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2013-14 General Bulldogs Thread


dlbalr

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With the season about to start, let's get the general season thread going for any news and notes that come up during the season.

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Some injury news, Steve Quailer has been activated off the Habs' SOIR and has been sent to Hamilton.

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A Bulldogs rumour (these don't happen often), SHL club HV71 is apparently interested in luring Joonas Nattinen away from Hamilton. The article suggests they want him this season.

Here's the Swedish link, perhaps our resident Swede (Dalhabs) can have a look, just to make sure the online translation didn't take something out of context: http://bloggar.expressen.se/mrmadhawk/2013/10/16/hv-vill-ha-mer-finskt/

If true and the Habs are willing, there are two ways this could happen:

1) Put him on unconditional ($125) waivers, release him if he clears. There's no cap effect and he'd no longer count against the 50 contract limit.

2) Loan him to HV71. Again, no cap effect but he would count against the 50. However, the Habs would retain his rights and could still give him a QO in the summer if they want to hold on to him through his RFA years.

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Why would we want to lend him away? What advantage do we get coming back? Seems to me he needs to stay and learn the NA game. I don't get it at all.

If they've given up on him as a prospect, it would be a way to get out of his contract and open up a spot. If they do like him, perhaps they do so to get him more playing time. Lefebvre didn't like him even when he was playing well and was healthy last year (one of my many, many concerns with his coaching last season); the fact he's slotted behind numerous players on minor league deals and tryouts suggests he isn't going to get much of a chance this time around. Would it then be better to send him somewhere where he'll play more? Personally, I like Nattinen and would like to see him get real playing time as I think there's still a bit of upside - perhaps not as a future NHL'er but as a useful AHL'er.

These things don't happen often but HV71 seems to be a team willing to take on AHL'ers. Both scenarios I mentioned in my previous post have already happened with this team this year. They got Toni Rajala (who Edmonton ran through $125 waivers and released) and former 1st rounder Kyle Beach (who is on loan from Chicago).

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If they send him out it is just a dump and have no intentions of bringing him back. He may get more experience in Europe, but that would benefit him and the next team to sign him. It probably would have nothing to do with the Habs unless they changed coaching staffs in Hamilton for example using your suggestion that the present staff doesn't appreciate him.

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A nice big young centre that I thought could be a possible 4th line centre for Habs. Would be nice to see his rights retained, same as Engqvist, who I also thought might fill same role well?

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A nice big young centre that I thought could be a possible 4th line centre for Habs. Would be nice to see his rights retained, same as Engqvist, who I also thought might fill same role well?

Agreed. I liked both. I just don't see any upside of sending them out. Given that they are currently not at top of food chain, I doubt if you ever see them again in the context of the Canadiens, if the former ends up in Europe like the latter.
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If they send him out it is just a dump and have no intentions of bringing him back. He may get more experience in Europe, but that would benefit him and the next team to sign him. It probably would have nothing to do with the Habs unless they changed coaching staffs in Hamilton for example using your suggestion that the present staff doesn't appreciate him.

There are teams who loan players out for non-dump reasons, look at Kyle Beach. Chicago re-signed him in the summer, clearly they wouldn't have if they intended to dump him a month or two later. Joel Vermin signed with Tampa Bay and got loaned right away. I'm pretty sure there are a couple of others on loan but their names escape me at the moment. Yes, some players (particularly under the old CBA) were essentially dumped out there but that was for cap reasons. A loan of Nattinen wouldn't mean they're dumping him. Heck, if they planned to do that, they'd run him through $125 waivers and release him. If they loan him, they intend to keep his rights.

As for not having anything to do with the Habs, don't forget that the Canadiens would have to sign off on this, he can't just bolt on his own (if he wants to do, this is still just a rumour).

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As for not having anything to do with the Habs, don't forget that the Canadiens would have to sign off on this, he can't just bolt on his own (if he wants to do, this is still just a rumour).

From the sounds of this report, it would appear that it was the Swedes driving the boat. Yes it is just a rumour. Quite frankly, and you have made the case of the possibities, I don't see the point of the Canadiens consenting unless it is for a dump. The examples you use I believe are North Americans that may or maynot need European experience. In our case, both Enqvist and Nattinen should be equiped to play the European game, and would be better served to stay in NA if they had ambitions to play here in the future. So again I ask "What is in it for the Candiens?
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From the sounds of this report, it would appear that it was the Swedes driving the boat. Yes it is just a rumour. Quite frankly, and you have made the case of the possibities, I don't see the point of the Canadiens consenting unless it is for a dump. The examples you use I believe are North Americans that may or maynot need European experience. In our case, both Enqvist and Nattinen should be equiped to play the European game, and would be better served to stay in NA if they had ambitions to play here in the future. So again I ask "What is in it for the Candiens?

More playing time for Nattinen which at this point is more beneficial for his development, even if it's on European ice (under a loan scenario) or get out of the contract a year early ($125 waivers), freeing up a contract spot.

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How is Akim Aliu looking? I noticed he has a goal.

He's a bottom six player; he hasn't done too much good or bad aside from that one goal (a GTG). He might move to the 2nd line now with Blunden and Holland gone but I wouldn't expect a whole lot from him.

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Almost seems Leblanc is like Pacioretty several years ago and having a hot stretch in Hamilton, after a bit of media story around being demoted & being written off as a 1st round bust by some? Or maybe Leblanc has just had a good 3 game stretch?

And with Holland & Beaulieu being demoted I am guessing Leblanc may get call-up? He does have over 1/2 season NHL experience so may be best option at the moment?

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Or maybe Leblanc has finished pouting and is going to do something about it - and try to really prove himself. Perhaps realizing that with every passing day there's one less chance to make The Show and fulfill his dream.

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Or maybe Leblanc has finished pouting and is going to do something about it - and try to really prove himself. Perhaps realizing that with every passing day there's one less chance to make The Show and fulfill his dream.

Like i noted earlier, exactly like Pacioretty stating to media that he should be in NHL and not AHL and he didnt agree with demotion.

Call it pouting or being pissed off, but i hope LL does well.

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