Top 10 Prospects #8 - Luke Tuch
Luke Tuch finished off his collegiate career and made his professional debut soon after. His sights are set on hitting the ground running in his first full season with the Laval Rocket.
The Montreal Canadiens have long been a team known for it's smallish, skilled players.
But the Habs eighth-ranked prospect is known for his power game and he loves to use his frame to protect the puck and separate the opposition from it. Luke Tuch, 22, plays a rugged game and his physicality overwhelmed opponents at the collegiate level. He won't likely do the same in the American Hockey League and beyond, but he we give the opposition a handful.
While it was just a two-game stint to end the campaign, Tuch got his feet wet. With he and Florian Xhekaj both hoping to carve out a role with the Rocket next season, pairing them together could be a nightmare for the rest of the league. They both play a physical brand, but when they get the puck, they don't like to give it back, often rushing hard to the net and banging away at loose chances.
Tuch looks like a future bottom-six forward, who can disrupt the opposition's forecheck and cause havoc on the backcheck with his speed and strong defensive stick. He will undoubtedly carve out a role wherever he plays with hard work, fast skating and smart decisions with the puck. I don't expect that he will ever make waves on the scoresheet, but he will do his best work keeping the opposition to the boards and the puck away from his net.
During his final two season with the Terriers, Tuch wore an A on his sweater, which signifies the type of leader that he is. He will enter the season in Laval as a rookie, but he will take the experiences from his four year NCAA career with him. His 30 point season to finish his career was impressive and showed signs that he may have more offensive upside.
Because he is very likely to crack the Rocket roster and play the entire season there, Tuch ranks at eight in the prospect rankings. He will likely play in the top nine and hopefully play on the penalty kill. It doesn't seem likely that he will play on the power play, although it would be interesting to see how his skills would translate in a role where he needs to use his offense to the best of his ability.
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