Montreal Canadiens development camp kicks| Habs remove Burrows from the bench | Any UFAs left?
hello everyone and inside the latest lockdown Canadians development Camp is underway in Montreal and even more coaching changes you’re locked on Canadians your daily podcast on the Montreal Canadians part of the locked on podcast Network your team every day hello everyone and welcome to episode 1104 of locked on Canadian your daily Montreal Canadians podcast part of the locked on podcast Network where you get your team every single day of the week whether that be on Google Apple Spotify wherever you get your podcast or on youtube.com you can subscribe for free on any of those platforms I am your host Scott Mata today’s episode is brought to you by game time and if you download the game time app now create an account and use code locked on NHL you’re going to get $20 off your first purchase some terms do apply I am flying solo once again today my co-host is is uh preoccupied with something else that is going on which you know everything’s cool don’t worry I’m not going anywhere yet I promise lot going on now that free agent frenzy has like an Elden ring status effect wound its course down a little bit we used a we used a clarifying bolus and we are good to go the madness and frenzy is over a little bit we’re going to talk about free agent some of the remaining free agents later on in this episode but the biggest thing that is happening right now is Montreal Canadians development campus underway some teams started on the 1 obviously it being Canada Day in uh the great white North meant probably not the Canadians team the Canadian team starting that day and the Canadians have their 30-man roster at development camp and the biggest thing out of all of this is that there are only 13 of the 30 players invited were drafted by the Montreal Canadians there’s a very good reason Reon behind that and uh the European players are likely not coming as to not interrupt their summer training program for their professional teams in uh Europe right now so Ivan demidov is still in uh Russia or well actually probably flew back after the NHL draft is there AOS kivu is still in Finland Oliver kaanan is in Sweden or back in Finland training for his potential gear in the shl he will come over for regular training Camp Adam angstrom will be over for rookie Camp David reinbacher you know had played a lot of hockey last year they said hey just stay home and relax yny volokin is still in Russia despite his goenda being one of the guest coaches invited to this training camp which is a weird uh Little Mix on things obvious bden kosov is also back in Russia getting ready for the KHL season and also in here you don’t have some of the other uh newer pieces here Lane Hudson despite potentially wanting to go was told to take some time he will be there for I assume rookie camp and obviously for training camp for the Canadians Luke tuck is not on this roster either which was a little bit surprising to me I thought for sure he would have potentially been there uh because Jacob Fowler is here being one of their top NCA free well tuck now a professional player but uh I’m now seeing you know Jacob Fowler is on here so a lot of the real top side of things not that there aren’t good people here we’re going to get into that are not participating in this so I’m not taking a ton away from development Camp nor should you take a ton away from development camp this is a really good chance just to kind of see where are these players at how are these players doing uh of the drafted players who are there you have Owen Beck Philip Ericson Michael ha Sam Harris Ben Merill uh Logan Sawyer Tyler Thorp Florian Jacky there is a very very interesting player two I think that are catching my in the forward group that I will get to in a moment uh on defense Rasmus berquist and Luke middl stat Owen proz are the uh drafted options on defense and then all four goalies emit CAU Jacob fower Quinton Miller and mikas vvan are all at this camp and for all the drafted pieces here all eyes are going to be on Owen Beck I think everyone knows how good Owen Beck can be and is at this point especially after a huge playoff and Memorial Cup push with Sagen I think teams are very aware of what he can do and I think fans are really excited about that Michael ha being the new first round pick obviously with Ian demov in back in Russia right now he’s going to be getting the eyes here as well this is someone that I I’m actually really excited and I hope he shines in this Camp after missing a chunk of last year with a shoulder injury and then coming on real strong the back half of the year I think all eyes are going to be on them and also on Jacob Fowler Jacob Fowler is a goalie who is seemingly following in the footsteps of Kaden Primo at the NCA level and just winning as much as possible in his first season and will likely make that jump sooner rather than later on defense I’m very interested to see what Owen proz brings to the table here just because reading his description I’m interested to see what he can do uh the big thing here is and quite literally the big thing here there’s a lot of very interesting pieces from for Camp invites and the big one is Justin lose someone that David St Louie of elite prospects for of habs eyes in the prize pointed out as someone they kind of liked in his draft year not a super high pick but maybe worth the punt later on in the draft in 67 games for Victorville last year put up 80 points with 38 goals 42 assists a huge Spike from the 24 points he had the year before and he led his team in scoring LED them in scoring in the playoffs with 16 points in 14 games and the reason why he wasn’t drafted he’s 5 foot n 165 pounds as we’ve seen in this draft this past year shorter players unfortunately kind of got passed over for that but the Canadians remedied this there are a lot of large dudes in this Camp uh some of their AHL invites are also very uh interesting Israel mekum who they signed already is going to be uh in the AHL ECHL system for at least two years St 6’2 202 pounds really interested to see where he goes they saw a lot of him with Joshua W uh and the other name here that stood out for me because of where he played and his relation Kent Hughes has a lot of ties to I believe it was St Andrews uh where I believe Sons went and then he uh really loves to kind of pick through the US High School System especially in the Northeast he’s done this a lot and it’s not always a bad thing but also on the camp invite list is 6 foot2 29 pound Connor Arseno from St John New Brunswick Canada left Winger put up 60 points in 53 under 18 triaa games last year with 134 penalty minutes also put up 14 and 12 games in whatever the phc is with 44 penalty minutes this is a dude who likes to get after it apparently and we’re going to find out how much of his game is uh just taking penalties and scoring because he’s big uh he was on the same team as Bruins draft pick Dean lero who went in the first round I have every thought in my head is that the Canadians were looking at Dean lerno and were in this area maybe scouting I believe it was Ben Merill who they picked uh as one of those guys that they went huh well it couldn’t hurt he’s 18 years old just turned 18 in March will be heading to Cornell next year so 2024 2025 uh to play in the NCA where I imagine they will keep an eye on him and I just want to take a look uh Ben merell played at St Sebastian so my I screwed up my sa whatever high schools there St Sebastian is the one where Ken who’s kids went but this is someone that maybe if they were potentially scouting them out in any way shape or form they were in that region they have Scouts who cover the Northeast whatnot I imagine they would have crossed paths here obviously Merill is invited to this Camp as well before he heads off to pen tikton and to the bchl I know a lot of people are probably disappointed like hey we were really hoping to see maybe Lane Hudson and see uh Adam angstrom and everything a lot of these guys are guys are players who have played professionally already and that probably don’t need to go to this rookie camp or this development Camp so to speak it’s not going to be the high not that the scrimmages later on this week are ever of super high quality mind you um and I’m completely forgetting I had one name left on this and it’s important is that the Canadians invited Alexander Zetterberg to their Camp as well 5 foot eight 159 pounds probably why he was passed over in the draft here ranked by all the major sources and Zetterberg is someone that I really hope they would have taken a swing on he put up 58 points in 45 games in the under2 league in Sweden last year put up 39 points in 24 under 18 te International games for Sweden Five Points in four games at the under 18 World Championships is heading to Boston University next year where the Canadians are going to get a real good look at him all the time as he squares off with Jacob Fowler multiple times this is the Z kind of guy I want to see invited to Camp they can’t sign him to an ELC obviously because of his uh NCAA status but Alexander Zetterberg is one that I’m keeping my eyes on that if he starts tearing it up in the NCAA he’s going to get more and more popular and we’ve seen how undrafted free agency can really kind of just crank things up a little bit however with development Camp starting there were developments in the Montreal Canadians coaching Saga including some changes and a couple a brand new higher in Player Development we’re going to get into that coming up next but first as I said off the top of the show today’s episode is brought to you by game time and it’s the middle of baseball season and there’s nothing better than a cool summer night a cold beverage and some baseball at the park and guess what you can make it so much easier now with game time because their tickets are getting are cheaper closer to first pitch and they have the lowest price guarantee they take all the 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taking a step back from the team this year he will still be with the Canadians and more on that but he will not be on the bench for the Montreal Canadians next season he is uh wanting to spend more time with his family so he is stepping out into a Player Development role now so he is signed on to be as part of that team that also features Paul Byron and Francis Buon and Marie Philip pulan and Adam Nicholas Etc a team that is already working very hard and getting the Canadians to that next level that they need to be at uh he will join that and I think that’s actually and I mean this in the most respectful way possible I think that’s a much better fit for Alex Burrows in the Montreal Canadians organization rather than a power play coach this is a guy with Alex buroughs who battled his way up at every level to eventually end up on the top line of a Powerhouse Vancouver conu team with the sadin where maybe he was the trash man a little bit but you don’t make it all the way up into the NHL by sheer dumb luck and part of that comes with developing and learning and growing and to put a guy like him in a spot to work with younger prospects guys that are potential longer shots who need to figure out what can I do to make this team I think Alex Bros is a really really good fit for that role and it allows him to time with his family he’s still a relatively young guy by NHL coaching standards that it allows him that time and he gets to join now Lori corosi who you will remember as a older NHL player which I man I want to say it was the coyotes but I definitely want to make sure I have uh that correct there he was drafted came in with a r ERS played with the Phoenix Coyotes for a while went to Arizona Edmonton Dallas Blue Jackets went over to the Swiss League played a couple years in Finland another year in the Swiss League retired in 2022 2023 playing for TPS turku in Liga in h Finland there been around for a while 132 points and 609 career NHL games for me he’s now heading up part of the European Player Development which is somehow something that slipped my mind that hey that makes perfect sense why would he not why have the Canadians not done that before and I got to say this is a really smart move because Montreal is investing a lot even more so now than compared to before they’re investing so much of their future in these players in Europe and instead of trying to send people over who you know might be working in North America normally he is there now stationed I don’t know if he’s going to build his own team out and other people are going to be there whether it’s working with the scouting staff or someone else within the Canadians organization but they now have a dedicated piece in Europe and I think that’s a really smart move going forward there so he can check in on guys like AOS Kyu and Ivan demidov Oliver Capen and when he goes back uh bden koskov Etc that he is in the area and he can check in on these players and maybe help get them to that next level whether he’s dropping in uh for practice or if they’re off for a week or whatever reason it might be working with them to get him to the next level the biggest thing is this now leaves the Canadians with a vacancy on their bench in addition to the two vacancies in Laval where they need a head coach and an assistant coach as well and there was a rumor of potentially needing another coach there as uh Martin Le perier might have been going to join Patrick W staff in Long Island I have not heard anything further on that so as it stands right now the Canadians need a head coat or need an assistant coach for Alex burough a head coach and a assistant coach in the AHL a lot of people said gibus uh for any of these roles actually and anyone who watched Toronto’s power play last year I don’t know if that’s quite the way I want to go I would not be it wouldn’t be the worst thing I’ve seen But in Alex Bro role I want to see if he was really the one coaching the power play in which I’ve heard conflicting things it was Martens St Lou was doing it it was Trevor latowski it was this somebody tell me who it was I know it’s not Stefan robida I know Stephan robida is very likely coaching the defense is what he’s doing just like I know Kelly buckberg was working with the defense in Laval I want to see them hire somebody who has a smart mind to utilize some of the current players on this team a little bit more efficiently and I admittedly don’t know a ton of what those coaches might be there I look at St Louis they just hired CL Julius who is a very decorated long-term coach in the NHL he won a Stanley Cup he’s won a lot of games he’s now below Steve a of all people on the St Louis bench I’m interested to see who’s out there because I imagine that that role will get filled soon and I’m also wondering is this an internal hire somebody from Player Development I know it’s not going to be Francis buong he already said he hates being behind the bench but I I am again coming to the conclusion that I would like to see Paul Byron fill in that role in Laval as the assisant coach the I still think Pascal Von is the top option for the head coaching position there I think he’s done a very good job but they did mention in uh I believe it was Kent Hughes and Jeff Gordon when they were asked about it said we don’t mind hiring out of Junior and I think they’re kind of letting the dust settle a little bit from the draft they’re going through interviews uh they interviewed a coach from the German league which I think is really going outside the box which is what I want to hear I want to hear that they cast their net wide because when you focus on when you tunnel vision here you limit what you might be missing on the outside there might be that next guy that oh he has changed how this works and how we’re going to get through this I’m hoping we get news on that soon especially because they’re starting to sign AHL players what what does the coach need to really get this team where where it needs to be right now with jfh the players they have signed I absolutely understand where they were at on things but now things have tweaked a little bit I don’t know what the head coach is going to want what kind of style of hockey they are going to play that’s the hardest part for me I’d gotten very accustomed to the zel bushard jaf style of hockey and new coach is going to come in I assume they’re going to want them to mimic what Martin St Loui does okay that’s good now let’s see what kind of vets do you need AHL free agents are still out there that’s an entire separate thing they signed six seven of them yesterday technically eight if you count Alex Barry Boule to start reloading that team a little bit but without a coach it’s hard to know who’s going to be fitting in where three defenseman signed some of those are probably going to go to the Lions and you have a lot of young guys find a coach who can juggle young guys getting that development and step forward but also you want to win games this is a team that I think desperately wants to get back towards that caller Cup Final they were a game away against uh Springfield three years ago two years ago three years ago two years ago it was fantastic crowds alive it’s a different thing for this team they want to get back there there’s not going to be many players left from that team mind you uh Mitchell Stevens has moved on to Seattle Toby pakon has moved on to Tampa Bay yesi Olan has moved on to Tampa Bay uh various AHL vets have moved all over the place including Alex belil who has now moved on to the Rangers organization there’s a lot you can do um it’s kind of a wait and see I’d really like to see them really go for it if they’re not going to hire Pascal V salon whose name I haven’t seen a ton I’ve seen a lot of ties to junior coaches I’m hoping they find someone who fits the program basically continue that pipeline that these players play in this system and when they go up to the NHL it’s here and on the NHL bench get someone creative you have a lot of talent coming in this power play starting this year and next year you’re adding Lane Hudson this year adding Kirby doc back again this year you’re getting Joshua watt the NHL level this year you’re potentially adding Ivan demidov next year you’re gonna have another year Lane Hudson you’re going to continue to tweak things so get creative with it speaking of getting creative free agency is hit its lull but hey are there any free agents left for the Montreal Canadians at this this point we are back here at lock on Canadians and don’t mind my water it has been hot and I have been walking the dog for several hours today not several hours in a row but you get what I mean anyways the Canadians have been a very quiet player in NHL free agency and rightfully so they were a team that didn’t need to go out and spend a ton on four and fiveyear contracts which Kent Hugh said as much now it comes what are you picking off the second wave here guys like Nate Schmidt are getting signed uh you’re seeing uh cam ainson who got bought out getting signed Jeff Skinner got signed late last night and I’m looking at currently the the free agent list on cap friendly before goes dark just the unrestricted free agent I haven’t touched on offer sheeting because I don’t want Carolina to get mad at me and Tom Dundon to mail a turd to my house I’m looking at the unrestricted free agents I have them sorted by points last year Joe pavelski leads this with 67 points in 82 games but he is likely retiring I was crossing him off the list anyways he’s 39 years old right behind him is Vladimir tereno 55 points in 76 games 23 goals 32 assists he was traded from Ottawa to Florida for next to nothing at the trade deadline and then W another Stanley Cup and my first thought is I could absolutely get behind that but I look at how his time went in Ottawa last year and wonder is this really what the Canadians need I think that he would be a fantastic ad and then right behind him is Daniel sprong 27 years old right wi left wing one of the most and I say enigmatic in the most polite way possible put up 43 points in 76 games 18 goals 25 assists every time looks like he’s going to put it together somewhere he doesn’t and it falls apart and he goes somewhere else I’m not looking at defense so I’m not looking at Justin Schultz I’m not looking at Kevin shadr I’m sure as hell not looking at Mike Hoffman former Captain Max Patti at 35 years old is an unrestricted free agent four goals 19 assists in uh 47 games for the capitals last year obviously coming off a pretty major significant injury there is an interesting one though former fourth overall pick guy who promised to fill the net against the Montreal Canadians because he they didn’t draft him Philip Zaden was not qualified by the San Jose Sharks minus 44 in 72 games admittedly the Sharks were not good last year JD I love you but you know this 13 goals 10 assists is this somebody that you think oh maybe I can take a swing on this maybe there’s something there maybe I can send him to the AHL if he’s not working out at the end NHL level it’s something that I think is worth looking into but I think the Canadians if they’re going for a guy on a one or twoyear deal they’re going to go terasen go or sprong and I think that’s the way that I would go a guy you can put in that third line role get a little offense out of that maybe a second power play unit kind of thing and really do some work with them I’m not saying they’re going to be a superstar but if you can get do what you did for Shawn manahan and kind of Revitalize their career you flip them immediately cuz Zena kind of draws the line where it starts to get iffy kyok poo very likely I would assume retiring after winning a Stanley Cup with Florida after a long tenure in Buffalo and Long Island before that Blake wheeler coming off a broken leg 21 points in 54 games 37 years old Cal Clutterbuck Clutterbuck the human hit machine 36 years old Michael McLoud not qualified hockey candidate case Brian sudor Jack Johnson no no KY Yamamoto has fallen off a cliff and then it’s into fourth liners and older players here uh guys like Tyler Mt Jared Tori uh Gustaf Lindstrom again no thanks uh and I wonder then if that they take a swing at one of these guys here because Kent Hughes still said they did want to add if it made sense and I absolutely think that Vladimir tereno or Daniel sprong on a one-year deal if you can shift other salary around or out it’s the second day of free agency it’s not even over yet at this point so I am very very curious what Kent Hughes has cooking because he’s been quiet yeah there’s the slavkovsky extension yeah there’s a the probably working on Kaden ghouly and Arbor Jacky extensions Etc but this is a team that when things get quiet I wonder what Kent Hughes is up to and uh I’m I and of course now that I’ve recorded this Vladimir tereno is GNA sign with like Columbus for a year at like 3.75 or something like that on a reasonable deal after winning the cup and then they’ll put him next to Shawn manahan and just kind of let them cook the the fact of the matter is that there’s it’s getting real quiet now I think you’re going to see a lot of tweener signings or a guy that might be a fourth ler top liner in the AHL for the Canadians and AHL contracts you’re not going to see I think a lot of entry-level deals for any of the new guys Adam gich just signed his for St Louis so I wasn’t I’m not expecting the Canadians to do this because Michael ha can’t sign his he’s going to college Ivan deido has a contract in the KHL cannot set his entry level deal until that is over with and everyone else is still raw and unproven from the draft class I I doubt that they’d be like atos Kovu you you just got here here’s an ELC and they’ve signed the pieces from last year that they wanted to signed like flori and Jacky some of the other guys are still playing in college David Ryan Bacher is signed already Jacob Fowler can’t be signed the big I think that they’re betting a lot on their internal spots filling in here they want these young guys to seize these spots they don’t want to have to stop Gap but if they can help it because as of right now the Canadians don’t need to put carry Price’s contract on ltir which is the first time in a long time and that’s a huge boom because as they get closer the closer they are to the cap and then put it on ltir determines how much extra cap space they get out of that uh and for the Canadians in Ken Hughes they got to be smart with it they don’t want to overspend and then have to make a panic move to make things work here I don’t know if there is going to be a trade I’ve seen Matthew Joseph and radic faxa just traded for future considerations I don’t think Josh Anderson they’re willing to let Josh Anderson go for future considerations unless they are getting rid of everything at once I will happily take future considerations because that opens a spot for some other young guys but to answer my own question here are there any top threee agents left you got teras senko and you got maybe Daniel spra and that’s really about it and that’s not the end of the world for the Canadians but we’ll see what they do it’s an early week this is it’s quarter to set it’s quarter to8 when I’m recording this so a lot can happen by the time that I finished editing and posting this if any breaking news happens we will be on top of that for tomorrow night’s episode make sure you subscribe to lockdown Canadians wherever you get your daily podcast Google Apple Spotify or on youtube.com we are free on all of those platforms follow us on Twitter _ Canadians locked on Canadians at gmail.com for all of your questions you can follow myself at scottm on uh the app formly known as Twitter we will be back tomorrow night talk more development Camp talk whatever else is going on in the world until then thank you all for tuning in and we will see you all next time [Music]
Inside the latest Locked on Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens development camp is under way, and despite some of the young stars not taking part there is plenty to look out for this week in Brossard. Scott takes a look at the “who’s who” of prospects in camp, and who might end up surprising at rookie camp in September.
Speaking of the Canadiens, their off-season coaching search has taken yet another twist as Alex Burrows has left the bench to take a role in player development alongside new European development member Lauri Korpikoski. With Burrows now gone that leaves the Habs needing to fill his role, in addition to the two spots in Laval. Scott breaks down what he might be looking for in Burrows’ old role.
Finally, we have hit the first quiet part of NHL Free Agency, and Scott wants to take a look at whether or not there are any useful pieces left to potentially sign for the Montreal Canadiens.
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