The Hamilton Bulldogs season is over. While they did not make it into the playoffs, there is still hope. Hope that with some changes a better 2014-15 season will follow.
10 Hamilton Bulldogs Ready to Show Their Worth
As the Montreal Canadiens are playing meaningful April hockey, Habs GM Marc Bergevin recalled 10 Bulldogs players to continue skating and training in Montreal, with the potential to be used as backups if any current roster players become injured.
Those who were called up include: Gabriel Dumont, Christian Thomas, Mike Blunden, Sven Andrighetto, Louis Leblanc, Nathan Beaulieu, Greg Pateryn, Davis Drewiske, Dustin Tokarski and Devan Dubnyk.
Nine of these 10 players practiced in Brossard on Tuesday afternoon. Missing from the ice was goaltender Devan Dubnyk who was said to be taking a therapy day but was expected to re-join his teammates for the next practice.
Watching the practice I have come to the conclusion as to why they are on the list as back-ups for the current players. These players are insurance. The staff have high hopes for them next season, and keeping them in-shape and under their watchful radar between now and preseason training camp might be beneficial to both them and the club.
Louis Leblanc has been a favourite for years. Habs fans always expect him to have a good camp and stay throughout the season but with each passing year he returns to the Bulldogs. It was a disappointment when he was one of the first players sent to Hamilton this season during training camp. He proved himself in Hamilton and has easily been one of the first forwards called up when the injury bug hits.
Leblanc played 8 games for the Montreal Canadiens this season recording 0 points. In Hamilton he was one of their best players. He played 70 games, recording 13 goals and 15 assists. Leblanc is one who the team can always count on. During the 2011-2012 season, he was up for half the season and recorded 5 goals and 5 assists.
Gabriel Dumont has not had much chance in the NHL. He has only 15 NHL games, but has a goal and 2 assists. In Hamilton this season he had his best year topping his ‘career best for points’ by five. In 74 games played he has 19 goals and 17 assists.
He has been a key contributor in all aspects of the Bulldogs games and gave 100% effort in each. He is one to look forward to in the upcoming season as the young player is starting to come out of his shell. There is a possibility he could still end up in Hamilton depending on what the Habs are looking for, but if he keeps up his current play anything is possible.
Mike Blunden is a more mature player. He knows what is expected of him in the AHL and the NHL, and can fill the role he is given. This season, we saw him play 7 games with the Habs. He did not record any points, but in his 102 NHL games he recorded 4 goals and 4 assists. Two of the goals were for the Montreal Canadiens and the other two were for the Columbus Blue Jackets (where he played prior to Montreal).
This season with the Bulldogs was his best season in the AHL to date. In 68 games he recorded 18 goals and 19 assists. His second best season came in 2012-2013 when he played 54 games recording 10 goals and 12 assists. He was a key part the Bulldogs success this season and is needed to keep up this work for the upcoming season.
Christian Thomas spent a few months earlier this season (after Habs training camp) in Montreal where he underwent sports hernia surgery. The young player played two games this season with the Canadiens (totalling 0 points), and has only played in 55 AHL games. He also played his first NHL game with Montreal against the Tampa Bay Lightning (his father is a coach on that team).
With the Bulldogs he had his second best AHL season. This could be because he did not play as many games as he did during his best season. He totalled 11 goals and 16 assists in 55 games. The 21-year-old is a young future to keep an eye out for. He needs more time to develop but could be a key player once he is ready.
Sven Andrighetto was a breakout star this season in the AHL, especially over the last few months. He played 64 games with the Hamilton Bulldogs and recorded 17 goals and 27 assists. This was his first season in the AHL. Before that he played in the QMJHL and his highest season was 2012-2013 where he played 53 games and recorded 98 points (31 goals and 67 assists).
He has yet to play an NHL game. I cannot see him starting off next season in the NHL. I believe they will continue developing the 21-year-old but I feel he will be one of the first call-ups next season and be given a shot.
Dustin Tokarski has just been signed to a two-year extension with the Hamilton Bulldogs/Montreal Canadiens. The young goaltender is becoming NHL ready and played two fabulous games. He actually played three, but one was replacing Budaj mid-way through. The first against the number one NHL team (Anaheim Ducks) and second game was against the lowest team in the NHL (Buffalo Sabres). Tokarski even recorded a shutout against the Buffalo Sabres. It was his first NHL shutout.
In Hamilton he played 41 games. He has a 2.38 goals against average. Even if his numbers do not add up he is still capable of being NHL calibre whether it will be this season or next. His teammates voted him the Bulldogs MVP this season.
Devan Dubnyk started the season out with the Edmonton Oilers. He played 32 games there averaging a 11-17-2 record. He was then traded to the Nashville Predators where he recorded a 0-1-1. He was then traded to the Montreal Canadians (with the Oilers paying 50% of his salary and Predators paying 25%). Many fans were worried because Price was injured at the time and they thought Dubnyk would be replacing him.
Instead Dubnyk went straight to Hamilton. He played eight games and had a 2-5-0 record. There seems to be a goalie controversy for next season as nobody is sure who will be Tokarski’s back-up (or if Tokarski will play with the Habs).
Nathan Beaulieu spent a good portion of the season with the Canadiens and quite a bit in Hamilton. Fans want to see him continue staying with the Habs but the defensive line is so strong that it would have been hard to place him in the line-up (of course this is very debateable). I believe he should not be in the AHL and he should have stayed up in the NHL even if he did not play all the games.
With the Habs he played 17 games and recorded two assists. All time he has 23 games and has zero goals and four assists. With the Bulldogs he has seven goals and 20 assists in 57 games. I believe he will be one of the players too look for on the opening night roster next season.
Greg Pateryn was called up a couple of times at the beginning of the NHL season (back when Douglas Murray was injured and Alexei Emelin was still out of the line-up). He never got a shot to play a game with the Habs, but I believe next season he may get a few.
With the Bulldogs, he played 68 games this season and has 15 goals and 19 assists. He was one of the top defenseman for the Bulldogs and gave his 100% during every game.
Davis Drewiske is the final player called up. I believe he could have started off with the Montreal Canadiens during the 2013-2014 season and possibly remained there, but he was injured during the Habs training camp. He was expected to originally miss four weeks with a shoulder injury. Those four weeks turned into 6-8 months after he underwent surgery.
Last season with the Canadiens he played nine games (after trade deadline) recorded 1 goal and 2 assists. With the Bulldogs this season he recorded 3 assists in 21 games. I think he is still training to get stronger with his shoulder and it will give him a bigger chance at training practice next season. I can see him being with the Habs next season for at least a few games. Drewiske has a big heart and the presence he brings to the ice is needed.
Over the next few weeks I will watch these ten players grow. I think these are the 10 to watch for during training camp next season and either with the Montreal Canadiens or the Hamilton Bulldogs.
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