Post by Score on May 29, 2007 10:02:25 GMT -3
Just ‘be patient’ — Patenaude
Mooseheads’ GM likes Marchand but plans to hold on to his players, picks at Q draft
By WILLY PALOV Sports Reporter
Marcel Patenaude is often one of the most active wheelers and dealers at the QMJHL draft, but that won’t likely be the case this weekend in Drummondville, Que.
The Halifax Mooseheads general manager expects to hold on to his players and picks, unless someone proposes a deal that involves him acquiring a top-level veteran. At this point, the Mooseheads may have the best collection of talent in the league heading into the 2007-08 season. But Patenaude doesn’t think now is the time to try to put his team over the top, unless he is guaranteed to hit a home run.
"The thing we’re looking at is if we’re making a trade it is to land A players; players that would be stars in our league," Patenaude said. "If we’re able to do that, we’ll do it. If not, we’ll be patient and see what we need to do at Christmas time."
In an ideal world, the Mooseheads would add one front-line player at each of the three positions — forward, defence and goal. Up front, they would love to add an impact 19-year-old to bolster their offence and Hammonds Plains native Brad Marchand would seem to be the perfect fit. He did not go to Val-d’Or willingly last year and will likely want to be moved closer to home, but Patenaude said he is in no hurry to over-pay to get him.
Patenaude conceded that he — or any other GM — would love to add a player like Marchand, but wouldn’t discuss the rumour he’s offered blue-chip defenceman Gabriel O’Connor and the fifth overall pick to get him. However, it is believed that wouldn’t even be enough to get Marchand right now anyway. Sources say the Foreurs would likely want those two assets, plus top forward Logan MacMillan at next year’s draft to give up Marchand right now. When asked if he would consider that price, Patenaude said: "that is a lot more than we would pay for anyone right now."
So unless Patenaude drastically changes his stance, don’t expect Marchand to be a member of the Mooseheads by the end of the weekend. For that matter, don’t expect any elite scorers to join the Mooseheads because Patenaude feels he is in a good bargaining position right now and is only willing to pay what he is comfortable with.
"What we’re hoping for the draft and for trades, mostly is to draft and to pick up the best talent available," Patenaude said. "We’ve got the fifth pick overall and the 23rd so we feel we’ll be able to land very good hockey players with those picks.
"And people should also be aware that we have very good team chemistry and that’s one thing I’m not ready to jeopardize."
The Mooseheads could also certainly use a bona fide No. 1 goaltender after finishing last season with the unproven tandem of Roger Kennedy and Mark Yetman. But looking around the league, there are virtually no 18- or 19-year-olds who fit that bill and it is a highly risky proposition to trade for a high-end 20-year-old during the summer because there is always the real possibility they won’t be back in junior when the season starts.
Even having said that, the only three overagers that would be considered by the Mooseheads are Victoriaville’s J.C. Blanchard, Drummondville’s Pier-Olivier Pelletier and Baie-Comeau’s Michael Dupont. It’s believed Blanchard is not available at this point, while the Drakkar are in a bit of a chaotic state because of trade demands by some of their players. Management is reportedly reluctant to make any deals right now in order to avoid any mass panic. That leaves Pelletier as the top candidate and he would be a perfect fit in Halifax, as long as he comes back to the Q. But he is a high draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes so there’s at least a 50-50 chance he won’t be back.
Patenaude may be interested in making a conditional trade with the Voltigeurs to secure Pelletier’s rights, but don’t count on him going any further than that with Pelletier or any other goalie right now.
"With Kennedy and Yetman, they only started to play a lot after Christmas," said Patenaude. "We want to see where they’re at and feel (out) where they are during training camp and exhibition games and during the start of the regular season. Maybe they’ll be just what we need."
Lastly, the Mooseheads might want to add an experienced, puck-moving blue-liner but there are very few available. Again, Patenaude isn’t ruling anything out but doesn’t expect one to suddenly become available for a reasonable price.
"My recommendation (is) to be patient at this time of year," Patenaude said. "Other years we went quick on getting players but we don’t know right now how much better, for example, (Yuri) Cheremetiev will be, or Logan MacMillan or Daniel Smith or Colby Pridham. It’s like that with a lot of our players," Patenaude said. "You never know how much better guys will be with another year of junior experience. That’s the beauty of junior hockey; you never know where guys are until you see them the next year.
"It’s like with the Ottawa Senators and (Jason) Spezza right now. They could have traded him for a marquee player two years ago but maybe now having Spezza in their lineup gives them a very talented player. Talent sometimes takes a year or two to develop but when it develops, you end up with a good hockey player. It takes time sometimes."
Mooseheads’ GM likes Marchand but plans to hold on to his players, picks at Q draft
By WILLY PALOV Sports Reporter
Marcel Patenaude is often one of the most active wheelers and dealers at the QMJHL draft, but that won’t likely be the case this weekend in Drummondville, Que.
The Halifax Mooseheads general manager expects to hold on to his players and picks, unless someone proposes a deal that involves him acquiring a top-level veteran. At this point, the Mooseheads may have the best collection of talent in the league heading into the 2007-08 season. But Patenaude doesn’t think now is the time to try to put his team over the top, unless he is guaranteed to hit a home run.
"The thing we’re looking at is if we’re making a trade it is to land A players; players that would be stars in our league," Patenaude said. "If we’re able to do that, we’ll do it. If not, we’ll be patient and see what we need to do at Christmas time."
In an ideal world, the Mooseheads would add one front-line player at each of the three positions — forward, defence and goal. Up front, they would love to add an impact 19-year-old to bolster their offence and Hammonds Plains native Brad Marchand would seem to be the perfect fit. He did not go to Val-d’Or willingly last year and will likely want to be moved closer to home, but Patenaude said he is in no hurry to over-pay to get him.
Patenaude conceded that he — or any other GM — would love to add a player like Marchand, but wouldn’t discuss the rumour he’s offered blue-chip defenceman Gabriel O’Connor and the fifth overall pick to get him. However, it is believed that wouldn’t even be enough to get Marchand right now anyway. Sources say the Foreurs would likely want those two assets, plus top forward Logan MacMillan at next year’s draft to give up Marchand right now. When asked if he would consider that price, Patenaude said: "that is a lot more than we would pay for anyone right now."
So unless Patenaude drastically changes his stance, don’t expect Marchand to be a member of the Mooseheads by the end of the weekend. For that matter, don’t expect any elite scorers to join the Mooseheads because Patenaude feels he is in a good bargaining position right now and is only willing to pay what he is comfortable with.
"What we’re hoping for the draft and for trades, mostly is to draft and to pick up the best talent available," Patenaude said. "We’ve got the fifth pick overall and the 23rd so we feel we’ll be able to land very good hockey players with those picks.
"And people should also be aware that we have very good team chemistry and that’s one thing I’m not ready to jeopardize."
The Mooseheads could also certainly use a bona fide No. 1 goaltender after finishing last season with the unproven tandem of Roger Kennedy and Mark Yetman. But looking around the league, there are virtually no 18- or 19-year-olds who fit that bill and it is a highly risky proposition to trade for a high-end 20-year-old during the summer because there is always the real possibility they won’t be back in junior when the season starts.
Even having said that, the only three overagers that would be considered by the Mooseheads are Victoriaville’s J.C. Blanchard, Drummondville’s Pier-Olivier Pelletier and Baie-Comeau’s Michael Dupont. It’s believed Blanchard is not available at this point, while the Drakkar are in a bit of a chaotic state because of trade demands by some of their players. Management is reportedly reluctant to make any deals right now in order to avoid any mass panic. That leaves Pelletier as the top candidate and he would be a perfect fit in Halifax, as long as he comes back to the Q. But he is a high draft pick of the Phoenix Coyotes so there’s at least a 50-50 chance he won’t be back.
Patenaude may be interested in making a conditional trade with the Voltigeurs to secure Pelletier’s rights, but don’t count on him going any further than that with Pelletier or any other goalie right now.
"With Kennedy and Yetman, they only started to play a lot after Christmas," said Patenaude. "We want to see where they’re at and feel (out) where they are during training camp and exhibition games and during the start of the regular season. Maybe they’ll be just what we need."
Lastly, the Mooseheads might want to add an experienced, puck-moving blue-liner but there are very few available. Again, Patenaude isn’t ruling anything out but doesn’t expect one to suddenly become available for a reasonable price.
"My recommendation (is) to be patient at this time of year," Patenaude said. "Other years we went quick on getting players but we don’t know right now how much better, for example, (Yuri) Cheremetiev will be, or Logan MacMillan or Daniel Smith or Colby Pridham. It’s like that with a lot of our players," Patenaude said. "You never know how much better guys will be with another year of junior experience. That’s the beauty of junior hockey; you never know where guys are until you see them the next year.
"It’s like with the Ottawa Senators and (Jason) Spezza right now. They could have traded him for a marquee player two years ago but maybe now having Spezza in their lineup gives them a very talented player. Talent sometimes takes a year or two to develop but when it develops, you end up with a good hockey player. It takes time sometimes."