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the baby habs have won 3-2 over the baby sens

latendresse had 3 assists during that game

am I dreaming or have we finally found a big guy who can play!!??::bow:

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Originally posted by marky_and_komi

the baby habs have won 3-2 over the baby sens

latendresse had 3 assists during that game

am I dreaming or have we finally found a big guy who can play!!??::bow:

The most interesting is that Latendresse has been forced to play center most of the games and he's showed to be a pretty solid playmaker.

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Great news! I think it's pretty well a sure thing that he will be at training camp next week, Green has already said he should be invited. I would love to see this guy start the season with the Habs.

I know there's the 'don't bring him up yet, must let players develop in the minors' way of thinking but isn't that somewhat old-school, from an era when an organization wanted to grow their assets slowly with a mind to keeping them around through their entire careers?

These days players switch teams much more (just look at our roster from 3 years ago, as someone posted!) and they become UFAs younger, so why not use Latendresse now if he fits? Look at Bergeron in Boston last year, fans love young players.

He could get 12+ minutes a game on the third or fourth line, bring some get-go and a big physical presence, and if his offence shows promise and Dagenais isn't finding the back of the net, Latendresse could even be bumped to the second line, I mean why not?

(oh, m&k, I can't figure out why you would take the time to type out "sorry for the spelling" instead of just backspacing and removing the extra "p" in "develop." I'm not trying to be a smartass, I'm just curious?)

[Edited on 11-9-05 by JeanLucPilon]

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Originally posted by JeanLucPilon

Great news! I think it's pretty well a sure thing that he will be at training camp next week, Green has already said he should be invited. I would love to see this guy start the season with the Habs.

I know there's the 'don't bring him up yet, must let players develop in the minors' way of thinking but isn't that somewhat old-school, from an era when an organization wanted to grow their assets slowly with a mind to keeping them around through their entire careers?

These days players switch teams much more (just look at our roster from 3 years ago, as someone posted!) and they become UFAs younger, so why not use Latendresse now if he fits? Look at Bergeron in Boston last year, fans love young players.

He could get 12+ minutes a game on the third or fourth line, bring some get-go and a big physical presence, and if his offence shows promise and Dagenais isn't finding the back of the net, Latendresse could even be bumped to the second line, I mean why not?

[Edited on 11-9-05 by JeanLucPilon]

If we were back in 1996 or 97 when we had little in the way of talented prospects, I'd be all for it. But now we got plenty of good forward prospects. Look at the list of players who could deserve a place in the opening night roster:

Dagenais

Hossa

Perezhogin

Higgins

Plekanec

Then you got other players like Milroy, Kostitsyn, Chipchura and Lapierre who are a little older and further in their development.

But hey! If Latendresse really has an outstanding camp and plays better than any of those other guys, why not keep him around? Have him play a physical game on the 4th line and give him additionnal offensive time on the PP.

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For the better part, I agree with ap79.

I've heard too many stories of young people who were burned out, blown away or become big-headed by too quick an acceleration of development.

In the case of hockey players, some of them come in with too high expectations by fans, the organization or, worst of all, by themselves. When they run into the wall of higher stress, increased talent and bigger players they had better be physically, mentally and emotionally ready for it. (That's the major concern I have for Sydney Crosby.)

The only way in which I could 'sort of' accept the idea of graduating Latendresse directly into the NHL would be based upon the idea presented again by ap79 though I don't believe that this would be an ideal situation for Latendresse's development.

The two major Montreal player examples that comes to mind of moving one too quickly into the NHL are Guy Lafleur and Doug Wickenheiser. I can remember the expectations put upon those two players.

They did not perform at those levels right away and they suffered for it. Lafleur eventually did become what he could be but Wickenheiser was seriously damaged by the whole thing. It's likely due to the kind of administration under which Lafleur grew that he was able to do so. It would seem that Sam Pollock and the gang were patient and nurturing with him. Yet, under Irving Grundman's authority, it would seem that this was not the case.

There will likely be other factors that came into play for those youngsters but rushing them too quickly into the parent team was not necessarily the best thing for them (certainly not for Wickenheiser). I believe the same to be true for Latendresse.

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I agree with most of what shortcat1 wrote, especially about the expectations.

He mentionned Lafleur & Wickheinheiser (sp?). I wasnt there back then, but of recent memory I remember all the press Ribeiro was getting in his first training camps. Granted both players couldnt more at opposites in terms of style, personnality, body types and so on, but you can already see how much attention Tender is getting already.

Maybe it'd be wiser to wait until he's better prepared to handle the spotlight, with a better supporting cast to allow him to meet expectations. Also the Habs might not have so much to benefit from having Tender in the lineup now that it'd be worth the risk of screwing him up.

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Originally posted by JeanLucPilon

Great news! I think it's pretty well a sure thing that he will be at training camp next week, Green has already said he should be invited. I would love to see this guy start the season with the Habs.

I know there's the 'don't bring him up yet, must let players develop in the minors' way of thinking but isn't that somewhat old-school, from an era when an organization wanted to grow their assets slowly with a mind to keeping them around through their entire careers?

These days players switch teams much more (just look at our roster from 3 years ago, as someone posted!) and they become UFAs younger, so why not use Latendresse now if he fits? Look at Bergeron in Boston last year, fans love young players.

He could get 12+ minutes a game on the third or fourth line, bring some get-go and a big physical presence, and if his offence shows promise and Dagenais isn't finding the back of the net, Latendresse could even be bumped to the second line, I mean why not?

(oh, m&k, I can't figure out why you would take the time to type out "sorry for the spelling" instead of just backspacing and removing the extra "p" in "develop." I'm not trying to be a smartass, I'm just curious?)

[Edited on 11-9-05 by JeanLucPilon]

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Originally posted by ap79
Originally posted by JeanLucPilon

Great news! I think it's pretty well a sure thing that he will be at training camp next week, Green has already said he should be invited. I would love to see this guy start the season with the Habs.

I know there's the 'don't bring him up yet, must let players develop in the minors' way of thinking but isn't that somewhat old-school, from an era when an organization wanted to grow their assets slowly with a mind to keeping them around through their entire careers?

These days players switch teams much more (just look at our roster from 3 years ago, as someone posted!) and they become UFAs younger, so why not use Latendresse now if he fits? Look at Bergeron in Boston last year, fans love young players.

he disagree with putting him on the thrid or fourth line he needs to get alot of ice time to develop besides we have alot of prospects coming in this season

He could get 12+ minutes a game on the third or fourth line, bring some get-go and a big physical presence, and if his offence shows promise and Dagenais isn't finding the back of the net, Latendresse could even be bumped to the second line, I mean why not?

[Edited on 11-9-05 by JeanLucPilon]

If we were back in 1996 or 97 when we had little in the way of talented prospects, I'd be all for it. But now we got plenty of good forward prospects. Look at the list of players who could deserve a place in the opening night roster:

Dagenais

Hossa

Perezhogin

Higgins

Plekanec

Then you got other players like Milroy, Kostitsyn, Chipchura and Lapierre who are a little older and further in their development.

But hey! If Latendresse really has an outstanding camp and plays better than any of those other guys, why not keep him around? Have him play a physical game on the 4th line and give him additionnal offensive time on the PP.

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Under the new CBA, a player who starts playing at 18, will be a UFA by 25 - just entering their prime. The Habs will certainly keep Latendresse in junior/minors for another year or two, especially with the group of forward prospects who will still get at least one more chance to prove they fit in with the big club.

Allowing Latendresse to mature and break in to the majors in two years will be better for his development and keep his rights at least until he is 27.

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I'm afraid I don't understand DANFALCAO's last two posts.

All they are is quotes of former contributions by Jean-Luc Pilon & ap79. He doesn't add anything or give any comment to his quotes.

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I think it was ap79 that wrote on article on his draft predictions. He rated Latendresse as 17th overall to the Red Wings and said that would be the steal of the draft.

We got him with our 45th overall pick. This was a great draft year.

A future top goalie and a future top goal-scorer with our two first picks.

He's only 18 and he looks better than Plekanec, Chipchura, Hossa, Higgins or the others right now! Of course, I'm not sure about his defensive skills but I heard he can throw some big hits.

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I say lets see what he does at the big camp and in preseason games against the other teams and lets take it from there.

I agree that we have to be careful not to burn him out but if he does really great in the camp, why not give him a shot?

Bergeron did it. It takes a strong headed kid to make the jump to the big league and maybe he's that kind of kid, what do we really know about him? Nothing.

But if he is capable of making the jump, I say go for it. I would see him with Ribeiro and Ryder. He could be much better than Dagenais. Probably as dangerous offensively but with more grit, more great body checks and I doubt he could do worse defensively then Dagenais.

I trust the Habs will do the right thing.

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Originally posted by Brett38

Fourth line:

Latendresse Begin Vandemeer

It would be a great checking line, but it wouldn't be to good for Latendresse's offensive development. I say either top 2 lines are back to the minors to dominate. I don't want him to waste is time on the 3rd or 4th line to play defensively.

I have my serious doubts about him kaking it, but if he does and is great, that could make the Habs a very dangerous team this year.

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Are you talking about the NHL? No way will he make it next year but 19 is still very young to start in the NHL. Look at Ryder. He's 26.

Next year he should make it. Some of our players will be gone. With the salary cap I have a feeling it'll turn into the NFL. Teams completely changing every year. Last place, first place, last place. Latendresse will be great with Ryder and Ribeiro. That will be a killer line in 5 years if they keep on pace.

By the way, Latendresse leads our prospects with a goal and 5 assists so far.

I haven't heard anything spectacular about Price yet but he won't make the NHL until at least 3 years (and only as a back-up) so it doesn't matter for him. With Latendresse, it's good to start as soon as possible.

[Edited on 2005/9/11 by Bulis_the_Habbie]

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Melanson said he was impressed that Price as assimilated so quickly what he has thought him so far. He said that he has a lot of talent and the head to become a good one. Price finished the camp with a 2.50 GAA and a 0.919% save pourcentage in 2 games. That's pretty good for is first time at a NHL camp for a 18 year old goaler, everyone knows that it takes them more time to develop.

For Latendresse, yes I was talking about making it to the NHL this year. I said that I seriously doubted it, but you never know, its not like it never happened before.

I know its wishful thinking, but I would love for him to make it and be good. Wouldn't be awesome to watch him crunch people for 82 games and score 20-25 goals.

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Sure it's happened before... with Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. And Sydney Crosby.

But even Ovechkin waited a year and Malkin waited two. Heatley waited a year. All these guys were chosen in the top 2 of their year and ended up great. We have a 45th overall pick. He plays like Lecavalier or Thornton. But I'd rather have Latendresse then any of those two. We'll see if he ends up becoming greedy like Datsyuk.

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Man,

All this excitement alone is worth it! Just reading about the buzz a young guy with good skills, an edge and the body to put it all together has us all drooling at the future.

I for one, say most people who are trying to be elite athletes have a mental fortitude and discipline most of us only wish for. Push him, let him try, give him a shot and see what he does. I'd rather see a more real sense of competition on the Habs than we saw for many of the previous ten years.

Wouldn't it be nice if the Habs were the team with the surprise young guy for once?(In my lifetime, not in years gone by).

We can all dream right?

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I'm all for keeping Latendresse out of the NHL for a year or so. The comment I made earlier about a fourth line of Begin and Vandemeer with him was only wishful thinking. I think for his development, it would be best to keep him down for a year or even maybe two. I think Gainey stole this guy with his second pick. Trading up in the second round has paid off. Early signs are showing that this boy Latendresse is a real workhorse with some talent. Credit to Gainey and the scouts. I think Sundstrum has his work cut out for him.

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Originally posted by High&Inside

Latendresse does not have the speed and skating ability to compete in the NHL right now. Give him some time to work on his skating, and i think he could be a really good player.

Rick Green and Timmins mentionned that he improved his skating so much over the summer (practiced power skating drills all summer) that his skating is now NHL caliber. Not the fastest obviously, but (I'm quoting Green here) good enough to get to the borads and deliver timely powerful bodychecks, go around Dman to crash to the net and perform to is style of play. The guy will never be a fast skater, all he needs is to have enough speed to crunch guys in the boards and crash to the net, and he already has it.

I say lets wait and see how he does at the camp vs. NHL caliber players. I agree that it is a very long shot, but you never know. If the Habs think he as a chance, who are we to criticize their opinions, I think they know more about hockey and the way he performed last week then we do. Besides, there's nothing wrong with trying him out and sending him back to the juniors if it doesn't work out. What if he turns out to be good and as the impact on the team like Bergeron did in Boston. Can we afford to not give him a chance if he deserves it, I don't think so.

I remember a certain Luc Robitaille that supposedly didn't have good enough skating abilities and look what he turned out to be. You never know what a guy will do unless you try him out and give him a chance. Look at Ryder, if it wasn't for Claude Julien giving him a chance, he probably wouldn't even be on our roster anymore.

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Just wondering, If we had won the lotto and had drafted Crosby would you all want him to develop a year or two as well? Just a thought. But hey we are stacked in young talent which means the future is bright so smile and enjoy it.

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Originally posted by johnnyhasbeen

Just wondering, If we had won the lotto and had drafted Crosby would you all want him to develop a year or two as well? Just a thought. But hey we are stacked in young talent which means the future is bright so smile and enjoy it.

There is Crosby -- then there i severyone else (christ what pressure that kid will have on him this year!)

Serouusly though, it is great that we have young talent, and btw did you realize our oldest player right now is Kovalev at 32?!

With the cap the teams that have the right mix of skilled vets and good cheap youngsters will be the teams that win, and I think we are that team this year.

(and I agree with what you wrote, Habs mgm't will look closely at Latendresse the next coupla weeks and if he is delivering the goods I think they should and will have him start the season in the tricolore.)

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