Montreal Canadiens: Impact of the Steve Ludzik firing on OHL scouting
By Omar L
The Montreal Canadiens chose to move on from Steve Ludzik ahead of the 2018 NHL Draft which could hint to changes for scouting in Ontario moving forward.
Changes were coming for the Montreal Canadiens after the final buzzer went off in Toronto. The additions in management have been well-received by the fanbase, but Marc Bergevin also hinted at further personnel changes to occur. There may be more, but the Habs started with their amateur scouting group.
Steve Ludzik revealed on Twitter that he had been relieved of his duties with the Montreal Canadiens. The 31-year-old served as the team’s Ontario Amateur scout for the last two seasons after previously working as a scout in the OHL since 2012.
When replying to a question asking what had happened, Ludzik mentioned that Trevor Timmins might have someone else in mind. Who knows what the actual reason is, it could very well be that, but nevertheless, the change has come.
The Montreal Canadiens didn’t have any draft picks from the OHL in 2017 but had four in the previous year. Mikhail Sergachev went in the first round at ninth overall followed by William Bitten (70th overall), Victor Mete (100th overall), and Michael Pezzetta (160th overall). It’s tough to tell how much of an influence Ludzik had on these selections. However, all look like good picks.
Sergachev was a no-brainer as he was projected to go in the top five. He fell to the Habs at nine, and Trevor Timmins was happy to announce him as their choice. Mete took many by surprise in making the team out of camp this past season. He started out on the top pair with Shea Weber before going through some tough times before playing at the World Juniors.
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He showed signs of growth after returning from Buffalo and looks to be a lock for the top four in October.
Bitten and Pezzetta were recently signed to entry-level contracts. Both look to be candidates to make the Laval Rocket next season after a successful year in the OHL. Bitten was one point shy of matching his career total in the league despite going through various dry spells. Pezzetta was traded midway through the season to the Sarnia Sting and has his best offensive year by far with 52 points in 62 games.
Additionally, the Montreal Canadiens signed free agent Hayden Verbeek from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. The Kingstone native was a big part of his team in all areas of the ice. This was another standout year for a Habs prospect as Verbeek scored 30 goals and 31 assists.
With how important this draft is for the organization moving forward, management must’ve felt that this change would be for the best. It could also tie to the new focus on speed and skill. That’s a part of Bitten’s playing style, but the Habs may be looking for more.
Seeing as how Alex Galchenyuk is the latest draft pick from the OHL to play with the Montreal Canadiens, trying something new could be the better option.
Next: One of the best Habs drafts
It’ll be interesting to see if any other changes to the Montreal Canadiens scouting staff occur. It may not make too much of a difference with Timmins still in charge. However, new voices around the table could be what leads to different results on the draft floor.