RYAN POEHLING FOLLOWING UP SUPERB SUMMER SHOWCASE WITH GREAT NCAA START
To say the Montreal Canadiens have struggled to draft a high end first line center for the last 20 years would be an understatement. The last was Saku Koivu, my favourite Canadiens player who didn’t play goal. But with all due respect to Saku Koivu his career was absolutely plagued by injuries and a battle with cancer that stole nearly an entire season. He never kept up an elite level of production due to said injuries and maladies and the Habs never got to see his potential consistently realized. Saku had a heart and battle level bigger than anyone for his time, and I would even say after it.
Ryan Poehling Career Statistics : College Hockey News
The Canadiens have been trying to draft an elite center for nearly 2 decades and have come up frustratingly short. But, that may have changed this summer with the selection of draft day slider Ryan Poehling of St. Cloud State in the NCAA.
The now 18 year old Poehling was slated to be drafted sometime between the 12-16 slots but ended up falling to Bergevin and Timmins in the 25th slot and they were thrilled to select him. Most saw this as a bit of a risky pick. Poehling only put up 7 goals and 6 assists in 35 games for St. Cloud State that season, but he was the youngest hockey player in the entire league as he began the season at 17 years old.
Poehling possesses great size at 6’2” and 195 lbs and some of the points scouts praised were his hockey IQ, play making abilities, and his skating (noting that it improved throughout the season with his level of play). This pick had sleeper potential.
The Summer Showcase came shortly after the draft and Poehling started turning heads. After the camp games, Poehling played in two games against hockey powerhouses Finland and Canada and put up 1 goal and 4 assists. It was after this tournament that Poehling began looking like a Center with big time potential. Media had commented on what a complete game he had and his offensive ability.
The St. Cloud State Huskies have had a blistering start to their season turning in a 5-0-0 record with Poehling helping to lead the way. Poehling is second in team scoring (2 points back) with 2 goals and 6 assists and it’s worth noting he has not put up a PP point yet. Poehling is currently tied for 9th in NCAA scoring, seems to be getting better and better with each game, and scored the game winning goal (and added an assist) in his last game against Boston College.
Poehling may very well be a lock for the USA’s World Junior Team this winter and I think a good many of us may find ourselves watching more US Hockey than we have in the last decade. If Ryan Poehling keeps this up we may only be a couple more seasons away from adding a complete, skilled, dynamic center to the Canadiens roster. Now that’s something we have not been able to say for a very long time.
SCHERBAK AND MCCARRON CALLED UP
Yesterday the Canadiens announced that Nikita Scherbak and Michael McCarron were coming up to the show from Laval after their blistering start to the season. Scherbak has really upped his confidence level and it shows in his stats with 1 goal and 8 assists in 9 games. McCarron has also played well putting up 2 goals, 2 assists in 6 games. These call ups were followed by the announcement that Ales Hemsky would be heading to IR with a concussion (from a Corey Perry hit in the last game).
Mete - Weber
Alzner - Benn
Davidson - Petry
Morrow
Price
Montoya
The line blender came out and it was working overtime. Byron moves up to a well deserved spot on the Habs first line. He has earned this shot and we will see how he stacks up against top 6 competition. The same goes for Lehkonen. I feel like we are one goal away from seeing Lehkonen go on a tear with that shot and release of his. Be patient fans, it will get better.
"Paul Byron deserves to be on the first line. He's been scoring and working hard." -Claude Julien #GoHabsGo
Shaw also moves up to the second line and I can’t argue that at all either. Shaw has been playing great hockey for Montreal. He isn’t an elite scorer or playmaker, but he wins battles, skates well, and is staying out of the box. He has a chance to bring what Gallagher has been struggling with and will hopefully compliment Danault and Pacioretty well.
The 3rd line appears structured well to handle defensive duties and provide offensive pressure with its speed. Gallagher needs to find a spot to thrive and I’m not going to pile on him right now as the entire team is struggling mightily, but a bit of a chance to slip in against teams bottom lines could be just what the doctor ordered.
With a couple of new faces in the mix, the Habs are hoping a complete effort will help turn the tide on Tuesday: https://t.co/NeKApPvGKi.
The Galchenyuk Situation received its newest chapter with social media lamenting his “demotion” to the fourth line again. Coach Julien even commented on it saying he hasn’t done enough to show he belongs on the top line. Most of us would say he deserves a chance at center, but lets be honest, he is having a tough time right now. I think he will snap out of it, but clearly he doesn’t handle pressure very well at all. That said, I’m actually looking forward to seeing this fourth line of Galchenyuk, McCarron, Scherbak in action. Mac and Scherbak should be coming in with sky high confidence and work ethic. They may be able to surprise Florida tomorrow at the Bell Centre with some quick chemistry, and some solid goaltending from Price, to finally walk away with a win.
"We have to work hard for 60 minutes, and that's something this team is capable of." -Claude Julien #GoHabsGo
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