I've had the chance to briefly discuss with some of the Dogs following the Bulldog's AHL championship this year and ask around about what some guys felt the future had in store.Alot of it, of course, depends on the evaluation Head Scout Trevor Timmins and Head Coach Guy Carbonneau can make in incorporating that young talent into the Habs lineup
Guys like Timmins keep bringing up a couple of names to watch out for in training camp this year including Jonathan Ferland, Kyle Chipchura and Ryan O'byrne.
Ryan O'byrne is a point of focus for me and he has generated alot of interest from fans who were encouraged by the hard hitting right handed defenceman's play in this year's AHL championship.
Ryan O'byrne is a tower of a man closing in on 6'6 and 230 pounds, and some scouts have dismissed the Cornell product as a Hal Gill dopellganger, but a closer look at O'byrne's development shows a great package of fast skating and well developed hockey sense.
The better known face of O'byrne's game is of course, the physical delivery of that '' package '', Ryan has shown no hesitance in delivering devastating hits and making sure there is a price to pay for offensive zone incursions.
Ryan's potential definitly hints at top 4 NHL talent with time, especially if he can settle into a 25 -30 point form at the NHL level, he is slated to develop into a hard nosed stay at home defenceman with a great first pass and an affinity for all situations.
