Suzuki in Mtl.

[bnet]

So, what's everybody's thoughts on Mtl's newest prospect? Definitely less competition for top six center time in Mtl then in Vegas.
Short-term long plans/potential?
Short-term ~ Think he may play this year and see time in top 9 as a center, eventually should work his way up to top six center at some point.
Long-term ~ Drouin as a center experiment will end up failing and Suzuki/The Finn will end up as the #1/2 centers in Mtl (interchangeable who ends up being #1).

[Dover]

He might get a 9 games try but I don’t see him play all year in MTL. I give him 2-3 years MAX to be on the top 6 at wing or center. The guy got elite IQ and very complete already. He will look good in a Habs jersey!

[Axeman33]

If he's good enough today, he will play this year but that could be asking a lot. As mentioned, the competition is less where he's going but it also depends on where he ends up playing. He's a center per se but that means little coming into the league as he will go where he fits. I like him more then Poehling in the top six down the middle but that's still TBD.

I can see him getting his 9 games but who knows after that short term.

Long term, I am not sure what to predict in Montreal now. The opportunity will be better in Montreal but the end result may not be as good because I am not sure about Montreals ability to develop the kids. Julien isn't overly patient with his kids but if they can work hard and prove their are defensively capable, they can certainly win their spots.

For me it's still way to early to jump on board with Suzuki. I like the fact he should get a better look but not sure he will be better because of it.

[Axeman33]

If he's good enough today, he will play this year but that could be asking a lot. As mentioned, the competition is less where he's going but it also depends on where he ends up playing. He's a center per se but that means little coming into the league as he will go where he fits. I like him more then Poehling in the top six down the middle but that's still TBD.

I can see him getting his 9 games but who knows after that short term.

Long term, I am not sure what to predict in Montreal now. The opportunity will be better in Montreal but the end result may not be as good because I am not sure about Montreals ability to develop the kids. Julien isn't overly patient with his kids but if they can work hard and prove their are defensively capable, they can certainly win their spots.

For me it's still way to early to jump on board with Suzuki. I like the fact he should get a better look but not sure he will be better because of it.

[ross10019]

I see him with a 9-game stint this year, then back to juniors so he can dominate again and hopefully win a World Junior Championship gold medal. No reason to rush him - let him become even more dominant in junior and then go from there.

As for where he slots in, it's way too early to say of course, but ideally if he and Kotkaniemi develop as expected they would be 1A and 1B centermen with Poehling as an elite 3rd line C. - or he's a top 6 W and Drouin stays at C. You'd have a pretty solid young top 12 W corps made up of some combo of guys like Drouin/Suzuki, Gallagher, Domi, Scherbak, Ilonen, Lehkonen, Bitten, Armia - then hopefully some of the other young Cs like Hillis, Bean, McShane, Ikonen develop and lead to a glut of talent we can exploit. In the meantime you trade guys like Byron and Shaw this year to bring in even more prospects and picks.

But the real question is whether the Habs finish in a lottery position again with the very deep 2019 draft coming up - Obviously Hughes is the big prize, but with 10 picks right now and if their own draft position is high, that's a potential goldmine of young prospects.

[saucelife90]

Short term I don't see him making the squad this year, unless he plays lights out in his first 9 games.

Long term, this is someone they'll be building their team around. You don't just trade away your captain/top player for the sake of it.

[Zorro]

If I was Montreal, I would let Suzuki dominate the OHL and the World Junior tournament, for 1 more year!!

[bergman]

Bergevin was asked if the emphasis for the Canadiens is on the future and he said "100%". I think they will give him some NHL games, maybe keep him up for a while and get him comfortable with the NHL lifestyle, and then release him and let him work on aspects of his game in the OHL and possibly play in the WJC. There is no real point in keeping him in the NHL. The fanbase is happy with the prospect pool and for once is okay with a rebuilding future-based approach. The media will tear the team apart for being awful, with or without Suzuki in MTL, so he should be sheltered.

[berni67]

I think Montreal will be better to develop their young prospects with Dominic Ducharme and Joel Bouchard. As for Suzuki, I hope he will be the Forsberg of the Lindros trade !!