-50-ohl-players-for-2015_21.html

But he was much higher earlier in the year (neck and neck with Blackwood). The Prospect's Game ruined his season. Looked defeated after it.

IMO he's a solid goaltending prospect and a great pickup for you guys.

You guys saw him so we'll totally trust you on this. By looking at stats, which obviously I know it doesn't say always everything, his month of January and February were bad. Especially 2 games in January given 13 goals and 2 other games in march giving 9 goals in 27 shots....But even in January he had 2 good games, and while a short sample, had a better March. I saw him too this year and I just think he has some very good skills going for him. Totally worth being given to Stéphane Waite so he'd work with him.

I'll say this though....still will never believe that it was enough to not draft the kid. Nobody is talking about him playing good enough to leave before round 4...but not enough to go from 5 to 7?

 

[montreal]

I'll echo what was said here.

I had McNiven rated as the 30th best prospect from the OHL going into this year's draft.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2015/05/my-final-top-50-ohl-players-for-2015_21.html

But he was much higher earlier in the year (neck and neck with Blackwood). The Prospect's Game ruined his season. Looked defeated after it.

IMO he's a solid goaltending prospect and a great pickup for you guys.

thanks for the info Brock. I didn't get to see too much of the OHL last year but plan on seeing him and Addison this year as it sounds like the Habs got 2 decent prospects late in the draft if you look at McNiven as an 8th round pick. Very interested to see how McNiven does this season and next.

 

[le_sean]

Don't have to worry about Flinn, he was just traded to Mississauga. McNiven is now the clear starter.

Mitch Brown
‏@MitchLBrown
With OA G Jack Flinn traded to Mississauga, #Habs Michael McNiven becomes Owen Sound's de facto starter, at least to start the season.

 

[Whitesnake]

Wow Flinn was traded? Good news for the kid.

 

[montreal]

Good news indeed. Now if Hawkey could just be healthy, he should have a good shot at being the starter as well, we would have 2 young starters to follow.

 

[montreal]

McNiven with his 2nd SO of the season. Haven't gotten to see too many of his starts lately but this was just his 3rd win in the last 14 starts. Has given up a lot of goals over that span with 6 games where he gave up 4 or more though the games were against London who are the highest scoring team by far and Eire the 2nd highest as they are 21 goals behind and Kitchener who are 3rd in the league in goals.

 

[Runner77]

NHL
Price
Tokarski

AHL
Condon
Pasquale

ECHL
Fucale

OHL
McNiven

What is the tale of the vertical tape for all of these guys, plus Hawkey, esp. given how height now plays a big role.

 

[Runner77]

OK, the internets say:

Carey Price 6'3"
Mike Condon 6'2"
Eddie Pasquale 6'2"
Hayden Hawkey 6'2"
Zach Fucale 6'1"
Michael McNiven 6'1"
Dustin Tokarski 5'11"

note: there may be sites that present a 1 inch discrepancy for some of above players. The above represent the most recurring heights I found.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

I keep saying that it was worth it for quite some time now! Good job Habs! This kid will be fun to work with!!!

You may be right, but how come we haven't heard much about him?

 

[Natey]

You may be right, but how come we haven't heard much about him?

Because he's a goalie playing minor hockey. He'll be playing pro next year or the year after.

 

[Whitesnake]

You may be right, but how come we haven't heard much about him?

I think he's a really raw and long term project. Clearly has an up and down season statistically. Not going well lately...but to be honeset, I have no idea about his team or his own actual play.

Not saying he's our future NHL starter...just happy that a guy with his qualities was signed by us.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

I think he's a really raw and long term project. Clearly has an up and down season statistically. Not going well lately...but to be honeset, I have no idea about his team or his own actual play.

Not saying he's our future NHL starter...just happy that a guy with his qualities was signed by us.

It's good to have depth at this important position. It was amazing to see Tokarski hold the fort at a time when the Habs were on a losing streak.

 

[montreal]

You may be right, but how come we haven't heard much about him?

I've been impressed with what I've seen and usually hear good things from the announcers in those games. He doesn't turn 19 till after the 2016 draft, I could see him getting an invite for Team Canada's Summer camp. He's top 10 in gaa, save %, SO's and 1 win away from top 10. He's 2nd in the league in minutes which is great imo, as it means he's getting a ton of experience and still has another year of juniors to learn/develop/progress and he's 3rd in saves.

Goalies can be very tricky to figure out, at least for me as it's the only position I never played at any organized level. We are lucky that management has done an impressive job improving the depth, so now we just have to wait and see how it goes for him over the next 4-5 years.

 

[Habsfan2731]

I covered the rookie tourney back in September, he played one game and was absolutely fantastic. Talked to a scout from the organization who was very presently surprised that he wasn't selected and that he could attend our camp. He's an interesting prospect, he's got game. I can't wait for him to work with Waite. It'll be interesting to see if the Canadiens get Fucale and McNiven to work with him during the off-season.

 

[Ghetto Sangria]

I covered the rookie tourney back in September, he played one game and was absolutely fantastic. Talked to a scout from the organization who was very presently surprised that he wasn't selected and that he could attend our camp. He's an interesting prospect, he's got game. I can't wait for him to work with Waite. It'll be interesting to see if the Canadiens get Fucale and McNiven to work with him during the off-season.

I'm going for a psychological scoutin report, and this guy seems quite full of himself looking at his tweets. That's very important for a goalie imo.

 

[kingdok]

OK, the internets say:

Carey Price 6'3"
Mike Condon 6'2"
Eddie Pasquale 6'2"
Hayden Hawkey 6'2"
Zach Fucale 6'1"
Michael McNiven 6'1"
Dustin Tokarski 5'11"

note: there may be sites that present a 1 inch discrepancy for some of above players. The above represent the most recurring heights I found.

I remember they had a goalie that was monster tall not too long ago (Missaen or something similar). What happened to him?

 

[donghabs98]

I remember they had a goalie that was monster tall not too long ago (Missaen or something similar). What happened to him?

Yep it was Jason Missiaen and he was 6'8. The Habs didn't sign him so he becaome a free agent in 2010 and signed with the Rangers. At this point he is a AHL/ECHL goalie. Here is a news report from 2008 about him and a certain current Hab is in the video as well.