The Bruins have announced that Dougie Hamilton will stay with the team for the rest of the season.
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Marc Bergevin and Rick Dudley know a winner when they see one. Thats why they are keeping 18 year old phenom, Alex Galchenyuk, in Montreal for the final 43 games of this abbreviated NHL season. Galchenyuk is far too talented and accomplished a player to play in Sarnia this season. The rookie GM and his senior advisor have quickly determined that Galchenyuk can help the Canadiens win this season. He was a key contributor for Team USA’s gold medal winning squad at the recent IIHF World Junior Hockey Championships in Ufa, Russia. Sending the kid back to Sarnia now might instigate a riot in the streets of Montreal the likes of which the city hasn’t seen since james Hetfield of Metallica burned himself in a freak flash-pot explosion and the band’s management cancelled the concert. Angry fans vandalized the Forum and raised Hell in the streets below.
You get the point.
A couple of teams have already bid adieu to their 18 year olds. The Minnesota Wild a brief audition to determine that Matthew Dumba is not ready for the NHL just yet. Philadelphia really liked the five game performance of centre, Scott Laughton. However, he was sent back to his junior team for more seasoning. Many observers felt like Laughton and Dumba were sure-fire NHLers. Doesn’t matter what the bar stool prophets say. NHL GMs and headcoaches get paid the big bucks to make such bold decisions as to whether or not to keep an 18 year old in the NHL, or to send him abck to juniors.
The impressive rookie class of 2012, only Yakupov (Oilers), Galchenyuk (Canadiens), Grigorenko (Sabres), Rackell (Ducks), Huberdeau (FLA), Hamilton (Bruins) and Matteau (Devils) are the last kids standing in the NHL. Galchenyuk and Grigorenko are the only two 18 year olds in this group. The others are all 19.
Yakupov, Huberdeau, and Galchenyuk have already earned their roster spots with their respective NHL teams. Its appears to be a mortal lock that the Bruins will keep Hamilton around for the rest of the season. Matteau will likley sit and stay in New jersey. The jury is still out on Rackell.
The twenty five inch tap-in putt for me is the Sabres telling Grigorenko to have his personal items boxed up and Fed X’d to Buffalo from QCity.
Grigo played 17 :10 against Washington on Sunday. Lindy Ruff praised the kid’s performance on Monday. Still, the Sabres have yet to verbalize their final decision. Grigo skated at the optional skate today, and worked on face-offs with forwards lieutenant, Kevyn Adams. If he plays Tuesday night, the clock starts ticking on his NHL entry level contract. With the Leafs playing in Buffalo on Tuesday, and the Sabres mired in a three game losiing streak, my gut tells me that he’s created an impressive body of work vis-à-vis his quality work in training camp, off-day practices, and in five NHL games in order to earn his Sabres sweater for good.
Thanks, sabres.com for the use of this interview
Grigo wants to stay. Sabres fans want him to stay. The Sabres need his size and skill.
Regier should take a page from the Bruins, Oilers, Canadiens and Panthers. Play the your first rounder now because he will pay dividends this season.
Playing 30 games plus playoffs in QCity is not more beneficial to his growth as a player than 43+ games in Buffalo.
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