Post-Game Talk: Habs lose to the Rough Quacks 3-2

[Habs Halifax]

Drama queens out in full force again with their panic "trade everyone!" Nonsense as usual. Some people just aren't cut out for the rebuild, they want to be a middling team that never achieved anything.

50% of our fan base who wanted the rebuild has the actual patience for it. The other 50% who wanted the rebuild do not have the actual patience required. What a fun gang we are eh? haha

Basically, this season showed us we are close but need more work to be done. Nothing has changed... a pick from 10-15 is coming. Maybe we decide to sell again and slip to 8-10. That is possible as well.

 

[Habs Halifax]

It was nice seeing Lane Hutson do good things, but I couldn't care less to see Armia and Evans steal points for us.

And it seems Slaf, Dach, and Newhook never really woke up (just marginally improved from a nadir) so it was always fool's gold: no team can sustain success with one reliable line and a bunch of ephemeral performances.

Resilient group but a fragile group at the same time. Heineman and Guhle injuries has taken the wind out of their sail. Not entirely those injuries but you can see the timeline.

Shot totals are way too low. I was watching the game last night after the Ducks tied it 2-2 and the Habs were almost playing to hold the tie into overtime. The team confidence and momentum seems low

 

[hvac412]

Not as good as the hot streak, not as bad as the current slump.

Side note though but Craig Button was unbearable to listen to tonight. I normally don't have a strong opinion on commentators either way but someone has to tell him the analyst/colour commentator is supposed to speak less than the play by play announcer. Mudryk, hardly responded once to Buttons one way pontification all night. I laughed my ass off when Button responded to Mudryk by saying, "I couldn't have said it better myself, Bryan," before going on to repeat what Mudryk had said in a slightly different way.

You nailed it, i almost fell off my couch laughing when the score was 2-0 and they were outplaying us badly from the beginning of the 2nd period and he states that we’re playing an almost perfect defensive game Then they score 2 goals within a 40 sec span ,switched it off,game over.

Whole team sucked tonight, management wasn't shining either. Towards the next game!

 

[hvac412]

I honestly can't stand MSL. Terrible coach, terrible lines that make 0 sense, puts Newhook and Dach out with Laine, who's only effective when there's a speedy distributor (you know, like Evans). Would rather have useless Struble than a potential game changer like Mailloux, I just don't get it. Zero structure, run and gun with no pressure offense. I honestly hope he decides to quit

Dach needs to be moved ASAP. Newhook needs to go, trade Dvo at a high and trade Savard. This team will be bottom 8 by years end guaranteed

Said it before,he may become a good coach in the future but why the hell would anyone take a gamble on a rebuild with a rookie coach,almost guaranteed to take twice as long,beyond stupid and ridiculously unfair to any fan.

 

[hvac412]

I respect Gallagher but this can't continue for 2 more seasons.


Two of the better veterans are UFA's...that's also a challenge

Hughes doesn’t like buyouts and seems to like reclamation projects that may or may not work out , time to put his big boy pants on but then again he too also is a ROOKIE GM. Thanks JG.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I respect Gallagher but this can't continue for 2 more seasons.

Two of the better veterans are UFA's...that's also a challenge

This will come down to the salary cap growth and what Gorton/Hughes feel they can do this summer. If they feel Gallagher's contract blocks them with cap space, they might buy him out. If they feel like they will not be adding someone that clutters the cap, Gallagher stays.

It's possible we might sign Ehlers and in this case, we might buy out Gallagher. That's kind of how I see it.

If Gallagher is bought out this summer, cap hits are as follows:
* $1.75M ($95.5M salary cap)
* $4.25M ($104M salary cap)
* $1.75M ($113.5M salary cap)
* $1.75M ($???M salary cap)

 

[Theodore450]

Free Laine from Dach

 

[Habs10Habs]

Slaf is a pass first player... who struggles to complete passes. Everything is fine!

lol good point. Though considering the alternatives. I think he'd be the best option.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Free Laine from Dach

You could put Laine with prime Crosby and things aren't gonna improve for him right now. Every puck touch Laine has made over the last 6-8 games has been a turnover.

 

[Theodore450]

You could put Laine with prime Crosby and things aren't gonna improve for him right now. Every puck touch Laine has made over the last 6-8 games has been a turnover.

He shouldn’t be getting puck touches. A high IQ center that can move would get value out of him.
Crosby would work with Laine in my opinion

 

[vokiel]

Free Laine from Dach

I agree. Is it time to mix up the lines to get back in da mix?

Laine - Suzuki - Slaf
Caufield - Dach - Newhook

 

[Goalfield13]

Free Laine from Dach

Free this team from Dach.

 

[le_sean]

It’s funny to blame Dach and Laine when both have just as many points in their last 18 games as Newhook has all season.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I knew we’d be bipolar. But not this bipolar.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

You could put Laine with prime Crosby and things aren't gonna improve for him right now. Every puck touch Laine has made over the last 6-8 games has been a turnover.

He’s been really bad.

I managed to catch the first two periods before switching to radio and that was the worst this PP has looked all year. I don’t blame Laine for that but he doesn’t move around at all. Just stands there…

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Free this team from Dach.

Dach is at least driving the net and creating things. Our best PP chances came with him doing both. He set up Gallagher with a beautiful pass. He’s one of few players willing to drive to the net and get dirty.

 

[vokiel]

Free this team from Dach.

Patience, the chances of it happening in his contract year are elevated.

Dach is at least driving the net and creating things. Our best PP chances came with him doing both. He set up Gallagher with a beautiful pass. He’s one of few players willing to drive to the net and get dirty.

Yes, and that might be his solace here, where we find a better 2nd C and he moves to wing as a Power Forward. I'd have 0 issues with Dach performing like Bourque at a similar cap hit, with roughly 10 seasons of inflation.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Yes, and that might be his solace here, where we find a better 2nd C and he moves to wing as a Power Forward. I'd have 0 issues with Dach performing like Bourque at a similar cap hit, with roughly 10 seasons of inflation.

I think he's a center. He sucks at faceoffs but that can improve. If he moves to the wing that's fine but we don't need to do that. Demidov needs to come up. That will be a shot in the arm. If he could play center (something I'd love to see) then sure, I'm fine with Dach moving over. We need a stud on the 2nd line. That will make a big difference.

Laine... let's wait and see. Coming back from injury is no fun and we saw that with Dach already. I'm not impressed with what I've seen but I believe in patience.

And I'm out of patience with Newhook. I saw him as a long term offensive third liner and thought he'd be alright this year on the 2nd but was clearly wrong there. He has some good moments and can create sometimes but there's never any finish. Even when we were killing it he wasn't really producing. It's fair to say he's been better than his points indicate but still not nearly good enough.

 

[Rapala]

I think when I watch teams like the Ducks their trolling and physicallity put them back in the game all the time. But we never ever do that. This team lacks an edge. And this is part will never get better with that coach.

Yup that useless fight changed the entire momentum of the game. Xhekaj has to know when to refuse. A nowhere team with no rivalry other than the tank. The only way we gain momentum in that scenario is if he destroys the 6'5" goon which was always going to be highly unlikely.

 

[hvac412]

Yup that useless fight changed the entire momentum of the game. Xhekaj has to know when to refuse. A nowhere team with no rivalry other than the tank. The only way we gain momentum in that scenario is if he destroys the 6'5" goon which was always going to be highly unlikely.

I didn’t think the fight had much of an impact and refusing it was in my opinion not similar to the refusal to Reaves challenge when we recently played Toronto. Where i saw the scales tip was the lack of pushback except for Evans when Armia got boarded, they probably noticed it to and realized we were flat and completely takable.It’s starting to piss off Suzuki,time for KH to wake up,this is not normal .

 

[Tyson]

If it wasn't for people on this site and their passion I would have probably stopped watching this team. At my age there is only so much losing one can take before pursuing other things. I appreciate coming on this site daily to read all of your opinions.

 

[WeThreeKings]

If it wasn't for people on this site and their passion I would have probably stopped watching this team. At my age there is only so much losing one can take before pursuing other things. I appreciate coming on this site daily to read all of your opinions.

Grind it out, Demidov is the truth and the light.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If it wasn't for people on this site and their passion I would have probably stopped watching this team. At my age there is only so much losing one can take before pursuing other things. I appreciate coming on this site daily to read all of your opinions.

A lot of good talent is on the way.

 

[Habs Halifax]

A lot of good talent is on the way.

Hopefully our window opens next year or the year after. We have several value contracts in place and Suzuki has 5 years left before he needs a massive raise! We have a dilemma with value contracts to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, Guhle and the gap of when our youth can fill holes and help push this team up the standings.

The Habs can afford to remain patient for this year and maybe next year but at some point, we need to ensure what is coming is filling our holes and we are ready for prime time.

I think Gorton/Hughes are ready to make a big move but they are waiting for the right player to become available. Doubt that big move comes at the TDL but it could happen on draft day.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Hopefully our window opens next year or the year after. We have several value contracts in place and Suzuki has 5 years left before he needs a massive raise! We have a dilemma with value contracts to Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, Guhle and the gap of when our youth can fill holes and help push this team up the standings.

The Habs can afford to remain patient for this year and maybe next year but at some point, we need to ensure what is coming is filling our holes and we are ready for prime time.

I think Gorton/Hughes are ready to make a big move but they are waiting for the right player to become available. Doubt that big move comes at the TDL but it could happen on draft day.

If by 'window' you mean playoffs, then yes I think we will probably make the playoffs next year. If by 'window' you mean us being contenders then I'd say no, that's a few years away.

Reinbacher and Demidov make the jump next year. This year we might still see Joshua Roy (who needs to make a jump soon if he's ever going to get here) and we'll probably see Beck and maybe Kapenen. All good players and hopefully make it. But all those guys are going to be raw rookies. It's going to take them time to get up to speed.

Hopefully we get Evans back. He and Heineman were great together. Matheson probably leaves next year and we've got other guys like Dvorak who won't be back.

This team is still very much in transition.

I hope we can string together some more wins. If we know anything about this team it's that we're wildly inconsistent. The Ghule injury really hurts though. That might well have sunk us for any playoffs this year.