Speculation: Prediction thread

[Fig]

Is this actually ****ing true

Yes.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/canadiens-hot-start-fuelled-by-savvy-buy-low-moves/

Speed kills, explained Canadiens assistant general manager Larry Carriere with a laugh. Our group saw the video (before they acquired him), and we knew about Paul Byron. Everyone was involved in the decision to bring him here.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

To be fair, Byron's underlying metrics were really nothing to write home about until the end of the 2013-2014 season, which would have been his 24-25 year old season. Lazar will be entering his 22-23 year old season; still 2 years away from that Byron AHL seasoning.

I don't disagree. But if a 24-26 year old Byron was as bad as 20-21 year old Lazar, he does not get claimed on waivers and would be headed to Europe. Byron was so much more than his 20 points a season. Lazar has yet to show he is.

Like I said, Lazar has plenty of upside, but hasn't shown in the NHL what Byron had. Do teams want to claim guys off waivers and then bury them in the pressbox like with Islanders / JF Berube? it's possible but generally a bad idea.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

OKG, Lazar wouldn't pass through waivers. He's a former 1st round pick, someone would pluck him off. Byron was what, a 4th round pick? Plus he had played a few seasons with NHL games. Someone would take a flyer on Lazar. I'm really encouraged by his offseason training.

 

[Mr Snrub]

If you give up a second for the guy you don't even risk waiving him, regardless of how good the AHL would be for his development.

 

[MDCSL]

Lazar is a worse prospect than Byron was and demers is worse than hamonic, what is this thread. There's not a GM in the league that would have picked 22 year old Byron over 22 year old Lazar and every gm in the league would take hamonic over demers

 

[Anglesmith]

It's not that outlandish at all to suggest that there was more to like about Byron than about Lazar currently. You guys are a lot more optimistic about Lazar than I am. I like the fact that we took a chance on him, and I hope he breaks out this year, but when Byron was waived, there were all the signs there that he was going to break out offensively, and he was already one of the most effective penalty-killers in the entire league, both statistically and in terms of eye-test.

That can't be said with Lazar. He's not a guy with any particular outstanding attribute (Byron is one of the fastest players in the league). He's got to put all his tools together, and then maybe he can be an effective middle-sixer. But it's not like he's been putting up low point totals due to a ridiculous streak of bad luck.

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

It's not that outlandish at all to suggest that there was more to like about Byron than about Lazar currently. You guys are a lot more optimistic about Lazar than I am. I like the fact that we took a chance on him, and I hope he breaks out this year, but when Byron was waived, there were all the signs there that he was going to break out offensively, and he was already one of the most effective penalty-killers in the entire league, both statistically and in terms of eye-test.

That can't be said with Lazar. He's not a guy with any particular outstanding attribute (Byron is one of the fastest players in the league). He's got to put all his tools together, and then maybe he can be an effective middle-sixer. But it's not like he's been putting up low point totals due to a ridiculous streak of bad luck.

I agree 100%. Byron generated an insane amount of rush shots that season (Not just breakaways), and it wasn't due to the opposiing team making boneheaded plays, it was his legit skill and hustle that generated it. I don't remember him cashing on a single breakaway, which he learned how to do in the off season.

 

[Flameshomer]

Lazar is a worse prospect than Byron was and demers is worse than hamonic, what is this thread. There's not a GM in the league that would have picked 22 year old Byron over 22 year old Lazar and every gm in the league would take hamonic over demers

Agreed! Sometimes I feel like this thread is a massive acid trip.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Agreed! Sometimes I feel like this thread is a massive acid trip.

Hindsight promotes some controversial opinions sometimes.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

Lazar is a worse prospect than Byron was and demers is worse than hamonic, what is this thread. There's not a GM in the league that would have picked 22 year old Byron over 22 year old Lazar and every gm in the league would take hamonic over demers

Not commenting on the first part, but it's as credible as credible gets that there was a bidding war on Hamonic, and that Demers was available and still hasn't moved. I think that is pretty telling.

 

[Flameshomer]

It's not that outlandish at all to suggest that there was more to like about Byron than about Lazar currently. You guys are a lot more optimistic about Lazar than I am. I like the fact that we took a chance on him, and I hope he breaks out this year, but when Byron was waived, there were all the signs there that he was going to break out offensively, and he was already one of the most effective penalty-killers in the entire league, both statistically and in terms of eye-test.

That can't be said with Lazar. He's not a guy with any particular outstanding attribute (Byron is one of the fastest players in the league). He's got to put all his tools together, and then maybe he can be an effective middle-sixer. But it's not like he's been putting up low point totals due to a ridiculous streak of bad luck.

There's a video where Lazar literally keeps pace with McDavid (known as an extremely fast skater), so that's not particularly fair to single out. No one is going to be as fast as someone who weighs 130 lbs soaking wet...

Also I think it's way easier to chalk Byron's goal explosion last season up to luck then to claim Curtis didn't have bad luck. The poor guy got mono just in time for the first half of a season. His stat line before last season was extremely reasonable for someone rushed into the league.

Curtis also has great size, is pretty good along the boards, and biggest of all IMO is his infectious attitude. The dude is always having fun and is known for his leadership qualities. None of these things show up on a stat sheet but I would say they can affect a game and a season, and are IMO "outstanding attributes".

 

[Anglesmith]

VMS, he did score at least one breakaway that season. I think against Ottawa.

There's a video where Lazar literally keeps pace with McDavid (known as an extremely fast skater), so that's not particularly fair to single out. No one is going to be as fast as someone who weighs 130 lbs soaking wet...

Also I think it's way easier to chalk Byron's goal explosion last season up to luck then to claim Curtis didn't have bad luck. The poor guy got mono just in time for the first half of a season. His stat line before last season was extremely reasonable for someone rushed into the league.

Curtis also has great size, is pretty good along the boards, and biggest of all IMO is his infectious attitude. The dude is always having fun and is known for his leadership qualities. None of these things show up on a stat sheet but I would say they can affect a game and a season, and are IMO "outstanding attributes".

That's completely fair, and one of the reasons it's hard not to really pull hard for Lazar is because of his positive attitude. Really hope things go well for him. And there are, as you point out, many reasons to hope he does break out this season. However, a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush, as they say. Byron had already shown the ability to be impactful in NHL games when he was waived. With Lazar, we're still waiting with fingers crossed. That's all I'm pointing out here.

 

[Sparky93]

Byron road a ridiculous 22.9 shooting percentage last year. It's highly unlikely that he'll ever match that again. Lazar put up 20, as a 20 year old. Lazar may never put up 40+ points but I doubt if Byron ever does again either. There's also a world of difference when discussing a 22 year old and a 28 year old

 

[Anglesmith]

Byron road a ridiculous 22.9 shooting percentage last year. It's highly unlikely that he'll ever match that again. Lazar put up 20, as a 20 year old. Lazar may never put up 40+ points but I doubt if Byron ever does again either. There's also a world of difference when discussing a 22 year old and a 28 year old

No one is discussing a 28-year-old. The discussion is around Byron when he was waived. Also, why would you expect a normal shooting percentage from someone who gets a way higher-than-average number of their shots on odd-man rushes and breakaways?

 

[Sparky93]

No one is discussing a 28-year-old. The discussion is around Byron when he was waived. Also, why would you expect a normal shooting percentage from someone who gets a way higher-than-average number of their shots on odd-man rushes and breakaways?

So, still 4 years older than Lazar at the time? I'm just saying there's a big difference between an elevated shooting percentage and second highest in the entire NHL. That combined with scoring 22, when you only have 28 goals, in the rest of your career....just seems like a bit of a Bouma-ish anomaly. And I liked Byron.

 

[Anglesmith]

So, still 4 years older than Lazar at the time? I'm just saying there's a big difference between an elevated shooting percentage and second highest in the entire NHL. That combined with scoring 22, when you only have 28 goals, in the rest of your career....just seems like a bit of a Bouma-ish anomaly. And I liked Byron.

It's not really comparable to Bouma, though, because Bouma wasn't generating an insane amount of breakaways and odd-man rushes. If he was, no one would have been calling what he did an anomaly. They'd be like "holy ****, this guy is really good at hockey and we need to sign him long-term." That was what was amazing about Bouma's 16-goal campaign. It wasn't like he was all over the ice or anything. He'd just be kinda there, and then a goal would be scored, and it would be Bouma. Byron was the opposite.

 

[The Gnome]

Can we not talk about Byron please. It's the recent event that should not be discussed. What a horrible move, the writing was on the wall for him to breakout. Still cannot believe we waived him

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I feel like Lazar is the next Iginla.

 

[Sparky93]

I feel like Lazar is the next Iginla.

I don't know about that but I think he's got a decent shot at ending up with Gaudreau and Monahan.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I feel like Lazar is the next Iginla.

I would be satisfied with the next Ferland TBQH.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

I would be satisfied with the next Ferland TBQH.

Yep. Same. Like 30 point level Ferland, not what some people are hoping/hyping.

 

[Flameshomer]

I don't know about that but I think he's got a decent shot at ending up with Gaudreau and Monahan.

If he pans out, this would be ideal. It would also give us another faceoff adept individual on the top line, and spread some talent down to Bennett.

Gaudreau-Monahan-Lazar
Tkachuk-Bennett-Versteeg
Ferland-Backlund-Frolik
Jankowski-Stajan-Brouwer

That's a pretty deep forward core, if everything goes as we like to fantasize hahah.

 

[InfinityIggy]

I feel like Lazar is the next Iginla.

But a better goalscorer.

 

[Butanic]

I just don't have the optimism some of you guys seem to have about Lazar. I love him as a person and while he does bring a lot of energy and attitude, I just can't see him ever being more than a bottom line forward, which we have plenty of already.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I just don't have the optimism some of you guys seem to have about Lazar. I love him as a person and while he does bring a lot of energy and attitude, I just can't see him ever being more than a bottom line forward, which we have plenty of already.

I think some of it is sarcasm, tbqh.

He's intriguing as a project, and hopefully could turn into a 20-20 guy IMO, who can be a big body presence. Worst case is he turns into a checker with some flashes of offense.