Who is the last power forward drafted and developed by the Canadiens? It’s been a while, but at the Habs’ rookie camp, a certain Luke Tuch would like to end this long drought.
“In today’s professional hockey, that’s a rare breed,” said Tuch, a No. 2 overall pick.e tour of the Habs in 2020, after Friday’s practice in Brossard. A lot of teams are looking for big power forwards, Tom Wilsons, Josh Andersons, big guys who are fast, strong, capable of scoring and creating energy. If I become that kind of player, I’ll be very happy.”
Tuch is, however, ambitious, because this prototype combining the strength of Boum Boum, the speed of the Road Runner and the gravity of Grosse Douceur is not common, especially not in Montreal.
To find the most factual answer possible, we cross-referenced goals and body checks using Hockey-Reference’s fabulous search engine. The criteria are very generous: a season of 15 goals and 160 body checks, or essentially 2 shoulder hits per game. The site has been compiling data since 2007-2008.
So these criteria have been met 202 times in the NHL. Alexander Ovechkin alone has achieved it 13 times. Brady Tkachuk, six times. How many have achieved it in a Canadiens uniform? Just one. It was Erik Cole, during a 2011-2012 season of 35 goals and 186 hits. And Cole arrived in Montreal in the second half of his career.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Josh Anderson
Josh Anderson, also acquired at maturity, could have achieved that in 2021, but the shortened 56-game season limited him to 17 goals and 139 hits.
Juraj Slafkovsky could become that type of player, having scored 20 goals and delivered 152 hits last season. But at 20, he’s still young to be labeled as such.
Max Pacioretty certainly had several criteria (speed, size, shot), but he did not use his shoulders to make life difficult for opponents. Guillaume Latendresse? A complete documentary explains why rough play was unnatural for him. On the contrary, Michael McCarron and Michael Pezzetta know how to defend themselves, but never offered the offensive contribution of a power forward.
Excluding Darcy Tucker, who was as robust as could be, a regular scorer of 20 goals, but was small and traded before his emergence, we are left with John LeClair, drafted in 1987, also traded too young, but who had time to give three seasons and a Stanley Cup to Montreal.
It’s understandable that this combination of offensive skills and toughness is hard to find. That’s why, in 2020, Marc Bergevin shoveled millions of dollars onto Josh Anderson’s porch.
Two candidates
At 6’3 and 209 lbs, Luke Tuch is physiologically gifted for this role. His challenge will be to demonstrate that he will contribute enough to the attack, which is far from certain.
Alex Tuch’s little brother just completed a four-year stint at Boston University with modest offensive results. In 39 games last season, at age 21, he scored 10 goals and 20 assists for 30 points, career highs.
“In the pros, all the guys are bigger and stronger,” the American recalled. “I was one of the bigger guys in college. I’m still one of the bigger guys, but I fit in more with the others. By my senior year, I got faster and I’ll be able to add that to my game.
Luke Tuch
Tuch got a taste of what’s to come last April, when he played two games with the Rocket at the end of his NCAA season. Logically, he should start the campaign in Laval, barring any surprises.
He gave himself the means to make his mark by doing his summer training in Brossard, in the team’s facilities, notably under the supervision of Adam Nicholas, director of hockey development. “I was renting an apartment and at the arena, they offer us breakfast and dinner, prepared by chefs. We have the gym and the ice rink every day. It’s hard to do without it!”
The other one who has the head of the job is Florian Xhekaj, another little brother, moreover. He is 6’3 and 196 lbs, but the new measurements taken this week have not yet been communicated.
PHOTO ROBERT SKINNER, THE PRESS
Florian Xhekaj
Xhekaj finished his junior career with 34 goals in 63 games last season in Brantford, but he did so as a 19-year-old, among the oldest in the OHL.
Toughness will clearly not be an issue for him. He spent 81 minutes in the dungeon last season, bringing out a side of his personality that he developed while bickering with his older brother. “When we played ball hockey in the street, with my dad as goalie, it always ended in a fight and I would go home and tell my mom about Arber!” joked Florian Xhekaj. “It just made me a tougher person.”
I like to dig into the corners, be in your face. It’s not because my brother tells me to do it, it’s just the type of player I’m going to be at the next level.
Florian Xhekaj
He too will have to demonstrate that he has the offensive flair to reach the NHL and thus prove Nick Bobrov, co-director of amateur scouting for the Canadiens, right, who called him a “unicorn” in an internal meeting last year. The mix hoped for is, indeed, unique.
Junior, always an option
Before thinking about the NHL, Florian Xhekaj must think about the American League. He could theoretically return to the junior ranks this season, as a 20-year-old player. That’s what his older brother did, who then went straight to the NHL, without going through the American League. Xhekaj mentioned that a final season in junior is always an option. One might wonder if such a scenario wouldn’t serve him better than spending the season on a fourth line in Laval. But Xhekaj offered another perspective. “Even if you start the season on the fourth line, you can always climb the ladder to the top 9. It would be nice to be here with the older guys and get the American League experience.”