In the first part of my take on the help the Montreal Canadiens can expect from Hamilton Bulldogs, I made a few observations on the defensemen that I felt could potentially make waves during the upcoming 2015-2016 season. The Hockeybuzz community pointed out a mistake concerning Magnus Nygren, in that he was no longer to be a part of the organization. He signed a four-year deal with Farjestad of the Swedish Hockey League in early May, and so I owe an apology to all my readers for the oversight. It comes as no surprise that he would opt to play with the team that he spent a couple of seasons with, given that he somehow managed to fall off of the depth chart with the Habs’ farm team. Too bad- he might have been the solution to the Canadiens’ woeful powerplay, since he has a blistering shot from the point and incredible hockey sense. Good luck to him in Sweden.
The Habs signed Morgan Ellis to a one year, two-way deal that should help propel him towards a breakout season. After having spent a little time playing in the ECHL, he was called up to Hamilton last year and ended up being their best defenseman. The 23 year old has a lot left to prove, given that Greg Pateryn and Jarred Tinordi are knocking on the door of the big leagues.
In this edition of my blog, I’d like to take a quick look at some of the upcoming talent at the forward position. Because the Habs signed Gabriel Dumont to a similar deal as Ellis’, let’s begin with him.
Gabriel Dumont: 66GP, 20G, 25A, +/- 0
The darling captain of the Hamilton Bulldogs over the course of the past few seasons, Dumont is a center who has demanded respect from his peers and superiors. While playing on a Bulldogs team that has struggled to make the playoffs in recent times, he has emerged as the heart and soul of the Habs’ AHL affiliate. He measures 5’10, and is therefore not exactly the big centerman the Habs have been so desperately lacking for years. Instead, he’s a right-handed sniper with excellent playmaking abilities and gives it his all every single time he hits the ice. While his two-way game could use a little refining, I believe that the issue with Dumont is not so much his offensive talent but rather, the fact that the Canadiens arguably have enough depth at the center position.
Charles Hudon: 75GP, 19G, 38A, +5
Hudon is a left-handed, left wing that measures 5’10 and had an amazing rookie season with the Bulldogs. He had 9 goals and 22 assists in his first 28 games, but saw his production drop off in his last 47 games with only 10 goals and 26 points. Another relatively short player, I believe that he’ll need at least another season or two at the professional level in order to fully develop his game. At age 20, he will need to remain patient in order to fill a slot on the left wing with the Habs, considering that they’ve already got enough depth penciled in at that position.
Jacob de la Rose: (Canadiens) 33GP, 4G, 2A, -5
Probably the player that pleasantly surprised Marc Bergevin and Michel Therrien the most, the 20 year old earned himself a spot centering the fourth line during the end of the season and playoffs. Both the GM and the head coach were thoroughly impressed with his mature hockey sense and ability to back check consistently. He did not light up the score sheet stats wise, but often young players make the jump to the NHL and need to learn to adapt to its speed and timing. Fortunately for DLR, the only facet of his game that he needs to continue to work on is his offensive production. He made a seamless transition into the NHL and could potentially add 30-35 points per season, if not slightly more once he garners a more prominent role on the third line. He had wrist surgery on the day of his birthday on May 20th and is expected to be out for 2-3 months.
Sven Andrighetto: 60GP, 14G, 29A, -6
When Andrighetto was called up to play a few games in the NHL, he immediately had an impact with 3 points in 12 games. While this might seem like much, he did score his first NHL goal in his first game, playing on a line with Plekanec The issue with the 22 year old is his size: 5’9 and 186 lbs. While he is versatile enough to play at any position as a forward, it’s surprising that he was not offered more ice time and a few more games under his belt in order for him to show what he can truly do. A fast player with good potential offensive upside, it’s hard to say for certain where another player under 6’0 tall would fit within the organization next year. He could surely be called upon if there are any injuries at the NHL level.
The four players that I’ve analyzed have the potential to make the jump to the major leagues next year, although a preference for size is more than likely to be the case. We can assume that de la Rose is here to stay, and it’s impossible to predict how the free agency will fare for the Canadiens.
However, one thing for certain is that there’s a lack of finish among the forwards who are currently on the Habs’ 2015-2016 roster.
Where do you think these players potentially fit?