Pre-Game Talk: Countdown thread to 24-25 Season (T - 2 days)

[The Real Timo]

Montreal has til 5 p.m. Monday to submit a 23 man opening day roster that complies with the salary cap.

They need to cut:

2 D (Mailloux, Engstrom)
1 G (Dobes)
1 F (Roy or Heineman, as ABB wasn't put on waivers)

Dobes > Primo.

Primo was pretty bad.

 

[The Real Timo]

We should finally start to see lines tomorrow at practise and maybe some idea how the power play will do better than -1 for 30 attempts or
-3% on the PP.

That’s gotta be historic. They should make a banner for that.

 

[morhilane]

Dobes > Primo.

Primo was pretty bad.

Primo will get moved, no need for a 3 goalies carrousel like last year until that happens.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Dobes > Primo.

Primo was pretty bad.

Maybe, but Primeau needs waivers, while Dobes doesn't. Dobes can go play starter in the A, while Primeau warms the bench behind Monty in Montreal.

 

[The Real Timo]

Maybe, but Primeau needs waivers, while Dobes doesn't. Dobes can go play starter in the A, while Primeau warms the bench behind Monty in Montreal.

Eventually Primo has to get in. Montanbo (who I am far from sure about) can't play all 82 games. They way he looked in pre-season leaves Habs very little chance to win. UNles they score like 6+ goals per game.

 

[Intangir]

Eventually Primo has to get in. Montanbo (who I am far from sure about) can't play all 82 games. They way he looked in pre-season leaves Habs very little chance to win. UNles they score like 6+ goals per game.

We'll see how he does during the season. I was not enthused at all by Primeau's play in the preseason, but it means exactly nothing as compared to the regular season.

As an example of the relative futility of the preseason to gauge player performance during the season, I remember when 20+ years ago (admittedly on a somewhat weak Preds' team) Tomas Vokoun looked absolutely horrible in camp, letting in multiple weak goals each time he was in net, only to play something like 70 games in the regular season and contend for the Vezina that year.

So yeah, we can never really know.

And while it's clear Primeau isn't nearly the same caliber of goalie as Vokoun was, I still liked how he looked and competed last year after we traded Allen, so who knows, maybe he settles down and has a good season?

Also, I'm not really expecting us to do much this year so even if Primeau falters a bit out there I still think it's better to let Jakub Dobes cook in the AHL given how much progression he showed there last year rather than having him play NHL backup and seeing less ice than he would in Laval.

Aside from that, first game of our season is in officially less than 2 days, hope it's a good one. Win or lose I'll get absolutely shredded after the game with buddies I don't see nearly often enough anymore. Sucks to be old.

Oh, and cheers.

 

[waitin425]

This season is crucial in our quest to return to relevance. Are we a team that will transcend our contemporaries? The Sabres, Wings, Sens, and others? Let's f***ing go boys!

 

[morhilane]

This season is crucial in our quest to return to relevance. Are we a team that will transcend our contemporaries? The Sabres, Wings, Sens, and others? Let's f***ing go boys!

Wings almost made the playoff last year, that they couldn't beat the Habs in regulation in the last two games of the season is why it didn't happen.
Sabres are already 0-2...
Sens, they have been yoyoing between 7-12 since 2020-2021, they are putting all their hopes into their new goalie and coach. But I don't think their new coach is an upgrade.

Those teams are all just mediocre together (this include the Habs).

 

[Rapala]

We should be starting our season tomorrow. I'm blaming SportsNet and TVf***ingA.
RDS would have insisted on a Tuesday.

 

[morhilane]

We should be starting our season tomorrow. I'm blaming SportsNet and TVf***ingA.
RDS would have insisted on a Tuesday.

It's probably ESPN that is to blame. I doubt the Canadian broadcasters have much of a say.

 

[Essenege]

Weirdly enough, we all act like we had an abysmal preseason but in reality we had the best 5v5 differential in the league and like 2/3rds of scoring chances.

A player like Mailloux who we’re disappointed about is 5-0 5v5 on-ice GF/GA with 4.4 - 1.8 expected. Metrics said he did good.

 

[morhilane]

Weirdly enough, we all act like we had an abysmal preseason but in reality we had the best 5v5 differential in the league and like 2/3rds of scoring chances.

A player like Mailloux who we’re disappointed about is 5-0 5v5 on-ice GF/GA with 4.4 - 1.8 expected. Metrics said he did good.

Yes, Habs dominated puck possession. They did too last year. They were the best 5v5 team until November. But you can't win shit if your PK is a sieve and you are one of the most punished team in the league.

 

[Rapala]

It's probably ESPN that is to blame. I doubt the Canadian broadcasters have much of a say.

Not in our market they don't. TSN/RDS would definitely have enough clout to start on Tuesday if that is what they wanted.
The venue is empty the Leafs and Habs are twiddling their thumbs and starting on a B2B is just stupid.
The Habs themselves have some say about the schedule too. I know I would question it.
If Sportnet and TVA don't have more clout than ESPN in the absolute heart of the Canadian Market they seriously overpaid for that deal.

 

[morhilane]

Not in our market they don't. TSN/RDS would definitely have enough clout to start on Tuesday if that is what they wanted.
The venue is empty the Leafs and Habs are twiddling their thumbs and starting on a B2B is just stupid.
The Habs themselves have some say about the schedule too. I know I would question it.
If Sportnet and TVA don't have more clout than ESPN in the absolute heart of the Canadian Market they seriously overpaid for that deal.

Well someone asked to spread the season openers. There is only 3 games tomorrow. 5 on Wednesday (including 6 Canadians teams facing each others). Somes teams aren't starting their season until Friday, which is stupid.

 

[SwiftyHab]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843259392009097325

 

[Rapala]

Weirdly enough, we all act like we had an abysmal preseason but in reality we had the best 5v5 differential in the league and like 2/3rds of scoring chances.

A player like Mailloux who we’re disappointed about is 5-0 5v5 on-ice GF/GA with 4.4 - 1.8 expected. Metrics said he did good.

Analytics at it's very best.

These analytics tell us how many times his goaltender and D partner bailed his ass out of trouble right?

As far as that expected stuff goes I wasn't expecting too many GF stemming from his play.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

We are going to get absolutely smacked around on Wednesday, hang with them at 5 on 5 , go 0/4 on the pp and lose 4-1 , gonna be a sad sight

 

[Rapala]

We are going to get absolutely smacked around on Wednesday, hang with them at 5 on 5 , go 0/4 on the pp and lose 4-1 , gonna be a sad sight

Nah we are going to go penalty free against the Leafs like always.
I'm just hoping we have more of the puck than we have had against them in previous openers.
We managed to hang in pretty well but it was horrible to watch.

 

[Rapala]

We should finally start to see lines tomorrow at practise and maybe some idea how the power play will do better than -1 for 30 attempts or
-3% on the PP.

Where was I when we scored this power play goal?
I only remember the Dach 6v5 tally.

 

[SwiftyHab]

Where was I when we scored this power play goal?
I only remember the Dach 6v5 tally.

Short handed goal against us

 

[Rapala]

Short handed goal against us

My bad I totally missed the minus sign.
I was actually thinking oh it must have been that Xhekaj pinball goal.

 

[vokiel]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1843259392009097325

Tuch is in the pic? Must be an old one?

 

[salbutera]

We are going to get absolutely smacked around on Wednesday, hang with them at 5 on 5 , go 0/4 on the pp and lose 4-1 , gonna be a sad sight

Habs are going to be just fine - Hutson will QB the PP

It’s going to be a solid season, maybe even playoff bound if Laine is actually recovered in 3-4 months per team press release

 

[Saundies]

Special Teams are going to be the difference in this group. If our PP and PK performs like it has been the last couple of years, we're going to have a bad time.

Preseason did nothing to assuage those fears but those games don't matter and these ones do. Maybe there's a switch that can flip. I'll believe it when I see it but at least we're going to watch meaningful games here soon.

 

[Naslundforever]

Special Teams are going to be the difference in this group. If our PP and PK performs like it has been the last couple of years, we're going to have a bad time.

Preseason did nothing to assuage those fears but those games don't matter and these ones do. Maybe there's a switch that can flip. I'll believe it when I see it but at least we're going to watch meaningful games here soon.

pretty sure they weren’t trying to go -1/30 thinking it does not matter. They were trying. Literally the only team without a pp goal in pre-season…