BROSSARD, QC — While at the Canadiens’ development camp this week, the most common question I have been asked from casual fans is “Which one is Leblanc?” Obviously Louis Leblanc is drawing the most attention from fans and media alike. So far, the latest home-grown hope has looked rather ordinary and uninspired.
So, it brought a smile to my face when a small group of very enthusiastic Joe Stejskal fans arrived with hand-made posters in hand. Joe who, you say?
Stejskal was selected in the fifth round of the 2007 amateur draft, 133rd overall when he was a senior at Grand Rapids high school in Minnesota. He will be entering his senior year at Dartmouth in the Fall and has been named as Assistant Captain for the Big Green.
Stejskal is a big defenseman who likes to play a physical game and can deliver solid hits. He is effective at both ends of the ice and was an effective penalty-killer last season. As we have seen in camp, he has a heavy, accurate shot.
While Stejskal is a long-term project and finds himself well down on the Habs depth chart behind fellow defensemen Yannick Weber, P.K. Subban, Mathieu Carle and Mac Bennett, he offers a physical dimension missing from the others.
Hunter Bishop is a left-winger hailing from Fairbanks, Alaska, inked as a free agent by Pierre Gauthier in March. Bishop was playing with Zac Dalpe (Hurricanes) and John Albert (Thrashers) on the top line with the Ohio State Buckeyes. After signing with the Canadiens, he finished the season with the Bulldogs for the final nine games of the regular season and the playoffs.
After a few short weeks in Hamilton, Bishop was already impressed with his new coach Guy Boucher. Bishop recalls saying, “Dad, this might be the best coach I’ve ever played for.”
Bishop has a good release when shooting but his best asset is speed. When asked to describe his game Bishop said that he plays with energy and likes to take the puck to the net. He added that tries to be the hardest working player on the ice.
It was a good morning for Tomas Baumle, who was lights out in the Brossard complex goal. While the smallest netminder in camp, he has shown good work habits, and seems eager to learn from the Canadiens coaches.
Steve Quailer was missing from Thursday morning’s session. There was no explanation for his absence but Quailer missed all of last season with a torn ACL that occurred in an exhibition game last October and has only recently returned to the ice.
Hamilton Bulldogs coach Guy Boucher arrived at the rink on Thursday after attending to some family matters. While the media was most interested in Boucher’s future plans. he would only say that his focus is on matters at hand with the Montreal Canadiens’ prospects.
The development camp wraps up Saturday in Brossard.
(photo credit: Getty)