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Montreal Canadiens: Season Expectations for Noah Juulsen

By Frank Papaccio

BROSSARD, QC - JULY 05: Montreal Canadiens Rookie defenseman Noah Juulsen (58) about to pass the puck during a simulated game at the Montreal Canadiens Development Camp on July 5, 2017, at Bell Sports Complex in Brossard, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
BROSSARD, QC - JULY 05: Montreal Canadiens Rookie defenseman Noah Juulsen (58) about to pass the puck during a simulated game at the Montreal Canadiens Development Camp on July 5, 2017, at Bell Sports Complex in Brossard, QC (Photo by David Kirouac/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The 26th overall selection in the 2015 NHL Draft, Noah Juulsen, is about to start his first professional season with the Montreal Canadiens organization.

After appearing in two playoff games with the St. John’s IceCaps, Noah Juulsen is looking to take the next step in his professional career. The 20-year-old, right-handed defenseman will battle for a spot in the Montreal Canadiens‘ lineup in training camp.

Juulsen’s Junior Career

From the 2012-2013 season to the 2016-2017 season, Noah Juulsen was a rock on the Everett Silvertips’ blue line. Since being a regular on the team, the Silvertips finished each season with a winning record.

Juulsen’s most productive year was the 2014-2015 season. In that season, he scored 52 points in 68 games, and added 1 playoff point in 6 appearances.

The Surrey, British Columbia native followed up his breakout season with a disappointing 2015-2016 campaign. That year, Juulsen put up 28 points in 63 games – a huge decline in points per game from his previous showing.

In his final WHL season, Juulsen captained the Silvertips to a 1st place finish in the U.S division. He scored 34 points in 49 games, in what was a rebound year for the steady defenseman. Juulsen was also honored with a selection to the Canadian WJC-U20 team.

Juulsen’s Strengths

Noah Juulsen is a strong, two-way defenseman. He is known for having a huge hit that forces the opposition to keep their head up at all times.

With the puck, Juulsen keeps the game simple and plays within his boundaries. He is not going to dangle through the forecheck like a Subban-type player. He also possesses a hard shot that he uses effectively.

For those who watch the Philadelphia Flyers often, many comparisons can be made between Radko Gudas and Noah Juulsen.

Juulsen’s Weaknesses

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Improved awareness is key for Juulsen’s development. Throwing the body can be a game changer in a good or bad way. In the clips above, for the most part, Juulsen’s hits are useful in the sense that his team is regaining possession of the puck. In some clips from this year’s WJC, he makes the hit and then leaves his team stranded on an odd-man rush.

Also, sometimes he will get a little too aggressive pushing up into the rush. On one of his first shifts in the WJC final, Juulsen sends Julien Gauthier an unsuccessful breakout pass, which quickly ends up back on his partner, Jake Bean’s stick. Bean then feeds Gauthier another pass. Before entering the zone, Gauthier turns over the puck and leaves the defense stranded on a 2 on 2 rush. USA’s quick counter leaves the flat-footed pair in bad positioning. (Video starts at the sequence.)

Juulsen needs to recognize that his partner, who is on the side of attack, is supporting the play. He should be in more of a defensive position to create depth on the ice – thus preventing a 2 on 0 counter attacking situation.

2017-2018 Expectations

Some people think Juulsen is good enough to play for the Montreal Canadiens, but the smart thing to do is to let him play a full year in the AHL. The Habs have a logjam on defence. With Shea Weber and Jeff Petry locking up the top two right sides, Juulsen will have to battle the likes of David Schlemko, Brandon Davidson, Jordie Benn, Mark Streit, and Jakub Jerabek for the final spots.

Related Story: Can Noah Juulsen Make the Team?

There is a golden opportunity with the Laval Rocket for the young defenseman this year. Laval brought in one of the AHL’s elite point producing defencemen, Matt Taormina, on a 2 year contract.

Playing with Taormina 5v5 can help Juulsen develop on both ends of the ice. Taormina is an offensive defenseman, who likes to be aggressive when his team possesses the puck. Being the more defensive player of the pair will help Juulsen better understand positioning to support an offensively aggressive partner.

Also, there is a chance to feature on the top penalty killing unit in Laval for Juulsen, furthering his development into an all-around NHL defenceman.

With training camp around the corner, there is always a chance that the up-and-coming defenseman could make the Montreal Canadiens. It’s up to him to impress Claude Julien and the rest of the management to get it done.

However, getting sent to the AHL  should not be a discouraging sign for the player, nor should it be a discouraging sign for the fans. Give Juulsen some time in the minors, and he can be a solid two-way player for the Canadiens in the very near future.

Next: Projecting the 2017-2018 Roster

What do you expect from Juulsen next season? Will it be the AHL all year, or could he see time with the Canadiens? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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