Pouliot close to signing with the Wild

[Karl]

http://www.startribune.com/stories/1330/5643212.html

Wild working to get Pouliot signed, on roster
Michael Russo and Kent Youngblood, Star Tribune
September 30, 2005 WILD0930


After laying a framework during a phone conversation with Benoit Pouliot's agent Wednesday, Wild General Manager Doug Risebrough has instructed assistant GM Tom Lynn to begin contract negotiations that will likely mean the 19-year-old forward will make the team.

This is kind of a surprise, but not really knowing Risebrough tendency to play young draft picks for the Wild (Gaborik, Pierre-Marc Bouchard, Brent Burns ect...) I just wonder what Pouliot has done to impressed Risebrough so much to pull a complete 180 on keeping him?

Click to read more...

 

[Sherlock]

Well, I hope he knows what he is doing. I'd rather see him go back to the OHL though, but I guess that's why I am not the Wild's GM... yet!

 

[Karl]

Well, I hope he knows what he is doing. I'd rather see him go back to the OHL though, but I guess that's why I am not the Wild's GM... yet!

Yeah, I just hope he doesn’t struggle like Bouchard has these last few seasons.

 

[thestonedkoala]

I want to hit my head on the desk...But I can't...

 

[Greg7]

Wow, I'm a big fan of Pouliot, but I don't think anyone expected this. He seems like exactly the kind of guy who has plenty to learn still in junior. From unknown in Junior B to the NHL in two years is awfully quick...

 

[HickoryDickoryDock]

As a Wolves fan, I will miss him but I think he's better off learning with the big team than he is with Sudbury this year. They are constantly in the box, more than all the other teams who have played three games, so he wouldn't be getting much power play time. The players around him are really young so he would be developing them more than the other way around. I look forward to watching his NHL career.

 

[the_crippler12]

great news pouliot its a great player...but for bouchard what happen with him ?

 

[Wild Bill]

great news pouliot its a great player...but for bouchard what happen with him ?

He didn't come out of juniors and score 60-70 pts as an 18/19 year old. Must be a bust...

In all seriousness, watch out for PMB this year. He is looking good this preseason. 45-55 pts is well within his reach IMO.

 

[Brock]

I really like Pouliot and I think he's going to be a wonderful NHL player. He was second on my draft list behind Crosby.

I do however, not agree with this at all. Pouliot is still such a raw player. His offensive skills, every skill he possesses is currently so raw. And you can see that watching him play. He's still very much learning. And I fear that if they do this to him now, and treat him like Bouchard and Burns where he doesn;t get utilized much, it will really, really hurt his development. Especially as an offensive player.

 

[Bookman]

I really like Pouliot and I think he's going to be a wonderful NHL player. He was second on my draft list behind Crosby.

I do however, not agree with this at all. Pouliot is still such a raw player. His offensive skills, every skill he possesses is currently so raw. And you can see that watching him play. He's still very much learning. And I fear that if they do this to him now, and treat him like Bouchard and Burns where he doesn;t get utilized much, it will really, really hurt his development. Especially as an offensive player.

I'll agree with you here - I don't believe Bouchard benefitted from being signed so early, but then it's hard to say what he'd have developed into if the Wild hadn't signed him. Pouliot is 19, and he has good size, so he won't have those liabilities to hold him back, but the rawness and probable lack of NHL endurance guarantee him lengthy spells in the press box if the Wild sign him.

Oh well, Lemaire and Riseborough know better what they are doing than i do.

 

[Impossibles]

Well, I hope he knows what he is doing. I'd rather see him go back to the OHL though, but I guess that's why I am not the Wild's GM... yet!

your av...

 

[Brock]

I'll agree with you here - I don't believe Bouchard benefitted from being signed so early, but then it's hard to say what he'd have developed into if the Wild hadn't signed him. Pouliot is 19, and he has good size, so he won't have those liabilities to hold him back, but the rawness and probable lack of NHL endurance guarantee him lengthy spells in the press box if the Wild sign him.

Oh well, Lemaire and Riseborough know better what they are doing than i do.

The thing is, Pouliot has size, but he hasn't yet learned how to utilize it. He's much like Jeff Carter after he got drafted. Big guy, great skills but he mise well be 5'10. Carter, as he has matured has learned to use his size, combined with his skating ability (see the comparison with pouliot) to his ultimate advantage.

I just don't see any logic at all behind this move to be honest. At this stage of his development, I just don't think Pouliot would benefit from the Bounchard/Burns/Nick Schultz way of development that the Wild seem to like.

If they sign him and do this to him, I think they will be making a very serious mistake.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Burns is an interesting case. The guy has been domininate as a defenseman. He looks more comfortable on the blueline than anything. We might have lost that if we had sent him back to Brampton. Good or bad? We won't know but his potential is better on the blueline than as a power forward.

As for Pouliot, I do agree.

And for Schultz, I heard early on they weren't happy with his development in the WHL. He started getting lazy and they wanted to take him on hands on. IT also kind of explains there timidness on placing big rookies back in the CHL.

 

[Form and Substance]

The only reason Bouchard wouldn't have been able to make the team as an 18 year old was because of his size. What was he, 5'10-160 lbs? His skills and speed were NHL quality though. Pouliot on the other hand, should totally not be rushed. It's not going to pay any dividends in the long run.

 

[The Tourettes Guy]

I was actually hoping to see him play here in Sudbury for one more year.

 

[Jacob]

This whole idea of throwing 1st round picks right into the NHL the Wild have has yet to pay off, and I'm not so sure it ever will.

Dumb idea, I think. But they have a plan that they are apparently going to stick with.

 

[Epsilon]

Pouliot is just about the last player from the 2005 draft who should be playing in the NHL this year.

 

[Claypool_*]

This whole idea of throwing 1st round picks right into the NHL the Wild have has yet to pay off, and I'm not so sure it ever will.

Gaborik? Besides, they took their time with Koivu.

 

[Jacob]

Gaborik?

That's true.. But they've F'd up Schultz, Bouchard, and Burns thus far.

 

[Claypool_*]

That's true.. But they've F'd up Schultz, Bouchard, and Burns thus far.

Well they were an expansion franchise. They had to play them. Same with Columbus with Klesla and Nashville with Legwand

 

[Sherlock]

My memory is a little off, but wasn't Gaborik a little further along (and more of a sure thing) than Pouliot?

 

[thestonedkoala]

That's true.. But they've F'd up Schultz, Bouchard, and Burns thus far.

Schultz, as I wrote above, was an interesting case. They sent him back to the W but he didn't really progress there.

I mean...he did okay but I think they were worried about his progress in the WHL.

Burns is another really weird case. They pulled him out of the OHL too soon but in hindsight it was a wonderful choice. With the injuries on the blueline in 03-04, the Wild moved him back (we'll never know if it was Burns choice or the Wild) on the blueline and he has emerged as a top 4 defenseman.

 

[X-SHARKIE]

Schultz, as I wrote above, was an interesting case. They sent him back to the W but he didn't really progress there.

I mean...he did okay but I think they were worried about his progress in the WHL.

Burns is another really weird case. They pulled him out of the OHL too soon but in hindsight it was a wonderful choice. With the injuries on the blueline in 03-04, the Wild moved him back (we'll never know if it was Burns choice or the Wild) on the blueline and he has emerged as a top 4 defenseman.

Burns was by far your most impressive prosepct last year in the AHL IMO, after watching multiple games of the Aero's in Chicago.

Koivu was the most ready though and definitley looks capable of being a 2nd line playmaking center.

Two very good ones there.

I"m a bit worrieda bout Bouchard though.

 

[thestonedkoala]

Bouchard is having an AWESOME offseason. He did well in the AHL and he'll do fine in the NHL. He'll see a lot more time on the ice and some time on the PP.

 

[Hossa]

I really like Pouliot and I think he's going to be a wonderful NHL player. He was second on my draft list behind Crosby.

I do however, not agree with this at all. Pouliot is still such a raw player. His offensive skills, every skill he possesses is currently so raw. And you can see that watching him play. He's still very much learning. And I fear that if they do this to him now, and treat him like Bouchard and Burns where he doesn;t get utilized much, it will really, really hurt his development. Especially as an offensive player.

Agreed 100%.