News: Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin acknowledged Louis Leblanc took a step back in his development in 2012-13, but the 2009 first-round pick is still in the team's plans, the Montreal Gazette reports. "He knows he has to be better and he knows it's a big summer for him," Bergevin said. "It's going to be up to him. But he's a good young player that we hope one day will play here."
Analysis:Louis Leblanc finished with just 10 goals and eight assists while posting a minus-18 in 62 games for AHL Hamilton this past season. He had showed some promise when called up during Montreal's abysmal 2011-12 season, but slumped badly and wasn't even given a shot to make the big club when the lockout-shortened season kicked off in January.
News:Louis Leblanc, who played more games in the NHL than in the AHL last season, is stuck on the third line for AHL Hamilton, the Montreal Gazette reports. The 2009 first-round draft pick was not invited to training camp after a delayed recovery from a high-ankle sprain earlier this season.
Analysis: It looks like the organization is grooming Louis Leblanc for a third-line role, which means be good in the defensive zone and let the offensive production come to him. Leblanc played well in Montreal last year and showed flashes of offense while displaying more grit than expected. It appears prospects like Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher have moved ahead of him, in terms of offensive upside.
News:Louis Leblanc's high ankle sprain suffered earlier in the season has hampered his progress, the Hockey Inside Out blog reports. The 2009 first-round draft pick played more games in Montreal than in the AHL last season, but did not get an invite to training camp.
Analysis: Montreal general manager Marc Bergevin said Louis Leblanc is not where he needs to be because of the injury.
News:Louis Leblanc did not get an invitation to Montreal's training camp, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis: This doesn't mean Louis Leblanc won't be appearing in Montreal at some point this season, but it certainly comes as a surprise that he didn't get the invite.
News:Louis Leblanc is expected to get a training camp invitation, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc made a good impression in his first season with Montreal in 2011-12, scoring 10 points and finishing with 68 hits in 42 games as a 20-year-old rookie. There's a chance for him to land a regular wing gig on the third line.
Leblanc (Sprained Ankle) Expected To Start Skating This Week
News:Louis Leblanc (sprained ankle) is expected to begin skating by the end of the week, RDS.ca reports.
Analysis: After suffering a high ankle sprain in late October, Louis Leblanc was given a recovery window of four-to-six weeks, but it looks like he'll be able to return to AHL play perhaps before then.
Habs' Prospect Lecblanc (Ankle) To Out Up To Six Weeks
News:Louis Leblanc is expected to miss four-to-six weeks with a high-ankle sprain suffered last weekend in an AHL game, reports TSN.ca.
Analysis: He was injured in a game a week ago when he got tangled with Toronto Marlies defender Jesse Blacker; both players received fighting majors during the altercation. He has two goals in three games for the Hamilton Bulldogs, the Habs' AHL affiliate.
News:Louis Leblanc had to be helped off the ice in the second period of Saturday's AHL game against the Marlies after falling awkwardly, reports Sportsnet.ca.
Analysis: He fell after one of many scrums that broke out during the game. "It's never fun to see a guy get hurt like that," said Bulldogs' forward Gabriel Dumont. "His leg twisted pretty weird. It didn't look good so it's tough. He's a good player and a big loss for our team." No word yet from the team on the severity of the injury.
News:Louis Leblanc scored two goals Friday night in AHL Hamilton's win over Toronto.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc was expected to have a regular spot on either Montreal's second or third line this season, if not for the lockout.
News:Louis Leblanc scored a goal, had four shots on goal, and played 17:20 in Montreal's 3-2 shootout loss to Florida.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc was moved up to a spot on the second line with Tomas Plekanec and Rene Bourque and was given a season high in playing time. We suspect interim head coach Randy Cunneyworth will continue to give the rookie ample minutes in the final games of the season. Whether there's enough punch in Montreal's offense for it to make a difference ... that's another story.
News:Louis Leblanc will skate on the second line with Tomas Plekanec and Rene Bourque in Tuesday night's game against Florida, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis: Montreal interim head coach Randy Cunneyworth said he's going to look at "different scenarios" as the team plays out the string in a playoff-less season. Louis Leblanc has nine points in 36 games, but appears to be getting an expanded role from here on out.
News:Louis Leblanc picked up his fourth goal of the season in Saturday's shootout loss to the Islanders.
Analysis: His fantasy value is limited right now but his future is bright in Montreal. As a French-Canadian, he'll be given every opportunity to excel in bleu, blanc et rouge. That future just may take a few years to fully blossom.
News: Montreal recalled Louis Leblanc on Friday, Montreal Gazette writer Dave Stubbs reports.
Analysis: With just seven points in 28 appearances for Montreal so far, it's unlikely that Louis Leblanc will make an impact in most fantasy leagues.
News: The Canadiens sent Louis Leblanc back to their AHL affiliate in Hamilton, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis: The young forward has played well in limited action with Montreal this season and looks to be part of the plan after the Canadiens blow it up in the offseason.
News: After sending him back to Hamilton on February 27, the Canadiens have again recalled Louis Leblanc according to a team release.
Analysis: The 20-year-old Louis Leblanc was a first-round draft choice in 2009 and has played in 26 games with Montreal this season. He had recorded seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) including his first career NHL goal on December 15 against the Flyers. While there is definite potential, his fantasy value is still marginal at this time.
News: The Canadiens have sent Louis Leblanc to AHL Hamilton, the team's official site reports.
Analysis: The Habs' 2009 first-rounder, who has racked up seven points in 26 games with the big club thus far, heads down Monday, with fellow forward Blake Geoffrion on the way up.
News:Louis Leblanc played a team-low 8:52 in Friday night's loss to Washington.
Analysis: Despite the team-low playing time, Louis Leblanc had a team-high four hits. If Leblanc's going to stay with the big club for the rest of what is turning out to be a disappointing season, interim head coach Randy Cunneyworth ought to be giving the rookie some good run. He's showing more life than several veterans at this point.
News:Louis Leblanc skated 9:34 Tuesday after missing a game due to an illness. He went minus-1, took two shots on goal, had two hits and lost two of three face-offs.
Analysis: At 21, the kid's got potential, but he's not going to be able to do much in the bottom six for Montreal. He hasn't recorded a point in six games.
News:Louis Leblanc will play Tuesday after missing Sunday's game against the Devils due to an illness, TSN.ca reports.
Analysis: It looks like he'll just miss the one game, though with only 10:32 of ice time per game, it's hard to count on Louis Leblanc for much. It looks like he'll skate with Lars Eller and Aaron Palushaj against the Devils in a trio of guys with really cool names, though Tomas Plekanec's illness may result in some further line changes.
News:Louis Leblanc (illness) will miss Sunday's game against New Jersey, Renaud Lavoie of RDS reports.
Analysis: With Louis Leblanc ill, Aaron Palushaj is expected to fill in for him against the Devils on Sunday.
News:Louis Leblanc skated on the second line with Rene Bourque and Lars Eller during Wednesday's practice, Hockey Inside Out reports.
Analysis: The young forward is starting to get significant ice time in Montreal's forward mix, including power-play minutes.
News:Louis Leblanc scored his third goal of the season Tuesday night in Montreal's shootout win over Pittsburgh.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc had four shots on goal and earned himself some time on the power play as well. The rookie played a season-high 15:16 in the win, getting more ice time than Scott Gomez, Andrei Kostitsyn, Travis Moen and Lars Eller. It looks like he'll remain with the team for the rest of the season, instead of getting sent back to the AHL.
News:Louis Leblanc, who was called up from AHL Hamilton on Wednesday, had an assist in Thursday night's loss to the Devils.
Analysis: With Montreal's season slipping away, the Canadiens will surely be sellers at the trade deadline and unlock opportunities for guys like Louis Leblanc, the team's first-round pick in 2009. He skated 9:29 on Thursday, putting one shot on goal, blocking one shot, doling out two hits and going 50 percent on his faceoff draws (5-of-10).
News: The Canadiens recalled Louis Leblanc from AHL Hamilton on Wednesday, TSN reports.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc played in 14 games with the Canadiens earlier this season and picked up two goals and three assists. He will take the roster spot of Andreas Engqvist and will likely fill in on one of the reserve lines.
News:Louis Leblanc has been returned to AHL Hamilton, Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc, who scored two goals and added three assists in 14 games for the Habs, was a healthy scratch for the past two games. He'll be well-served seeing a regular shift in the AHL.
News: The Canadiens have no plan to send Louis Leblanc back to the AHL at this time, the Montreal Gazette reports. "Not the way he's played recently," Montreal assistant coach Larry Carriere said. "He's been real good. He looks like a pro here. Obviously, there are some adjustments a young player has to make, but he has the speed and the competitiveness and he has the smarts to figure out how to get it done efficiently."
Analysis: The original plan called for Louis Leblanc, Montreal's first-round draft pick in 2009, to spend the entire season with Hamilton, but injuries forced the team to promote him early. And now, after his two-point game Tuesday and a stretch of good play, Leblanc is here to stay. Leblanc is currently skating on a line with David Desharnais and Michael Cammalleri.
News:Louis Leblanc notched a goal and an assist in Tuesday's win over Ottawa.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc is one of several young and, most importantly, French players on whom Montreal is quite high. A talented player, Leblanc is still maturing on the ice and is in the good graces of new coach Randy Cunneyworth despite the fact Leblanc can't understand him.
News: New Montreal head coach Randy Cunneyworth made greater use of Louis Leblanc in his first game as coach of the Canadiens, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc had an assist, three blocked shots and three hits in 13:29 while skating on the third line with Lars Eller and Mathieu Darche, on what was the Canadiens' best line in a 5-3 loss to the Devils. There's not much Cunneyworth can do to change the nature of the team at this point. Montreal is not gifted with elite offensive talent, but the coach may see what he has in Leblanc, who has a goal and two assists in limited time with Montreal.
News: It took him eight games, but Louis Leblanc scored his first NHL goal in Thursday's loss to the Flyers.
Analysis: It was a big goal at the time, as Louis Leblanc fired a rebound home to tie the game at two in the second period. It's good to see him being opportunistic despite skating just four minutes and change. That's how you earn more ice time as a young player.
News:Louis Leblanc will skate on the fourth line Tuesday night when the Canadiens host the Blue Jackets, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc, who was called up last week when Max Pacioretty was serving a three-game suspension, will stick around with Montreal for a bit after the club returned Aaron Palushaj and Andreas Engqvist to AHL Hamilton this past weekend.
News:Louis Leblanc registered his first NHL point when he assisted on Andrei Kostitsyn's game-winner Saturday in Montreal's 2-1 win over Los Angeles.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc is getting some good work in on Montreal's third line, though it may not last much longer. Max Pacioretty is set to return from a three-game suspension and either Leblanc or Aaron Palushaj faces demotion to AHL Hamilton before Tuesday's game against Columbus.
News:Louis Leblanc nearly doubled his ice time Thursday night in Montreal's loss to San Jose.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc, who played 7:52 in his NHL debut Wednesday night in Anaheim, held is own with the big boys for 14:25, mostly on the third line.
News:Louis Leblanc made his NHL debut Wednesday night, skating 7:52 with two hits and a shot on goal in Montreal's 4-1 loss to Anaheim.
Analysis: The Canadiens' prospect is not expected to play a major role with the club right now, but does have a bright future.
News:Louis Leblanc has bee recalled from the Hamilton Bulldogs, reports James Mirtle of the Globe and Mail.
Analysis: The 20-year-old had four goals and six assists in 14 games with Hamilton. He also sported an ugly minus-7 rating. He has a bright fantasy future but might not reap significant benefits in the short term.
News:Louis Leblanc (shoulder) made his season debut for Hamilton of the AHL on Thursday, scoring the game-winning goal in the Bulldogs' 3-2 win over Rochester, the Hamilton Spectator reports.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc, whose start to the season has been delayed as he recovered from shoulder surgery, also collected two assists on goals by his linemates. He was Montreal's first-round draft pick in 2009. And though the Habs are high on him, Leblanc is expected to get a full season in the AHL.
News:Louis Leblanc, who is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, may be able to skate in game conditions late in the NHL preseason schedule, the Hamilton Spectator reports. Leblanc has been participating in Montreal's rookie camp, but isn't playing in the scrimmages.
Analysis: "I started contact last week, every day I'm upping the tempo with my shoulder, doing more hitting drills. I feel almost 100 per cent. There's obviously timing, and getting back into game shape. But I feel great," said Louis Leblanc. Leblanc is perhaps the Habs' top forward prospect and will be under a lot of scrutiny at AHL Hamilton once he's healthy and clicking. He certainly needs some fleshing out before he makes his debut with the major league club. "I think my speed obviously has to get stronger. This summer was huge for me, I put on some weight, I got stronger working with (conditioning coach) Pierre Allard. It's an overall package that I have to work on. I want to play a lot, get some power-play time, some penalty-killing time, just become a better hockey player," he added.
News:Louis Leblanc (shoulder) took part in drills Monday but was held out of a scrimmage at Montreal's rookie camp, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis:Louis Leblanc is still recovering from offseason shoulder surgery, but plans to be ready for the start of the season. He's likely to begin the year in the AHL with the Hamilton Bulldogs.
News: Leblanc, a junior prospect of the Canadiens, has begun the recovery process following arthroscopic shoulder surgery, according to the team's official site.
Analysis: Despite the shoulder injury, Leblanc managed 26 goals and 32 assists for the Montreal Juniors in 2010-11, making him an intriguing keeper option for fantasy players, provided he can eventually make a full recovery from his injury. "I'm here every day, all summer, working to get my shoulder better and working out. Obviously it's not fun, but I'm just trying to concentrate on the positives right now. My only concern is getting back to being 100 percent healthy and making it to the start of camp in the best possible shape to earn my spot," said Leblanc.
News: Leblanc will miss four-to-six months after arthroscopic surgery determined a shoulder injury was worse than originally thought, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis: Leblanc injured the shoulder during the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League season, but played through the injury until the Montreal Juniors were eliminated from the postseason. Leblanc recorded 26 goals and 32 assists in 51 games with the Juniors.
News: Leblanc finished the World Junior Championships at a plus-6, second-best among forwards in the tournament, the Montreal Gazette reports.
Analysis: Leblanc rejoined the Montreal Juniors of the QMJHL and notched three points in two games immediately following the World Juniors.
