We'll see, but the pressure will be on the coaching staffs of the Montreal Canadiens and Minnesota Wild to prove they can get the best out of the young prospect they each acquired Monday when The Golden Boy was shipped out of town in exchange for Benoit Pouliot.
Guillaume Latendresse does have a certain amount of potential, but I'm not sure just how high that ceiling is. I really have no idea what to make of Pouliot, other than the fact I believe he was on the Habs radar in the 2005 draft until Minnesota took him at No. 4. The Habs grabbed Carey Price one pick later, and Latendresse 41 picks later.
Personally, I like the trade, simply because I think the situation had become intolerable for The Golden Boy here. From the very start, he was expected to be this city's next locally produced star, and it wasn't something he was necessarily ever going to accomplish. The organization did him no favours by keeping with the club instead of sending him to junior, but I think that only hurt him on the mental side of the game. Physically, he was too strong for junior and wasn't learning anymore, but he was unable to live up to the lofty expectations heaped on him very early.
He told Marc-Antoine Godin of La Presse that he's "relieved" to be traded, which I think says it all.
Sergei Kostitsyn was also called up from Hamilton today, as Pouliot is currently injured with a jammed wrist, according to the Minnesota Star-Tribune's Michael Russo.
I'll have more on this later on.
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5 comments:
Pouliot is from Alfred, which is very french. Response to your twitter from earlier.
We couldn't seem to force him into the big man mold with any consistency. He'd bring it for a period or shift, but it seemed to go against his personality. Maybe he will fit much better with Minny. Let's also hope the other guy finds his niche here. Right now, SK for GL seems like a good swap. Why do we have so many problems with our kids?
Thanks Michael
Typical Montreal case of a bad hockey trade done for non-hockey reason. Latendresse has been the better player by far so far. Yes, clearly Martin did not like him at all, but I've expressed doubts about his handling of young players in the past and this isn't helping. And it's not like Pouliot doesn't have issues with work ethic and off-ice conduct.
At least they're the same age and Pouliot definitely has upside, I'm guessing Timmins did scout him given where the Habs drafted that year. Still, I can't shake the feeling that this is the kind of trade that has bitten the Habs in the rear quite a lot in the past.
Trading
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