Marty Lapointe puts a lot of emphasis on how a prospect performs in big games and league playoffs.
You can read his article here:https://t.co/YDpHQO3ApP pic.twitter.com/eLjZL5ubsg– Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) August 26, 2023
It’s no surprise to anyone that the Montreal market is a special one in the NHL. Beyond the fact that it’s a French-speaking city and the winter season (two factors that put off some players from coming to the city), we’re talking about a place where the pressure is pretty high.
Toronto offers a similar reality, but we agree that in many other markets, the pressure has nothing to do with Montreal. In Florida, for example, it’s drastically different.
And when we look at the club’s recent picks, we see that Lapointe’s words carry over to the selections. The most obvious case is probably Juraj Slafkovský, who was drafted first overall by the Tricolore in 2022.
Slaf didn’t necessarily dominate the regular season during his time in Finland (he amassed 10 points in 31 games in the Liiga in 2021-22), but when you look at his more important games, you notice that he showed up. Of course, his seven goals in seven games at the Olympic Games were the talk of the town, but his nine points in eight games at the 2022 World Championship are also a fine achievement.
And let’s not forget that he was a 17-year-old at the Olympic Games and had just turned 18 at the World Championship. He was playing against adults at the time.
But beyond Slafkovský, there are other guys for whom Lapointe’s words can be transposed. The case of Jacob Fowler, for example, is interesting: the young goaltender was a real wall during the last USHL playoffs, with an efficiency rate of .952 in nine starts.
USHL Rewind 2022-23 | Youngstown G Jacob Fowler named Clark Cup MVP following Phantoms’ postseason championship run that saw him go 8-1 while leading all goaltenders in Ws, GAA (1.36), Sv% (.952) & saves (273). #StarsRise pic.twitter.com/qhvFXuKYdS
– USHL (@USHL) July 19, 2023
Clearly, then, big games dictate a lot of amateur scouting in Montreal, and both Lapointe’s comments and the club’s recent picks seem to confirm this reality.
If a guy wants to be drafted in Montreal, then it’s up to him to perform in the big games. Because clearly, that’s an important factor.
In gusto
– I’d go with Elias Pettersson, personally.
Who will be the leading scorer of this crop this season? 👀 pic.twitter.com/DdnzBfHRt5
– TVA Sports (@TVASports) August 26, 2023
– It was a formality.
GARRIOCH: Michael Andlauer approved by NHL’s executive committee to buy Ottawa Senators, via @ottawasuncom https://t.co/dcNkM1SywT
– Bruce Garrioch (@SunGarrioch) August 26, 2023
– And despite everything, they went for it.
In Minnesota, there was toxicity surrounding Josh Donaldson. https://t.co/PMFH4srlBQ
– Passion MLB (@passion_mlb) August 26, 2023
– The Western team wins the first ECHL Duel at the Centre Vidéotron, a sort of All-Star Game for the league. The Montreal Alliance was well represented among the Eastern squad.
Western Conference team wins first EBCL Duel 107-102#CEBLClash pic.twitter.com/1fO6R6EoON
– AlleyOop360 (@AlleyOop360) August 26, 2023
– Can’t wait to see him in action.
Milos Raonic almost at home in New York https://t.co/SzrxK1eXZk
– Radio-Canada Sports (@RC_Sports) August 26, 2023