Post-Game Talk: Habs lose to the Devils

[ChesterNimitz]

Jersey real good team no shame in losing to them. Cup contender.
Matheson shows skill level he has.
Need to find right winger for Caufield/Suzuki. Maybe try Ylonen up there for 5 games see what happens.
Slaf and Newhook stays together.

The continuing criticism of Matheson is baffling. He plays 25 minutes a game, plays in all situations, is a team leader, is one of the increasingly rare players who actually wants to play in Montreal, displays elite skating and has the skill to score the type of goal against the Devils last night that will probably end up being one of the goals of the year. I guess he’s just not doing enough for some of our loyal and knowledgeable fans.

 

[Gillings]

-Suzuki sophomore slump
-Slaf needs more minutes
-Barron and Harris looked good
-Primeau looks poised but still making house league decisions
- no killer instinct from our top forwards besides Pearson.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

The first 10 minutes or so it was grade A hockey entertainment by this team with a lot of highlights but by the late third they looked like demoralized stragglers bandaged up and limping on crutches making their way back from the battle of the Somme

Actually, after Matheson score his great goal, the team was energized and played with great passion and speed. They created multiple scoring chances. I for one was proud of their effort. There was no quit in that team.

I have been a huge critic of Gallagher and his horrible contract. But I will give the man credit. Last night, it was indeed the battle of the Somme. We were playing a much superior opponent. The differential in talent was obvious to anyone who watched the flow of play. But Gallagher never gave up. He battled and skated hard, even negating an icing call. You can’t teach that type of fire in the belly. He was an inspiration and a true leader to his younger teammates. Yes, it was the Battle of the Somme. And Gallagher was the first man over the top.

 

[Lockin17]

I would put Primeau on waiver ,,, terrible

 

[CTHabsfan]

I would put Primeau on waiver ,,, terrible

Tell me that you didn't watch the game and just saw 4 goals on 33 shots. The Devils had two power play goals and another goal where the power play had just ended so it was essentially a power play goal, but Primeau was the problem?????

Cayden Primeau was the least of Montreal's problems last night. This team needs to learn how to stay out of the penalty box and take advantage of times when the other team is in the box.

 

[MtlSars]

I mean, NJ is the better team and likely would have won regardless but those were weak penalty calls.

That tripping on Kovacevic in the 1st was bs, the cross check on Barron was weak,. Xhekaj gets called for half of nothing all the time. All resulted in goals against.

 

[FrankMTL]

Not the best start for our young players (injuries and slow production), but it's a very long season and they will start producing.

 

[CDN24]

You play back to back with travel against a rested team you generally lose even if you are playing against a bottom feeder. Playing against a team like Jersey with the B2b and travel it is a guaranteed loss.

On to the next one

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Am I the only one who would take back Toffoli, Lehkonen, Danault, Chiarot, Edmundston and KK?

That also means no Armia, Dvorak and Evans.

Maybe not a Cup contender team but a a team with some credibility and a better team to developp the young prospects.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I hate radio pundits, but yesterday one of them on 98.5 said something that seems real, relevant and not much talked about concerning our toll of injuries.

The team gets pressed to perform and when players are asked to be in positions they shouldn't be, outmatched, our players chase the puck a lot more. This, according to him, gives way to more injuries. I partly agree. Any thoughts, other than outright management-does-no-wrong dismissal?

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Tell me that you didn't watch the game and just saw 4 goals on 33 shots. The Devils had two power play goals and another goal where the power play had just ended so it was essentially a power play goal, but Primeau was the problem?????

Cayden Primeau was the least of Montreal's problems last night. This team needs to learn how to stay out of the penalty box and take advantage of times when the other team is in the box.

Everyone needs their whipping boy. Anyone watching that game last night and comes to the conclusion that Primeau is the problem, may be watching, but they certainly aren't seeing.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Am I the only one who would take back Toffoli, Lehkonen, Danault, Chiarot, Edmundston and KK?

That also means no Armia, Dvorak and Evans.

Maybe not a Cup contender team but a a team with some credibility and a better team to developp the young prospects.

That fantasy team would still not be a contender. We would be better, no question, But it would cement us as a fringe play-off team that would be drafting in the 12-16 OA range every year. It would be a prescription for endless mediocrity. The team needed to be blown up. That process continues. Most probably we will be drafting in the top 5 this coming draft. If we are smart, we will be drafting a foundational player who will help us on the road back to relevancy. After years of incompetency, patience is truly a required virtue.

 

[ReHabs]

I hate radio pundits, but yesterday one of them on 98.5 said something that seems real, relevant and not much talked about concerning our toll of injuries.

The team gets pressed to perform and when players are asked to be in positions they shouldn't be, outmatched, our players chase the puck a lot more. This, according to him, gives way to more injuries. I partly agree. Any thoughts, other than outright management-does-no-wrong dismissal?

Seems like this is a baked-in excuse to absolve management. Acquiring depth is hard! Injuries are random/bad luck! We (belatedly) fired some of the trainers, what else do you expect us to do! Which... to be fair... isn't necessarily wrong. Injuries are hard to predict and plan around.

That said, the stated thesis that when players are out of their comfort zone they are therefore more prone to mistakes (and thus risk of impact/injury) is definitely one to which I subscribe.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Am I the only one who would take back Toffoli, Lehkonen, Danault, Chiarot, Edmundston and KK?

That also means no Armia, Dvorak and Evans.

Maybe not a Cup contender team but a a team with some credibility and a better team to developp the young prospects.

Yes.. that would mean we would be down Mesar, Heineman, Barron, 2nd round pick 2024, Newhook, 3rd round pick.

Terrible look for a team trying to rebuild.

 

[CTHabsfan]

Am I the only one who would take back Toffoli, Lehkonen, Danault, Chiarot, Edmundston and KK?

That also means no Armia, Dvorak and Evans.

Maybe not a Cup contender team but a a team with some credibility and a better team to developp the young prospects.

If we could go back in time I would have traded Danault before he went UFA, traded Edmundson when he was healthy, and drafted Brady Tkachuk. Trading Toffoli, Lehkonen, and Chiarot was the right thing to do, unless your goal is to be a borderline playoff team that never wins a Stanley Cup.

 

[calder candidate]

Everyone look ok or good but a few time it seem no one could get the puck past our own blue line and even when that succeeded we had just as much problem getting past the red line and the other blue line… NJ are a very fast team and played well but I feel it was mostly bad luck and nonchalance. The PP is ok when we are able to get setup but that f’ing sling shot is so brutal, execution is very poor /with Dach out we might not have the player to pull it off.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

That fantasy team would still not be a contender. We would be better, no question, But it would cement us as a fringe play-off team that would be drafting in the 12-16 OA range every year. It would be a prescription for endless mediocrity. The team needed to be blown up. That process continues. Most probably we will be drafting in the top 5 this coming draft. If we are smart, we will be drafting a foundational player who will help us on the road back to relevancy. After years of incompetency, patience is truly a required virtue.

Drafting in the top 5 is interresting. But there's no garanty that player drafted will become a fundamental player. Read the hundred of pages about Slaf and Reinbaker, nobody agree. Maybe it's because we tank in the wrong years. That being said, there is also the environment the new players are fitting in gradually. There is a thin line of legit centers and vets in the team right now. I mean, Monahan is injury prone and even if he stays healthy, there are strong chances he will be traded.

I'm all in for the concept of rebuild mode but it's a long path with many factors that can make the train derail. I find there is not enough good vets to mentor the young players. And there is the injury bad luck of Dach and having to play vs tough opposition make the injury risk higher.

 

[Rapala]

Solid game by Harris and vet line. I liked Pezz and Slaf this game. Glad Barron was given a chance with Savy injured and hope he runs away with it.

This is the kind of showing in back to back games from Caufield and Suzuki that raises concern and gives validity to notion that team needs another top tier forward in the line up. Very underwhelming performance by both.

I thought Harris was really good against all those small skilled players Jersey has. The physical guys still present a challenge for him. Regarding Pezz I'm not sure why we don't move him around when he is on. The Suzuki Caufield duo is cooked they are far too predictable and much too easy to shut down. Split them up at least until they start playing better hockey. All that time Suzuki spent away from Caufield last season had him looking elsewhere for offense. He was actually more useful because he isn't focused on setting up one player.

 

[Rapala]

He and several others did miss the net while in prime scoring positions. Frustrating

Yes we can't afford to suck so badly when we do get chances and it's a collective thing. The same goes for our breakout opportunities that go awry. Basic skills that should be worked on and mastered at this level.
But are they?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The so called expert on HF keep saying Toffoli will be in the decline. Yet this guy keep progressing every season. 73pts last season and on his way for another 70pts season.

By and large people liked Tofoli. He just didn’t fit the rebuild plan. Why keep him here if we’re not winning anything? We’d be wasting him.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

So at what point is this team supposed to start showing improvement? I mean MSL has been doing his wizardry for 2 years now. Hughes for longer than that. Same for Gorton. I get it that they aren't going to contend for anything yet, but how about some improvement. In any area will do. The team is trash.

Where the F is Suzuki and Caufield these days?

f***ing maddening.

We would’ve seen some improvement this year. But Dach got hurt… That f***ed everything up.

So, instead of getting a bottom half pick we’ll draft top five.

 

[hardcorehabs]

Playoffs 2027-28?

 

[Rapala]

Some people were calling him an important part of the core last year, personally I always saw him as another dime a dozen bottom 6 player with a ridiculous shooting %..

Serviceable, good to have on the team but nothing special.

His shooting percentage like water was always going to find it's level.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

If we could go back in time I would have traded Danault before he went UFA, traded Edmundson when he was healthy, and drafted Brady Tkachuk. Trading Toffoli, Lehkonen, and Chiarot was the right thing to do, unless your goal is to be a borderline playoff team that never wins a Stanley Cup.

For my part, I would have traded Gallagher before his new signing, traded Edmundston because he was injury prone, draft Tkachuk (that was my take at the time), trade Chiarot because he was nothing special. Maybe trade Toffoli and Lehkonen as long as the return is interresting. I would have kept Danault because a defensive specialist is usefull. Lehkonen is also very usefull and constant in his play. His main problem is he doesn't score much, like Danault. But Lehkonen won the SC with the proper team and Danault is the difference maker when LA makes the PO or not.

 

[Rapala]

He can produce with high end talent around him but don't expect him to generate offense by him self. The NJD's Hischier and Hughes produced a lot of points and Bratt also notched 73.

The thing is he is dependable at both ends of the rink and we haven't replaced his ability to turn pucks over in traffic. Roy will fill that role admirably IMO.