So, what's going on with McCarron..??

[KingTux]

Is it true that he (MM) was playing on the first line ?

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

http://www.lfpress.com/2014/10/15/m...-will-make-him-the-goal-scorer-everyone-wants

I said this in other threads last spring. I felt that he was too heavy at 237 or 240 or whatever it was, drawing a parallel with Ovechkin's performance at lighter vs heavier weights, and that he needed to get down to 220 or so. It says here that he has gotten down to 225, which I call progress.

 

[aresknights]

Is it true that he (MM) was playing on the first line ?

Yes. Domi, Welychka, McC.
He'll play big minutes all year and special teams.
Not nearly as much depth up front as last year.
Hes had the adjustment year ( wakeup year) and learned from it. The pace, his role, expectations, he's in shape...
Well get a much better look at what his potential moving forward is this year compared to last. No excuses ( unless injured)
Hes expected to lead, unlike last year. Self admittedly he was outta shape, unprepared and at times pouted. Things should be much better this year

 

[KingTux]

Yes. Domi, Welychka, McC.
He'll play big minutes all year and special teams.
Not nearly as much depth up front as last year.
Hes had the adjustment year ( wakeup year) and learned from it. The pace, his role, expectations, he's in shape...
Well get a much better look at what his potential moving forward is this year compared to last. No excuses ( unless injured)
Hes expected to lead, unlike last year. Self admittedly he was outta shape, unprepared and at times pouted. Things should be much better this year

Wow. These are amazing news. He will play a huge amount of minutes which is exactly what he needs. I can't wait to see what kind of season he will have !!!!!

 

[S Bah]

Wow. These are amazing news. He will play a huge amount of minutes which is exactly what he needs. I can't wait to see what kind of season he will have !!!!!

He came to Habs training camp and visibly had lost all the babyfat around his face so prominent the summer before, he looks like he's in the best shape of his young career. Knocking players over like a Ten Pin bowling ball or wrecking ball when playing in pre season games against opposition, a definite PWF in every form crashing the net is how he got injured.

 

[Monctonscout]

I said this in other threads last spring. I felt that he was too heavy at 237 or 240 or whatever it was, drawing a parallel with Ovechkin's performance at lighter vs heavier weights, and that he needed to get down to 220 or so. It says here that he has gotten down to 225, which I call progress.

Eventually he should be at 235-240lbs but that's cut and in great shape not with 15-20lbs of excess fat. Big players in today's NHL have to be in great shape to keep up with the pace of the game.

 

[Grant McCagg]

Yes. Domi, Welychka, McC.
He'll play big minutes all year and special teams.
Not nearly as much depth up front as last year.
Hes had the adjustment year ( wakeup year) and learned from it. The pace, his role, expectations, he's in shape...
Well get a much better look at what his potential moving forward is this year compared to last. No excuses ( unless injured)
Hes expected to lead, unlike last year. Self admittedly he was outta shape, unprepared and at times pouted. Things should be much better this year

You have a quote where he admits that he pouted? Haven't seen that one. Funny - he didn't seem that out of shape at Habs camp last year....must have eaten a pile of poutine and frequented the Chez those couple of weeks

 

[S Bah]

You have a quote where he admits that he pouted? Haven't seen that one. Funny - he didn't seem that out of shape at Habs camp last year....must have eaten a pile of poutine and frequented the Chez those couple of weeks

No matter now, he's definitely in great shape for the OHL this year. The way he played in the training camp pre-season games, has me pining for his clout in the Habs lineup already, future is so bright need welding glasses to avoid burning the eyes. With the addition of Tangradi as a center in Hamilton for now and Connor Crisp (LW) along with McCarron (RW) the Habs could put a line with those three out as the starting lineup in future games like tonight's when Lucic type threats are made against our players. That would seriously take any venomous threats out of the game quickly, as a line like them can produce offence as well as dominate physically, lots of good to look forward too IMHO.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Good start for him. Hope he can keep playing that way.

I'd like to see him hit about 1.2 PPG.

 

[Runner77]

http://www.lfpress.com/2014/10/15/m...-will-make-him-the-goal-scorer-everyone-wants

Tx for that. It was only one game but at least he's healthy:

McCarron is in the lineup three weeks after it was announced he would need four to six weeks to come back from the injury suffered when he was hit from behind in an exhibition game against the Boston Bruins.

Rest of the piece is fluff -- yeah, he's in better shape, knows the league better, etc., but he needs to prove he can put in a solid string of games and be the player he claims he can be. We're obviously all hoping he can deliver that.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Good start for him. Hope he can keep playing that way.

I'd like to see him hit about 1.2 PPG.

Exactly how much better/worse do you think his season would appear to an observer if he ended up with 1.1 or 1.3 instead? ...

Arbitrary ridiculousness is arbitrary. And ridiculous. He seems to be benefiting from being a bit more trim, and is starting to play the right way in the right places. Far more important than a PPG measurement.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Eventually he should be at 235-240lbs but that's cut and in great shape not with 15-20lbs of excess fat. Big players in today's NHL have to be in great shape to keep up with the pace of the game.

There are really two competing viewpoints on this. Personally, I would rather he play in the 220s than the 235-240, so mine is almost a polar opposite to yours. The game is emphasizing pace more than it has in a long time. It is a welcome sight to me, but it has implications for the bigger players as well.

 

[S Bah]

Tx for that. It was only one game but at least he's healthy:



Rest of the piece is fluff -- yeah, he's in better shape, knows the league better, etc., but he needs to prove he can put in a solid string of games and be the player he claims he can be. We're obviously all hoping he can deliver that.

I realize that tempering the expectations of fans and the pressure that great expectations can bring a prospect can be destructive, but at some point negative responses can bring about equally bad or destructive reactions. This is never more apparent than amongst our fans, sometimes the kid glove approach can be better. Especially when younger members can be easily swayed, by constantly downplaying the good done by our prospects, our fans sour on our players more fiercely than the opposition's players. Which is where our displays of hostility should be focused not against our brethren but on the opposition, whom are only too happy to run down our team's coaches, players and prospects. Positivity breeds positives and negativity breeds negatives, let's point our negativism at our opponents, where it will do the most good for our team, please and thank you fellow Hab fans!

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

There are really two competing viewpoints on this. Personally, I would rather he play in the 220s than the 235-240, so mine is almost a polar opposite to yours. The game is emphasizing pace more than it has in a long time. It is a welcome sight to me, but it has implications for the bigger players as well.

It's my observation that players are actually developing less and less of a taste for receiving body contact. As such, I actually expect big, physical players to start making more of a difference than ever before as top level athleticism starts coming in more of the bigger packages (the Seth Joneses ARE replacing the Hal Gills, for example). There's a push to replace the Dustin Penners with Johnny Gaudreaus right now, but I suspect there will be long term viability issues with the smaller guys, as there always has been (with the exceptions like St. Louis, Gerbe, etc, never amounting to enough to re-create the "rule"). Transition periods in long term game/athlete/rule development tend to temporarily blur lines of distinction when it comes to the "durability" thing, but for now I think the West is proving that "big and ugly" still wins the day to some extent.

More to your point, though, I agree that it's probably counter-productive for McCarron, specifically, to focus on building/maintaining mass as opposed to getting quicker.

 

[LastWordArmy]

Exactly how much better/worse do you think his season would appear to an observer if he ended up with 1.1 or 1.3 instead? ...

Arbitrary ridiculousness is arbitrary. And ridiculous. He seems to be benefiting from being a bit more trim, and is starting to play the right way in the right places. Far more important than a PPG measurement.

I picked 1.2 for a reason.

Since 1996 (and it may be further, but I didn't look).... if we look at all CHL players who went on to score over 30 goals or 60 points in the NHL... only 3 (Milan Lucic, James Neal, and Jeff Carter and Carter was 1.18).... scored less than 1.2 PPG in their 18/19 year old season in the CHL.

McCarron is in his 19/20 year old season... so one year older.... but I think being at that level would give a good indication there may be some untapped offensive potential and he could be a contributor to our offence.

Its a goal I'd like to see him hit. I'm not going to condemn him if he comes in at 1.1; But at the same time, I won't be encouraged if he comes in at 0.6. Its just a ballpark number to see if he's got some high end offence.

 

[BJCOLLINS]

I don't get why so many posters want McCarron to fail. It's been a weird undercurrent on the forum for over a year now.

I’ve been around these forms for awhile and one thing is obvious, this form has a has many fringe fans who want more of; francophone or euro, or smurf players….at times they seem to be the lunatic fringe? But man O man posters supporting a big U.S. kid or god forbid a big western league kid….that brings out the Dave Fischer and Matt Higgins comparisons??????

How about people support the prospects until they are no longer prospects.? OK I’m Not holding hands but….. Kumbaya……OUT.

 

[Monctonscout]

There are really two competing viewpoints on this. Personally, I would rather he play in the 220s than the 235-240, so mine is almost a polar opposite to yours. The game is emphasizing pace more than it has in a long time. It is a welcome sight to me, but it has implications for the bigger players as well.

I think for the game he needs to play, similar to Malone, Bickell etc but better foot speed, he would need to be at a weight where he can dominate physically, 6'6" 220lbs isn't a physically dominating weight/frame...at 230-235lbs you start having the weight/muscle to really be a force. He may get there with just normal growth. Not too many kids don't gain 10-15lbs of weight naturally from 18 to 20.

 

[Price is Wright]

I think for the game he needs to play, similar to Malone, Bickell etc but better foot speed, he would need to be at a weight where he can dominate physically, 6'6" 220lbs isn't a physically dominating weight/frame...at 230-235lbs you start having the weight/muscle to really be a force. He may get there with just normal growth. Not too many kids don't gain 10-15lbs of weight naturally from 18 to 20.

His ability to play at a top speed is first step. Adding muscle to that top speed play is the second step. He's what, 19? Give it time.

 

[417]

I picked 1.2 for a reason.

Since 1996 (and it may be further, but I didn't look).... if we look at all CHL players who went on to score over 30 goals or 60 points in the NHL... only 3 (Milan Lucic, James Neal, and Jeff Carter and Carter was 1.18).... scored less than 1.2 PPG in their 18/19 year old season in the CHL.

McCarron is in his 19/20 year old season... so one year older.... but I think being at that level would give a good indication there may be some untapped offensive potential and he could be a contributor to our offence.

Its a goal I'd like to see him hit. I'm not going to condemn him if he comes in at 1.1; But at the same time, I won't be encouraged if he comes in at 0.6. Its just a ballpark number to see if he's got some high end offence.

We had one player score over 30 goals and 60pts last year (and just barely)

I think you're placing the bar a tad too high if you're expecting McCarron to become that type of player, not that I think he won't.

But I think he's going to turn out to be a solid complimentary player in the NHL, his numbers are going to depend on who he plays with and his role.

 

[PricePkPatch*]

I love that he decided to kick himself in the butt after a bad year and reallu worked hard to get better

Thats character boys. Compare him and Thomas to a floater like Kristo or Vanek.

 

[aresknights]

You have a quote where he admits that he pouted? Haven't seen that one. Funny - he didn't seem that out of shape at Habs camp last year....must have eaten a pile of poutine and frequented the Chez those couple of weeks

I'll look for it later.
I'll admit to stopping by astons a couple times a few weeks back in QC on vaca Good stuff. Wouldn't blame him.
He was quoted as being out of shape in the local paper and was visibly gassed early in shifts last til mid season. Maybe adrenaline n attitude got him thru camp to an extent, I don't know.? Maybe he slacked off a bit once here. He also admitted to being surprised with the speed, pace, energy required to play at this level. Maybe he let the 2, 2+ weeks out with shoulder effect his conditioning, he was 18 n just signed, maybe he took his foot off the pedal for a bit.
As for pouting. It was no secret here that early in a third period in a game in Erie pre Christmas he voiced PT concern from bench. I won't get into the whole story here, but I will say from what I saw pre n post incident he owned it, got to work and left it behind having a better second half. I like that, shows a maturity. Also an issue with attending rookie skate/practice early in the year.

Having seen him play a lot the last year, I like his attitude n potential and hope he has a great year. I've defended , cheered pumped his tires as much as any1. And think he'll have a solid developmental year

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

I picked 1.2 for a reason.

Since 1996 (and it may be further, but I didn't look).... if we look at all CHL players who went on to score over 30 goals or 60 points in the NHL... only 3 (Milan Lucic, James Neal, and Jeff Carter and Carter was 1.18).... scored less than 1.2 PPG in their 18/19 year old season in the CHL.

Just wondering, have you given yourself a bit of perspective by noticing the number of 1.2 PPG CHL players over that same time frame that haven't even made the NHL, let alone become 30G/60Pt NHL players? I understand the breadcrumbs you're trying to follow here, but like I said earlier, it's arbitrary (especially since scoring levels are NEVER equal across CHL leagues in any given year, let alone year to year, making PPG thresholds even more meaninglessly arbitrary).

Don't think anyone would complain if he "only" became a Lucic/Neal/Carter, though.

 

[aresknights]

Good start for him. Hope he can keep playing that way.

I'd like to see him hi t about 1.2 PPG.

I could a 30-35G, 30-40A year if all
goes well.

 

[417]

I really couldn't care about the amount of points he's going to put up this year...as a long term project, I just hope he continues to develop and round out his game.

Production, isn't necessarily an indication of development.

 

[PricePkPatch*]

I really couldn't care about the amount of points he's going to put up this year...as a long term project, I just hope he continues to develop and round out his game.

Production, isn't necessarily an indication of development.

You are right. In BigMac's case, destruction is also an indicator