Quote:
Originally Posted by Kboum
In few years, I think Vail andMacMillan will be the prospects that will surprise us the most!
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MacMillan won't be a surprise to me as I was really impressed with him this year since North Dakota is on tv a lot. Once he fills out his frame and gets stronger he's going to get more attention i'm guessing. Very skilled playmaker, but what I really liked to see was him getting some time on the top line as well as regular PP and PK duties. Granted ND was really banged up this year and couldn't even dress a full lineup at times but still for a Freshman he got good ice time and showed good things for much of the season (he struggled at times to produce but got hot late in the season and into the playoffs, always good to see that)
Vail I hope to see at some point next season, don't know much about him yet but like what i've heard so far.
As for the Schultz/Berger talk,
I wanted the Habs to draft Schultz, but last season in Hamilton I was very disappointed as he struggled to keep up with the play and had some injury issues. This year though he was much better, and fit in well on a line with Dumont. His skating and mobility are a big problem for him but he appeared to have worked on it as he was able to be much more effective in Hamilton and I could see him getting some games with the Habs in the next year or two.
Berger was terrible in Hamilton at the start of the year, his skating and mobility are poor and like Schultz in his first year he greatly struggled to keep up with the play. That said he did improve in the 2nd half and started to do some things in close that at least showed he could be a 4th liner for the Dogs next season perhaps.
So I would wait and see how Berger responds, as both Schultz and Berger were just not very good in their first AHL season. Schultz was much improved in his 2nd season, hopefully for Berger he can do the same although if I were a betting man my money wouldn't be on him becoming a solid 4th liner in the NHL.
If we are talking about their NHL upside, I'd take Schultz over Berger at this point, as Schultz, if he can continue to improve his skating/mobility he has the makings of a possible decent 4th liner as he will hit, drop the gloves, and actually has some hands. Berger while a little taller, he's not as physical although perhaps with steady ice time that will change as he was in and out of the lineup all year and barely had any consistent ice time. Perhaps he could be a 4th liner some day if he can improve his skating/mobility by a good bit. I know he will drop the gloves but not sure that's something he'll be very good at.