GDT: Preseason Game 5 - Habs vs Sens 7pm Est TSN & RDS

[MarkovsKnee]

I like Amadio. I was hoping the Habs would sign him.

He's a 4th liner at best. He had a good season for Vegas than became their 13th/14th forward.

 

[Ozmodiar]

The PP is missing a slap shot from the blue line. Both Matheson and Hutson shot are on the weak side. The dmen who have a good shot lack the mobility and hockey IQ to play on the PP. That's an issue KH will have to solve eventually.

The slap shot is dying a slow death in the NHL.

The game is too quick. Shot blocking forwards on them in a second. On the tape, off the tape … maintain the option to pass to a better option. If it’s a shot, it’s a quick release, no wind up.

The 2 best offensive d-men today - makar and Hughes - combined for 4 slap shot goals out of 38 total goals last season. Unheard of 10 years ago.

It’s a nice tool to have but much less so today. Josi likes to use it when on with McDonaugh (2D), Bouchard likes to as well because the Wonder Twins are creating so much space down low, etc.

 

[TennisMenace]

Have to be honest... not sure I even give a shit anymore. Have been here through out all the crap but loosing Laine is so deflating. Don't know I can keep doing this to myself.

I definitely have no desire to follow a pre season game expecting more bad news with injuries.

 

[ahmedou]

Projected lineup

 

[badfish]

He's a 4th liner at best. He had a good season for Vegas than became their 13th/14th forward.

I think in the context of our team he wouldn't fit either. I just remember watching him a lot in the Knights cup run and liking what I saw. He had a double OT winner too!

 

[Rapala]

That top line looks a bit 3rd(ish)

 

[morhilane]

That top line looks a bit 3rd(ish)

It's basically a 3rd line, two 4th line and an AHL middle 6 line.

 

[schwang26]

Over 1,600 man games lost last three years

That doesn’t even include prospects. If I recall, there were also a lot.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

No Laine? I don't watch.

No Laine, but there's Lane

Edit... damn no Lane either..

 

[Rapala]

It's basically a 3rd line, two 4th line and an AHL middle 6 line.

I'm worried Kirby goes out there and f***s himself up because he's the only one who can realistically do anything.

 

[Tyson]

That's equivalent to a like right?

Yes

 

[schwang26]

Dunno the team doesn't look that small. The fact is Laine got injured because he tried to deck a player who was barely good enough for the AHL. We have all been there and done that. When a high skill player try to deck a low skill player (there's almost two level of hockey of difference between Laine - top 6 NHL - and Paré - botttom 6 AHL-) often the low skill player wont be fast enough and a incidental contact will occur. It was not rare to see that in beer league back in the day when the level of hockey was all over the place. That would have happened with Nilan, Probert and Dave Shultz in the lienup.

Agreed. And both Laine and Reinbacher are big. So was Dach. So was Arber. So was Slaf. The argument against small guys doesn’t hold water. It’s all the big guys getting hurt. And the Habs aren’t among the smallest teams anyway.

 

[The Real Timo]

Projected lineup
View attachment 911334

There is some muscle in this lineup. So hopefully not a goon shitshow. Also hoping X doesn't need to fight. Maybe Struble can for a change.

 

[morhilane]

I'm worried Kirby goes out there and f***s himself up because he's the only one who can realistically do anything.

MSL just have to realize that in pre-season, you can play the 4th line more...

 

[Whitesnake]

Armia on the 1st line is so what Habs fans needed right now....

 

[Rapala]

The slap shot is dying a slow death in the NHL.

The game is too quick. Shot blocking forwards on them in a second. On the tape, off the tape … maintain the option to pass to a better option. If it’s a shot, it’s a quick release, no wind up.

The 2 best offensive d-men today - makar and Hughes - combined for 4 slap shot goals out of 38 total goals last season. Unheard of 10 years ago.

It’s a nice tool to have but much less so today. Josi likes to use it when on with McDonaugh (2D), Bouchard likes to as well because the Wonder Twins are creating so much space down low, etc.

A good one timer is a slapshot in my books. Part of the problem is goaltenders have become so good at blocking out the bottom portion of the net.
The real good slapshots I remember were the Al MacInnis types always low and extremely hard and heavy. Forwards trusted him and would crowd the net.
I don't see that same level of comfort in most forwards today as the Dmen with power try to blast the upper part of the net.
Bar Down Clapper indeed.

 

[Viggo Mortensen]

I guess I'll be watching the Walz-Vance debate lol

 

[HuGort]

True, but at the same time it sounds like MSL has been hands on the pp for a bit and it's still trash.

I know the talent isn't the greatest, but when you go 10 seconds without anyone in front and you have control of the puck, your pp f***ing sucks.

Sometimes I get a feeling we going to regret Marty not playing fundamental hockey. Some of our players have no idea of basic structure. Pissing me off watching them trying to get puck out. No system at all.

 

[Rapala]

Agreed. And both Laine and Reinbacher are big. So was Dach. So was Arber. So was Slaf. The argument against small guys doesn’t hold water. It’s all the big guys getting hurt. And the Habs aren’t among the smallest teams anyway.

Arber is the only dude who plays hard mean scary minutes. Being big and playing big are two completely different animals.
Slaf's size is offset by Caufield's lack of size. Dach's size looks awesome but to date has been fragile. Laine and Reinbacher along with Barron have size but no inherent meanness. They are trying to get Barron to play with an edge and it is working to some extent but you love the players who just have it in spades. How many players do we have that the opposition will look at and go f*** I hate playing against that prick?

 

[PhysicX]

What tickles my frontal lobe is the absence of Anderson from the starting lineup.
The potential players forming the first powerplay unit are out of the lineup (Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, Matheson, Hutson, Newhook). My random, uninformed guess is they are rehearsing the powerplay strats and what not.
Does Josh Anderson fit in the PP equation?? If so, what's he doing there?
Maybe I'm totally dans le champs here, but thinking out loud.

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

I guess I'll be watching the Walz-Vance debate lol

I'd rather rewatch the Laine hit for 2 hours on a loop

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

What tickles my frontal lobe is the absence or Anderson from the starting lineup.
The potential first powerplay is out of the lineup (Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, Matheson, Hutson, Newhook). My random, uninformed guess is they are rehearsing the powerplay strats and what not.
Does Josh Anderson fit in the PP equation?? If so, what's he doing there?
Maybe I'm totally dans le champs here, but thinking out loud.

As a person who defended Anderson when he at least would give a f*** until he stopped no pp needs someone who can skate really fast, lose the puck and then fire passes as hard as a wrist shot that aren't close to their intended target.

 

[Deebs]

Sometimes I get a feeling we going to regret Marty not playing fundamental hockey. Some of our players have no idea of basic structure. Pissing me off watching them trying to get puck out. No system at all.

It's a major issue since he got here and one I thought would be rectified this season. So far I haven't seen it in camp and it is a cause for concern imo. Simple fundamentals and structure/schemes are the backbone of quality hockey and unfortunately we're lacking there. MSL seems like a great mentor but his coaching skills are open to debate.

 

[McGees]

Projected lineup
View attachment 911334

Time for Roy to show up if he wants top 6 minutes. Disappointing showing so far.

 

[Hannibal]

Would have love Ti-Louis to try Struble on the right. But thats another thing he cant see.

I much prefer a third pairing of Xhekaj-Struble than having the Baron there.