Habs Future Filled with ‘Collage’…’Colege’…er… Drop – Outs

The Montreal Canadiens are getting dumber.

A couple of weeks ago ,first round pick Louis Leblanc decided he’d rather learn how to add in French as he rejected the’ ones and twos’ of Harvard for the ‘unes and deuxs’ of  the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Now it seems, Jared Tinordi , also a Canadiens first round pick – may also be learning his ‘ numeros’ in Montreal sooner than later as he has opted for The Ontario Hockey League over The University of Notre Dame.

This ‘ choix’  gives the son of former defenceman Mark Tinordi a quicker invite to the Habs training camp as college players are unable to attend training camps until they have finished their scholarly duties. Tinordi will be trying to impress the Habs while poke checking opposing forwards in a London Knight uniform.

Dad Mark will not be lonely when he attends games as he is sure to run into his former teammate and co-owner of the Knights, Dale Hunter. The elder Tinordi played alongside Hunter for four seasons as a Washington Capital and neither of them backed away from the rough stuff. At 6’6″ and 212 pounds, Jared doesn’t either and the blueliner will hopefully learn a few tips from  head coach Mr. Hunter and the other owner of the team – former Hab and Dale’s brother Mark.

Who better to prepare the young Tinordi for a life in Montreal as a Canadien than the two brothers who battled each other at the height of the Habs – Nordiques rivalry in the eighties.

“He’s the kind of player who will make a huge difference for us,” Knights head coach Dale Hunter said. “He’s big, mobile. He can skate and jump into the play. He’s got great character.”

Character is something the Habs suddenly have an abundance of with Gionta,Gomez,Gill and Hamrlik to name a few and if the Canadiens decide to not offer Hamrlik another contract next year, Tinordi would fit in nicely with Gill – 6’7′ and O’Byne – 6’6″.

Maybe The Montreal Canadiens aren’t so dumb after all….

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