Commandant Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Its that time of year (two guys have already signed with the Rangers and Islanders), here's a look at 40 College free agents to watch... in four parts. Part 1 is headlined by Greg Carey and Austin Czarnik as we go through the list alphabetically. http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/03/13/college-free-agents-class-2014-part-1/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Would love to pick up Chelios' kid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Would love to pick up Chelios' kid. The Habs have scouted him according to an interview with Chris a while back. Only having one open contract spot may come into play, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted March 14, 2014 Author Share Posted March 14, 2014 Part Two. Highlights include Haggerty (Rangers), Krushelnyski, Folin and McCarthy http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/03/14/college-free-agents-class-2014-part-2/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 The Habs have scouted him according to an interview with Chris a while back. Only having one open contract spot may come into play, though. My money is on same as last year----- NADA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 My money is on same as last year----- NADA I don't know, Condon's looking like a decent acquisition. He was signed as a college UFA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I don't know, Condon's looking like a decent acquisition. He was signed as a college UFA. I don't know either, but if i am going to put any stock in signing UFA's out of college i would like to see something a little higher on the food chain especially after a year--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I don't know either, but if i am going to put any stock in signing UFA's out of college i would like to see something a little higher on the food chain especially after a year--- I'm just saying that the Habs didn't do nothing on last year's UFA market (even Matt Grassi with Hamilton last year and Wheeling this year was a college UFA). Interestingly enough, the one most of us wanted last year - Antoine Laganiere - is having a terrible season in the minors. In terms of the food chain, most of them only make it to the AHL level anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I'm just saying that the Habs didn't do nothing on last year's UFA market (even Matt Grassi with Hamilton last year and Wheeling this year was a college UFA). Interestingly enough, the one most of us wanted last year - Antoine Laganiere - is having a terrible season in the minors. In terms of the food chain, most of them only make it to the AHL level anyway. I am thinking DeKeyser type. Let me rephrase, given that the bulldogs will not make the playoffs again, signing top college free agents becomes problematic. If you can't compete for the few top free agents, all you are getting is roster fillers. Note that all these guys have already been passed over by multiple drafts and for whatever reason have come to light .Call me crazy but i prefer players that at least have an outside chance of making the NHL someday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted March 15, 2014 Author Share Posted March 15, 2014 Would you like any of the following players on your team? Andy MacDonald, Chris Kunitz, Matt Read, Dustin Penner, Tyler Bozak, Torey Krug, Danny DeKeyser, Cam Talbot, Ben Scrivens, Joel Ward, J.T. Brown, Jason Garrison All were college FAs in recent years. As for Part 3, its headlined by Kenney Morrison http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/03/15/college-free-agents-class-2014-part-3/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 Would you like any of the following players on your team? Andy MacDonald, Chris Kunitz, Matt Read, Dustin Penner, Tyler Bozak, Torey Krug, Danny DeKeyser, Cam Talbot, Ben Scrivens, Joel Ward, J.T. Brown, Jason Garrison All were college FAs in recent years. As for Part 3, its headlined by Kenney Morrison http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/03/15/college-free-agents-class-2014-part-3/ Yeah-- Thats what i am talking about.--- Do you think Grassi and Condon are even close? What's the chances of Hamilton signing a top free agent? if you were a free agent wouldn't you try to go to an organization that hadn't missed the playoffs, again? Do we have any need to sign anyone this year? No. Wait till after the draft and sign either an overager or somebody that was missed. Sorry guys, if we don't get somebody right off the top , i don't see any upside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted March 15, 2014 Share Posted March 15, 2014 I am thinking DeKeyser type. Let me rephrase, given that the bulldogs will not make the playoffs again, signing top college free agents becomes problematic. If you can't compete for the few top free agents, all you are getting is roster fillers. Note that all these guys have already been passed over by multiple drafts and for whatever reason have come to light .Call me crazy but i prefer players that at least have an outside chance of making the NHL someday. So do I. That doesn't mean that if they're not signed by the end of March, they have no NHL upside. As for wanting to play in the AHL playoffs, that's not really a consideration for the top guys. Their preference is to start their ELC first and foremost and if they sign an ELC starting this year, they can't go down. Some of the ones that have signed so far have gone to NYI (Czuczman) and NYR (Haggerty). Both of their farm teams are out of it like Hamilton but it doesn't matter since they're current year ELC's. That's the priority, not the status of the farm team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 So do I. That doesn't mean that if they're not signed by the end of March, they have no NHL upside. As for wanting to play in the AHL playoffs, that's not really a consideration for the top guys. Their preference is to start their ELC first and foremost and if they sign an ELC starting this year, they can't go down. Some of the ones that have signed so far have gone to NYI (Czuczman) and NYR (Haggerty). Both of their farm teams are out of it like Hamilton but it doesn't matter since they're current year ELC's. That's the priority, not the status of the farm team. Just jog my memory will you? When was the last time we signed anybody of any consequence in this window? Seems to me that was a goalie out of Brown? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Just jog my memory will you? When was the last time we signed anybody of any consequence in this window? Seems to me that was a goalie out of Brown? Yann Danis is who you're thinking of. Brock Trotter was an NCAA FA, so too was Brendon Nash and both of them got into a few games with Montreal. The success rate on college FA's becoming NHL'ers is low, if you get one in a five year span, you're doing quite well. If you don't get an NHL'er but get one or two quality AHL'ers (which is where Montreal falls), you're also doing pretty good. Couple that with the fact more teams are taking flyers on NCAA-bound players in late rounds due to the extra time to sign them (4-5 years instead of 2) and the quality of the FA pool out of college is declining. Everyone wants an impact player but there usually aren't many (or any) and this year looks weaker than average. If they sign someone, it's highly likely that they'll be a piece for the farm over an NHL'er. It's still worthwhile though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Yann Danis is who you're thinking of. Brock Trotter was an NCAA FA, so too was Brendon Nash and both of them got into a few games with Montreal. The success rate on college FA's becoming NHL'ers is low, if you get one in a five year span, you're doing quite well. If you don't get an NHL'er but get one or two quality AHL'ers (which is where Montreal falls), you're also doing pretty good. Couple that with the fact more teams are taking flyers on NCAA-bound players in late rounds due to the extra time to sign them (4-5 years instead of 2) and the quality of the FA pool out of college is declining. Everyone wants an impact player but there usually aren't many (or any) and this year looks weaker than average. If they sign someone, it's highly likely that they'll be a piece for the farm over an NHL'er. It's still worthwhile though. Seems to me for the most part it is at best AHL fodder. I guess if you can supplement your AHL roster with veterans (college experience) without using up your veteran quota it makes sense. As you pointed out impact players are few and far between. I am not warm and fuzzy about what we have done recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted March 16, 2014 Share Posted March 16, 2014 Yann Danis is who you're thinking of. Brock Trotter was an NCAA FA, so too was Brendon Nash and both of them got into a few games with Montreal. The success rate on college FA's becoming NHL'ers is low, if you get one in a five year span, you're doing quite well. If you don't get an NHL'er but get one or two quality AHL'ers (which is where Montreal falls), you're also doing pretty good. Couple that with the fact more teams are taking flyers on NCAA-bound players in late rounds due to the extra time to sign them (4-5 years instead of 2) and the quality of the FA pool out of college is declining. Everyone wants an impact player but there usually aren't many (or any) and this year looks weaker than average. If they sign someone, it's highly likely that they'll be a piece for the farm over an NHL'er. It's still worthwhile though. Of course with him he just got destroyed by that injury. He was looking like he could possibly make it before that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted March 17, 2014 Author Share Posted March 17, 2014 The College Free Agent Class of 2014, Final Part. Two names to highlight in part 4 are Trevor van Riemsdyk and Mark Zengerlehttp://lastwordonsports.com/2014/03/16/college-free-agents-class-2014-part-4/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted March 17, 2014 Share Posted March 17, 2014 Walters sounds like the type the Habs should look into. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted March 18, 2014 Share Posted March 18, 2014 There seems to be a lot of goalies inside that top-40. Even with Condon signed for next year and Fucale coming a year after, I think there could be room for one of them. (I'm skeptical that both Tokarski and Mayer will be back so theoretically, there's an opening for a 5th goalie to start in the ECHL.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted March 25, 2014 Share Posted March 25, 2014 Word is that Montreal is courting Folin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Word is that Montreal is courting Folin. I suspect every other team will be as well but good to hear nonetheless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 I suspect every other team will be as well but good to hear nonetheless. Maybe Habs have a couple too many d-prospects which his agent might see as a negative? I also imagine he is aware of his countryman Nygren's comments? So I wouldn't get too excited till pen hits paper and even then most free agents are flops (as far as NHL goes). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted March 26, 2014 Share Posted March 26, 2014 Bulldogs site reporting signing of Nick Sorkim to a PTO--- 6'3" converted center/ PPG this year--- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 Bulldogs site reporting signing of Nick Sorkim to a PTO--- 6'3" converted center/ PPG this year--- I just find it hard to compare NCAA to pro play, but if Dudley-Timmins et al give him a thumbs up, must show some promise I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted March 27, 2014 Share Posted March 27, 2014 I just find it hard to compare NCAA to pro play, but if Dudley-Timmins et al give him a thumbs up, must show some promise I suppose. Agreed--- sans ELC should tell us something Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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