Laval Rockets line up for playoffs

Team: 2020-21 Montreal Canadiens

Initial Creation Date: Apr. 7, 2021

Published: Apr. 7, 2021

Salary Cap Mode: Basic

Harvey-Pinard (11) works so hard, every game he is noticeable. Weal (19) has been good. He is too strong for AHL and not strong enough for NHL. Ylonen (26) his hockey IQ is extremely high. A very impressive player, with a good future.

Blandisi (46) when focused he is tenacious. Poehling (41) he played LW last night but he is more dangerous and has a better presence in the game at Centre. Teasdale (14) I did not like him at first, but he has really grown on me. He is very smart on the ice. If his skating can improve he has a shot at the NHL. In terms of star quality there is not much there but together as a line, they often spend much more time in offensive zone.

Belzile (22) when focused, he can be very noticeable for all the right reasons. Vejdemo (12) had a very strong beginning of year and tapered off before getting injured. He has good size 6'2", excellent skating and his vision is good. He seems to lack hunger or something. A strong AHL player but jury still out on NHL. Caufield (44) now people are going to freak out I have placed him only on 3rd line. Yes he will play in NHL, yes he has incredible NHL shot. It is not that he is a 3rd line player, it is the fact the two lines above when healthy gelled really well and often dominated games.

Pezzetta (23) this is another player that has warmed on me. He is not the most talented, but he hits and hit and hits. He is a decent fighter and will stick up for his teammates. Mysak (18) he is only 18 and only plays 10 minutes per game but you notice him. He is really good on faceoff's, he has offensive skill. Baddock (34), I thought he was just a big goon, but he can play. He is smarter than I thought. He does not run around. He is improving as a player. He is also needed at the AHL level because certain players target Laval's skilled players and he is definitely a presence on the ice.

Big omission, Laurent Dauphin (27) and argument can be made to put him in instead of Mysak as 4th line Centre but quite frankly Mysak hustles way more. Dauphin floats up and down the ice. He chats and laughs with linesmen. A big disappointment for what Laval is paying him.

Leskinen (28) is a younger version of an Andrei Markov. His passing, his vision is really good. He moves the puck up ice so fast and on the powerplay he is a conductor out there. I hope MTL gives him a shot. If not another team will. Brook (8) he had a slow start to the season but has been really good his last 12 games. His offensive instinct is kicking in and I understand how he got all those points in Junior. He needs to get a touch heavier. He sees the ice well and has improved in his own end.

Olofsson (29) he is nothing fancy but is a big body. He is disciplined, he skates well. He moves puck well. He is strong for the AHL, not sure long term in the NHL. He is also a smart player. Schueneman (6) he was wild at beginning of season and all over the place and he was also a -7. Coach sat him down and since then he was +9. Last game he just jumped over the boards and Stockton scored so he got a -1. He skates really well, he makes nice passes. I recommended him to a team and five days later Montreal signed him to a contract. He is a very good AHL player. Can he translate that into an NHL career. I think so if giving the opportunity.

Bisson (4) he is a very steady defensive d-man. He is tough along the walls. He is hard to get around. This was a good pick up by Laval as he joined the team after the season started. He is also +11 on the season. He will not give you much offense but he plays really well in his zone. Also not afraid to drop the gloves. Good size at 6'2" 1/2. Would be even better 10 to 15 pounds heavier. Fleury (5) he is a hard hitting d-man that is tough to play against in his zone. You will not get much offense out of him but he is a good 3rd pairing. He also put on some weight and is now 212 pounds.


Massive omission that will have people freaking out: Xavier Ouellet (43) and the captain. If all of those six players are healthy, they all play ahead of Ouellet. All six of them skate faster than him. They do not make defensive turn overs as much as Ouellet. I know this will not be popular and people, especially some francophones will not like this, but Tobie Bisson is a francophone? I am sorry, he got this far because Coach Bouchard and Ducharme both played with Ouellet's father and later coached with him and they have seen him grow up. I am not picking favourite's just going with the best 6 players.

Lastly the goalies: Many are speaking up Primeau, but McNiven is a very strong and good goalie. Nothing against Primeau but I would not discard McNiven so quickly.