Link: Francis Bouillon Signed to One Year Extension

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

I know coaches lean on and trust some vets and mostly for good reason.

I can see why many want Tinordi and Beaulieu to be 3rd pair and Weaver or even Pateryn as 7th.

And if injuries forced that to happen, then fine.

But, 2 rookies in top 6 seems a recipe for disaster and to be avoided.

Yep.

[Toronthab]

No big deal one way or other. I always liked his play, so am a bit biased

Me too . Love the guy. Cubists UNITE!!!!

[DON]

HabsRule said a phonebooth could hold all Frankie B's fans.

But, I bet a good % of Habfans have been fans of the lil ballsy d-man and a maybe a quasi- player/coach type role would be good for him.

[habs rule]

As i also said there is nothing really bad about frankie. His time has gone. so there is you and Torontohab (and he loves everybody) in that phone booth.

[DON]

You know you cheered for the lil fellow fighting way above his weight class.

[habs rule]

You know you cheered for the lil fellow fighting way above his weight class.

I cheer for all habs that wear the sweater. Yes the lil guy has a soft spot in my heart but all good things come to an end. He may make a great asst coach at some point. He is certainly a role model for many young up and comers. But father time waits for no man.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

No one is arguing that he is a top-4 defender. We're talking about a veteran depth defenceman. It's a no brainer, really, but people are terrified that The Genius is a fundamentally irrational fool and arguing that we should be making managerial decisions on that basis of that.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Wait, people are really fearful of two rookies in the top six if one of our five veterans get hurt?

Anaheim did fine with Lindholm playing the majority of last season while Vatanen played half the year.

Boston did just fine with rookie Krug playing the whole year while Miller and Bartowski played between 40-60 games. Dougie Hamilton was only in his second season.

Lashoff and DeKeyser in Detroit is another.

There's only one spot that's full season for a rookie. The other player, there's no guarantee they will even put up 40 games. And even then, where's the confidence in our young blueliners?

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Wait, people are really fearful of two rookies in the top six if one of our five veterans get hurt?

Anaheim did fine with Lindholm playing the majority of last season while Vatanen played half the year.

Boston did just fine with rookie Krug playing the whole year while Miller and Bartowski played between 40-60 games. Dougie Hamilton was only in his second season.

Lashoff and DeKeyser in Detroit is another.

There's only one spot that's full season for a rookie. The other player, there's no guarantee they will even put up 40 games. And even then, where's the confidence in our young blueliners?

We don't really have any confidence in our rookies. Pateryn had a banner year for an AHL defenseman and he didn't even get a sniff.

Beaulieu looked silly in Game 7 vs NYR, but what did people expect? I understand that rookie defensemen need time to develop, but I don't think there's a sweet spot where they play "x" amount of games in the AHL, then don't make ANY mistakes in the pros. Clearly, the thinking is that any blunder leading to a goal or loss means the dmen aren't ready.

For cripe's sake! We're in negotiations with Francis Bouillon!

[JoeLassister]

Wait, people are really fearful of two rookies in the top six if one of our five veterans get hurt?

Anaheim did fine with Lindholm playing the majority of last season while Vatanen played half the year.

Boston did just fine with rookie Krug playing the whole year while Miller and Bartowski played between 40-60 games. Dougie Hamilton was only in his second season.

Lashoff and DeKeyser in Detroit is another.

There's only one spot that's full season for a rookie. The other player, there's no guarantee they will even put up 40 games. And even then, where's the confidence in our young blueliners?

Nailed it.

We have Carey Price between the pipes ! The timing for trying out 2 rookies and let them make rookie mistakes is IDEAL !

[habs rule]

No one is arguing that he is a top-4 defender. We're talking about a veteran depth defenceman. It's a no brainer, really, but people are terrified that The Genius is a fundamentally irrational fool and arguing that we should be making managerial decisions on that basis of that.

I have already said we should sign him, but in a very limited role, and very cheaply.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

What if those rookies aren't ready for top-6 duty? That's the question. You sign a veteran blueliner to protect yourself against that risk. It ain't rocket science, kids.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

What if those rookies aren't ready for top-6 duty? That's the question. You sign a veteran blueliner to protect yourself against that risk. It ain't rocket science, kids.

Greg Pateryn is turning 25 this upcoming season. If he can't play 12-14 minutes in an NHL game we might as well let him go.

Nathan Beaulieu logged 16 minutes against the Chicago Blackhawks and looked fine.

Jarred Tinordi logged 19 minutes in that same game against the Blackhawks.

They need to prove consistency. The only way you do that is by playing. I would only want Cube there if two defencemen get injured during a road trip. Otherwise he shouldn't touch the lineup.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

I think there's still some lingering affects from the Gainey Era, where young player after young player was rushed into a situation when they weren't ready to be a pro. Sending Tinordi down for Douglas Murray last year was ridiculous. I expect the same caliber of play from Frankie B.

Frankie B is a lefty. Between him and Weaver, who the heck is going to move the puck?

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Greg Pateryn is turning 25 this upcoming season. If he can't play 12-14 minutes in an NHL game we might as well let him go.

Nathan Beaulieu logged 16 minutes against the Chicago Blackhawks and looked fine.

Jarred Tinordi logged 19 minutes in that same game against the Blackhawks.

They need to prove consistency. The only way you do that is by playing. I would only want Cube there if two defencemen get injured during a road trip. Otherwise he shouldn't touch the lineup.

Wow, Tinordi and Beaulieu looked good in one game...that proves they should be regulars for an entire season. Now there's a knock-out argument.

Look, I think Beaulieu will be ready this year, and that if he isn't, the whole organization should be concerned. He is important to our team's future. With his playoff experience, he ought to be coming into camp super-motivated, highly fit, confident that he can play and aware that the job is his to lose. Tinordi is a trickier call - he played his way out of the lineup last season, and big guys can take longer to learn the game. Pateryn, who knows if he will ever play?

Throwing unready players into the NHL can destroy their confidence, hurting their development as well as the team. That's no good.

Also, even 'ready' rookies can go through stretches where they need to be sat out. They can lose confidence, grow confused, and benefit from some time on the outside looking in. You need someone else to put in there on those occasions.

All of this makes a case for hiring a veteran depth defenceman. Like I keep saying, their job is simply to outplay that veteran depth defenceman. You can't have it both ways. If they are indeed ready to perform in the NHL, then they will by definition outplay a Bouillon and relegate him to the press-box. If they are not ready, then we need a Bouillon. Period.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Wow, Tinordi and Beaulieu looked good in one game...that proves they should be regulars for an entire season. Now there's a knock-out argument.

They looked good against one of the best built teams in the NHL. That's the point.

They have had several other games logging more than what they would need to log on the third pairing.

They need to be given some room to make mistakes. Heck, Beaulieu is rarely on the ice during a goal against. He never should have been sent down. We all know this. He got left in the AHL because he was sour being sent down. We then tried to ride Murray and Cube and whoops suddenly the team is sucking!?

To be honest I hope we just stick with Drewskie. That was supposed to be his job in the first place. He's still under contract. Just have him be the seventh D.

[ICEWATER77]

I agree, now is the time to go with the kids on d. far too many of you think that we should groom them along slowly..then what? then let them go to another organization? F-THAAAT!! we need to get them in there now, and if they take their lumps, so be it..leave them in and watch em grow dammit. and don't forget we have carey fn price in the nets..he'll bail em out often enough

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Yep, I agree young players need to have some room to make mistakes. This is a separate question from just handing them a job of irrespective of performance. People keep confusing a coaching issue (whether Therrien knows how to develop young players) with a managerial issue (whether it is a good idea to carry only 5 proven NHL defencemen - which it's not).

[hab29RETIRED]

100% agree. Young Dmen are not EVER going to play mistKe free hockey - hell veteran Dmen included the much loved Bouillon still make bonehead plays.

Unless we give our Dmen a chance to play, make mistakes and learn from those mistakes, we are slowing down their development.

When Al MacInnis came to Calgary he was a pylon who good blast the puck - when he actually hit the net. The flames kept playing him and he developed into an all star dman. He didn't have close to the skill set Beaulieu has.

Wait, people are really fearful of two rookies in the top six if one of our five veterans get hurt?

Anaheim did fine with Lindholm playing the majority of last season while Vatanen played half the year.

Boston did just fine with rookie Krug playing the whole year while Miller and Bartowski played between 40-60 games. Dougie Hamilton was only in his second season.

Lashoff and DeKeyser in Detroit is another.

There's only one spot that's full season for a rookie. The other player, there's no guarantee they will even put up 40 games. And even then, where's the confidence in our young blueliners?

[DON]

Holy moly Beaulieu vs a 23 year NHL hall of famer?

Subban, Trouba or McDonagh maybe close in overall skillset quality to a MacInnis/Blake/Pronger/Chara, but not Beaulieu.

We can hope for the best, but he isn't even a regular NHLer yet, would you trust him to defend vs a top line with a Crosby/Datzuk or Toews?

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Holy moly Beaulieu vs a 23 year NHL hall of famer?

Subban, Trouba or McDonagh maybe close in overall skillset quality to a MacInnis/Blake/Pronger/Chara, but not Beaulieu.

We can hope for the best, but he isn't even a regular NHLer yet, would you trust him to defend vs a top line with a Crosby/Datzuk or Toews?

Well, I wouldn't especially want Bouillon in against those guys either. But yeah, the analogy with MacInnis was bizarre.

I just don't get the recurring attack on organizational depth that has been going on in this thread as well as the Sekac thread. 'Don't you dare hire a depth veteran defenceman because Therrien is a horrible coach who doesn't know how to develop young players!' This logic is completely screwed up.

[hab29RETIRED]

I'm referring to the fact maInnis was much more raw than Beaulieu was as a rookie, his team gave him a chance an were willing to live with his mistakes for 3 years as a regular, while he improved. It took MacInnis over 5 years to become a reliable defender. He didn't enter the league as a hall of famer.

Holy moly Beaulieu vs a 23 year NHL hall of famer?

Subban, Trouba or McDonagh maybe close in overall skillset quality to a MacInnis/Blake/Pronger/Chara, but not Beaulieu.

We can hope for the best, but he isn't even a regular NHLer yet, would you trust him to defend vs a top line with a Crosby/Datzuk or Toews?

[DON]

Sure.

I do hope Beaulieu comes into camp, has trained hard, is stronger, or just improved and forces Bouillon? or Weaver into pressbox often.

[29habs3318]

Great to see Francis Bouillion back for the year. That helps make up, somewhat for the loss of Josh Georges. The puzzle pieces are fitting together these days.

Can`t wait for the season to start and then the team will fall into place.Still think that Tokarski should be the new back up man

for Price.

[dlbalr]

Great to see Francis Bouillion back for the year. That helps make up, somewhat for the loss of Josh Georges. The puzzle pieces are fitting together these days.

Keep in mind that this is still not official. (The original post in this thread was an April Fools' joke.) At last report, they're apparently still in talks but as of yet, no contract (or PTO) has been signed.