Habs win in Philly by the skin of their teeth

[Habs Halifax]

Why the hell would you re-sign UFA Armia???

He's valuable as a middle 6F and I believe he will leave money on the table to stay. One of the very few on our roster that can actually win a puck battle. Rather have him back than Anderson.

 

[WeThreeKings]

He's valuable as a middle 6F and I believe he will leave money on the table to stay. One of the very few on our roster that can actually win a puck battle. Rather have him back than Anderson.

Don't get the choice.. Anderson is signed long term and is actually doing things this year on a successful line. Armia is pending UFA and doing nothing on his line.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I would start him at wing at the NHL level or C in the AHL if that is the case. We would be throwing him to the wolves otherwise Still, pretty interesting.

I would have no problem with Demidov at center or wing but with Dach or Suzuki.

One way or another, we need to sort out who is our 2C. Dach to me is a puck possession winger with grit and can shelter a center like Demidov. That's why I would at least try it.

 

[montreal]

Michkov a rookie, point a game player on one of worst teams in league. He's 100 points written all over him as he matures

I only speak to what I see, this was the first game i've seen him since last year in the KHL vs Konyushkov. So I just said what I saw in this game, it doesn't mean he will or won't be anything, it's just one game and I wasn't impressed.

I never saw him as a 100 pt kind of prospect, when I watched him in the MHL and VHL, I thought he was lazy, cheated on offense, was small not a great skater or overly fast. I compared him to a better Caufield as both have deadly shots but lack height and aren't very good in their own end.

It's a long season and when you are a contender it's that much longer and tougher grind, any small player is a concern over 82 + playoffs year after year (hopefully), so we'll see how things unfold, most posters like to talk like they know the future because of stats but there are so many factors that it's really impossible to know, you just have to see how it unfolds over a long period of time as there will always be ups and downs even for the very best.

Unless he gets a couple of steps faster, two more years in Laval won't help. He is an inefficient skater.

his issues to me seem more about poor decision making then skating.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

his issues to me seem more about poor decision making then skating.

Maybe. But since his call up have you seen Mailloux once take the puck behind his net and outskate the first forechecker and transport the skate from the defensive zone, through the neutral zone into the offensive zone?

I have watched Mailloux closely since we drafted him in 2021. I watched him have success in London while playing against teenagers who he was largely able to outskate. Things changed abruptly in Laval last year when Mailloux was playing against stronger opposition. While still effective offensively, it was clear that Mailloux did not have the same skating advantage he had while playing in the OHL. In the NHL, he has no skating/mobility advantage. Often when Mailloux is on the ice, the team is pinned in the defensive zone because of his inability to shed/avoid opposing forecheckers. Just watch the flow of play. It has little or nothing to do with Mailloux's lack of defensive acumen. It all comes down to his limitations in skating.

Just my opinion.

 

[StCaufield]

Moving on. Forget this one

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

To appreciate the current state of the re-build and why the team is struggling early this season, one only needs to review why the team was largely competitive last year. What has changed?

As I have argued, the Canadiens were competitive last season for three reasons: 1) their top line of Suzuki, Slafkovsky and Caufield was one of the league's most impactful, top lines; 2) their goaltending was consistently above average and 3) their defence was among the most mobile in the league.

This year, until recently, Suzuki's play has been listless and unproductive, Slafkovsky has been injured, with only Caufield playing to an expected high standard. The goaltending has been a mixed bag, with the team stealing some games when Montembleault was the best player on the ice, while in some other games, both Montembeault and Primeau have looked vulnerable. It is however on defence, that we have seen the biggest adverse change. This season, the best one could describe the overall mobility of Montreal's defence is: mediocre. We have four defencemen (Savard, Mailloux, Xhekaj and Hutson) who are at best average skaters. Of our three most mobile defencemen (Barron, Struble and Matheson), one is injured, one is just returning from an injury and one appears to be playing through an injury. Delete the under appreciated Harris and Kovacevic (who, in terms of mobility, was at least the equal if not more than the noted four average skating defencemen) and one can quickly see why the team has had such trouble exiting our defensive zone.

There is some salvation. I would replace Mailloux with Engstrom, as it is clear to this writer that Mailloux is not yet NHL ready. Hopefully, Barron will be able to return shortly. While still an adventure in the defensive zone, Barron has the skating ability to evade the first forechecker and that ability will somewhat mute the effectiveness of opposing teams' forecheck. Lastly, and most importantly, whatever injury is hampering Matheson's top end skating, will pass and we will again see the same player who played such a major role in the team's limited success last season. I cringe to think what our defence would be without Matheson's mobility. So does MSL.

Before the season, I opined that the team's supposed depth in defensive prospects was somewhat illusory. Until I see what Engstrom, Reinbacher and Trudeau can accomplish at the NHL level, my skepticism will remain.

Engstrom have a better IQ but he have few things to fix in his game. I like his recent progression. Mailloux have more work in his game to be done. The complete rebuilt of the D is 2-3 years away. Decisions will be made in the process, trades, etc.

 

[montreal]

Maybe. But since his call up have you seen Mailloux once take the puck behind his net and outskate the first forechecker and transport the skate from the defensive zone, through the neutral zone into the offensive zone?

I have watched Mailloux closely since we drafted him in 2021. I watched him have success in London while playing against teenagers who he was largely able to outskate. Things changed abruptly in Laval last year when Mailloux was playing against stronger opposition. While still effective offensively, it was clear that Mailloux did not have the same skating advantage he had while playing in the OHL. In the NHL, he has no skating/mobility advantage. Often when Mailloux is on the ice, the team is pinned in the defensive zone because of his inability to shed/avoid opposing forecheckers. Just watch the flow of play. It has little or nothing to do with Mailloux's lack of defensive acumen. It all comes down to his limitations in skating.

Just my opinion.

I haven't seen much of him in the NHL but I haven't noticed his skating being an issue.