GDT: Preseason: Ottawa@Montreal September 27th at 19H

[RC51]

ok, so at least everyone saw that some of the rust was coming off. and still more rust needs to come off. also clearly some of the ahl guys caused some problems and need to go to the rocket this year. the cuts are coming and that should help.

 

[BLONG7]

Maybe it's just me, but I wasn't that impressed with the way we played against the Senators’ "C" team. If they had scored on half of the multiple open net chances they had, we lose that game by 2 to 3 goals. I think the 'tank' whether intentional or not, is still in effect.

Here are my short takes on last night's game: Slafkovsky was a noticeable factor throughout most of the game, both offensively and physically; Monahan showed that he can still be an important contributing player in this league and will, if he stays healthy, garner us a high draft choice at the trade deadline; Suzuki and Caufield were in mid season form and will be the engine that drives this team's offence; while Dach played well, I still find his skating to be sluggish; Davidson showed the speed and power off the wing that allows one to project him as a future NHLer; Trudeau displayed good mobility and an offensive flair that should allow him to make this, or some other NHL team in the next two years; and Heineman showed his skating ability and a willingness to drive to the net that should allow him to carve out an NHL career.

We as a team last night, were just ok............that was an awful crew they brought to Montreal, so yes we will still have our issues even with a full team this year.

Anyone hear what was the scoop on Matheson missing last night?

 

[HabsAddict]

Some of you guys need to remember...it's preseason.

 

[Colezuki]

Some of you guys need to remember...it's preseason.

It is, but it was a far more positive first step vs last year or the year prior

 

[Andy]

We as a team last night, were just ok............that was an awful crew they brought to Montreal, so yes we will still have our issues even with a full team this year.

Anyone hear what was the scoop on Matheson missing last night?

It’s the D core that will determine how well the habs will perform this year.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Some of you guys need to remember...it's preseason.

Maybe. But there is no magic button that some (most) of the players we saw last night can press that will convert themselves from fringe NHLers into stars once the regular season starts. While we were missing some of our top players, Ottawa basically sent their AHL team and outplayed and out chanced us for large portions of the game. Those worried about not tanking have little to worry about. Its going to be a struggle this year. But who knows, maybe Gallagher will have that long awaited resurgence. But maybe not.

 

[hvac412]

Some things never change,whether it's an ahl or nhl lineup Ottawa plays dirty,that's on the coach.I liked the push back and can't wait for justice to be served with a couple of our regulars in the line up next time we face them.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Some things never change,whether it's an ahl or nhl lineup Ottawa plays dirty,that's on the coach.I liked the push back and can't wait for justice to be served with a couple of our regulars in the line up next time we face them.

They will have a lot more of their regulars (Stutzle, Tkachuk, Tarasenko, Giroux, Chabot, Chychrun, Sanderson, Batherson, Pinto, Norris, Zub) in the line-up when we play them in real games. If we draft well over the next two years, our prime prospects develop as hoped for and we shed those underperforming veterans, we may be where Ottawa is now (on the cusp of contending) by 25/26. Until then it may be wise to keep our expectations for revenge in check.

 

[Fatbiggie]

Here’s my in-game comments:

Slaf: You could see that goal lifted a ton of pressure. Should be stapled to Dach, they work well
Norlinder: I was digging his grave but might shovel back in as he looked very composed out there.
Trudeau: He was overwhelmed a little bit by the physicality but he’s so confident with the puck. Did a little irish tap dance in the 3rd against a Sens.
Heineman: Not his game
Mesar: Did create a golden chance for Andersson but other than that pretty quiet

Good fun game overall

 

[Andy]

Heineman doesn’t look like the same player from last camp. Where is the aggressive forecheck and the heavy shot?

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Heineman doesn’t look like the same player from last camp. Where is the aggressive forecheck and the heavy shot?

Missed the net and ran the goalie.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

MLS should start a coaching seminar. His coaching philosophy and how he communicates with his players can be applied to any sport

Maybe once he finishes better than 28th overall

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Maybe once he finishes better than 28th overall

Team will be lost and hemmed in its own end once again methinks

 

[Habs Icing]

Heineman doesn’t look like the same player from last camp. Where is the aggressive forecheck and the heavy shot?

The agent at customs was a Bruins fan and told him those things were illegal in Canada and he would have to confiscate them.

 

[morhilane]

Maybe. But there is no magic button that some (most) of the players we saw last night can press that will convert themselves from fringe NHLers into stars once the regular season starts. While we were missing some of our top players, Ottawa basically sent their AHL team and outplayed and out chanced us for large portions of the game. Those worried about not tanking have little to worry about. Its going to be a struggle this year. But who knows, maybe Gallagher will have that long awaited resurgence. But maybe not.

Ottawa team wasn't pure AHLers, there is a 7-8 NHL vets requirement in pre-season games.

The Dach's line dominated the Sens last night. 90 CF% as a line, got the most high danger chances and the highest xGF% rel stat by a wide margin. The Sens had a single shot on net when all 3 were on the ice.

The Suzuki's line struggled defensively which people should get used to since it's been like that for 3 seasons now. Dominated the Sens offensively thought.

The other two Habs lines were at best AHLers and did ok against similar level opposition.

At defense, Trudeau/Kovacevic were good. Ghule/Savard let in 3 goals on the PK and 4v4, but were good at 5v5. For the 3rd pair, Keeper is ECHL material and Norlinder still need time in the AHL.

Goaltending was trash (on both sides), +2 above goal expected means they had a bad game.

 

[HabzSauce]

You don’t hear Trudeau’s name mentioned a lot during the game….that’s a good thing as a d-man

I think he's been my favourite player since rookie camp. Love this guy's game! Got so much poise and confidence already when he has the puck on his stick.

 

[hvac412]

They will have a lot more of their regulars (Stutzle, Tkachuk, Tarasenko, Giroux, Chabot, Chychrun, Sanderson, Batherson, Pinto, Norris, Zub) in the line-up when we play them in real games. If we draft well over the next two years, our prime prospects develop as hoped for and we shed those underperforming veterans, we may be where Ottawa is now (on the cusp of contending) by 25/26. Until then it may be wise to keep our expectations for revenge in check.

Not expecting to beat them but I don't rate them as high either,the intent to injure type of hit needs to be addressed quickly if you want your players to reach there potential,very simple message,you go after our talent and we will replicate.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Ottawa team wasn't pure AHLers, there is a 7-8 NHL vets requirement in pre-season games.

The Dach's line dominated the Sens last night. 90 CF% as a line, got the most high danger chances and the highest xGF% rel stat by a wide margin. The Sens had a single shot on net when all 3 were on the ice.

The Suzuki's line struggled defensively which people should get used to since it's been like that for 3 seasons now. Dominated the Sens offensively thought.

The other two Habs lines were at best AHLers and did ok against similar level opposition.

At defense, Trudeau/Kovacevic were good. Ghule/Savard let in 3 goals on the PK and 4v4, but were good at 5v5. For the 3rd pair, Keeper is ECHL material and Norlinder still need time in the AHL.

Goaltending was trash (on both sides), +2 above goal expected means they had a bad game.

For Ottawa it wasn’t a case of the veterans who played last night but those who didn’t.

 

[Natey]

You don’t hear Trudeau’s name mentioned a lot during the game….that’s a good thing as a d-man

I've always hated this take.

It's good for a call-up defensemen who is playing 8 minutes to conver an injury.

Anyone in the top-6, I should hear their name. Winning battles, moving the puck up the ice effectively, blocking shots.

And realistically most defensemen aren't going to have 4-5 boneheaded plays that cost the team per game.

When you don't hear a defenseman's name, I hate it.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Based on how Newhook responded to playing C as an Av, not sure playing C is where he’d be at his best.

That was his second complete season in the NHL. You don't think that a third-year player can improve on his second season, especially under a different coach who can actually motivate young players? It's a strong parallel with the Dach narrative in fact, and just about any young C experiencing the NHL learning curve.

 

[ROEN]

Rewatched the game this morning, made it a point to look at Trudeau's shifts and Slafs.

Can't help but think of those first moments with KK, watching someone's nervousness, poise, combination of his brain tracking the play and trying to accomodate his teammates. The reactions after a play. Slaf is at a crucial point in his development where he notices he can have an influence on a game but somehow his maturation schedule is not the same throughout his body. It'll be a frustrating season for him, he's close, you can tell he's 2-3 years from putting all the pieces together if he's not brain-f$#ked into losing his confidence.

I wish they had let him do this part of the learning process in europe, man the NHL and this environment just feels so wrong ...

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Maybe it's just me, but I wasn't that impressed with the way we played against the Senators’ "C" team. If they had scored on half of the multiple open net chances they had, we lose that game by 2 to 3 goals. I think the 'tank' whether intentional or not, is still in effect.

Here are my short takes on last night's game: Slafkovsky was a noticeable factor throughout most of the game, both offensively and physically; Monahan showed that he can still be an important contributing player in this league and will, if he stays healthy, garner us a high draft choice at the trade deadline; Suzuki and Caufield were in mid season form and will be the engine that drives this team's offence; while Dach played well, I still find his skating to be sluggish; Davidson showed the speed and power off the wing that allows one to project him as a future NHLer; Trudeau displayed good mobility and an offensive flair that should allow him to make this, or some other NHL team in the next two years; and Heineman showed his skating ability and a willingness to drive to the net that should allow him to carve out an NHL career.

If Monahan stays healthy, I hope that we press pause on trading him. Just as I like to understand why a player gets injured, I'd like to find out why he will have stayed healthy, and whether that is reproducible over the next few years. He could be more useful that a late first.

 

[Habs Halifax]

We are playing 6 preseason games right? 4 more left? I'm looking forward to when they ice a roster this is close to their NHL regular season games.

I don't imagine they will hold onto a split squad that much longer.

If Monahan stays healthy, I hope that we press pause on trading him. Just as I like to understand why a player gets injured, I'd like to find out why he will have stayed healthy, and whether that is reproducible over the next few years. He could be more useful that a late first.

No doubt about it. If he plays a full season and is 100% healthy, he will be a very valuable piece for a cup contender. He's great on faceoffs and his offensive forecheck is top notch. Plays well in front of the net as a big body. Teams do love to add assets like this for the playoffs. So yeah, lets hope he has a healthy season and he puts the injuries in the past

If the best offer is a 2nd but we are also able to sign him for 2 or 3 more years, I might sign him if the AAV is team friendly. Would he block a roster spot for a young player? Maybe, so careful consideration needs to be made

 

[MasterD]

We are playing 6 preseason games right? 4 more left? I'm looking forward to when they ice a roster this is close to their NHL regular season games.

I don't imagine they will hold onto a split squad that much longer.



No doubt about it. If he plays a full season and is 100% healthy, he will be a very valuable piece for a cup contender. He's great on faceoffs and his offensive forecheck is top notch. Plays well in front of the net as a big body. Teams do love to add assets like this for the playoffs. So yeah, lets hope he has a healthy season and he puts the injuries in the past

If the best offer is a 2nd but we are also able to sign him for 2 or 3 more years, I might sign him if the AAV is team friendly. Would he block a roster spot for a young player? Maybe, so careful consideration needs to be made

If him at C means one of Dach/Newhook can play W (whoever is least comfortable at C), it's great actually.
Dach is a good C, but has big time trouble with faceoffs, and was dynamite with Suzuki and Caufield last year.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

We are playing 6 preseason games right? 4 more left? I'm looking forward to when they ice a roster this is close to their NHL regular season games.

I don't imagine they will hold onto a split squad that much longer.



No doubt about it. If he plays a full season and is 100% healthy, he will be a very valuable piece for a cup contender. He's great on faceoffs and his offensive forecheck is top notch. Plays well in front of the net as a big body. Teams do love to add assets like this for the playoffs. So yeah, lets hope he has a healthy season and he puts the injuries in the past

If the best offer is a 2nd but we are also able to sign him for 2 or 3 more years, I might sign him if the AAV is team friendly. Would he block a roster spot for a young player? Maybe, so careful consideration needs to be made

I don't think that we should obsess about blocking a young player. If he has put his hip and groin problems behind him, he still has a lot of shelf life left at 28. It really depends which young player and that player's ceiling, but if he stays healthy, I can see Monahan being useful till his mid-thirties, albeit playing up and down the lineup if he loses a step.