Player Discussion Nick Suzuki Part VII

[Jesperi is my Daddy]

 

[DangerDave]

that's just not true, Leblanc had 1st round talent, that's why he was the top rookie in the USHL at 17, led his team in scoring, that's why he led his team in scoring at 18 in the NCAA, that's why he was one of our best players in Hamilton at 20.

Beaulieu put up 28 pts, led Hamilton in scoring at 20, Scherbak put up over a ppg in the AHL, was by far Everett's best player, Galchenyuk only 8 players in the OHL's history had a better season for a U-17 player. Collberg is still top ten in points for Sweden at the WJC's. Kristo was the 2nd best player in the NCAA in his Senior year.

These kids had the talent, now drive, IQ, maturity, other issues like the physical aspects of skating, speed, strength. And of course with drafting 18 year olds some will just have peaked at 17, 18, 19. Collberg, Leblanc, etc.. it's certainly common which is why so many players don't make it and there are so many busts in even the top rounds.

But i don't agree that people think these kids would have been ripping it up or at least i don't. Galchenyuk is the one exception since he clearly had the skill for it but it's very difficult to try and figure out how much better could he have been then the guy that put up 197 pts over 305 games. Clearly not the kind of offense you would want from a 3rd OA that had smoked the OHL at 16 but also not bad all things considered.

The other comment you make about holding them back significantly, but the problem with that is it's subjective as to what each person would call significantly. I try to look at it as did the development team we have in place help them improve, did the NHL and or AHL coaching staffs help them improve, did rushing them to the NHL at 18, 19, 20, help them improve? If the answers are no, then the Habs failed them, yes the players own it as well, yes Timmins and his staff own it as well. This is a group effort and the group has failed repeatedly.

Now the next question is much more difficult, who's more to blame, management for rushing them, the coaching staff for the yo-yo or mistreatment, the scouts, the players? It's a very difficult one to answer because we don't have all the facts. We don't know what is said by a regional scout to Timmins, we don't know what MB says to Churla and Timmins, we don't know what goes on in these kids heads when met with failure and disappointment, how they will react. We don't know what's being said to them by the development team of Lapointe and others, we don't know what goes on in practice with the coaching staffs, we don't know what goes on off the ice. There are so many factors, but the end results are clearly not there. Leaving more finger pointing until things improve.

Also in regards to Suzuki, just keep in mind or go back and read the posts from last year on Kotka to this year, or the first year of Galchenyuk to now. People were saying what a good job the coaching staff did, what a good pick they were, how rushing them to the NHL didn't matter at the time.

With Suzuki, I think the extra year in the OHL did him wonders. He had a clear message from the Canadiens organization that they wanted him to work on certain areas of his game rather than just focus on points. We sort of saw that all regular season long. Many were disappointed that his point totals sort of stagnated but it was clear he wasn't defaulting to the things he was already good at. Finally in the playoffs he just put everything together and went on a tear.

That's what we should be doing. Give the players feedback and let them work on that without the pressure they would face in the NHL. When they finally do make the NHL, they'll be ready and they'll have the ice time and teammates.

Suzuki is how you develop. He got here faster than expected but he's a solid NHL player already. Kotkaniemi I would have wanted to really bulk up and work on his skating before making the jump. Theirs no doubt in my mind that he'd be a better player today if he did that.

 

[Archijerej]

I was highly critical of him at the start of the season. Then, when he started to play well, I thought his lack of explosives will limit his ultimate potential. I may have been wrong. He really seems to have a first class hockey brain in how he finds open space and passing options when pressed. He's also surprisingly effective at protecting the puck when he's out of options.
I will remain cautious in my evaluation, but if he ever develops into a #1 center I won't be surprised.

 

[covfefe]

With Suzuki, I think the extra year in the OHL did him wonders. He had a clear message from the Canadiens organization that they wanted him to work on certain areas of his game rather than just focus on points. We sort of saw that all regular season long. Many were disappointed that his point totals sort of stagnated but it was clear he wasn't defaulting to the things he was already good at. Finally in the playoffs he just put everything together and went on a tear.

That's what we should be doing. Give the players feedback and let them work on that without the pressure they would face in the NHL. When they finally do make the NHL, they'll be ready and they'll have the ice time and teammates.

Suzuki is how you develop. He got here faster than expected but he's a solid NHL player already. Kotkaniemi I would have wanted to really bulk up and work on his skating before making the jump. Theirs no doubt in my mind that he'd be a better player today if he did that.

Generally, these two things are mutually exclusive

Agreed on everything else

 

[SpeedyPotato]

It's funny I hadn't read the thread before today and when I watched Nick play, the guy that came to my mind was Bergeron, glad to see I'm not that far off in what I see him become.

 

[LaTenderness]

Keep him playing with Ilya...... most dynamic duo I can remember watching

 

[Milhouse40]

He's so have to be put at center and on the top 6 so a decision needs to be made now about Domi or Danault being either move on the wing or being put on the market.

 

[McGuires Corndog]

He's so have to be put at center and on the top 6 so a decision needs to be made now about Domi or Danault being either move on the wing or being put on the market.

Because it’s Montreal they probably move Domi.

 

[admiralcadillac]

What's difference between Suzuki and the others prospects?

Well he hasn't been drafted and developed by us...

What a knee slapper

 

[FLHabs]

Since this is a lost season, they should just play and develop Suzuki as a #1 center. He's already one of the best players on the team. Imagine going up to a high iq player like Nick Suzuki and telling him "Here are the keys to the offense, go and figure out the NHL." Imagine what he could learn in 30 or so games playing 20 min a night with the best wingers on the team. Would be fun for us fans too as we watch him hopefully compete for a Calder

 

[G0bias]

If they’re not gonna put Suzuki at C (which they should), i’d like to see them give Kovalchuk-KK-Suzuki a shot.

KK and Suzuki seem to create something everytime they’re on the ice together while the chemistry between Kovy and Suzuki is undeniable.

 

[The Great Weal]

If they’re not gonna put Suzuki at C (which they should), i’d like to see them give Kovalchuk-KK-Suzuki a shot.

KK and Suzuki seem to create something everytime they’re on the ice together while the chemistry between Kovy and Suzuki is undeniable.

I'm going to guess that Kovalchuk plays with Domi and Suzuki. He hasnt done well with the Danault and Tatar line.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

What's difference between Suzuki and the others prospects?

Well he hasn't been drafted and developed by us...

Because development stops when a player reach the nhl.
By that logic, KK has not and is not being developed by the habs.

 

[Mrb1p]

Suzuki should be given the 1C spot. Hes producing better numbers than Danault already and hes responsible defensively.

 

[G0bias]

At this rate, he's closing in on everyone besides Tatar and could very well finish the season as the 2nd highest scorer.

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

Because it’s Montreal they probably move Domi.

Yeah well, Danault should be the one out. Suzuki is a little small to be a 1C.

 

[Treb]

What's difference between Suzuki and the others prospects?

Well he hasn't been drafted and developed by us...

He hasn't been drafted by us, but he's been developed by us as much as he's been by Vegas...

 

[Roadhouse]

Yeah well, Danault should be the one out. Suzuki is a little small to be a 1C.

If he keeps progressing..... I don't know. Barzal without the top end speed, slightly higher IQ / better vision. It's possible, down the road.

 

[G0bias]

Yeah well, Danault should be the one out. Suzuki is a little small to be a 1C.

Yeah ideally a tad bigger is preferable as far as no.1 centers go. But Suzuki is the same size as guys like Datsyuk, Crosby and Zetterberg, he's fine.

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

Great to see him finally snipe one. If he starts doing that regularly, and he’s capable, look out.

 

[JuJu Mobb]

Best Habs forward for a couple of months.

 

[26Mats]

If they’re not gonna put Suzuki at C (which they should), i’d like to see them give Kovalchuk-KK-Suzuki a shot.

KK and Suzuki seem to create something everytime they’re on the ice together while the chemistry between Kovy and Suzuki is undeniable.

Tatar Danault Domi
Kovalchuk KK Suzuki
Lehkonen Thompson Poehling
Cousins Peca Weise

 

[Redux91]

Yeah well, Danault should be the one out. Suzuki is a little small to be a 1C.

Lol is that so.

How big is Crosby?
How big is Patrick Kane?
How big is Braden Point?
How big is Matthew Barzal?
How big is Claude Giroux?

And thats just the 5"11 ers, as if there's such an insurmountable difference to the 6"'s and 6"1's also. Please.
Dont forget we had a 5"6 1C for quite a while

 

[Andrei79]

Lol is that so.

How big is Crosby?
How big is Patrick Kane?
How big is Braden Point?
How big is Matthew Barzal?
How big is Claude Giroux?

And thats just the 5"11 ers, as if there's such an insurmountable difference to the 6"'s and 6"1's also. Please.
Dont forget we had a 5"6 1C for quite a while

Kane isn't a center. I'm willing to bet neither of Giroux, Kane or Point are 5'11". They're shorter. Datsyuk was drafted at 5'9. He ended up around Suzuki's height. I'm not worried about his height, as he's already fairly strong at 20.

 

[HabsDood]

Lol is that so.

How big is Crosby?
How big is Patrick Kane?
How big is Braden Point?
How big is Matthew Barzal?
How big is Claude Giroux?

And thats just the 5"11 ers, as if there's such an insurmountable difference to the 6"'s and 6"1's also. Please.
Dont forget we had a 5"6 1C for quite a while

Francis Bouillon was a 1C?