GDT: Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs (7PM EST)

[ReHabs]

I don't think the Habs brass agree that they should have no kids around.

Aside from Slaf, Mesar, Beck. Roy and Kidney, all the other prospects are on a ticking ELC clock. Primeau is on a ticking cheap contract too.

If what you are saying is the kids are better than some of the vets, and therefore sending them down HELPS suck balls, the downside to that is delayed development and burning a year of quite a few ELCs. I don't think that is worth it, and it could de-motivate younger guys who might feel that even having a great camp is not rewarded, while plugs playing out the string are rewarded.

A guy who clearly earned an NHL spot at $900,000 per year is not going to be super-happy that he is being sent down in order for the team to lose more, and he personally takes a 92% pay cut for going along with the favour!!

Furthermore, if the goal is to suck balls, Gorton might as well fire the entire skills development team or shift their place of work to Laval, Trois-Rivieres and several junior clubs.

I really do not think an uber-tank is the Habs' plan. Their goal is to establish a winning culture, and any slide of draft pick ranking will be more than compensated by accelerated development, high asset values for traded players, and a greater attractiveness to free agents in 1-2 years.

If it comes down to it, they need to waive Armia or someone and send a message to the roster and league that the Habs have a minimum standard expected performance.

Trying to be too cute with asset values is like alchemy, a fool’s errand — if Armia/Byron/Drouin are barely good enough for the NHL’s worst roster then no playoff team will want them anyway.

 

[BaseballCoach]

If it comes down to it, they need to waive Armia or someone and send a message to the roster and league that the Habs have a minimum standard expected performance.

Trying to be too cute with asset values is like alchemy, a fool’s errand — if Armia/Byron/Drouin are barely good enough for the NHL’s worst roster then no playoff team will want them anyway.

What I am saying is that if the team does well, it could boost the stats of the better veterans, the ones who deserve to be playing. It's not the main reason to try to develop a winning culture, but it is a nice side benefit.

Waive Armia if he sucks, and Byron as well if necessary, but if for example Dadonov or Drouin earns a spot, and we try to play better and play the worthy kids over the guys mailing it in, this could give us a better trade return on Dadonov and Drouin, which helps the rebuild.

 

[Mudz]

If it comes down to it, they need to waive Armia or someone and send a message to the roster and league that the Habs have a minimum standard expected performance.

Trying to be too cute with asset values is like alchemy, a fool’s errand — if Armia/Byron/Drouin are barely good enough for the NHL’s worst roster then no playoff team will want them anyway.

Kent Hughes: "Armia!"

Joel Armia: "Yes Mr. Hughes? It's a lovely morning isn't?"

KH: "You're on the waivers"

JA: "But... Why?"

KH: "You suck! We got standards in Montreal"

24CH

 

[ReHabs]

Kent Hughes: "Armia!"

Joel Armia: "Yes Mr. Hughes? It's a lovely morning isn't?"

KH: "You're on the waivers"

JA: "But... Why?"

KH: "You suck! We got standards in Montreal"

24CH

What a glorious clip that would be

 

[Adam Michaels]

 

[BLONG7]

I wanted Shane Wright! That said, I can't believe how people have turned against Slaf after 2 preseason games. Can we give the kid a chance? Maybe with better line mates than Arimia and Pitlick?

He has played 2 preseason games ffs and and people are calling him a bust already? Unreal. Tonight he was on a line with a book end and a guy who was picked up on waivers whose ceiling is a 4th or 3rd liner at best. Chill out folks.

Only Michel Therrien has the power to judge a kid after a couple of games...............true story.
Wonder why he works for TVA now? lol

 

[Tuggy]

Pretty shit game for the Habs. Heineman really the only standout for me.

 

[morhilane]

I wouldn’t mind him staying in Europe, but definitely not back on TPS. What the hell were they even teaching him? Some of his totally wrong play selections and off-puck reads/positioning are stuff that they teach in peewee. Either TPS were totally uninterested in attempting to develop him because they knew they were losing him this year or they were trying to teach him and he couldn’t/wouldn’t grasp it. Both are a bit worrying for me. I think it’s time to see if this Adam Nicholas guy is worth his salt or if he’s just another snake oil salesman.

I think that's is what happened, but it might not be because they knew they were losing him at the draft, but because "Liiga is not a development league" mentality instead. At the start of the season, they just kept sending him back to the u20 if they didn't like his game. Once he was good enough "as a bottom 6 grinder" they kept him up.

 

[ReHabs]

I think that's is what happened, but it might not be because they knew they were losing him at the draft, but because "Liiga is not a development league" mentality instead. At the start of the season, they just kept sending him back to the u20 if they didn't like his game. Once he was good enough "as a bottom 6 grinder" they kept him up.

Hopefully this isn’t true because it’s damning.

 

[habsgirl5000]

After a game vs a legit contender, all ours prospects are put back in their place. from overhyped to patience

LOL....the leafs did not even ice a team that was anywhere close to being a contender

3 out of the "big 4" were not even playing

 

[schwang26]

Pretty shit game for the Habs. Heineman really the only standout for me.

Harris was the standout.

 

[habsgirl5000]

1 goal in two games, sounds about right for our normal average

 

[Paddy17]

My conclusion from this game is the same from last game, slaf needs to work on his cardio. He was burned at the end of last game and did not look fully recovered tonight. The man is 240 pounds, it takes a lot of oxygen to haul that much mass at that speed.

Fully agree. He already looked burned in the third period of the game before.

 

[Skala24]

Nick with C would by better

 

[morhilane]

View attachment 589547
Nick with C would by better

Possible missing...list Carey Price. There is no "possible" in his case.

 

[Rapala]

Was at the game. Other than some belligerent fans around us I enjoyed the snooze fest…Beck looked like our best player IMO and Harris looked solid too.

Hopefully Slaf goes right to the AHL*, I love the kid, but he looked behind the play tonight

Mesar looked good too.

Finally cool to see all those old Summit Series guys there…the place notably erupted when Dryden was announced.

While watching the tepid response from the Leafs fan base I was wishing the game was here in Montreal where those guys would have gotten the real eruption they deserved. For some of us that series was an epic "you forget where you were watching" particularly the 4 games in Russia. True story I met Paul Henderson when my brother attended his hockey school in Sundridge Ont in 70 or 71. Naturally he immediately became my favorite player as the first NHL'r I'd ever met. Needless to say I was over the moon with his performances in Russia. What a gem Paul "Garnet" Henderson.

 

[Aces on the road]

Pitlick and Armia were hot garbage tonight.

Slaf made some decent plays on the puck but they seemed too complicated for his line mates.

The skill and attitude are definitely there and he will be for sure getting a long look (7-10 games) to see if he is able to perform at the nhl level before being sent to Laval.

A lot of people were calling Jack Hughes or Ekblad busts after their first year so I will for sure reserve my full jugement on him for at least 2 years.

At least the guy is not Bambi on skates and possess the right attitude.

Lol, wake up

 

[Rapala]

Hard to believe Arber Xhekaj was not drafted into the OHL or the NHL.
How does a player this good go completely un drafted?
Covid was obviously a factor but no amateur scouts saw his potential?

When did he actually start playing hockey? Some kids come in at 12 or 13 and fly under the radar.

 

[SlafySZN]

Lol, wake up

No, people like you should wake up.

I got harassed at the start of last year when people were calling Caufield a bust and i was one of the only person to see the situation he was in and why he wasn’t producing. But no, he was probably just not that good.

The same will happen with Slafkovsky. All the thing he does great will be ignored and if someone point them out they will get ridiculed but once he’ll start putting everything together and be in a better situation with better teammates people will act like they always knew he would be just fine and be a great player.

 

[schwang26]

1 goal in two games, sounds about right for our normal average

I know its evaluations and the outcome doesn't matter, but you're right. They're essentially playing against their peers. 1 goal in 2 games I not good.

 

[Tyson]

Well those who are concerned we may be competitive can rest easy.. we will suck bad again

 

[schwang26]

Fully agree. He already looked burned in the third period of the game before.

I do think he needs time in Laval. There's absolutely nothing wrong with that this year. Getting used to the NA style and longer season. They drafted him because he has the tools, size and attitude that they can work with. They didn't pick him thinking he'd dominate right away. Some may think it would be embarrassing to send the first pick down given the Wright controversy, but it's not. I have way more confidence in the development team now than in the past 10 years.

 

[Dharvey08]

Lol, wake up

Wake up after 2 preseason games ?

I will just have to trust that a hf poster knows more than all of the habs management that pretty much successfully rebuilt the rangers in 3 years.

 

[habsgirl5000]

With Price we win this game

 

[MarkovsKnee]

I watched that Nemec game and he was all over the ice pushing plays and being fookin dynamic. Unsure thats a good example, if Slaf did that Id be running around the street screaming Chadkovsky.

Wright had a tamer game, similar to Slaf.

Yeah, the criticism came before Nemec even played a game, so maybe he was being motivated.