Habs drop from #13 to #16 in HF's 2010 Spring Organizational Rankings

Danny Kristo has moved quickly up the Canadiens prospects latter with a solid NCAA freshman year at North Dakota and a good performance at the 2010 WJC.

From Hockey's Future:

16. Montreal Canadiens

Strengths: Headlining the Canadiens large group of talented forwards is Ivy League Rookie of the Year Louis Leblanc and WCHA Rookie of the Year Danny Kristo. The organization also has two potential top-four defensemen in P.K. Subban and Yannick Weber. Many of their top prospects have already tasted the NHL and are ready to jump to the next level. Weaknesses: Players such as Ben Maxwell and Aaron Palushaj are slow to develop and may not develop into NHL-caliber players. There is also a general lack of size in the system. All of the goaltending prospects have limited upside. Top 5 Prospects: 1. P.K. Subban, D, 2. Danny Kristo, RW, 3. Louis Leblanc, C, 4. Yannick Weber, D, 5. Aaron Palushaj, RW. Lost to graduation: Benoit Pouliot and Max Pacioretty.

Red Line's Top 2010 NCAA Free Agents

Here is Red Line's list of the top available college free agents:

1. Jarod Palmer/C-LW — Miami, 6-1/195, Feb. 10, 1986 (Sr.)

Most NHL ready prospect available. Skilled power forward with a dangerous shot. Can drive the puck through traffic and unload accurate shots from even the tightest of spaces. Strong in every aspect of the game and is far from a one-dimensional player. Aggressive along the boards and an ace penalty killer. More agile on his feet than he was in his years of draft eligibility.

2. Stephane Da Costa/C — Merrimack, 5-11/180, Nov. 11, 1987 (Fresh.)

Dynamic freshman from France has been excellent since the start of season and kept it going all year. Offensively the focal point of his team's attack. The puck finds him — always in the right spot and does a great job of reading the play. Extremely patient. Vision is a 9.5 out of 10 and passing ability is off the charts — at times surprises even teammates with his imaginative feeds. Excellent 1-on-1 with a great change of speeds. Can score with a quick release snap shot. Creative as they come offensively. Needs to get stronger and work on defensive game.

3. Calle Ridderwall/LW — Notre Dame, 6-0/188, May 28, 1988 (Jr.)

Fearless and has excellent timing and instincts in offensive zone. Soft hands and good hand-eye coordination. Creatively uses saucer and touch passes. Exceptional lateral agility and elusive in tight spaces. Can also surprise with multiple gears of acceleration in open ice. Has added strength since draft year and activates his feet to fight through checks. Works hard and smart.

4. Lee Baldwin/LD — Alaska Anchorage, 6-4/203, April 22, 1988 (Fresh.)

Tall and mobile freshman blue-liner plays beyond his years and in all situations. Smooth skater is nimble on his feet. Head-mans the puck cleanly and remains poised, making safe decisions under pressure. Supports the offensive rush and opportunistically pinches into openings from the point. Has a great reach and plays with sensible physicality, but isn't a consistent force yet and has a lot of bulk yet to be added to his massive frame.

5. Blair Riley/LW — Ferris St., 6-0/220, Nov. 1, 1985 (Sr.)

Thick, rugged winger with soft hands and a hair-trigger release. At his best battling below the circles and in front of net. Creates space by utilizing tremendous shielding abilities and strength on the puck. Lacks quick feet, but knows how to use his limited speed judiciously. On a team that lacks offensive firepower, he's been shadowed nearly every game but has been able to fight through checks and continue to produce.

6. Chase Polacek/RW — RPI, 5-8/170, June 19, 1989 (Jr.)

Mighty mite may be the most dynamic offensive force on this list – only his size holds him back. Sniper extraordinaire is deadly anywhere from the circles in. Extremely elusive and slips into open ice at just the right moment to pounce on loose pucks. Incredible instincts and feel in the offensive end – opportunistic and buries his chances. Soft, quick hands and a dynamite release. Can be overpowered and won't win many battles or provide a physical dimension.

7. Erik Gustafsson/RD — Northern Michigan, 5-10/180, Dec. 15, 1988 (Jr.)

Aggressive offensive rearguard who quarterbacks the PP with rapid and intelligent puck distribution. Talented passer and puckhandler. Gifted and agile skater with excellent quickness. Undersized and comes up short 1-on-1 against bigger opponents. Does compete defensively aided by quick feet and a skilled stick. The top puck-moving defenseman available.

8. Bobby Butler/RW — New Hampshire, 6-0/185, April 26, 1987 (Sr.)

A smart two-way winger who does an honest day's work in his own zone and plays the penalty kill. Shows good vision in the offensive zone and works well away from the puck to create space for his accurate shot. Has accomplished most of his impressive offensive production by finding holes and being in the right place at the right time. Doesn't have dynamic physical tools and his skating is average.

9. Mike Testwuide/RW — Colorado College, 6-3/220, Feb. 5, 1987 (Sr.)
10. Scott Campbell/C — Lowell, 6-2/215, June 6, 1986 (Jr.)
11. Casey Wellman/RW — UMass/Amherst, 6-1/187, Oct. 18, 1987 (Soph.)
12. Matt Read/LC — Bemidji St., 5-10/185, June 14, 1986 (Jr.)
13. Tommy Wingels/LW — Miami, 6-0/193, Oct. 1, 1988 (Jr.)
14. Jake Newton/LD — Northeastern, 6-3/200, Sept. 22, 1988 (Fr.)

Habster:

Just a quick note! Habs Pipeline is predominately about the most recent articles/information concerning Montreal Canadiens prospect. With that being said, I also like to post articles about possible players the Habs might target in the future, whether it involves NCAA UFAs, CHL draft eligible players or even European players.

Mike Testwuide is a player who has attended Canadiens development camps as a try-out player the last two years. He certainly has the size the Habs covet but I wasn't terribly impressed with his skating stride/foot speed at both development camps that I attended.

I strongly believe smart NHL organizations look at NCAA UFAs to strengthen their pool of prospects and eventually improve their NHL roster (i.e- Maple Leafs' Tyler Bozak GP-37 G-8 A-19 Pt-27 or New York Rangers' D Matt Gilroy who had a solid rookie year).

The recent signing of NCAA UFAs Brendon Nash and Hunter Bishop indicates the Canadiens are realizing the importance of adding these type of players without losing players from their NHL roster or prospect pool. Here's hoping this trend continues in the near future with the signing of some of the above NCAA UFAs.

Habs Trio of European Prospects Play for Championship

(#21 A. Engqvist)

From HabProspects.com:

The Montreal Canadiens will see three of their European prospects playing in a league championship tomorrow, as Alexei Emelin, Nichlas Torp and Andreas Engqvist will take part in the final series for the KHL and SEL as AK Bars, HV71 and Djurgarden all hope they will be crowned as champs. The good news for the Habs is that one of their prospects is sure to win as Torp faces off agaist Engqvist.

SEL

For Nichlas Torp it will be a second chance to appear in a championship series in the SEL, as he team HV71 was able to win the title during the 2007-2008 season but the young blueliner was injured in a preseason game and missed the entire season. The feisty defensemen set career highs across the board in his second season, with triple the number of points with 6, while going from a -1 to a +6 and seeing his penalty minutes jump to 93 in 47 games.

Hab fans will be able to relate to the team Andreas Engqvist plays for, Djurgårdens IF, as they are the oldest and most accomplished franchise in the Swedish Elite legue as they go for their 17th championship and first in nine years. The free agent signee was passed over during the 2006 NHL Entry Draft but the Habs opted to give him a look this past summer and liked what they saw from the big forward despite injuries costing him close to half the season.

It was also a banner year for Engqvist who set career highs across the board in what was his 4th full season in the SEL, with 14 goals and 26 points in 55 games while being a +10 and recording 30 pims. Next year he is slated to make the jump to North America where he will likely join the Hamilton Bulldogs, hopefully a league title will give him something to build on when he heads to camp in the fall. Currently he is enjoying a strong playoff run with 8 points in 10 games.

KHL

AK Bars Kazan looks to repeat as KHL champions after winning the Gagarin Cup in the inaugural season last year. For Alexei Emelin this will be the third time he has made an appearance in the finals, losing to Andrei Markov and Dynamo Moscow during the NHL lockout. Reports out of Russia speak highly to Emelin's play, and his production backs it up, as the rugged blueliner has chipped in 5 points in 15 games, after getting 7 points during the regular season, which was his career totals from his first two seasons since leaving Lada to sign with AK Bars in 107 games.

It is believed that the Habs will once again try to entice the soon to be 24 year old to break his contract and try his luck overseas. It has been speculated that he has an outclause in his contract with AK Bars to leave for the NHL, but it remains to be seen if both sides will be able to come to an agreement since he would be restricted by having to sign an ELC (entry level contract) which would mean that if he didn't make the NHL roster he could only make a small amount in the AHL.

NCAA

Habs have one prospect make it to the NCAA championships, but things did not go as hoped for Patrick Johnson who found himself on the bench during the final two games. Wisconsin was not able to win the title, losing to Boston College, but hopefully for Johnson he can use this experience to get him back on track as he enters his Senior year in the fall where he will really need to turn things around if he has any chance to get a contract from the Habs.

Canadiens junior prospects 2009-10 review

The drafting of Gabriel Dumont is looking more like a diamond in the rough after a great season in the QMJHL

Here is an excerpt from the Hockey's Future article:

Gabriel Dumont, C – Drummondville Voltigeurs

Acquired: 5th round, 139th overall, 2009

Dumont's production exploded this year, as Drummondville dominated the QMJHL during the regular season. When all was said and done, the Voltigeurs ranked second overall as a team in goals for, and second in the overall standings as well. Dumont managed to set new career-high marks in each of the major statistical categories. Through 61 games, the fifth-round draft choice and Ville Degelis native scored 51 goals and 42 assists for a total of 93 points, tying him for third in the QMJHL in scoring. Dumont put up 49 points a year ago. In addition to his production, Dumont also received the Guy Carbonneau Golden Puck award for Best Defensive Forward.

Though a smaller player at 5'10 180 pounds, Dumont battles hard (as evidenced by his 127 penalty minutes) and has undeniably strong hockey sense. He and his team are currently battling the Moncton Wildcats in third round of the postseason. Building on his regular-season success, Dumont has tallied 10 goals and seven assists in nine games, leading the team.

Canadiens European prospects 2009-10 review

In a few years, Joonas Nattinen could develop into a solid 2nd/3rd line two way center with size that the Habs have been so dearly looking for.

Below are excerpts from Hockey's Future article highlighting the progression of the Canadiens' Russian prospects. You can read the other evaluations of the other Habs' European prospects by clicking on the above title.

Alexander Avtsin, RW – Moscow Dynamo (KHL)

6'2 198 lbs

Acquired: 4th round, 109th overall, 2009

The highly gifted Avtsin picked apart the competition in the Russian junior hockey league last year, the MHL. The 2009 draft pick attempted to make the transition to the KHL's Moscow Dynamo this year, but was ultimately taken out of commission by injury. A broken wrist has since healed, allowing the 19-year-old to prepare for play with the Russian junior national team in mid April.

As a teenager, Avtsin skated in 30 games in with Dynamo and held his own. He had three goals and six assists. Avtsin's agent claims the winger has his sights set on an NHL job. Though talented and possessing the upside of a top-six forward, Avtsin has room to grow away from the offensive game.

Maxim Trunev, RW – Severstal Cherepovets (KHL)

5'11 176 lbs

Acquired: 5th round, 138th overall, 2008

Trunev had an unremarkable 2009-10 season. He divided his time with Severstal and Almaz Cherepovets of the MHL. While producing well at the MHL level with 24 points in 14 games, Trunev's numbers in the KHL with Severstal have remained more or less the same as a year ago. An offensively oriented player, Trunev scored three goals and two assists. His five points in 30 games tied his total from 2008-09. Though talented, Trunev's ability to produce is crucial to his prospect status. The 19-year-old's contract concludes at the end of the month.

Alexei Yemelin, D – AK Bars Kazan (KHL)

6'0 187 lbs

Acquired: 3rd round, 84th overall, 2004

Yemelin re-signed with the KHL's Kazan AK Bars this offseason. He played out the first of two years under his new contract in 2009-10. Yemelin reprised his role as a gritty defensive defenseman. He is not a risk taker, playing a simple game and bringing an edge, though not physically overpowering. Yemelin is not one to produce much offensively, with an average seasonal point total in the single digits. This year, Yemelin recorded a goal and six assists. He also was credited with a total of 50 penalty minutes – a career low. Historically, Yemelin has been known to accumulate high penalty minute totals, but he is not an extraordinarily undisciplined player by NHL playing standards.

Habs ink another NCAA free agent in D Brendon Nash

From Canadiens.com:

Montreal Canadiens general manager Pierre Gauthier announced Tuesday the signing of free agent defenseman Brendon Nash to a two-year contract (2010-11 and 2011-12). Nash, who is currently completing his studies at Cornell University, plays with the Cornell Big Red in the ECAC of the NCAA.

Brendon Nash, who will turn 23 on Wednesday, March 31, is a 6’, 3’’, 206 lbs defenseman who hails from Kamloops, BC. In his last season at Cornell University in 2009-10 (team also includes his brother Riley), Nash led all team defensemen in scoring with 19 points in 33 games (2 goals, 17 assists). He also served 48 penalty minutes. Nash recorded a total of 67 points (8 goals, 59 assists) and 173 penalty minutes in four full seasons with the Big Red. He also led all team defensemen in points in each the past three seasons.

From 2004 to 2006, Nash registered 60 points (9 goals, 51 assists) in 112 regular season games with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the BCHL (British Columbia Hockey League).

Nash participated in the Canadiens’ development camp in 2009.

Here is how Hockey's Future views Brendan Nash's overall game:

Nash is a smart, offensive-minded defenseman who possesses a nice combination of size, mobility and puck skills. He uses his 6'3 frame and long reach to great advantage, particularly in protecting or stripping the puck. He's also not afraid to join the offensive play. Defensively, he is solid and keeps things pretty simple. Nash has great poise and patience with the puck, but what sets him apart from many young defensemen is in his timely passing ability, particularly on power plays. Though he skates quite well for a big man, Nash needs to work on having quicker feet. Developing speed and strength are two areas that will be paramount to his future success.

Cornell head coach Mike Schafer's comments on Nash: "With Sasha Pokulok and Ryan O'Byrne signing pro contracts last summer, Brendan had a lot of responsibilities as a freshman and he did a tremendous job. He logged as much ice time as we could possibly give him and played in all situations. It's just a matter of Brendan continuing to excel. We expect big things from him next year and I think he'll be one of the top defensemen in our league."