MONTREAL, P.Q – If you are a Canadians fan you may not be overly pleased with the draft class of 2010, but the way this team has handled free agency to build their team fear not, they aren’t done tinkering yet.
Montreal was one of the most active teams at the start of the free agent market last summer. No one expects them to be nearly as busy this year but that is not to say they won’t make a splash.
Currently the farm is in need of defensemen but in hockey hot beds like Montreal fans don’t look at the big picture, it is the Cup or nothing.
Outside of Jarred Tinordi don’t expect to see any of the other names that the Canadians drafted wearing the storied sweater any time soon or at all.
The lack of size up front for the Canadians has been well-documented and that is not something that they addressed in the 2010 draft. The forward core are fast and skilled and even though the post lockout era of NHL hockey has proven that size is not as big of a factor as it once was, smaller players tend to spend more time on the sidelines nursing injuries. Only Tomas Plekanec played all 82 games in the regular season on the forwards list for Montreal and team leaders, such as Brian Gionta and Michael Cammalleri who they will need to remain healthy going forward missed a significant amount time. Gionta missed twenty-one games and playoff goal scoring leader Cammalleri missed seventeen.
Let’s take a look at some of the potential future Canadians:
Jarred Tinordi – 6’6 – 205lbs. U.S Defense -Shoots: Left
USA U18 -USHL
1st Round – 22nd Overall
The Habs traded up to the 22nd position to get the king sized defenseman from the 27th spot. Many were surprised that the biggest rear guard was still available, and with a family history in the NHL it was an easy choice. Jarred’s father Mark Tinordi was a tough ornery defenseman in the 80’s and 90’s with the Minnesota North Stars but says his son has a lot more skill than he did at that age.
Mark MacMillan – 6’0 – 150 lbs. Can Forward -Shoots: Left
Alberni Valley -BCHL
4th Round – 113th Overall
MacMillan was ranked 135th by NHL central scouting but finished the season with 80 points in 59 games good enough for 9th in the BCHL. His offensive upside is what caught the eye scouts.
Morgan Ellis – 6’1 – 197 lbs. Can Defense -Shoots: Right
Cape Breton -QMJHL
4th Round – 117th Overall
Ellis wore the “C” for the Screaming Eagles this year and put up decent numbers from the point. He is in the Canadians’ back yard and would have been easy to scout.
Brendan Gallagher – 5’9 – 163 lbs. Can Right Wing -Shoots: Right
Vancouver -WHL
5th Round – 127th Overall
Don’t let the size fool you. Brendan plays with an edge and racked up 111 penalty minutes this year while leading his team in scoring with 81 points including 41 goals. He also showed he knows how to step it up in the playoffs with 21 points in 16 games.
John Westin – 6’0 – 183 lbs. Swe Left Wing -Shoots: Left
Modo Jr. -SWE-JR
7th Round – 207th Overall
This Swedish winger was bounced around to 3 different teams last year but still managed decent numbers and represented his country at the World U 18 tournament.
At the end of the day a late pick that blossoms into a NHL regular will make this draft respectable. Outside of the Canadians first pick, Tinordi, don’t expect to see any of these guys in the big league and particularly anytime soon. This year’s draft for Montreal is full of long term projects.
Time will tell, but out of the gate I give the Habs a C grade on the 2010 draft. If this were not a city that eats, breaths and sleeps hockey it would probably be a B- but we are talking about the team that has won the most Stanley Cups in the NHL and a team that hasn’t won it since 1993.
Keep your sticks on the ice,
Contact Cam.Gore@prohockeynews.com
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