Translated from La Presse
It seems that we should never give up on Trevor Timmins. We doubted Carey Price when he failed to make the Junior National team on his first year. We didn’t believe in Andrei Kostitsyn who was slow to develop. Will another first round draft pick, David Fischer drafted 20th overall in 2006, fool us?
Fischer had two ordinary seasons with the Minnesota University’s Gophers but third time may be a charm. The young man registered 7 point in 7 games and is +8 (best defensemen on his team). Minnesota is second best team in the country (5-0-2) and the and the head coach is pleased with Fischer’s play.
“He is one of the main reasons for our success” said Don Lucia. “David has an incredible start. He really raised his game one level. He is heavier, close to 200 pounds. I use him in power play, penalty killing, four on four, against the best opponents and he is on the ice when we have to protect a small lead.”
“Maybe we asked him to fill a role he wasn’t ready for last year. We didn’t have a choice. With the departure of Erik Johnson and Alex Goligoski who signed professional contracts, we had to put him on our first defensive pairing on his second year. He would have been more comfortable on the second pairing but maybe the experience prepared him for this year.”
Mark Guentzel, Gopher’s assistant coach last year, often compared Fischer to Paul Martin, number one defensemen with the New Jersey Devils. Lucia disagrees. “They both like to use their stick more than their body to counter the opposition but David doesn’t move the puck as well as Martin did at this stage of his career. But David has better vision of the game and makes faster passes than before.”
“We see a future NHL player in him but he’s not there yet. I don’t think he’ll reach full physical maturity before 25 years old. He should be around 220 by then and he’ll be ready to play in every situations.
Trevor Timmins said the Canadiens will see in March if the young man will be ready to play professional or if he’ll stay at the Minnesota University.
Fischer was drafted way too high. Matter of fact, he is currently the second best 20 year old, right handed, NCAA defenseman out of the Minnesota high school ranks, in the organization. I think Joe Stejskal has moved ahead of him.
Stejskal is off to a point per game start as well, an astonishing 6 goals in Dartmouth’s first 6 games. He is close to the same size as Fischer (6-3, 195), but much more physical. Joe plays more along the lines of Dion Phaneuf, looking for the big hits and teeing off with a cannon from the right point on the power play.
Rob,
I agree that Joe Stejskal probably has a better two way game than David Fischer and has the better tools to play in the NHL one day , but let’s not make comparisons to Dion Phaneuf….not even close, Rob!!
By the way Big Brother, great article to translate for Habs fans…..Thanks!!!
The comparisons were only regarding style. Stejskal is always looking for the big hit, and likes to tee up the puck from the right point on the power play. Those were the two eye catching qualities he had coming out of high school hockey. He should end up being about the same size as well, he was listed at 6-3, 196, in the rookie camp.
I heard some good things about him in the development camp this summer. I think Timmons singled him out for his shot and physical presence. He obviously has a long way to go, but seems ahead of the curve of Ryan O’Bryne when he played in the Ivy League a few years back.
Sorry but on that one, I can’t argue. While I thought it was a good article to translate (beat the crap out of the same game review than anybody else) I must admit that I have never seen either of them play.
But as I say about Bob…
In Trevor we trust.
Oh, and I opted against mentionning it after the article but… Mathias Brunet is a douche. “WE doubted Carey Price? WE doubted about Andrei Kostitsyn?” Talk for yourself.
Thruth to be told, those “experts” also questionned the drafting of Chris Higgins, Mike Komisarek and so many others I lost count.
One day, MAYBE, they’ll learn the biggest truth of all: most general managers/coaches are there for a reason. And most journalist aren’t general managers/coaches for a reason…
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