Post-Game Talk: Habs win in Philly by the skin of their teeth

[Andrei79]

I'd try

Caufield-Suzuki-Dach
Heineman-Newhook-Slaf

I'd put Kapanen on the second. He's better without the puck than Heineman and provides a right hand option for faceoffs.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Gonna be 35 soon

50 should’ve happened last year. I think it happens this season. His shoulder is healthy and his shot is back.

And it’s freaking awesome to see a Hab on top of the goal board. I don’t care if it’s only Halloween, this is a good thing.

 

[YukonCornelius 5thOA]

You guys miss me?

Always.

 

[LePenseur]

Wide open door for people to call me on this but:
Anderson has been pretty good the last 2 games. He is pushy, active, make hits, forecheck hard.

 

[Andrei79]

They've had 5 periods of very good hockey. Now they need to learn to close out games, which includes Primeau who doesn't have much pro experience. I hope these last two games are better indicators than the Rangers game. Dach is really, really good as a winger on the line. I'd like to see Slafkovsky and Laine with Newhook, but I'm not sure they'll survive defensively. Getting Guhle back should make a good but of difference though.

 

[tazsub3]

Gallagher has been playing well even though his skating is embarrassing.

But to say Anderson is contributing anything other than good PKing is lying.

Come one man , when we went from one of the worst pk in the league to one of the best and the guy is contributing there . To me that is not a guy not contributing .
I am not judging his contract , I am judging this year and he is doing fine

 

[Player 61]

What ever they do? don't trade Evans!

 

[sj315]

It's very early, but this is funny.

 

[Kimota]

What ever they do? don't trade Evans!

Evans for Monahan

 

[JianYang]

It's very early, but this is funny.View attachment 922666

In da mix as of game 10.

I predicted a 4-5-2 start this October, so let's see.

 

[Miller Time]

They are not the biggest issues here. WiFi and Mailloux are way more problematic.

Saying that the play of a rookie and a 23-year old player with 100 games under his belt, combined 2.1M cap hit, are "more problematic" than the mediocre play of veterans costing 20+M against the cap is a very odd statement. Couldn't disagree more.

Those vets are performing well below what was expected of them.

X & Mailloux are providing more or less as should be expected. Even if they were playing well above expectations, I'm not sure that changed much.

Habs would be in a vastly different position right now if Gally, Anderson & Dvorak were contributing like quality 2/3rd line players instead of mediocre depth forwards.

 

[holy]

This in da mix nonsense about to get us into the playoffs, I swear.

 

[Riggins]

Delete

 

[salbutera]

Saying that the play of a rookie and a 23-year old player with 100 games under his belt, combined 2.1M cap hit, are "more problematic" than the mediocre play of veterans costing 20+M against the cap is a very odd statement. Couldn't disagree more.

Those vets are performing well below what was expected of them.

X & Mailloux are providing more or less as should be expected. Even if they were playing well above expectations, I'm not sure that changed much.

Habs would be in a vastly different position right now if Gally, Anderson & Dvorak were contributing like quality 2/3rd line players instead of mediocre depth forwards.

Gallagher has amongst best 5-on-5 analytics of fwd on the team. Gallagher & Anderson are contributing “like quality 3rd line players”, since they’ve outplayed the opposition 3rd lines in every game this season

If they weren’t contributing, Habs wouldn’t be 1pt out of wildcard spot…

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Nope. Hischier is in 1st with 9 goals (though he's played 2 more games). Caufield is tied for 2nd in goals.

Yeah, Hischier scored tonight.

Got him in the pool too!

 

[Miller Time]

Anderson’s a big part of the #3 best PK in the league and that Evan’s-Gally-Anderson line has outplayed its opposition every game this season … again tonight

@12M$ that's poor ROI for those two wingers

Also a hefty exaggeration to suggest they've outplayed their opposition "every game this season".

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they are contributing something, and had no expectations that they'd be playing at the impact level they are paid to be and that this roster would need from them to be more competitive right now.... But that doesn't change the reality that few if any teams in the league have such low contributions from their 30+ high cap hit vets

 

[tazsub3]

It's very early, but this is funny.View attachment 922666

That’s the definition of « in the mix »

 

[salbutera]

@12M$ that's poor ROI for those two wingers

Also a hefty exaggeration to suggest they've outplayed their opposition "every game this season".

Don't get me wrong, I'm glad they are contributing something, and had no expectations that they'd be playing at the impact level they are paid to be and that this roster would need from them to be more competitive right now.... But that doesn't change the reality that few if any teams in the league have such low contributions from their 30+ high cap hit vets

Their AAV is not hamstringing the team in anyway ($5.7M cap space)

It’s not an exaggeration look at that Evans line analytics vs opposition and Gallaghers 5-on-5 analytics..

Oh yeah don’t forget Andersons contribution to the #3 PK in the league thus far

 

[le_sean]

Come one man , when we went from one of the worst pk in the league to one of the best and the guy is contributing there . To me that is not a guy not contributing .
I am not judging his contract , I am judging this year and he is doing fine

Evans and Suzuki are dominating there. Anderson is playing fine on the PK but he’s not the reason it turned around.

 

[Troyp]

 

[tazsub3]

Evans and Suzuki are dominating there. Anderson is playing fine on the PK but he’s not the reason it turned around.

He is doing a good job , playing hard and skating hard . That is fine for me .
Last year was nowhere close to that
Again you judging him on his contract I am judging on his history .
We know him and a others are a big part we are In a rebuilt . But I can’t complain on what he has shown so far .
If you still expect him to become what mb wanted him to be , then you will be disappointed

 

[Habs]

How could you possibly watch the games this season and see anything but Xhekaj being their worst Dman this far. Not even close. We have other questionable defensive play in Matheson and Barron as well but X has been the worst of the group, no question.

He played really well last game, but this game he was back to really slow, dumb decision making. That combined with the fact that he has very heavy feet and this is a guy that is gonna need to keep putting the work in for a long time.

We need the toughness so I'm hoping he keeps progressing but he needs to be miles better. He's a liability.

Meh, we forgive the other guys for playing like shit, I'm willing to let him improve. We are rebuilding, who gives a shit. Savard, MM, Struble.. all pathetic on most nights as well.
He's been weak, they all have.

 

[Habssince89]

Yes Xhekaj hasn't progressed as many would have hoped. He has had major season ending surgery two seasons in a row. We preached patience with Caufield after his shoulder surgery and are doing the same with Dach. Maybe Xhekaj has peaked and he won't get better or maybe we should allow the kid to truly develop. 102 NHL games for a very raw player isn't a whole lot.

Especially for a Damn. If he had a more experienced Score around him he'd look a lot better but he's getting exposed. I truly want to see the experiment of him playing LW/7D a la Byfuglien if he can't make progress as a pure D. Maybe he ends up on his brother's wing?

 

[Habs]

Which rest of the D? I don’t recall Guhle, Struble, Hutson, ever showing the level of poor play reading as Xhekaj? All of whom have significantly more lateral mobility

As for Mailloux he’s likely going back to Laval after his short stint here.

Last year Barron was sent down to Laval for the same poor play… right now he doesn’t seem to have a spot TBH

lol how Arbs is the new whipping boy. Struble has been god awful, Hutson brutal turnovers, Savard, Matheson... they all have been HORRIBLE. Guhle? Who ever brought him into this?

 

[Habssince89]

Wide open door for people to call me on this but:
Anderson has been pretty good the last 2 games. He is pushy, active, make hits, forecheck hard.

He's still who he is offensively but he's starting to apply his strengths to benefit the team in other ways. He's blocking shots and really being hard to play against as a defender too. Anderson's will has never been in question, but maybe they are finally getting through to him in terms of his approach. He's definitely playing differently and it's nice to see.