DON

With all the success of USA hockey, seems a very smart move. Why do Habs not seem to have good luck in Scandinavia? lack of scouts there? Who was last top 9 Swede for Habs? It wasnt Naslund was it? Although it seems that long, i may be missing/forgetting 1, but if look at this draft there must be a couple dozen Nordic kids. Or is it just random luck to be missing out due to low number of actual picks the Habs have had? (e.g. no trading of any upcoming expendable UFAs for picks at deadline?)

Couple cheap shots, no big deal, refs should of tossed both cross checks to neck with major penalties, but seem to have no gumption to do. They are learning well from Bettman's NHL referee puppets. Not sure who St.John is, you must mean St. John's Newfoundland or Saint John N.B.? (can ignore smart ass remark, but it was an Atlantic team who won) I think Hurberdeau and Semin might be a good match and funny to see duke it out. Ellis and Beaulieu both need AHL time, but how developed they will be come fall of 2013 is hard to guess. Ellis is looking like a very good 4th round pick for sure. I think Subban and Beaulieu are very comparable and both will be All-Stars down the road. i think every Habs d-prospect has a better shot than Subban. Who must scare the shit out of all Hab forwards standing anywhere near the net, seeing eye-high slap shots coming in from point. But whichever way you cut it, the depth on defense is a bonus (but came at expense of depth up front); but, like they say, can never have too many good d-men and Price must be encouraged to see them coming.

I know Nygren may be swedish version of Marc Andre Bergeron, but Mike Green sucks as a d-man also and gets bye, as did Ray Bourque (most overated d-men ever, great 4th forward as Green is, but no Larry Robinson or Rob Blake or a leader that is for darn sure) I kind of thought that Subban swap was kind of a joke (to me anyways, no offense) and all i would say is Subban is not 100% untradeable but friggin close and it would take the #1 pick + stuff to pry him away from me, or some other sweet deal, e.g. Nash maybe.

Who knows how Nygren pans out? He supposedly has a wicked shot, as does Weber/Diaz (and Subban's is just scary wild, he needs to cut out the John Daly wind-up, useless and just for showboating) Ellis/Pateryn/Dietz are all defensive d-men and i wouldnt expect big offensive #s from any of them to speak of. Didier is way too far from NHL to tell much yet? With Murray and Subban (he aint going anywhere) paired up once Markov is no longer top pair with Yemelin, Or we may luck out and Timmins is high on Dumba and takes him, so you will get your 2 top RH shots (which i still see as sort of irrelevant)

But will have Dietz/Sullivan/Pateryn/Didier/Ellis/Nygren, in a few years to shoot right; but i still think not a big deal and is just a minor consideration.

That elite d-man will be Ryan Murray (once Yakupov and Galchenyuk go 1-2) And i think the RH vs LH shot is not a big deal at all for guys who can handle the puck well, for ones like Spacek, Gill, Gorges or Yemelin it is harder for them. But for top skilled d-men there are as many pros as cons playing the off wing, same as LH-RH wingers playing their off-wing.

Ellis play seems to be similar to Gorges and Price will love having he, Pateryn and Tinordi in front of him in a couple years. Does Bournival's play seem similar to Leblanc's? Not quite as skilled, but better skater, both seem to use wrist shot very well.

You think the Habs needs to bend over backwards for a 130th-150th ranked prospect, just becasue he is french? I would bet that there are many higher ranked, english/european prospects that are in exact same boat and havent heard one word from many NHL clubs.

I see the same play as i did in world juniors and in several other games throughout the year. But if i remember correctly, Subban played the exact same way in junior and would go end to end and turnover puck, a la Gomez, once in offensive zone. But couple years later and Subban has bought in to team play and is the #1 d-man; while his dumb penalties/turnovers still happen, they are at a much lower rate. Maybe Randy Ladouceur can be named Hamilton head coach and straighten Beaulieu out this season, as he did with subban?

Subban is the MVP of skaters, but Price is only one i cant see trading. What if Columbus offers up Nash for Subban as a main deal (with all the normal extra picks/players/prospects tossed in), would you not consider it? As valuable as Subban is, Nash would instantly upgrade team's weakest aspect, offense. Dont think you hear Plekanec complaining; 2 birds with 1 stone; a All-Star power forward on LW and not have to fight Subban in practice anymore. But,have no fear, i highly doubt Bergevin has trading Subban at top of to do list.

What is name of kid?

If Bergevin wants to put his stamp on team, anything is possible, but i would make it cost an All-Star top 6 forward plus stuff at least before ever offering Subban.

Ryan Murray will be chosen at #3 and he is ready for NHL, but too young for AHL, so as soon as he is drafted, Bergevin will likely have to make room on roster at #6 d-spot for the kid. Which may only ential Weber and Diaz being dealt and maybe Beaulieu tossed in as well, in a Plekanec package deal for a top centre?

Sure, i know splitting hairs a bit, but got to question list just to be a bit arguementative and it is super you guys are breaking down prospects, profiles are well done.

Good profile Why so low with this guy (and Sutter?), wouldnt he be a bit better choice than ones such as; Pearson, Zharkov, Nieves? Basically point/game, average size, your profile and physically active point to a good all-round player? Or are you thinking he is like Luke Sutter and has little offensive upside, even though both had 100+ PIMs and bout 30 goal seasons? You might compare them to Ryan White?

Alain is not a paid scout is he, but he is entitled to his own (seemingly) uneducated opinion? Which french player did he say was a caparable to MacMilan and available at 113th 4th round 2010 whom Timmins missed? Just some fictious imaginary guy eh? Only 3 QMJHL players were selected in 4th round 2010 and Habs drafted 1 of those (Morgan Ellis), i know he isnt from Quebec so dosent count in RDS way of thinking, but got to admit he was another fine 4th round pick? MacMilan is now average sized forward, who just finished freshman year in NCAA and was 2nd line player who is a good skater, played on PK and PP and was much better towards end of year, so Timmins may have found another draft steal. He will play at least 2 more years in NCAA and possibly even 3? MacMilan, like Tinordi is not heavily built, and about same bodytype as Pronger, who is 6'6" and listed as 220lb or so

Tinrodi says he is now 220, but he still looks very slim. I doubt he will ever be that 240+ unless he works out with Rodger Clemens.

45th eh, i wouldnt worry too much about concussion and with his drop, like u say could be a nice steal in 2nd round. Semantics is all it is.

Havlat eh? His M O seems just to be too Russianish ?

Another good profile sir. Pokka seemed very mature and i initially thought he was older and already drafted when saw him play at world juniors, just so many solid looking d-men in draft.

You are making a big assumption about pick being a forward (chances are you are correct but?), especially with many top ranked players being d-men. As Timmins says, he is looking for "Best Asset" at #3.

I still see a clone of Subban in Beaulieu, with all the pros as well as cons when he played with Bulls. He has a long way to go to improve his defense, has taken Subban a couple years and it will for Beaulieu as well, but the kid can really skate, has nice shot and does not lack confidence that is for sure. 1 full year in AHL at least should do wonders for him. Ellis is almost opposite of Beaulieu and super defensively but will never be a big offensive d-man, better than Gorges but no Subban. Once he bulks up a bit more he should be a soild d-man come 2013-14 and is likely just behind Pateryn in depth chart, who already is NHL size and also a good shot-blocker as well. Not sure how Bournival's game will translate to pros? May be a dandy 3rd line centre down the road? Seems most have jumped on Tinordi band wagon and with good reason. If he was used on the PP the team would give up fewer goals,haha. If he can pack on 5 or 10 lbs he likely wont be in AHL very long before 1st call up, but you can see Charlie Coyle is almost a match for him, as Coyle is NHL size and Tinordi does need to add more strength for sure, as he wont be playing vs any 16 year old kids in AHL and would have his hands full with Stall's, Malkin's and Perry's of the league (but most NHL d-men have trouble with these guys also).

And was at that point ol Serge Savard and many others got quite upset? I remember the 2003 one where McGuire was ranting (i know, that goes without saying) about how skilled Kostitsyn was and if not for siezures he would of been top 5 for sure, but dont remember 2005 draft at all.

I agree, just dont thnk Shawinigan can compete with the other 3 teams, hope so, but will see in a couple hours how they fare vs Edmonton's big skilled d-core, Curtis Lazar is one super young player to keep eye on.

I think the refusal to deal away any UFAs at any deadline year after year, only to watch Souray/Kovalev/Strait/Koivu/Pouliot/ etc all walk for nothing on July 1st, along with nickle and diming the draft picks to add role players, like Sopel/Mara/Moore, has been killer.