GDT: Leafs at Habs (Now, Saturday)

[tinyzombies]

I think last year’s team paints a picture that’s very similar to this year; Young D, unexperienced, team on the whole is soft to a fault, G’s that aren’t all that to be honest. Also… our special teams were a mess, and nothing has changed so far in my eyes on that front.

I can see that you feel that growth might take care of those issues with the personnel in place, but I’m wary of the second year slump for our rookies. It might be a wash between some growth while others regress.

Your positive input is cool though, I won’t complain if the players actually do carry the weight into March, will make it a bearable winter time

I'm not that optimistic lol. Everything has to go right AND they need to find a #2 dman. And Monahan hasn't been healthy in ? years.

Softness I kind of agree. Slaf has to continue to progress. Dach is emerging now tho at 216. Suzuki can carry a piano. Anderson can be tough if the games matter.

But there's lots of guys who used to be tough or could take it who are coming off lots of injuries like Monahan, Gallagher, even Slaf, Dach. Armia has a chronic bad back it seems, but maybe is just waiting for the games to matter. Pez helps when he's in there.

Guhle is 207 now, Savard is 244 but you don't want him out there against the rush, Xhekaj is 238 but needs to improve his positional play, Kovy is 226 now, but can he play on the second pair? Even Harris is 188, which helps.

So there's conceivably some good balance/size there. Toughness tho, not so sure.

 

[morhilane]

Which is exactly why I said he has the stamina of a firefly. Mind you some fireflies can go 40.

He actually had more jump in last year pre-season (passing/hockey sense was similar). I'm somewhat concerned he really dropped the balls this off-season because he knows Habs are stuck with him (can't waive him, can't trade him without his approval).

 

[tinyzombies]

He actually had more jump in last year pre-season (passing/hockey sense was similar). I'm somewhat concerned he really dropped the balls this off-season because he knows Habs are stuck with him (can't waive him, can't trade him without his approval).

Gallagher is not that type of guy. He's probably just pacing himself and avoiding injury in meaningless games.

 

[CHfan1]

Gallagher is not that type of guy. He's probably just pacing himself and avoiding injury in meaningless games.

He looked like he was really struggling yesterday, especially on the back check. I don’t think it’s just because it’s preseason.

 

[JianYang]

Boston is due for a dip, Florida screwed up a bit with their roster, Tampa just lost Vasi for two months (and who knows - back surgery) and have an aging Stamkos they might not re-sign... and have lots of miles....

We really need to catch Detroit who loaded up on vets and maybe Florida for a wild card spot. Ottawa and Buffalo have great offensive potential, but can they stop the puck from going in?

But again- we have a second pairing problem on D. We have boatloads of third pairing guys, but need a solid second pairing vet - another Matheson (or a Petry...).

Caufield and suzuki will have to be engaged all season long with no dips whatsoever. Monahan has to stay healthy as well as he seems to be the guy who connects some semblance of depth together. The assumption would also be that Guhle and matheson stay healthy, and that guhle's progression continues as linear.

It's a longshot.

 

[morhilane]

Gallagher is not that type of guy. He's probably just pacing himself and avoiding injury in meaningless games.

He might have become that guy with all the injuries and deciding to settle down with his girlfriend.

 

[tinyzombies]

He looked like he was really struggling yesterday, especially on the back check. I don’t think it’s just because it’s preseason.

He hasn't played many games in the last number of years. I'm not worried about him if he stays healthy. And he's not a bad skater either. Just needs minutes. He'll be 32 in May. He can still play a decent role.

 

[Seven7]

Bottom 5 again this year,

with a 70 point Suzuki and a 40 goals Caufield.

That's what I'd like to see.

 

[tinyzombies]

Gu

Caufield and suzuki will have to be engaged all season long with no dips whatsoever. Monahan has to stay healthy as well as he seems to be the guy who connects some semblance of depth together. The assumption would also be that Guhle and matheson stay healthy, and that ghule's progression continues as linear.

It's a longshot.

Guhle looks like he's taken another step to me. Dach looks like a beast. There's also progress in other places. Slaf looks pretty good after 9 months off, so he should be a bit better. Newhook could add 20 goals. Monahan could add 20. Gallagher could too. Dach and Slaf could add 20 each.

But we need another top 4 dman for that to happen, or a sturdy partner for Guhle (not Savard). Matheson-Savard is balanced, but...

 

[Gustave]

I'm not that optimistic lol. Everything has to go right AND they need to find a #2 dman. And Monahan hasn't been healthy in ? years.

Softness I kind of agree. Slaf has to continue to progress. Dach is emerging now tho at 216. Suzuki can carry a piano. Anderson can be tough if the games matter.

But there's lots of guys who used to be tough or could take it who are coming off lots of injuries like Monahan, Gallagher, even Slaf, Dach. Armia has a chronic bad back it seems, but maybe is just waiting for the games to matter. Pez helps when he's in there.

Guhle is 207 now, Savard is 244 but you don't want him out there against the rush, Xhekaj is 238 but needs to improve his positional play, Kovy is 226 now, but can he play on the second pair? Even Harris is 188, which helps.

So there's conceivably some good balance/size there. Toughness tho, not so sure.

Ya the toughness aspect will have to be solved in the future. Right now I feel it’s a non issue because we aren’t seen as a competitor to anyone.

But once you start to win, teams start to play you tough. Always been like that, always will be. Dach is a player I look at to carry that load, and Slaf will have to bear the brunt of it because of his size. Too young for now, but he will need to be mean a bit. Andy and Xhekaj are the only ones that do it right now, Guhle might have to pick it up in the future also.

I look at our prospects, and there’s not a whole lot on that front. UFA’s will be necessary here, all in due time.

 

[JianYang]

Gu

Guhle looks like he's taken another step to me. Dach looks like a beast. There's also progress in other places. Slaf looks pretty good after 9 months off, so he should be a bit better. Newhook could add 20 goals. Monahan could add 20. Gallagher could too. Dach and Slaf could add 20 each.

But we need another top 4 dman for that to happen.

I like Dach alot, but without monahan, we saw that things really fall off depth wise.

Monahan gives you options. He can play with anyone, and dach isn't then left with spare parts. Newhook is a wildcard, but he has so much to prove. Slaf is on a similar boat, and is still very young.

And even in the event that monhan stays healthy, I think he is going to get dealt. Teams are always coveting that top 6 center when gunning for the cup, and you can get a pretty good premium in that case.

 

[HuGo Sham]

Ya the toughness aspect will have to be solved in the future. Right now I feel it’s a non issue because we aren’t seen as a competitor to anyone.

But once you start to win, teams start to play you tough. Always been like that, always will be. Dach is a player I look at to carry that load, and Slaf will have to bear the brunt of it because of his size. Too young for now, but he will need to be mean a bit. Andy and Xhekaj are the only ones that do it right now, Guhle might have to pick it up in the future also.

I look at our prospects, and there’s not a whole lot on that front. UFA’s will be necessary here, all in due time.

that's why i think pezzetta makes the team. He actually has the size and character 6'1 approx 220 to remain a kind of deterrent (for now) and even kill penalties. time will tell. There's only Florian and maybe luke tuch in the system. this will have to be addressed.
Hughes is really going to need to draft or use his abundance of assets to trade or sign another elite young forward too

Team isn't THAT far off....

1. Go with Guhle-Matheson and get a vet for the second pair?

2. And we need someone to win the 2RW job whether Dach moves to the top line or not. So, Gallagher needs a resurgence basically. If Dach is a center, Monahan moves to wing.

Barron needs to go down unless he rights the ship- meaning in an hour. Mailloux could be on our third pairing now, but probably better to get badly needed reps running things in Laval. I wouldn't be surprised if he's up soon tho.

As for bottom 6, if we can't put together a good bottom 6 with all these bodies...

I think that puts us on the bubble if we get health.

Montembault/Allen is good enough to get us to the bubble. And Dobes is intriguing.

People are yapping about Ottawa and Buffalo, but we have way better team defense. I think we'll be in the mix with the Detroits and Floridas.

i hope yesterday was just a sloppy, early, pre-season outlier because Gallagher, pearson and armia all look cooked - and certainly not top 6 wingers; and guys like Ylönen don't have the jam to be puck winners either

 

[MadMslm]

Boston is due for a dip, Florida screwed up a bit with their roster, Tampa just lost Vasi for two months (and who knows - back surgery) and have an aging Stamkos they might not re-sign... and have lots of miles....

We really need to catch Detroit who loaded up on vets and maybe Florida for a wild card spot. Ottawa and Buffalo have great offensive potential, but can they stop the puck from going in?

But again- we have a second pairing problem on D. We have boatloads of third pairing guys, but need a solid second pairing vet - another Matheson (or a Petry...).

Sure Boston lost their first two centers and is due for a dip, but they still have an elite forward, one of the best defense in the league and a good pair of goalies.

Panthers won’t look as good as they did in the playoffs but the probably have one of the best center line in the NHL with Barkov, Reinhart, Lundell and Luostarinen. They have an elite two-way #1 center and maybe the best winger in the game in Tkachuk. With Bobrovsky and Knight in front of the net.

Their biggest problem is defense especially with their two top defensemen injured.

Tampa has the offense to beat teams even without a goaltender. They’ll never be the dominant force they used to be in the back-to-back championship but they are better than us.

Buffalo/Ottawa have a lot of offense and talent throughout their roster. Why wouldn’t they be able to stop the puck. Korpisalo has a good track record as a solid goaltender and Buffalo has two good talents in goals with Levi/Luukkonen.

I don’t see us having a better chance at stopping the puck than them. Detroit should finish at the bottom with us.

Monahan is injury prone, Gallagher can’t play anymore, Armia shows up once in a while, Newhook wasn’t able to progress in Colorado, Matheson is an adventure on both sides of the ice, RHP shooting percentage will come down, the goaltending is a question mark.

We have as much interrogation points as any other teams in the division if not more.

I don’t we’re a bubble team next year. Maybe the following one.

 

[Seven7]

is the game on RDS?

All I see is some other unknown sport

 

[salbutera]

Sure Boston lost their first two centers and is due for a dip, but they still have an elite forward, one of the best defense in the league and a good pair of goalies.

Panthers won’t look as good as they did in the playoffs but the probably have one of the best center line in the NHL with Barkov, Reinhart, Lundell and Luostarinen. They have an elite two-way #1 center and maybe the best winger in the game in Tkachuk. With Bobrovsky and Knight in front of the net.

Their biggest problem is defense especially with their two top defensemen injured.

Tampa has the offense to beat teams even without a goaltender. They’ll never be the dominant force they used to be in the back-to-back championship but they are better than us.

Buffalo/Ottawa have a lot of offense and talent throughout their roster. Why wouldn’t they be able to stop the puck. Korpisalo has a good track record as a solid goaltender and Buffalo has two good talents in goals with Levi/Luukkonen.

I don’t see us having a better chance at stopping the puck than them. Detroit should finish at the bottom with us.

Monahan is injury prone, Gallagher can’t play anymore, Armia shows up once in a while, Newhook wasn’t able to progress in Colorado, Matheson is an adventure on both sides of the ice, RHP shooting percentage will come down, the goaltending is a question mark.

We have as much interrogation points as any other teams in the division if not more.

I don’t we’re a bubble team next year. Maybe the following one.

Upmarket had a career year and came back to his usual self in the playoffs, can Swayman carry the load of a starter to compensate for lack of Bergeron & Krejci - who BTW were also key elements of PP and PK.

They’re missing the playoffs as will Fla due to injuries / offseason surgery to Ekblad & Montour.

Other than Leafs, there are no guaranteed playoff teams in the Atlantic… parity effect will kick in. If Habs get off to a strong start, they’ve got a real good chance of squeaking into a wildcard spot IMO

 

[Team_Spirit]

Marner Matthews and co had a party with Justin Bieber or something?

 

[sansabri]

pq j'ai du foot

 

[Walrus26]

Christ almighty - this is the first Canadian hockey telecast I've tuned into for months and it's all about the f'ing Leafs.

 

[morhilane]

Christ almighty - this is the first Canadian hockey telecast I've tuned into for months and it's all about the f'ing Leafs.

But there is only the Leafs in Canada, didn't you know?

 

[Walrus26]

But there is only the Leafs in Canada, didn't you know?

Conformity is over-rated ;-)

 

[tinyzombies]

Sure Boston lost their first two centers and is due for a dip, but they still have an elite forward, one of the best defense in the league and a good pair of goalies.

Panthers won’t look as good as they did in the playoffs but the probably have one of the best center line in the NHL with Barkov, Reinhart, Lundell and Luostarinen. They have an elite two-way #1 center and maybe the best winger in the game in Tkachuk. With Bobrovsky and Knight in front of the net.

Their biggest problem is defense especially with their two top defensemen injured.

Tampa has the offense to beat teams even without a goaltender. They’ll never be the dominant force they used to be in the back-to-back championship but they are better than us.

Buffalo/Ottawa have a lot of offense and talent throughout their roster. Why wouldn’t they be able to stop the puck. Korpisalo has a good track record as a solid goaltender and Buffalo has two good talents in goals with Levi/Luukkonen.

I don’t see us having a better chance at stopping the puck than them. Detroit should finish at the bottom with us.

Monahan is injury prone, Gallagher can’t play anymore, Armia shows up once in a while, Newhook wasn’t able to progress in Colorado, Matheson is an adventure on both sides of the ice, RHP shooting percentage will come down, the goaltending is a question mark.

We have as much interrogation points as any other teams in the division if not more.

I don’t we’re a bubble team next year. Maybe the following one.

Because Buffalo and Ottawa don't have two way forwards like we do.

We have two potentially elite two way centers in Suzuki and Dach. And if Monahan is healthy, he's also a solid two way center.

 

[Seven7]

TSN2 it is.

f*** you RDS

 

[McGees]

If we don’t win tonight…I’m not sure we’ll make the playoffs.

 

[LV426]

Marner Matthews and co had a party with Justin Bieber or something?

Menage a trois

 

[sansabri]

thank god found the french stream