Nathan MacKinnon,Taylor Cammarata,Luc Deschesne.

[Scribe]

I've been to Baie-Comeau many times. It is a great hockey town and the fans there are loyal and passionate about the sport. Knowledgeable, too.

It's northern, cold, lots of snow, but you're playing hockey, so what's the big deal? Downside is the schooling and the travel. I think MacKinnon just wanted to play in his hometown or somewhere with a better track record of developing NHL prospects.

Can anyone name me one (reasonably successful) NHL player that has played in Baie-Comeau?

[habs83]

The best player in the NHL who has played in Baie-Comeau is Marc-André Bergeron...which support your point!

[Dean Youngblood]

Can anyone name me one (reasonably successful) NHL player that has played in Baie-Comeau?

Not really...unless these guys count:

- MA Bergeron
- Francois Bouchard
- Joel Perreault
- JF Jacques


Your answer is no.

[Scribe]

This is not to say that playing in Baie-Comeau would hurt his chances of playing in the NHL, but I can understand (sort of) his reluctance and it has nothing to do with the town, IMO. It's odd that Rimouski has a great tradition of developing NHLers while Baie-Comeau (across the river) does not. Not much difference between the two towns.

[SeaDawg]

Over the years we've seen many good players on bad teams fall in the rankings. I would have thought MacKinnon was special enough to overcome that, but I guess he wants to be closer to home. I don't like it, but I can sort of understand his rationale, and I can't really blame him. Many players in the CHL have chosen their team before, so he is just another one who is likely being told (advised) to do this.

[Big Ev]

The misplaced Crosby comparisons have gotten to his head. Shame.

[dodospice]

I've heard the kid won't do his homework and when the teachers ask why he just tells them that he doesn't need to do it because he is going to the NHL. I've also heard he hates school and doesn't want to go NCAA just he doesn't want to play on a losing team and apparently the kid is really cocky. I don't believe all I've heard but it is concerning if even some of it is true...

[Scribe]

I've got to give the Baie Comeau GM, Steve Ahern, credit here.

It took a lot of guts to go ahead and draft MacKinnon without a commitment from him. In many similar cases, teams have just let the prospect slide to a better team that has cooked up a deal. Esposito, Marcantuoni, Hodgson, Duchene -- the list goes on.

In this case, Ahern took the best prospect and then kept working to make the deal happen. He won't get the top prospect, but he's gotten a good return for the No. 1 pick.

Kudos also to former NHLer Cam Russell for turning Adam Erne (2nd rounder, 22nd overall last month) into two firsts and a second so he had the assets to acquire MacKinnon.

[Gramps]

MacKinnon seems to be handling himself in his Q debut, I think he has 9 points in 4 pre season games.

[Dean Youngblood]

MacKinnon seems to be handling himself in his Q debut, I think he has 9 points in 4 pre season games.

Actually he had 4 points in 4 pre-season games and then 5 points in 2 regular season games I do believe. Technically, he has 9 points in 6 games (pre-season and regular season combined)



Good showing so far.

[Gramps]

Actually he had 4 points in 4 pre-season games and then 5 points in 2 regular season games I do believe. Technically, he has 9 points in 6 games (pre-season and regular season combined)

Good showing so far.

Thanks for the correction!

[dodospice]

Just an update on some of the players I have previously talked about.

Luc Deschenes has 3 points in 3 games in Major Midget this year as a '97 born playing with the Fredericton Canadians,I also am assuming he is playing in the Atlantic Challenge Cup.

Nathan MacKinnon has 14 points in 8 games and is handling himself very well in the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads.

Taylor Cammarata has 4 points in 2 games playing in the USHL with the Waterloo Black Hawks.

Morgan Messenger has 12 points in 7 games in Major Midget this year playing with the Canadian Tire Mustangs.

Josh Shatford has 3 points in 7 games in Major Midget this year also playing with the Canadian Tire Mustangs.

Nicholas Blanchard has 10 points in 6 games in Major Midget and is playing with the Valley Wildcats,he won player of the week the first week of the season.

Zach Moody has 8 points in 6 games in Major Midget and is playing with the Valley Wildcats.

Grant Janes has 1 point in 7 games in Major Midget and is playing with the Valley Wildcats.

[smoothfun]

I've been tempted to post about MacKinnon but , he's gotb a ways to go yet.
i was at the season openerv for the Moose and was impressed with the young player but , he needs some some more muscle on his bones.
My son is going to the game tomorrow , they play Cape Breton , see how the younster does against their rival . they blew a lead against them on the road so maybe they can redeem themselves at home.
i'm not informed much about why MacKinnon wanted to stay close to home buy , he just turned 16 , why not play for your home team , what could be better?
Why wouldn't the Moose do everything they could to have him on their team , marketing people , ticket sales people , come on is it that hard to understand!
opening game had over 8000 people , the max is around 10,000.
Mackinnon is the talk of the town!
May be early but , keep an eye on him.

[dodospice]

MacKinnon is doing very well and he is bringing excitment back to Mooseheads hockey. Its the best thing to happen to the Mooseheads in a long time.

[dodospice]

Just thought I would do a little update on some of the guys that have been mentioned before in these posts.

Nathan MacKinnon- Halifax Mooseheads,QMJHL, has 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points in 19 games so far,pretty amazing if you ask me good enough for 10th in the league.

Luc Deschesne- Fredericton Canadiens,PEI-NB Major Midget League, he has 2 goals and 1 assist for 3 points in 5 games as a '97 born.

Taylor Cammarata- Waterloo Blackhawks,USHL,and has 11 points in 11 games which puts him in 7th in the league in scoring and has recently committed to the University of Minnesota.

Morgan Messenger- Canadian Tire Mustangs,Nova Scotia Major Midget League,he has 9 goals and 15 assists for 24 points in 16 games,ties him for
4th place in the league in points.

Nic Blanchard- Valley Wildcats,Nova Scotia Major Midget League,he has 12 goals and 9 assists for 21 points in 15 games,ties him for 7th in the league in points.

Zach Moody- Valley Wildcats,Nova Scotia Major Midget League,he has 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 15 games,ties him for 8th in the league in points.

I somehow have overlooked this kid and shouldnt have.

Josh Pugsley- Weeks Major Midgets,Nova Scotia Major Midget League,he has 9 goals and 17 assists in 14 games for 26 points,puts him in 2nd in the league in points.


Would not surprise me one bit to see 2 or 3 of those NS guys go in the 1st round of the Q draft this year. I fully expect all 4 to be drafted.