Post-Game Talk: Habs defeat the little cubs.

If the 2nd and 4th line wake up, we are primed for a nice cinderella run
I'm afraid the 2nd line is in a coma unfortunately. Laine is a turnover machine and no one can feed him him for any shots. The line desperately needs a real centerman and a good winger just to make them forget about Laine then he becomes a threat. Right now, it's too easy to defend against.
 
I'm afraid the 2nd line is in a coma unfortunately. Laine is a turnover machine and no one can feed him him for any shots. The line desperately needs a real centerman and a good winger just to make them forget about Laine then he becomes a threat. Right now, it's too easy to defend against.
I don't think anyone can because if Laine has the puck before entering the zone he loses it. If he follows his linemates, he is about a minute behind and Newhook and Heineman can't keep cycling the zone for a full minute until Laine drags his ass into any kind of position. He is the one that kills that (or any other) line. I hope he is gone this summer. It is very very painful to watch. More painful than the 4th line with Pezz on it.
 
I don't think anyone can because if Laine has the puck before entering the zone he loses it. If he follows his linemates, he is about a minute behind and Newhook and Heineman can't keep cycling the zone for a full minute until Laine drags his ass into any kind of position. He is the one that kills that (or any other) line. I hope he is gone this summer. It is very very painful to watch. More painful than the 4th line with Pezz on it.
Sadly you may be right. Is it just a conditioning issue or has he always not been able to skate or handle the puck outside of blasting a shot? I mean I would be willing to give him another season if he came to camp in shape and showing the ability to actually skate.
 
I feel terrible for Xhekaj. If he was the one to have played the same first period that Strouble played yesterday, he would have been benched. Not only Strouble played again, but was still struggling all game. He was over carried by Hutson in that strech and it shows.

Maybe if he would have played in Boston university or known Hughes since he youth, he would get the same treatment as Stuble.

We’re about to make a big mistake this summer. Easier to replace the impact of Struble than Xhekaj’s.
It was more Savard than Struble. Big Dave has been a warrior for his whole career, but it's time to call it quits. He made several brain cramp plays last night, and luckily, they were against inferior competition.

It's unfair that AX is paying the price, but his veteran partner is unscathed. There is a code amongst NHL types that seems to put veterans on a pedestal but young players are not so lucky.

I would play Arber on the 4th line over Pezzetta because he stays in the mix with the rest of his teammates. Arber has played some very good games for us this season, and it seems to be quickly forgotten. It won't be fair to sit him for 5-6 games and only bring him back if there's an injury.
 
I'm afraid the 2nd line is in a coma unfortunately. Laine is a turnover machine and no one can feed him him for any shots. The line desperately needs a real centerman and a good winger just to make them forget about Laine then he becomes a threat. Right now, it's too easy to defend against.
I think Haineman could by fine. He brings physicality and work along the border. But yeah the line desperately needs a center with passing abilities.
 
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I've been very critical of Christian Dvorak over the course of his Habs tenure, but I must say, I'm pretty happy that I don't have any whipping boy to shit on at this time.

Feels like everyone on the team is playing decent hockey these days, of course not perfect, but at least the guys are giving it their all.
 
Give him a break! His heart was probably pounding as he frantically fumbled with his keyboard to get it in before expy
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I've been very critical of Christian Dvorak over the course of his Habs tenure, but I must say, I'm pretty happy that I don't have any whipping boy to shit on at this time.

Feels like everyone on the team is playing decent hockey these days, of course not perfect, but at least the guys are giving it their all.
It’s the Bergevin Master Plan. Who’s laughing now!
 
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It's unfair that AX is paying the price, but his veteran partner is unscathed. There is a code amongst NHL types that seems to put veterans on a pedestal but young players are not so lucky.
It's where the GM enters the chat. All coaches will favor vets when they are in a position to win even if it means losing. We have seen that time and time again over the years, I don't think i've ever seen a coach being fair with young players when in a position to win. So KH will have to force MSL hands next summer which means not extending any vets and not acquiring any outside of a 2nd line center and maybe a top 4 RHD if he doesn't believe Hutson is the solution there.

I must say i'm disappointed with MSL reliance on Pezzetta. Yeah he played well against AHL competition yesterday but against the big boys in playoffs he'll get exposed. We don't have a 2nd line so we rely on having three 3rd line so MSL should be looking at solutions to get the Evans and Laine's lines going. If Roy and Beck are not the solution then try Kapanen or Davidson or maybe even Xhekaj as a forward. Mix things up a bit with those two lines cause atm it's not working outside of Armia and Evans scoring the occasional empty net goal.

It's disappointing cause that's the same problem we had for 30 years relying too much on guys who are not good enough because they work hard. I mean if i want to watch hard working men i'll go to a construction field it's going to be free and i'll have some "craque de fesse" as a bonus. The playoffs is a different beast.
 
It's where the GM enters the chat. All coaches will favor vets when they are in a position to win even if it means losing. We have seen that time and time again over the years, I don't think i've ever seen a coach being fair with young players when in a position to win. So KH will have to force MSL hands next summer which means not extending any vets and not acquiring any outside of a 2nd line center and maybe a top 4 RHD if he doesn't believe Hutson is the solution there.

I must say i'm disappointed with MSL reliance on Pezzetta. Yeah he played well against AHL competition yesterday but against the big boys in playoffs he'll get exposed. We don't have a 2nd line so we rely on having three 3rd line so MSL should be looking at solutions to get the Evans and Laine's lines going. If Roy and Beck are not the solution then try Kapanen or Davidson or maybe even Xhekaj as a forward. Mix things up a bit with those two lines cause atm it's not working outside of Armia and Evans scoring the occasional empty net goal.

It's disappointing cause that's the same problem we had for 30 years relying too much on guys who are not good enough because they work hard. I mean if i want to watch hard working men i'll go to a construction field it's going to be free and i'll have some "craque de fesse" as a bonus. The playoffs is a different beast.
You mentioned Evans, and on that note, he looks nothing like the player he was before the new contract.

Pezz gets 4 to 5 minutes a game and was benched for most of the season. He is being used now because he brings energy, but he is a terrible player.

I don't know what the relationship is like between MSL and Xhekaj, it may be fine or they may not be on the same page. It's hard to know that stuff as an outsider looking in.

Savard is at the end here but is being respected for his role, and they are willing to look the other way when he looks bad and last night was no exception.

Sitting Arber might also be the best thing for his career and I want to believe they are doing it to help him grow as a player. I am hopeful he is in the long term plans because we need what he brings. Even if he is a bottom pair player there would be plenty of demand for him if he was on the block.
 
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None of Struble or Xhekaj can play RD. So Savard gone doesnt mean shit for both of them beside the fact that they doesnt have to play with the whale anymore
Hutson has been playing RD for a while now. And he's been very good at it maybe even better than on the left side. The Guhle-Hutson pairing has been very solid outside of the first 2 periods after Guhle came back. Matheson Carrier have been fine too outside of the "occasional" blunders of Matheson.

Personally i'd start the next season with

Guhle - Hutson
Matheson - Carrier
Struble/Xhekaj/Engstrom - Reinbacher/Mailloux

Then in the middle of the season i would evaluate the options. What is Matheson asking? More importantly for how many years? He is showing sign of slowing down (he'll be 32 by then)? How well Struble/Xhekaj/Engstrom are playing is any of them showing sign of being a 2nd pairing guy?
 
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It was more Savard than Struble. Big Dave has been a warrior for his whole career, but it's time to call it quits. He made several brain cramp plays last night, and luckily, they were against inferior competition.

It's unfair that AX is paying the price, but his veteran partner is unscathed. There is a code amongst NHL types that seems to put veterans on a pedestal but young players are not so lucky.

I would play Arber on the 4th line over Pezzetta because he stays in the mix with the rest of his teammates. Arber has played some very good games for us this season, and it seems to be quickly forgotten. It won't be fair to sit him for 5-6 games and only bring him back if there's an injury.

They limited Savards minutes heavily last night. The fact of the matter is that Savard is in because they only use Guhle, Savard, Matheson and Carrier on the PK.

If Xhekaj wants to be a NHL regular, he needs to spend a lot of time honing his craft on killing penalties. If he can be reliable in blocking shots, clearing the net and getting his stick in the right lanes, then he will have an even bigger role. Right now being a physical menace with no place on PK or PP is a hard sell to keep in the line-up. Struble stayed in because he's been better 5 on 5 lately and they don't wanna go back to a 3 man rotation on the penalty kill for defense.
 
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They limited Savards minutes heavily last night. The fact of the matter is that Savard is in because they only use Guhle, Savard, Matheson and Carrier on the PK.

If Xhekaj wants to be a NHL regular, he needs to spend a lot of time honing his craft on killing penalties. If he can be reliable in blocking shots, clearing the net and getting his stick in the right lanes, then he will have an even bigger role. Right now being a physical menace with no place on PK or PP is a hard sell to keep in the line-up. Struble stayed in because he's been better 5 on 5 lately and they don't wanna go back to a 3 man rotation on the penalty kill for defense.

He needs the reps though. MSL had all f***ing year to give Xhekaj rep on the pk but never did. Stupid ass.
 
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