Prospect Info: The Big Mac Thread - Part 2 - Extra Bacon Edition

[Jazzped]

 

[PricePkPatch*]

I love on the 2nd goal, the entire team is like..

"Hey Mack! Aren't you supposed to be somewhere else?"
"Oh ****! Sorry, getting in front of the net"
"thanks!"
*score*


His goal is 100% strong legwork. If the man can work on his explosion to be par, and keep his top-speed above par, he'll be a menace on the transition play. Make so much damn space...

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

It's way too early to be projecting him as a #2 C in the NHL. He would need to produce significant numbers in the AHL first before I would feel confident projecting that.

It sure looks like he has the tools to be a quality #3 C though, he's been shutting down 1st round caliber talent during this run:

Mitch Brown @MitchLBrown · 1h 1 hour ago
One of the best things about Michael McCarron's turnaround is that he's pretty much annihilating his match ups (the opposing first line).

Mitch Brown @MitchLBrown · 59m 59 minutes ago
Travis Konecny, Jared McCann, Robby Fabbri among the centres he's been matched up against & has thrived. Played well against McDavid, too.

Mitch Brown @MitchLBrown · 54m 54 minutes ago
Against Travis Konecny, Jared McCann, and Robby Fabbri (3GP), Michael McCarron has a collective 10P. Those three have a combined 1P.

Some McCarron quotes:

http://www.lfpress.com/2014/10/31/soo-find-the-right-mix

McCarron looks like the player the Knights thought they would get last year and that the Montreal Canadiens believed they were getting when they drafted him in the first round. He’s more confident, quicker and tough to handle.

“Speed and conditioning, everyone would say that,” McCarron said when asked about his improvement. “I look faster. I could play a full 60 minutes this year rather than last year when I would play 10 minutes and I was gassed.

“I knew what I had to do in the off season and I did it and came back in good shape. I lost a little bit of baby fat and came back a little bit stronger.”

Knights’ assistant coach Dylan Hunter said it took a while for McCarron to figure out the league and what he had to do in order to be successful.

“You have to work on everything day-in and day out,” Hunter said. “I think this summer he took it personal and got in great shape. We had a day off and he came in and worked out. Kudos to who he had as trainers in Montreal but kudos to him the most.”

 

[Born in 1909]

Wow!!

Made my morning.

Habs will be Cup contenders for many years.

 

[S Bah]

Wow!!

Made my morning.

Habs will be Cup contenders for many years.

There's something strange in the neighborhood, Who you gonna Call MacBusters!

 

[Hannibal]

He's impressive.

Still believe that he will be at RW in NHL, though...!

 

[Born in 1909]

All assists tonight were primary as well. No DD specials. He's obviously helped by playing with Domi, but still what a night. 16 points now. Only 22 behind McDavid.

McDavid will be a great prize in June for one of the (w)awful teams.

http://www.ontariohockeyleague.com/stats/show/type/top_scorers/ls_season/51

 

[Born in 1909]

There's something strange in the neighborhood, Who you gonna Call MacBusters!

Tampa Bay... with Stamkos, Hedman, Drouin and Bishop are going to be the Habs main threat for our upcoming Cup window.

 

[Brainiac]

You guys are wetting your pants way too early. McCarron is a big guy, almost 20 years old, playing against kids. Of course he's going to dominate.

I may be a little bit of a Debbie Downer here, but there's nothing here that justifies projecting him as a #2C in the NHL.

Look back at the stats some big guys, 3rd and 4th line grinders had in juniors as 20 yo.

 

[bouquet]

a team with him and Tinordi

 

[Mike Mike Caron]

He looks fast and agile out there, pretty good stuff.

 

[Scuba-Steve]

You can clearly see the puck bounce off from him on that 6th goal. Should have been 2G and 4A...

 

[Bullsmith]

It's a small sample size, but it sure is a relief to see him dominating in Junior after how last season went for him. That plus the clear impact he made at Habs camp have me really excited to see this kid make the big leagues. Regardless of what role he ends up in, I can see him being a big part of his team. He could be a bottom line guy, but hopefully a 10-15 minute guy you can use in key situations. That frame is made for the NHL.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Hence why it's "Extra" bacon

You can't have extra of something that doesn't exist. It would be "add bacon"

 

[PricePkPatch*]

You can't have extra of something that doesn't exist. It would be "add bacon"

Or... can you?

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

I know the Habs seam to still project him more as a winger at this point but you really have to admit that he's consistently played his best hockey as a C. That does change the makeup of the prospect pool somewhat, with Ghetto seemingly getting converted to the C position and the whole Chucky situation as well. You can never have too much depth mind you, talent will always find a place if you have enough of it.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I know the Habs seam to still project him more as a winger at this point but you really have to admit that he's consistently played his best hockey as a C. That does change the makeup of the prospect pool somewhat, with Ghetto seemingly getting converted to the C position and the whole Chucky situation as well. You can never have too much depth mind you, talent will always find a place if you have enough of it.

I see all 3 of Andrighetto, Big Mac and DLR as wingers at the NHL level. DLR is the only one I can see that can play the Eller 3rd line role. So I can see DLR getting center duties but would prefer him at the wing.

I think with our 1st and 2nd round picks this draft we need to try to get a 2nd line center potential player and a two-way RHD.

 

[KingTux]

Seriously what the hell is going on.. he as 16 POINTS IN 7 GAMES. He pretty much already have 50% of his whole offensive production of last season.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

I know the Habs seam to still project him more as a winger at this point but you really have to admit that he's consistently played his best hockey as a C. That does change the makeup of the prospect pool somewhat, with Ghetto seemingly getting converted to the C position and the whole Chucky situation as well. You can never have too much depth mind you, talent will always find a place if you have enough of it.

It would be an outrageous development to get a Getzlaf out of this guy, so late in the first round, and in addition to the other fine players scooped up in the second round. Actually a Getzlaf-plus, if we go by the measuring tape, which the HF community loves to do.

 

[KingTux]

You guys are wetting your pants way too early. McCarron is a big guy, almost 20 years old, playing against kids. Of course he's going to dominate.

I may be a little bit of a Debbie Downer here, but there's nothing here that justifies projecting him as a #2C in the NHL.

Look back at the stats some big guys, 3rd and 4th line grinders had in juniors as 20 yo.

Not saying that you are wrong, but this a huge upgrade from last year. I still see him as a top 9 forwards, but its very interesting to see that he can produce while playing with elite talent. Some people cant, well he does.

 

[GREMLIN]

I wouldnt be surprised if he was a center in the pros, his skillset screams centerman.

Tampa Bay... with Stamkos, Hedman, Drouin and Bishop are going to be the Habs main threat for our upcoming Cup window.

Kucherov and Johnson are nightmares too. I see a hell of a rivalry shaping up between us and them in the next decade.

 

[Guilliam]

The Habs are weird sometimes. For them, McCarron is a winger and Jodoin even made Naatinen a winger when he coached in Hamilton. They're willing to try Eller and Chucky on the wing but not DD.

And they want to convert Andrighetto and Hudon into centres.

What do they have against size in the middle?

 

[Skip Bayless]

The Habs are weird sometimes. For them, McCarron is a winger and Jodoin even made Naatinen a winger when he coached in Hamilton. They're willing to try Eller and Chucky on the wing but not DD.

And they want to convert Andrighetto and Hudon into centres.

What do they have against size in the middle?

They like big guys along the boards

 

[Habnot]

You guys are wetting your pants way too early. McCarron is a big guy, almost 20 years old, playing against kids. Of course he's going to dominate.

I may be a little bit of a Debbie Downer here, but there's nothing here that justifies projecting him as a #2C in the NHL.

Look back at the stats some big guys, 3rd and 4th line grinders had in juniors as 20 yo.

You are entitled to your opinion, but don't lie about age to make your point. He's a 19 year old, just like all the 1995's drafted in 2013.

Go back and do some research - most of the 1st round were either late 94's or born in the first 4 months of 95. It's like that almost every year. McKinnon and Barkov were the exceptions, but they were exceptional talents.

 

[S Bah]

Not all of our fans watched the pre-season escapades, when McCarron was set loose, there is more than enough evidence from his play then, too expect great things in his very near NHL future, IMHO.