Leblanc centering the 1st line? Am I missing something? He didn't even get to center the 4th line this year. He'll be the 3rd line RW.
My friend did you read the whole text ?
I've mentionned that I want three balanced team. An through an offseason of training Leblanc will be NHL-ready.
Underrating.
But for sure he's not going to have PP time .. It's just ES lines The three first lines could be marked as first ones its was just easier to put it this way.
I've mentionned that I want three balanced team. An through an offseason of training Leblanc will be NHL-ready.
Underrating.
But for sure he's not going to have PP time .. It's just ES lines The three first lines could be marked as first ones its was just easier to put it this way.
Yes I did. I understand what you we're getting at, but LL has no experience at Center in the NHL. I think he was even a winger for the Bulldogs. It's just not realistic to put him in that position and playing first line minutes.
I've mentionned that I want three balanced team. An through an offseason of training Leblanc will be NHL-ready.
Underrating.
But for sure he's not going to have PP time .. It's just ES lines The three first lines could be marked as first ones its was just easier to put it this way.
I think Leblanc is nhl 'ready' in the loosest sense of the word. I do think it would do him some good to be used on a top line in hamilton for a while to develop his offensive instincts a bit more.
I think Leblanc is nhl 'ready' in the loosest sense of the word. I do think it would do him some good to be used on a top line in hamilton for a while to develop his offensive instincts a bit more.
Quality time heh ?
Isnt playing in between Cole and Patches quality time ? Yep.
It's has good has rotting in the minors.
And I really don't see why we need to make our best prospect a winger. Unless we really want to draft Galchenyuk or Grigorenko it doesnt make any sense. Louis Leblanc has a special instinct I didnt see this since the 90s or something. It's not because the kid has never played he can't be succesfull. Sure he'll do mistakes but I can garantee you he won't cost us games. Louis Leblanc is a really coachable player.
I know it's against the rule book to do this but I really think it can be good.
Besides drafting "smartly" this June - we NEED most a STUD Defensive Dman signed long-term and NOT a scoring forward! Built from a CORE of Goalie (Price) D (FA, Subban, Gorges, Emelin + (potential youth) and F, (Pacioretty, Plekanecs, Cole, Deharnais, Ginota, Eller, Leblanc, White + potential youth (in Galyenchuk etc)
Markov will leave after next season - we need a long-tern replacement for D is our biggest NEED! (other than COACH + GM!)
Yes, I realize getting Zach Parise may be unlikely/extremely hard to do, but as of today, it remains a possibility. This is what I would attempt to start next season with as far as forwards go:
Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Erik Cole
Alex Galchenyuk - Tomas Plekanec - Zach Parise
Rene Bourque - Lars Eller - Brian Gionta
Brad Staubitz - Ryan White - Travis Moen
Other 4th liners may be available and can be switched depending on availability: Jim Slater, Brandon Prust, Paul Gaustad, Arron Asham, Jordin Tootoo, Tanner Glass etc..
Besides drafting "smartly" this June - we NEED most a STUD Defensive Dman signed long-term and NOT a scoring forward! Built from a CORE of Goalie (Price) D (FA, Subban, Gorges, Emelin + (potential youth) and F, (Pacioretty, Plekanecs, Cole, Deharnais, Ginota, Eller, Leblanc, White + potential youth (in Galyenchuk etc)
Markov will leave after next season - we need a long-tern replacement for D is our biggest NEED! (other than COACH + GM!)
TGIF!
I would rather he draft a guy like murray and sign a guy like parise... We would be set on D for many years with Tinordi, georges, Emelin, beaulieu, suban and Murray.
Yes, I realize getting Zach Parise may be unlikely/extremely hard to do, but as of today, it remains a possibility. This is what I would attempt to start next season with as far as forwards go:
Max Pacioretty - David Desharnais - Erik Cole
Alex Galchenyuk - Tomas Plekanec - Zach Parise
Rene Bourque - Lars Eller - Brian Gionta
Brad Staubitz - Ryan White - Travis Moen
Other 4th liners may be available and can be switched depending on availability: Jim Slater, Brandon Prust, Paul Gaustad, Arron Asham, Jordin Tootoo, Tanner Glass etc..
Parise is a LW which we desparatly need in our linup... If we were drafting Galchenyuk, you can be sure that he would not take leblanc' place in linup.
That woul give you a second line of parise, plekanek, leblanc...not too shaby either...
Isnt playing in between Cole and Patches quality time ? Yep.
It's has good has rotting in the minors.
Rotting in the minors? It's perfectly normal for prospects to spend some time in the ahl adjusting to the professional game. IMO Leblanc could have done with more of that this year and a good long stint with Hamilton next year with first line minutes, pp opportunities, etc.
Agree with what others have said, while Leblanc may be NHL ready in the sense that he could hold his own on the wing of a third line, that doesn't mean that's best for his development. He's almost certainly not ready to play centre at the NHL-level or to play top six minutes or matchups at that level. That's a fast way to mess up decent prospects.
Rotting in the minors? It's perfectly normal for prospects to spend some time in the ahl adjusting to the professional game. IMO Leblanc could have done with more of that this year and a good long stint with Hamilton next year with first line minutes, pp opportunities, etc.
Agree with what others have said, while Leblanc may be NHL ready in the sense that he could hold his own on the wing of a third line, that doesn't mean that's best for his development. He's almost certainly not ready to play centre at the NHL-level or to play top six minutes or matchups at that level. That's a fast way to mess up decent prospects.
Undervaluing of Leblanc here is totally off the charts.
You guy's don't see it heh ?..
Kid's need's one thing to be a top 9 in the NHL. Body strenght.
He's a natural center let's play him @ C.
Also, Leblanc is a Blue-chip prospect, look at most of the blue-chip prospect : Eberle, Came in @ 20,. Henrique, Came in @ 22 (1 AHL year.). Hodgson, Came in at 20, regular at 2 1 AHL year. Couturier, Came in at 18. B. Schenn at 20. Skinner @ 18. Couture had 1 AHL year. Benn @ 20. Versteeg @ 21. Neal @ 20. Giroux, had a similar rookie season has Lou.
Obviously, you'll just shove this with the back of your hand and make a bold statement..And I don't think those players were actually better at this very moment of their career.
But the fact is, The ''detroit way'' is not always the right one. Leblanc is nhl-ready like-it or not, the only thing he needed was speed and strenght.
Before seeing Lou play in the off-season I tought that he needed two or three years of hockey developpement, But Leblanc is alot bnetter than I tought he is and he can actually be good on NHL lvl.
Obviously i'm not saying Giroux IS going to be has good as all those but I have all my stock in him and Eller.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bcv
Is Leblanc ready to play on the 1st line? Nop.
Let Leblanc dominate in the AHL like Patches did, it can only do good.
Wait... Did I ever mentionned First line.
Use top 9. Not 1, 2, 3 and 4.
Furthermore would you prefer seeing Lou puttin up 30 points at center while playing good at Defense and having a better learning curve AND at the same time have DDplay the wing wich would mean less defensive responsabilities and as many offensive responsabilties OR having DD play the center, with great offense and close to non-sense in the Ozone has a C and having Lou playing so well deserved top line AHL minutes.
