Here is the NEHJ article by Kirk on #1 goalie prospect Tuukka Rask. It sounds like Tukka has made progress this season and is excited about making it to the NHL in the near future. Thanks Kirk for another great piece on the B's prospects.
I thought I'd point out that Brock Bradford notched two goals in BC's win over UNH last night. That brings him to 25 on the year with their second game against the Wildcats just starting.
Nice story on Rask, Kirk. I've always been impressed with his maturity. Seems like he has great character.
Love his attitude:
Quote:
Rask refused to make excuses for his role in the defeat. “I let in some weak goals in those games and that should not happen in the playoffs,” he said. “We had the lead and we were playing good hockey, but when you give up weak goals it affects everybody. I learned from that series that I have to play better, and I will play better.”
Prospect of the Week:
Maxime Sauve - Sauve's season with Val D'or of the QMJHL came to an end Sunday afternoon after his club failed to qualify for the playoffs ending a disappointing season. What the future holds for Sauve is now up in the air, however one thing remains for certain, Maxime Sauve, Bruins 2nd round draft pick, played extremely well in 08-09 putting up great numbers with very little, to at times, no support. Maxime may have saved his best statistical 2 week period for last as he recorded:
6Gp-4G-6A-10pts -3/8Pim between Mar.1 and Mar.15.
Honourable Mentions:
Alain Goulet - A spike in production was to be expected following his move from US college hockey to Canadian Major Junior, however no one could have predicted what Alain has accomplished in his 3 1/2 months north of the border. Goulet is the power play quarterback on a strong Gatineau team who along with Alain Goulet enters the QMJHL Playoffs on a high.
6GP-4G-7A-11pts E/0Pim
Martin St.Pierre - The diminutive, playmaking center continued his strong play for Providence the past two weeks and has formed a potent trio with fellow prospect standouts Mikko Lehtonen and Vladimir Sobotka. Had a scare Friday evening, missing the majority of the 2nd period after blocking a shot with his right foot, however would return in the 3rd to help Providence to a win over Portland.
8GP-1G-10A-11pts +2/8Pim
Brock Bradford - Brock scored 4 goals in 4 games between Mar.1 and Mar 15 including 2 goals in game one of Boston College's first round upset over New Hampshire
4GP-4G-2A-6pts -1/0Pim
Overall Prospect of the Year Standings:
1. Maxime Sauve - Val D'or (QMJHL) .... 3
2. Brad Marchand - Providence (AHL) .... 2
3. Jamie Arniel - Sarnia (OHL) .... 1
Brock Bradford - Boston College (HE) ..... 1
Carl Soderberg - Malmo (Swe.2) ..... 1
Vladimir Sobotka - Providence (AHL) ..... 1
Michael Hutchinson - Barrie (OHL) ..... 1
Mikko Lehtonen - Providence (AHL) ..... 1
I'd bet on Jamie Arniel and Maxime Sauve, possibly even Alain Goulet.
And add Bradford,Courchaine,Hutchinson and maybe Reul, Its been there mo last 2 years bringing them all in expect the obvious ones that have no future.
I'd bet on Jamie Arniel and Maxime Sauve, possibly even Alain Goulet.
Any word on Suave? I see Val D'Or is done for the season. It would be nice to see him play with Marchand and Mikko....that would be some serious speed. I know they tend to put these guys in somewhat limited roles, at least in the AHL playoffs but that would be interesting to see for a few games as the reg. season winds down.
Any word on Suave? I see Val D'Or is done for the season. It would be nice to see him play with Marchand and Mikko....that would be some serious speed. I know they tend to put these guys in somewhat limited roles, at least in the AHL playoffs but that would be interesting to see for a few games as the reg. season winds down.
Having seen Mikko on numerous occasions I don't think he can be characterized as having serious speed. He's not slow, though, and seems to have improved his skating since training camp. He's playing right now on a solid line with Sobodka and St. Pierre.
Any word on Suave? I see Val D'Or is done for the season. It would be nice to see him play with Marchand and Mikko....that would be some serious speed. I know they tend to put these guys in somewhat limited roles, at least in the AHL playoffs but that would be interesting to see for a few games as the reg. season winds down.
Bringing him in to give him a shot at playing at the AHL level is in the works- that's all I know.
Kirk, did he sign a contract with the Bruins? I know some of the Juniors did before the start of the season.
No- Sauve has not signed with Boston yet. Nobody from the '08 class has signed to my knowledge.
The most likely course of action will be that he'll sign a PTO with Providence to finish out the year, and then if he performs as expected, the Bruins could sign him this spring/summer some time. They have until June 1, 2010 to come to terms with him on a deal.
Thanks, Kirk. I was wondering because certain junior players (Goulet, Reul, Ostrcil, Hutchinson) are listed as "IN THE SYSTEM" in the Bruins roster, yet certain other juniors are not.
None of those guys you listed are signed. Goulet has turned things around with his move to Gatineau and with Matt Lashoff now gone, could get a contract given his upside as a puckmover. Hutchinson is probably going to get done as well, but likely closer to the 2010 signing deadline. Ostrcil...no, and Reul is probably a longshot, but he could get done. I never thought the Bruins would sign Eric Van Acker and Elias Abrahamsson but they did.
Also- of interest is an article from Dan Hickling at my own hj.com today quoting Providence head coach Rob Murray that the team will be getting no reinforcements from junior.
Interesting- as that is not what I heard, so be prepared to see a Sauve or possibly Arniel (depending on how Sarnia does in the OHL) added despite the quote. Not doubting the HC of the PB's- just saying that it isn't the final word.
Also- of interest is an article from Dan Hickling at my own hj.com today quoting Providence head coach Rob Murray that the team will be getting no reinforcements from junior.
Well they just signed Victor Bartley (WHL) to an ATO... seeing as I've had a few people ask via PM I'll just throw my 2c (Canadian) out there...
Interesting guy... some scouts within the WHL circle are high on him, others are not (but really, how high could they be on him if they can't talk their team into taking a 7th round flyer on him?)
Reminds me abit of a poor mans Bieksa mixed in with Jon Sigalet and a little Dan Girardi . High character kid who became the Pats captain after getting traded there from Kamloops. Numbers this year were not great considering he was an overager, but his overall game is good. Will drop the mitts a couple times a year, but stays safely within his weight division. Well liked by teammates etc.
He never really caught my eye ---and I don't know a lot about him so I would be interested in hearing some opinions...
Well they just signed Victor Bartley (WHL) to an ATO... seeing as I've had a few people ask via PM I'll just throw my 2c (Canadian) out there...
Interesting guy... some scouts within the WHL circle are high on him, others are not (but really, how high could they be on him if they can't talk their team into taking a 7th round flyer on him?)
Reminds me abit of a poor mans Bieksa mixed in with Jon Sigalet and a little Dan Girardi . High character kid who became the Pats captain after getting traded there from Kamloops. Numbers this year were not great considering he was an overager, but his overall game is good. Will drop the mitts a couple times a year, but stays safely within his weight division. Well liked by teammates etc.
He never really caught my eye ---and I don't know a lot about him so I would be interested in hearing some opinions...
Colt, you dont know alot about a WHL player? Thats hard for me to believe your usually the authority on here about WHL players, but I guess we can give you a pass on this one
Just kidding Colt. From your assesment of him, and I do put quite a bit of stock to your reports (especially on WHLers), I like the sounds of the kid. I'm not sure what to say about the parts of Jon Sigalet that he has in him but the poor man's Bieksa mixed with Dan Girardi sounds promising.
Looks like another low risk/high reward type move by the Bruins to me. Obviously has the leadership with the fact he was captain of the Pats and from his stats, minus this year, it seems like he has some very promising upside. I don't get to see nearly as much WHL as I like but if the kid can be a captain there then he's gotta have something special about em so if Chiarelli&Co. like him and you say you like his overall game then I'm inclined to believe this would very likely work out for the Bruins.
None of those guys you listed are signed. Goulet has turned things around with his move to Gatineau and with Matt Lashoff now gone, could get a contract given his upside as a puckmover. Hutchinson is probably going to get done as well, but likely closer to the 2010 signing deadline. Ostrcil...no, and Reul is probably a longshot, but he could get done. I never thought the Bruins would sign Eric Van Acker and Elias Abrahamsson but they did.
Also- of interest is an article from Dan Hickling at my own hj.com today quoting Providence head coach Rob Murray that the team will be getting no reinforcements from junior.
Interesting- as that is not what I heard, so be prepared to see a Sauve or possibly Arniel (depending on how Sarnia does in the OHL) added despite the quote. Not doubting the HC of the PB's- just saying that it isn't the final word.
I saw the article too but I thought it said no help from ATO'S this year
I do not know when the QMJHL re-vamped their site because it was terrible to see players stats.
Anyways I just saw it this morning and you get all the players' career stats on his page. Something that I liked seeing was the detail on how the junior team acquired the player and if he was a NHL draftee.
I think some you stat guys/gals will like the QMJHL new info structure.
Watching Joe Colborne tonight...DU down 3-0 to UMD after two.
Big Joe has been wholly unimpressive- a reflection of his team's overall inability to get anything done offensively.
He was on the ice for both of UMD's second period goals and got burned when he didn't pick up Jack Connolly, who walked in alone from the side after wheeling out from behind the net and put a shot into the net between Cheverie's blocker arm and body. Not a good goal to give up on Cheverie's part, but Colborne hesitated to pick him up, giving Connolly the time and space he needed to get the shot off.
Colborne has also not done very well on faceoffs tonight.
We'll see how he does in the 3rd, but hasn't been the Pioneers' night thus far.
Final score, 4-0 UMD over DU.
Not much to add to what I posted above- Colborne didn't do much. Not awful per se, but unable to pick it up with the recent loss of Tyler Ruegsegger, which threw the Pioneers' lines out of whack.
Colborne was centering Rhett Rakhshani and Patrick Mullen (Joey's son) but none of them were able to get much going offensively.
I credit the UMD defense last night- they played sound positionally and were terrific on the breakouts. UMD's second goal was as pretty a transition goal you'll see- a balls-on accurate 150-foot breakout pass from D to right winger, who gained the zone then pulled a defender to him while he put a perfect saucer pass to the net that was tapped home by the streaking MacGregor Sharp, who had beaten his man and had nothing but net for the easy deflection. That goal took the wind out of DU's sails, and the Connolly goal moments later was the final nail in the coffin (aside from the empty-netter at the end).
Last edited by Kirk- NEHJ: 03-22-2009 at 11:23 AM.
