Emil Heineman: his blistering shot will help him establish himself in the NHL

Emil Heineman isn’t one of the Habs’ most talked-about prospects these days. However, we can expect great things from him in the seasons to come. He may not be dominant with the Habs in October, but he could become a cornerstone of the Rocket next season.

In fact, what will help him is his powerful shot. It’s what made him stand out when he arrived in Laval at the end of March.

The Swedish forward found the back of the net seven times in seven games in his Laval debut.

Acquired in the deal that sent Tyler Toffoli to the Flames, he is one of the few European players to do better on North American ice than on international rinks. He recently spoke to TVA Sports’ Anthony Marcotte about this.

Yes, Heineman is confident in his shot, but he’s even had Rocket coaches tell him that’s what they like about him. His coaches told him they like the fact that he takes a lot of shots towards the opposing net.

It’s not crazy. The more shots you take, the better your chances of scoring a goal. The tactic has worked very well, if his seven goals in his first seven AHL games are any indication.

And that’s where we see the advantage of smaller ice for Heineman. Because the playing surface is smaller, he finds himself in scoring position much more often. In fact, on a North American rink, it’s almost possible to score from anywhere in the opponent’s zone (except maybe from behind the net, but there’s always the Michigan feint for that).

Heineman is smart. He understands this concept and shoots very often. And it pays off!

I remember Jesperi Kotkaniemi’s debut with the Canadiens. I’d watch him go and think he had a ton of chances to score, but didn’t trust his shot enough. Heinemenan has that confidence, and it allows him to stand out.

He stands out to such an extent that his Rocket head coach, Jean-François Houle, believes he can become an important player for the Habs in the future, and that his potential is very high.

According to the Laval Rocket coach, Emil Heineman would have a high ceiling. 🔵 ⚪ 🔴

To listen to his appearance on Le Retour des sportifs with @MartinLemay ⬇️ https://t.co/07q4CGE6Pm pic.twitter.com/ohuX8JARRK

– BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) March 28, 2023

At 21, Emil Heineman still has a lot to prove, but he’s off to a good start. The Habs already have an excellent maverick in Cole Caufield, but one more in the lineup certainly wouldn’t hurt.

In a gust

– Very touching.

– Canadiens players aren’t golf aces.

We think we preferred the #NHLAllStar version of golf 😅#GoHabsGo pic.twitter.com/9WOJ0R4t7F

– Montreal Canadiens (@CanadiensMTL) August 28, 2023

– Sad to see.

– That’s rare! A referee ejected!