Habs’ Prospect Scrimmage Tells Us That the Future is Bright but There Is Still Room For Improvement
The Montreal Canadiens held their development camp scrimmage on Thursday at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard on Thursday morning. The first period ended 2-2 with goals scored by Sam Harris, Joshua Nadeau, Tyler Thorpe and Connor Arsenault. The second frame ended 7-1 in favour of Team Red: Nadeau, Harris, and Florian Xhekaj scored two goals, while Thorpe and Michael Hage scored one.
The matchup showed that the future is bright in Montreal, but that there is still room for improvement among the youthful bunch. Here are five takeaways from the scrimmage:
Michael Hage Needs to Fill-Out
Reported to measure in at roughly six-foot-one, 185 pounds, Hage has a solid build that will only grow larger for years to come.
Hage demonstrated how he utilizes his long reach and speed to protect the puck in transition while flexing his creativity to find open space or the open man.
What is concerning is that he still doesn’t have enough weight to throw around with a defenseman blocking his path. He was knocked off the puck multiple times or stood up trying to enter the offensive zone. Still, his pinpoint shooting precision and knack for setting up linemates was the most impressive demonstration of his skillset.
Jacob Fowler’s Stick is Worrisome
Jacob Fowler is the highest touted goaltender in this year's collection of prospects. His composure was apparent to the point that desperation saves didn’t seem so desperate. He placed himself in the right position to make saves and eliminate shooting angles.
His aggressive poke check did get him in trouble, however. The first goal he let in came after he took a whack at the puck around his crease. This opened up his legs just enough for Harris to sneak his shot under the Boston College netminder’s pads.
It’s a small detail to harp on, but the small details are important to Fowler, who told the media during a press availability during the week that eliminating easy goals is a component of his game he is looking to improve.
Florian Xhekaj’s Offensive Effectiveness
Many pundits questioned how much Xhekaj would be able to contribute defensively at the professional level. He surprised many by showcasing a high IQ and offensive knack, as he demonstrated during the scrimmage.
Xhekaj showed that he finds open space with ease, but that his instincts for finding the open man on the other side of the zone coupled with navigating the defensive players trying to interfere with passing lanes by always keeping his head up.
Vecvanags Shouldn’t Dwell On His Performance
Mikus Vecvanags had a solid first frame before the score got out of hand in the second. The opposing team tallied six goals in the first ten minutes of play, wherein afterward Vecvanags was replaced with Fowler.
This isn’t to say that Vecvanags performed poorly, or that all the goals were his fault. Frankly, the defensive positioning was atrocious at the start of the period and it contributed to the Red Team finding open men to play tic-tac-toe around Vecvanags’ crease.
The Latvian goaltender mustn’t dwell on the scrimmage. He also showed an ability to track down pucks following rebounds and take away space during odd-man rushes.
Tyler Thorpe’s Shot is As Advertised
Heading into the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, Thorpe’s shot was hailed to be NHL-ready. After his two-goal performance in the scrimmage today, the analysis is as spot-on as his accuracy.
Thorpe’s shot isn’t good because it has zip, nor is it because he is incredibly accurate. His shot is good because he knows where to place the puck and never seems to feel rushed while shooting.
In his first goal, he streaked in alone and snapped a wrister glove-side past Fowler. For his second goal, he settled down the puck at the point before finding twine. Staying calm at the highest level is an asset, a sound internal clock is even more beneficial. His poise will garner him a shot in the pros eventually.