Recapping the Memorial Cup - Congrats Bournival + Ellis!

Last night, the Memorial Cup Final was played to determine the 2011-12 champion of the Canadian Hockey League.  After a great week of hockey, the host Shawinigan Cataractes emerged victorious, with an Anton Zlobin overtime goal allowing them to get past the London Knights 2-1 to win the first Memorial Cup in franchise history.  The Cup was presented to Montreal's own Michael Bournival, as captain of the Cataractes, so congratulations to both him and future Hab defenseman Morgan Ellis, who was also named the game's second star.  Let's recap how our Habs fared during the tournament.

First, of the four Canadiens prospects in the tournament, the only one not appearing in the Finals last night was Nathan Beaulieu, whose favourited Saint John Sea Dogs lost in the semi-final to QMJHL rivals Shawinigan after having beaten them in the round robin two days earlier.  Though he did have 4 assists, 13 shots, and an even +/- rating in his four games, Beaulieu's overall performance in the tournament could be described as disappointing.  His silky smooth skating was on display, as he never hesitated to jump into the rush, or create chances on the transition, but he has two major areas where significant improvement is needed: his defensive zone play and his mental game.  With regards to play in his own end, he was notably a -4 with multiple turnovers in that semi-final matchup against the Cataractes. He is prone to giveaways and his positioning in his own end is sometimes questionable.  In terms of mental game, Beaulieu is prone to lazy or frustrated penalties, often for hacks and slashes, which we saw on numerous occasions during the Cup.  If we remember back to this year's World Junior Championship, one could blame Beaulieu's "giving up" on the play on a delayed penalty call that ultimately led to the winning Russian goal on gaps in his mental game as well.

Don't be discouraged by the above paragraph; I'm by no means calling Beaulieu a bust, or suggesting he has any less potential than he appeared to when the Canadiens made him a first round selection.  But I am suggesting the guy remains a project, needing time to develop before he becomes a real NHL player.  He is very naturally skilled, and the issues in his game can be worked on in Hamilton.  In fact, the issues he is facing aren't unlike the doubts many had about P.K. Subban as a prospect.  I'm not saying Beaulieu will necessarily be as good as Subban, but he's a mobile blueliner with size who can put up points, with enough balance to his game to project as a top four rearguard.

The sting of defeat is still fresh for London Knights' captain Jarred Tinordi, but he has nothing to be ashamed of in his own game, being named to the tournament's all-star team.  Tinordi and d-partner Scott Harrington played upwards of 30 minutes on a regular basis, and he was generally a beast in his own end, intercepting passes, blocking shots, and rubbing forwards out.  I maintain that offense is an underrated part of Tinordi's game (when you look at his OHL production, it's certainly underwhelming), and he showed some nice flashes with a couple of sequences yesterday where he jumped into the rush.  He'll never be a powerplay quarterback, but I don't think he's a Hal Gill either; in London, his role is very focused on its defensive aspect, but in another situation he might put up more points.  Tinordi finished the event with no points, but five shots on goal and a tied-for-team-lead (with forward Matt Rupert) +2 rating.

On to the winners.  Captain Michael Bournival started the Memorial Cup slowly, and fears rose that his poor QMJHL playoffs might carry over to this tournament.  But he silenced doubters with a strong performance, ranking fourth on the Cataractes with 7 points and tied for 3rd with three goals in 6 games.  While a natural center, he most frequently played the wing in the tournament, adding to speculation that he may have some kind of injury which will require repairs during the off-season.  Of course, playing on any sort of injury would make the intense, aggressive, speedy game he played all the more impressive, and bodes well for his professional future.  Bournival likely projects to a third liner at the NHL level, though it will be interesting to see if his goal-scorer's touch can carry over to the AHL next season.

Lastly, Morgan Ellis has opened a lot of eyes during the course of this season.  A mostly unheralded prospect, he served as the captain of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, a bottom feeder in the QMJHL.  When the contending Cataractes traded for him this season, he took his game to a new level, producing at a point-per-game clip for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs, while playing on the team's top defensive pairing with Brandon Gormley.  Ellis, a 6'2", 200 lbs right-handed buleliner, continued his responsible play into the Memorial Cup, tying for fifth on the Cataractes with five points in 6 games, firing 17 shots on goal and finishing a +3.  Of the three d-men in the tournament, Ellis appears to have the most mature and complete game, meaning he may actually be the most NHL-ready of the group.  That doesn't necessarily mean he'll be the one to have the best career of the three, but he is likely the one that will soonest be ready to fill-in for spot duty on a third pairing in case of injuries.

All in all, the Memorial Cup was a fun tournament for Habs fans to follow with four prospects in the fray, and we should be quite happy with the showing.  Yesterday's game marked the final game of the 2011-12 season for any player in the Hab organization, and also the final game of the junior careers of all of Tinordi, Bournival, and Ellis.  The three of them, along with Beaulieu, Brendan Gallagher, and Patrick Holland, will graduate from the CHL to the Hamilton Bulldogs in the Fall, as they continue their development towards becoming NHL players.  It is important to be patient with these youngsters and not expect too much from them too quickly, as for each to reach their full potential, the organization mustn't rush them.

Your Canadiens for May 21, 2012

With two tournaments to update on, this is likely the last installment of "Your Canadiens" till next year, as we may have only a single story to discuss daily moving forward.  (or, if there are multiple stories, they are likely to be of big enough quality to have independent pieces on them!)  So here's what went on over the weekend.

IIHF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRAP


Two Habs concluded their IIHF World Championship participation with medals yesterday.  Tomas Plekanec and the Czech Republic beat host Finland in the Bronze Medal game by a 3-2 score.  Plekanec had no points yesterday, finishing the tournament with 7 points in 10 games, one behind team leader Ales Hemsky of the Edmonton Oilers.  Plekanec, the team's captain, averaged 17:58 of ice time per game, second to only Boston's David Krejci amongst Czech forwards.  For his efforts, he was named one of his team's top 3 players by the coaching staff.

Winning Gold yesterday were Alexei Emelin and his Russian teammates, topping Cinderella Slovakia 6-2 to complete an undefeated tournament.  Emelin finished the event with 2 goals and 2 assists in 9 games (he missed one with a suspension) and an impressive +12 rating, which was the best among Russian d-men, and fourth best overall in the tournament behind three forward teammates.  He averaged 18:35 per game, which was second on his team to only Ilya Nikulin.  Also winning Gold was former Hab Alexander Perezhogin who played a starring role for the squad with 4 goals and 9 points in 10 games, finishing third on the team.  Don't get too excited however; there is word that he is close to signing a 2-year extension in the KHL, and even if he were to at some point return to North America, he'd be an unrestricted free agent.

MEMORIAL CUP UPDATES


The 2012 MasterCard Memorial Cup began Friday night in Shawinigan with four Hab prospects in the mix. On opening night, the host team, featuring Montreal's Michael Bournival and Morgan Ellis, was downed by the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-3 with neither Canadien collecting a point.  Ellis played a strong game, particularly at the point in the offensive zone, while Bournival was noticeable but not particularly impactful, finishing the night a -2.

On night 2, OHL champion London Knights and their captain Jarred Tinordi beat pre-tournament favourites Nathan Beaulieu and the Saint John Sea Dogs 5-3.  Beaulieu recorded an assist in the loss, and was named the game's second star behind only London's Austin Watson.  Tinordi, meanwhile, was a game-high +3.  Good night for both first round selections.

The host Cataractes got on the board with a win on night three, besting London by an impressive 6-2 score. Captain Michael Bournival turned in a much better performance, with his goal, assist, and +2 rating earning him first star honours.  Ellis finished a tied-for-game-high +3, while in the loss, Tinordi was a -1.

Saint John faces Edmonton tonight, and if the Sea Dogs win, all four clubs will be tied with 1-1 records.

Around the League(s): Memorial Cup Preview

Beginning this Friday in Shawinigan, four Montreal Canadiens prospects get to play a little bonus hockey, competing in the country's most prestigious national tournament: The Memorial Cup.  For those new to the event, the Memorial Cup is the final CHL championship; an event pitting the winners of each of Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Western Hockey League against one another, with a fourth competitor being the team selected as host for the event.

This year's teams are the WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings, OHL winner London Knights, back-to-back QMJHL champion Saint John Sea Dogs, and host Shawinigan Cataractes, who were upset in the second round of the QMJHL playoffs, and have thus had a long break between their last game and the start of the Cup.  With four players in the event, the Canadiens have more already-drafted participants than any other NHL teams, and have Nathan Beaulieu as a returnee from last year's Memorial Cup, where he won the title with Saint John.  Here's a look at the four clubs, and what to watch for from a Habs perspective if you catch any of the games live, or on Sportsnet / TVASports.

Saint John Sea Dogs


Winning back-to-back Memorial Cups is a difficult and rare accomplishment, and yet the Windsor Spitfires did it in 2009 and 2010, and now Saint John has the opportunity to win two straight directly thereafter.  A big part of last year's winning core is back, including Montreal's Nathan Beaulieu on defense, and future Florida Panthers star Jonathan Huberdeau up front.  Other names you should know up front include Charlie Coyle, a top prospect drafted by San Jose in the first round but dealt to Minnesota in last summer's Brent Burns trade, and Zack Phillips, a Minnesota first round choice from last June.  Stanislav Galiev - a 3rd round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2010 - was limited to just 20 regular season games this year, but exploded for 16 goals and 34 points in 17 playoff games.  The Sea Dogs are a veteran team with no top prospects for the upcoming entry draft, but just finished off a dominant playoff drive to the Q championship with a 16-1 record.  Though his French is questionable at best, the team's head coach Gerard Gallant has been speculated as a possible candidate for a job in Montreal.

London Knights


The Knights are captained by towering Habs' prospect d-man Jarred Tinordi who took his game to another level this season, particularly in the playoffs where his dormant offensive instincts awoke, producing 3 goals and 8 points in 19 games en route to the OHL crown against a tough Niagara Ice Dogs squad.  Tinordi and his partner, 2011 Pittsburgh second rounder Scott Harrington, form one of the CHL's most formidable shutdown pairs, while the Knights get offense from the back end in the explosive Olli Maatta, a 2012 draft eligible 6'2" blueliner who scored 23 points in 19 playoff games.  2010 Nashville first rounder Austin Watson is a 6'3" power forward who collected OHL playoff MVP honours thanks to his 10 goals, though it was undrafted 19-year old forward Seth Griffith who led the club (tied with Maatta) with 23 points in 19 games.  Another big contributor up front is 2011 Tampa Bay Lightning first round choice Vladislav Namestnikov, while Toronto 2010 third rounder Greg McKegg had a great regular season but his production dipped come post-season.  Scouts will be keeping an eye on center Andreas Athanasiou, a 6'0", 175 lbs 17-year old likely to go in one of the first two rounds next month.  Another player who may go in June but isn't on many draft lists is goaltender Michael Houser, an undrafted 19-year old who was named the OHL's most outstanding player this season.  The Knights don't have the firepower of the Sea Dogs, but they are sound defensively with a top notch keeper.

Edmonton Oil Kings


The Oil Kings are the only one of the four clubs without a Canadiens prospect on their roster.  On paper, they lack the established star power of the other three participating teams.  17-year old 2013 draft eligible Curtis Lazar scored 31 points in 63 regular season games this year, but the 6'0" centreman led his club with 19 points in 20 playoff games.  Tied with Lazar was the team leader from the season, Michael St. Croix, a 5'11" fourth round pick of the New York Rangers one year ago, who put up 105 points this year.  Perhaps most intriguing about the Oil Kings is the presence of several top-rated prospects for the upcoming draft, a group led by defenseman Griffin Reinhart.  Reinhart has a huge 6'4", 202 lbs frame, but is more of a two-way guy than a bruiser, and most scouts see him as a top 10 candidate.  Swedish import Henrik Samuelsson started the year in the Swedish Elite League, but made it in Edmonton in time to score 23 point in 28 games.  The 6'2" right winger is also an alumni of the U.S. National Team Development Program, so he is well traveled, and seen as an intelligent player with some questions on his skating but expected to be taken in round 2. Lastly, a second  defenseman on the prospect radar is Cody Corbett, just a little smaller than Reinhart at 6'1", 210 lbs, but plays more of a tough defensive game, and is projected to likely go in rounds 2 to 4.

Shawinigan Cataractes


The host Cataractes loaded up in anticipation of this tournament, but it didn't help them get past Chicoutimi in the second round of the Q's post-season, falling in a 7-game tilt.  The team is captained by Montreal prospect Michael Bournival, who had an up-and-down season that saw him set a career high with 30 goals, while totaling 56 points in just 41 games.  His playoffs, however, were disappointing, with just 7 points in 11 matches.  Hopefully the month off the team has had allowed him to refocus and heal up any possible bruises.  Acquired prior to the trade deadline, fellow future Hab Morgan Ellis has been a revelation on the team's blueline, often paired with Phoenix Coyotes first rounder Brandon Gormley.  The 6'2" Ellis was tied for third in team scoring in the post-season with 11 points in 11 games, while also leading the Cataractes with a +14 rating.  Enigmatic New York Islanders third rounder Kirill Kabanov led the team in playoff scoring with 13 points, just ahead of Philadelphia third round choice Michael Chaput.  A wildcard for the upcoming draft, 19-year old 5'11" forward Anton Zlobin led the team in the regular season, while most expect 6'1" blueliner Justin Hache to be a top 100 choice this June.  Seventeen year old netminder Alex Dubeau has already received an invitation to Montreal's pre-draft combine, indicating the club will be watching his performance as well.


The tournament opens this Friday night with a game between Edmonton and Shawinigan.  For full schedule and all the details, check the event's official website here:
http://mastercardmemorialcup.ca/

Your Canadiens for April 25, 2012

Getting caught up on a few bits and pieces as the NHL's first round of playoff action nears its conclusion.

DANNY KRISTO TO RETURN TO NORTH DAKOTA


Habs prospect Danny Kristo announced officially yesterday that he would return to the University of North Dakota for his senior year.  There could be many reasons for his doing so; a desire to win a National Championship, the want to finish his degree, or perhaps uncertainty over where the GM-less and coach-less Canadiens currently stand.

From a development standpoint, the move seems counterproductive for Kristo.  He has nothing left to prove at the NCAA level, having just set career highs in games played, goals, assists, and points, averaging more than a point per game.  But there is a big jump between college hockey and the NHL, and it would have been nice to see Kristo cutting his teeth at the American Hockey League level starting in the Fall to begin making his adjustment.  As it stands, assuming he signs once next season is over, he'll only begin his first pro season at the age of 23.  Of course, him signing at all remains a question; he could have dropped out of school to become a UFA this summer, but can still opt for unrestricted free agency if he doesn't sign with Montreal at next season's conclusion.  Thus, this isn't good news, but it's too early to say the sky is falling as well.


MAX PACIORETTY A FINALIST FOR MASTERTON


After previously being named the Canadiens nominee for the award, forward Max Pacioretty was named one of three finalists for the award, technically given to the player best exemplifying the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey, but almost always awarded to the year's best comeback story.  The other finalists are Toronto's Joffrey Lupul and Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson.  I don't get to vote, of course, but my money would be on Max taking this one.


CHL PLAYOFF UPDATES


Patrick Holland and the Tri-City Americans find themselves in a 2 game hole after losing the first two outings by identical 5-4 overtime results.  Holland has certainly done his part, however, with 2 goals an an assist in the series opener (named second star), and a goal and a helper in game 2 (named third star).  Holland now has 6 goals and 17 points in 12 games as Tri-City looks to get back in the series tonight.

Jarred Tinordi's London Knights are up 3 games to none in their second round matchup following a 5-2 win last night.  Tinordi entered the series with a surprising 5 points in 10 games, a revelation compared to his limited regular season offense.  He has kept it going with 2 assists through the first three games this round (including one last night) as the Knights look like they will coast through to the OHL finals.

Nathan Beaulieu's dominant Saint John Sea Dogs suffered their first post-season loss last night, 5-4 in overtime, but still lead their series 2-1.  Beaulieu had a powerplay goal in the game but finished a -1.  The offensive blueliner has remained at the point-per-game pace with 3 points in three games this round, now giving him 11 in 11 post-season contests.


NILL SPEAKS ABOUT TURNING DOWN HABS POST


Detroit Red Wings' Assistant General Manager Jim Nill spoke yesterday about his talks with Geoff Molson about taking over as Montreal Canadiens GM.  Nill expressed that he had interest in the job, and based on two interviews, saw that the Habs were interested in him, but he decided that it simply wasn't the right time to make such a move.  This talk confirms not only that Detroit had in fact granted Nill permission to talk with Montreal, but both that the GM job in this city remains appealing and that the Canadiens are looking beyond the language factor to find the best man for the job.  What is the actual reason for Nill wanting to end the process?  We'll never know for sure.  He has in the past turned down opportunities for family reasons to remain in Detroit so it may just be that.  Or perhaps he doesn't feel ready to step into such a strong spotlight as that in Montreal.  Or maybe, just maybe, he isn't so keen on the idea of having to take French lessons on the side.  Who knows.

Jarred Tinordi Named Captain of London Knights

The Habs' have a number of captains and assistant captains throughout the Canadian Hockey League, including Morgan Ellis (C), Brendan Gallagher (C/A), Michael Bournival (C), and Darren Dietz (A), but there was a significant announcement tonight when defenseman Jarred Tinordi was made captain of the historic London Knights franchise.

http://londonknights.com/article/knights-name-tinordi-team-captain

This shows a lot of confidence in Mr. Tinordi, a player that Hab fans tend to flip-flop on from being a future fixture in the top 4 to being a bust a la David Fischer. With such a large and imposing frame as he possesses, of course it takes Jarred longer to fill out and get comfortable with his size, but once he does, he should be a good one on the Canadiens' back end.

Tinordi's leadership skills have been acknowledged before, as he was previously captain of the American National Under 18 team.

Congratulations to him, and wishing him all the best for a great season with the Knights!

As an aside, the Hamilton Bulldogs' first preseason game is at 7:30 PM. You can catch the legendary Derek Wills calling the game on CHAM 820 radio as of 7:25 at:

http://cham.player.amri.ca/

Brendan Gallagher and Michael Bournival Invited to Canada WJC Camp

As Hockey Canada unveiled its list of invitees to this summer's development camp in preparation for next winter's World Junior Championships, there was no surprise to see the names of Montreal Canadiens prospects Brendan Gallagher and Michael Bournival on the list.

As two of Montreal's top prospects playing in the CHL, both Bournival and Gallagher were present at last December's final selection camp for Team Canada, but met the chopping block, with Gallagher being one of the final players removed from the group. This season, a year older, both should be favourites to make the team, though they will face serious competition within the group of 26 forwards invited to the summer session. Of the 26, only 5 are returnees from last year's final team, and 11 are eligible for next week's NHL Entry Draft.

Bournival, 19, was acquired by the Canadiens from the Colorado Avalanche (who had selected him in the 3rd round last summer) in exchange for Ryan O'Byrne. He has completed three seasons with the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL, setting career highs last year with 64 points in 56 games before adding 13 more in 12 playoff contests. At 5'11", 179 lbs, Bournival isn't the biggest skater, but he is responsible at both ends of the rink, playing a true two-way game. He will return for a final season in the QMJHL in the fall, before being eligible to play in the AHL in 2012-13.

Gallagher, also 19, was a 5th round selection by Montreal last summer, and also went on to set career highs offensively, playing for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. Standing just 5'8", Gallagher will have some major hurdles ahead if he is to someday play in the NHL, but he's in the right organization to look at role models like Brian Gionta and David Desharnais. Despite his diminutive stature, Gallagher notched 44 goals and 91 points in 66 games last year, and likes to drive the net, playing a gritty-as-his-size-will-allow game. An NHL comparable might someday be Brad Marchand, which would be huge for the Habs if Gallagher continues to develop. One major area he'll have to improve his footspeed, as it is often what separates skilled but small youngsters from the NHL (Desharnais) vs. the AHL (Corey Locke). After a final season with the Giants this coming year, Brendan will hit the Hamilton Bulldogs at the same time as Bournival.

Full list of Team Canada camp invitees: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/170658/la_id/1.htm