Post-Game Talk: Habs lose in Boston

[salbutera]

He’s not the #1 guy at EV anymore and he won’t be the #1 guy on the PP for much longer, his chickens have come home to roost.

Matheson played over 26TOI in back-to-back games… he’s still going to be the highest TOI Dman on this team for the foreseeable future.

The Habs need to bring that TOI number down from 25+ to 21-22 to maintain his effectiveness, and that only happens by giving Hutson PP QB responsibility

 

[schwang26]

If not for 3 or 4 stoppable shots, Habs win this. Don’t be surprised to see Anderson on the 2nd line. He’s playing hard. I’d try it. The top 6 has been pretty invisible so far. Even Caulfield outside of his 2 goals. What the hell is up with Suzuki too?

 

[Tyson]

If not for 3 or 4 stoppable shots, Habs win this. Don’t be surprised to see Anderson on the 2nd line. He’s playing hard. I’d try it. The top 6 has been pretty invisible so far. Even Caulfield outside of his 2 goals. What the hell is up with Suzuki too?

If Anderson proves me wrong I will be ecstatic. This is a defining year for him, he needs to step up.

 

[le_sean]

Why not? Primeau looked much better last year. finally was looking confident in the net.

Idk what happened over the summer lol but he's looking like his old self again

He’s never instilled confidence in me. He seems to get rattled too easily. Once one bad or early goal goes in, he tends to have a poor game after.

 

[salbutera]

If not for 3 or 4 stoppable shots, Habs win this. Don’t be surprised to see Anderson on the 2nd line. He’s playing hard. I’d try it. The top 6 has been pretty invisible so far. Even Caulfield outside of his 2 goals. What the hell is up with Suzuki too?

Last nights loss was ALL on Primeau’s lackluster performance. Habs outplayed Bruins in the 3rd and that 6th goal for Bruins cannot go in at the NHL level, those are goals 7-9 year olds give up - completely killed momentum

Re: Gallagher & Anderson - as I posted the other day, Habs have the deepest bottom-6 in the division and part of the strategy is to capitalize on offense generated by Gally & Andy. I’m expecting 35G+ combined this season.

But 2nd line needs to get it going, specifically Newhook and top line needs to come to terms they’ll be playing w expectations going fwd… that’s just reality

 

[HomaridII]

If not for 3 or 4 stoppable shots, Habs win this. Don’t be surprised to see Anderson on the 2nd line. He’s playing hard. I’d try it. The top 6 has been pretty invisible so far. Even Caulfield outside of his 2 goals. What the hell is up with Suzuki too?

Suzuki is a traditional slow starter BUT in his career he has played 16 games against Boston, he has 6 goals, 3 assists and is a -19.

P,S: He is also horrible historically against Ottawa. just FYI.

 

[salbutera]

Is Primeau a legitimate NHL goalie?

No

 

[Kosseca]

Yeah, Barron needs to sit, but none of the D were good outside of Guhle & Hutson. They almost came back, too, while playing a back-to-back in Boston for their home opener.

We need to clean-up some stuff.

Like others, I'd like to see Hutson on PP1, and Matheson on PP2. They probably want Hutson to settle in a little bit. It has to happen at some point.

I didn't find Barron to be the worst D last night. Mathesson was for me. Bad on the PP and so many bad plays in the D zone. I think that Barron tried to keep it simple and within the system, but too many time his play ended up in turn over due to the intended receiver not being where they where suppose to be or mismanaging the puck. i hated Barron last year and I want him gone (dont see how he fit in this d group), but he's far from the problem right now.

Another thing I notice, and it build on what you or WTK said earlier, our passes where off target (not clean and tape to tape), but often very slow to come, especially on zone exit. They need to play faster on breakout.

If MSL is true to his "hard coaching" mantra this year, then yes things will change. But I also keep my expectation reasonable - this team will lose games, a lot of them, this year. This is still a rebuild and improvement is to be expected. So let the players earn their "chair".

Now, what I want to know is why are Suzuki and Slaf still in pre-season mode.

 

[le_sean]

Not enough people talking about Kirby Dach.

There's just something about this guy on the ice, he has a presence around him. He's calm, he's slick, he makes things happen more than Suzuki to be honest. If he can stay healthy I feel like he will take over as #1 C. I felt the exact same way last year.

He, like Slafkovsky, needs to start shooting more or he will become too predictable. Especially on the PP. Everyone knows both players are looking to pass every time.

 

[Kosseca]

Is Primeau a legitimate NHL goalie?

it's one game, so lets not panic but let just say that his next game can't be like that.

 

[Tyson]

No

I agree with you, he just seems to lose confidence too quickly. I actually think he would clear waivers.

 

[le_sean]

I didn't find Barron to be the worst D last night. Mathesson was for me. Bad on the PP and so many bad plays in the D zone. I think that Barron tried to keep it simple and within the system, but too many time his play ended up in turn over due to the intended receiver not being where they where suppose to be or mismanaging the puck. i hated Barron last year and I want him gone (dont see how he fit in this d group), but he's far from the problem right now.

Another thing I notice, and it build on what you or WTK said earlier, our passes where off target (not clean and tape to tape), but often very slow to come, especially on zone exit. They need to play faster on breakout.

If MSL is true to his "hard coaching" mantra this year, then yes things will change. But I also keep my expectation reasonable - this team will lose games, a lot of them, this year. This is still a rebuild and improvement is to be expected. So let the players earn their "chair".

Now, what I want to know is why are Suzuki and Slaf still in pre-season mode.

The problem is the Habs don’t have anyone better than Matheson. You can’t replace what he does. But they have several players better than Barron, who is easily replaceable.

 

[salbutera]

I agree with you, he just seems to lose confidence too quickly. I actually think he would clear waivers.

I don’t even think it has anything to do with expectations - he simply doesn’t have solid G mechanics. For a guy who played some pretty competitive baseball he’s got a terrible glove

All Primeau has going for him is his height, just being tall doesn’t make one a good G

 

[Kosseca]

Him, like Slafkovsky, needs to start shooting more or he will become too predictable. Especially on the PP. Everyone knows both players are looking to pass every time.

Slaf need to say on his skates. too many time he's been push on his ass. his board play has been pretty bad too. Not sure if this is overconfidence or just rust from not playing enough yet

 

[Rapala]

Habs have 15 back-to-back this season (I heard it was the most in the NHL).

And if they send Primo down, he gets claimed. Half of the league backups aren't any better and he's younger than most.

Plenty of opportunity to best last season's 1-11-3

 

[Tyson]

I don’t even think it has anything to do with expectations - he simply doesn’t have solid G mechanics. For a guy who played some pretty competitive baseball he’s got a terrible glove

All Primeau has going for him is his height, just being tall doesn’t make one a good G

He might be tall but he plays like a very small goalie.

Shout out to Brendan Gallagher for his solid game last night. He still brings everything he has every shift!

 

[Kosseca]

The problem is the Habs don’t have anyone better than Matheson. You can’t replace what he does. But they have several players better than Barron, who is easily replaceable.

Oh, you are right. much more easy to replace Barron then Matheson. But the problem is that replacing Barron does not substantially improve the quality of the minutes played by Matheson. Some how, the coaching staff have to find a way to reduce Matheson play time and put him in situation that he'll be less of a risk.

 

[Rapala]

Hutson-Guhle is a thing now and I like it
put Savard with Matheson and Barron(Struble) with Xhekaj
Barron with Matheson and Savard with Xhekaj was non sense yesterday

He's going t go back to game one pairings as he should.
The problem was the Big Guy who was a star in game one was a turtle in game two.
I remember talking about Hutson having a tougher time when David is off or slow.
I'd love nothing better than Hutson/Guhle but those other pairings were dog poop.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Unwatchable garbage after 2 period I turned it off. Dzone coverage is giving me anxiety it's so bad and frustrating.

Gally and Andy scoring in the 3rd.... Hockey gods really have a twisted sense of humor.

Gallys simulated goal is hilarious go watch it on nhl.com

 

[Rapala]

Yeah, the defensive zone issues remain. I don't like whatever defensive system we're playing. It just seems to be collapse and pray we keep them to outside.

Too much pressure on the young D deep since we put almost zero pressure in neutral zone and forwards don't pressure the puck carrier all the well.

It's fun, run & gun in some ways, but the goalies are going to be facing a lot of shots again.

There seems to be not a lot of improvement in exiting our zone, and stopping the cycle.

The link up play with the forward group is non existent. If the D aren't all completing Hutson Houdini passes we have no possession.

If not for 3 or 4 stoppable shots, Habs win this. Don’t be surprised to see Anderson on the 2nd line. He’s playing hard. I’d try it. The top 6 has been pretty invisible so far. Even Caulfield outside of his 2 goals. What the hell is up with Suzuki too?

He ended the night on the first ...

 

[salbutera]

Habs have 15 back-to-back this season (I heard it was the most in the NHL).

And if they send Primo down, he gets claimed. Half of the league backups aren't any better and he's younger than most.

Habs were 1-10-1 last year on back-to-backs, positive HuGo are fully aware and won’t have much patience to address backup G situation if Primeau doesn’t pick it up by Nov

 

[Mrb1p]

Was Savard injured or is MSL just a shit coach ?

 

[OldCraig71]

I realize that I have an old-school mentality when it comes to hockey games but I can't tolerate this team going into Boston with the same intensity they would show in Columbus. 0-14 against our most bitter rival! f*** that!

It wasn't nearly enough and yes it was back to back but the season just started and most of those guys can't even grow a mustache yet lol. I turned it off mid-way through the second because it was brutal.

 

[Kents polished head]

I think we're starting to witness the limits of St-Louis's pro-player approach.

This team is playing soft, and individually, the guys don't play like they fear for their ice time.

Pretty happy they split up the first line yesterday. These guys want to play together but the way Suzuki has been playing these first two games is unforgivable. And Slaf has barely been better.

The best way to get them fired up is to show them they have to give something to the coach if they want to stay together.

It's on them.

 

[Playmaker09]

The problem is the Habs don’t have anyone better than Matheson. You can’t replace what he does. But they have several players better than Barron, who is easily replaceable.

That's only if you assume someone NEEDS to be playing 26 minutes a night.

We have better defensive players in Guhle and Savard and a better offensive D in Hutson.
Spread the minutes out between them and not only are you fine without Matheson, you're better, because you actually have players who can succeed in those roles rather than Matheson who's in over his head for all 26 minutes.