Noah Juulsen ‘plays the game the right way’
With the Canadiens preparing to select a new crop of prospects at the NHL entry draft, June 23-24 in Chicago, we look at five prospects ready to make an impact in the NHL. No. 4 is defenceman Noah Juulsen.
When Marc Bergevin sent Mikhail Sergachev back to junior hockey last fall, he said he expected the Russian teen to challenge for a job in the 2017-18 season, but he also reminded folks not to forget about Juulsen, the Canadiens’ first-round selection in 2015.
Juulsen has been overshadowed by Sergachev, but Martin Lapointe, the Canadiens director of player development, said Juulsen will be in the NHL “sooner rather than later” and Juulsen’s stock jumped when Bergevin traded Sergachev for Jonathan Drouin on Thursday.
“This is one guy who plays the game the right way,” Lapointe said. “He’s not going to put up the numbers you want him to put up offensively, but he does everything you want from a defenceman. He’s going to take a hit to make a play. He’s going to be physical, He’s going to be in your face. He can skate, he’s strong, he’s abrasive. His compete level is off the charts and he has a good first pass.”
A fluid skater, Juulsen benefited from playing with the Everett Silvertips in the Western Hockey League. The team struggled for most of Juulsen’s four seasons, but he received solid coaching from Kevin Constantine, who won the Jack Adams Award as the NHL’s coach of the year during his tenure with the San Jose Sharks. Constantine discourages his teams from dumping the puck and that philosophy helped Juulsen develop a strong first pass.
“He defends first and, as a coach, that’s what you want him to do,” Lapointe said. “He’s going to gain the trust of the coaches very fast. He’s a top-four guy, a character guy. You need a guy like that to win.”
Juulsen’s biggest challenge will be to add some weight to his 6-foot-3 frame during the summer. He broke his jaw while playing for Everett late in the 2015-16 season and was unable to participate in the Canadiens’ development camp last July. His jaw was wired shut and he lost 13 pounds while on a liquid diet.
“Last year, he got hurt and didn’t progress physically,” Lapointe noted. “He didn’t have the summer that he wished he would have had. He couldn’t eat for two weeks so his body weight was down.”
Juulsen bounced back from the injury. He earned a spot on Canada’s national team and earned a silver medal at the world championships. He was a first-team all-star in the Western Hockey League.
“Now, he’s going to have a full summer to work on his mass, his strength,” Lapointe said. Wednesday, June 14: Part I — Charlie Lindgren
Thursday, June 15: Part II — Charles Hudon Friday, June 16: Part III — Jacob De La Rose Saturday, June 17: Part IV — Noah Juulsen Sunday, June 18: Part V — Michael McCarron
He’s not going to put up the numbers you want him to put up offensively, but he does everything you want from a defenceman.