DON

You think he is Archambault-Fortier-Lefebvre-Masse-Dumont the 2nd and just another poor token french draft pick destined for the ECHL. He is washed up at 18! Just kiddin and hope he is one late pick who turns out an OK pro..

Who is an NHL Granlund equivalent? Alfredsson had 61points as a rookie and would seem to be similar? Coyle was almost at a 2point/game pace in QMJHL. Is the Q that much weaker than NCAA? Will he likely be a David Backes type player?

I highly doubt Armstrong will do much offensively and only had one 20 goal season and is .46 PPG guy for career and seems quite fragile, so if gets 40 points will be a bonus. But he can bring other grinder elements that could be of use on 3rd or 4th line.

Why lowball, i totally disagree?Price took $2.75 for 2 years, why would the exact same offer be a lowball, a #1 goalie is a bit more important than a d-man isnt he and Cary wasnt bitching about being underpaid?

In lookin at good Swedish players; all of Backstrom, Karlsson, Alfredsson, Forsberg, Sundin went straight from SEL to NHL and have fine to great rookie seasons and obviously good careers. So i cant even think of any Swede who came over early, played junior and then had good career, except Landeskogg. Even Magnus Paajarvi, who some are already calling a bust at 21 years old, had a nice 34 point rookie year on a crap team. So really for Collberg to develop his all-round game vs men in SEL for 1 more year is likely best and even before the draft he said he was already committed to play SEL and seemed to look forward to 1 more year in Home country and dont think CHL was ever even a consideration for him.

Not a flatterin comparison and no way he can be as soft, but will see. Not that means much (or anything), but just noted Oiler blogger had Gernat as 6th and Musil at 7th for prospects, so likely both have sort of opposite weaknesses. But i think the Oiler d is not as thin and weak as most portray and injuries on backend really sunk em last year.

I think Martin Gernat could be my sleeper (but i dont know the Finn at all) and i would rate him ahead of Musil for sure, who seems a solid slow-footed tough d-man. Gernat seems to have much more upside dont you think?

Likely valid that wingers can help for sure, but DD has a couple big ones and his numbers are also not the best (but i think he was improving towards end of year?) I think being a lot more aggressive around face-offs is what all the 3 centres maybe need to be? But just a guess.

Sorry, i am not quite sure what you mean?. But maybe he should of just signed with Flames, but trades happen and NY has every right to deal prospects and if he dont like it, always is the KHL/SEL he can go to.

Segain played 2 full years in OHL; but, however you cut it, Sarnia shouldnt be too worried. Has there ever even been a north american player to only play 1 year junior jump to NHL?

As Dudley says, Plan on Galchenyuk playing junior this year. Sseeing as he hasnt really played since last fall, has only 1 year in OHL, the Habs already have 13-14 forwards and are the defending 28th place team, there dosent seem much reason to rush him up to play 3rd line and 10 minutes/game.

I said i wouldnt consider that a fair deal, but Tomas for Stastny straight up, in a second! And again Stastny is more the "typical centre upgrade" example, that i see might be a super fit as #1 centre. If had Stastny at #1 and Plekanec at #2, would be even better, but would likely cost top defensemen + stuff instead.

I hear ya and like i say you are happy with sub-average face-offs %, which is fine and kind of understand. But, i disagree 100% and has zero to do with any anyalysts, for example; Tomas (whom i hate to pick on but). is even worse on special teams and drops to 47.1%, so too say a Toews (i know totally at other end of spectrum but) at 59% overall and actually ups to 60.0% on special teams, is an irrelevant stat seems a bit odd and dont buy it? Whom would you pick to take an important faceoff if only had these 2 to pick from? Because i see some faceoffs, even just 1 sometimes, can be that much more important and can mean diff between a win-loss, and those who win just that 1 extra every game, tend to be the elite leaders.

Plekanec is miles better than that Belarussian and Yemelin is as well over Schenn, so a bit different, but like i say it would cost for sure, but to secure a yound solid centre upgrade would do wonders i think and is needed till Galchenyuk develops, which will be a couple/few years? Just maybe need to consult Glen Sather on how to pull wool over another GMs eyes and trade expendables for quality.

Tomas would still be #30 of 44 centres in playoffs (if extrapolated reg season #s), So you think bottom 1/3 of league consistantly is OK for a centre group and are happy with that, what can i say, but that i disagree and see as a glalring weakness that needs to change. There is a reason Stastny/Bergeron/Malhotra/Toews etc are on for every important faceoff in a close game. For the Habs it dosent matter, they all suck (relatively) at it. It is costly to have to consistantly chase puck down the ice after most offensive PP faceoffs, and for Gorges and Price to stand on head stopping/blocking point shots after most PK faceoffs.

which i had heard at one time he was out of favour (maybe was just his father who was pissed??), Any upgrade trade wouldnt be painless and would cost, especially if trying to find a centre who is better than Tomas, who is very good all-round and is an "almost" All-Star every year and a perfect #2 centre (cept for faceoff liability).

I am only referrin to 18-22 year old prospects, not established players or GMs who can do whatever they want (within reason).

My biggest concern is at centre and i still say Plekanec and Desharnais cant be the top 2 centres and expect to contend. Some say face-offs arnt important; but , Plekanec-55th, Desharnais-53rd and Eller-71st out of 81 centres on F.O %, is a glaring weakness that needs to be addressed sometime, maybe Desharnais and Eller can improve, as they are just starting out bvut Plekanec has consistantly sucked for years with zero improvment (too small, weak maybe??). One reason i see a Paul Stastny would be a good trade for Plekanec. Which i am sure still wouldnt be a popular proposition, but really need an upgrade for first line centre sometime. Stastny-Cole-Pacioretty would look pretty good.

Nothing at all against the other russian and scouts all rated him very high, just says something for Markarov to be trusted in Gold Medal game and totally skipped in draft?

Well it sure aint the sign of a young kid who is just happy to make it to the pros is it? And most who seem to refuse, in any pro league are highly rated prospects, Mario/LIndros/Shultz/Eli Manning etc etc, so i totally agree it is a possible sign of a swelled head and/or agent who says "you can do better, dont sign with that crap franchise!" How can you not see it as anything but a negative and "possible" character flaw/bad attitude?

Not sure major generalization or not; but major assumptions and hunch for sure; I think having many NCAA kids drafted/in the system and on the Habs as well as LL being old teammate, MacMillan/Bennett/Didier/Sullivan/Vail will likely be in Hamilton in 2-4 years also and Stejskal/Pateryn/Nash/Quailer/Geoffrion/Palushaj will be there when he likely suits up in May playoffs; all are pluses to get the kid signed i think. Kristo has even said he followed and was big fan of NCAA hockey growing up and not the NHL as much, so i really do think having all the american/NCAA connections may be more important for this kid in particular (get Pacioretty/Cole/Gionta to twist his arm if need be).

Sure, but almost every goalie is a crap shoot (lots of Raycroft 1 hit wonders have come and gone) and most are long term projects, so being passed over 1 year shouldnt be that big a deal i wouldnt think? And Makarov stood on head at world juniors when he played in games that meant anything, 57saves in 1-0 loss in gold medal game, i thought would make him a lock to be drafted (especially when the guy he replaced went in 1st round) He also had decent #s on a Blade team while icing barely 4 d-men, who were all playing almost 30 minutes/game at end of season due to injuries. No big deal, just strikes me as odd is all, and maybe technically he sucks/ is not athletic enough/ or is just not a motivated kid?

Just wondering why Dietz/Thrower's Blades goalie, Makarov, went undrafted, when he was rated 3rd rounder or so? And i just noticed he is again on Russian Junior Team. Why wouldnt he have been invited to Habs summer camp on a try-out? It aint like Habs are flush between the pipes. Is "Russian Factor" perhaps why Makarov went undrafted?

Of course there is hope Kristo will be in Hamilton next fall and he also would likely have good trade value, as he is likely about the 20-25th ranked NCAA player, can really skate, defensively smart and has some offense. Habs have till near end of next summer to sign him and he seems to have made no indication yet that he would jump ship. And with Pacioretty/Leblanc and several other americans on the Habs roster, as well as teammate and special team linemate Mark MacMillan being a Hab draft pick, i would say a better chance he signs than not. Maybe even he will suit up for AHL playoffs?

Before July 1st, i thought a top 6 was biggest hole and Bergevin's move on the more conservbative grit end i didnt see coming. But i like it and also see adding one of top puck-movers on the back-end, in Markov, as possibly adding the offense and PP fix needed to move the Habs from middle of pack in scoring to maybe top 1/3? Again, i would also point to the improved health of 1/2 dozen players coming into camp as also being a bonus and can only help to avoid the start that happened last Oct. As well as Yemelin/Diaz/Subban/Desharnais/Eller all being more experianced/comfortable/confident (however you want to put it). So a weakness on the left side amy be a small issue, but overall team is fairly solid.