NHL Standings Watch 2024-2025 - UPDATED 1/6/25

Blitzkrug

Registered User
Sep 17, 2013
28,329
10,484
Winnipeg
People were hyping Montreal up as ready to break out after they got Laine, but i wasn't so sure. Still questions abound on D and a little bit in net. But really something clicked over the last 10 games where it finally looks like whatever Martin St. Louis was trying to do is now working.

Lane Hutson now leads all rookies in scoring with 30. While i rolled my eyes at the "he's Makar lite bro!" claims, he actually kinda does look it lmao.

And the biggest change in this recent stretch is goaltending. I'm absolutely not buying Dobes as the second coming of the lord and savior after like, 2 games. What i will buy though is him being better than the sentient garbage can with goalie pads taped on in Cayden Primeau. In 7 games started, Primeau is 2-3 with a GAA of 4.70 and a sv% below .840. That is horrific. Him being replaced by a shooter tutor is better at that point.

Realistically though it's just a mid-off. Look at the wild card picture;
xzws9hikrhbe1.jpeg


Tampa at least looked competent but then decided to shit themselves these past couple weeks. Holy f***ing mid, batman.

My buddy goes "ya well Boston sucks" and i go "true, but look at the standings. Can you tell me with certainly any of those teams are better than them?"

"...nah, not really i guess"
 

Aussie Bruin

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Aug 3, 2019
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Victoria, Aus
I skate with a guy that’s a Canadiens fan.

Good for the league to have them back in the mix.

Would you rather be them or the Bruins for the next 3 to 5 years?

Habs, unfortunately. At least they are trying to build something, whereas the Bruins are in that ugly phase where the downwards slide is on but they haven't even accepted it yet, much less dealt with it. Montreal are still a few pieces short and perhaps like most rebuilds the whole thing will fail, and maybe Boston can turn things around quicker than we may dare hope for. But the odds are in the Canadiens' favor at least for the next little while and they have that youthful exuberance that can make for fun viewing even if the results don't always go your way.

All that aside, one thing is very noticeable. The current Habs play harder and more physical than the Bruins. Whatever the raw hit counts may say, the Montreal players make their opponents pay a price more than our guys do. And that should never ever have to be said, but it's the truth. Shameful.
 

KillerMillerTime

Registered User
Jun 30, 2019
8,635
7,313
People were hyping Montreal up as ready to break out after they got Laine, but i wasn't so sure. Still questions abound on D and a little bit in net. But really something clicked over the last 10 games where it finally looks like whatever Martin St. Louis was trying to do is now working.

Lane Hutson now leads all rookies in scoring with 30. While i rolled my eyes at the "he's Makar lite bro!" claims, he actually kinda does look it lmao.

And the biggest change in this recent stretch is goaltending. I'm absolutely not buying Dobes as the second coming of the lord and savior after like, 2 games. What i will buy though is him being better than the sentient garbage can with goalie pads taped on in Cayden Primeau. In 7 games started, Primeau is 2-3 with a GAA of 4.70 and a sv% below .840. That is horrific. Him being replaced by a shooter tutor is better at that point.

Realistically though it's just a mid-off. Look at the wild card picture;
xzws9hikrhbe1.jpeg


Tampa at least looked competent but then decided to shit themselves these past couple weeks. Holy f***ing mid, batman.

My buddy goes "ya well Boston sucks" and i go "true, but look at the standings. Can you tell me with certainly any of those teams are better than them?"

"...nah, not really i guess"

Tampa absolutely is better than Boston. Ottawa, if Ullmark gets healthy (big if though) to just play 50% of remaining schedule is 55\45 to move past Boston.

Montreal is looking more and more like a coin flip with Boston. They clearly have a more dynamic offense and honestly their D Corp is better than Boston given #73, 25 play and #27 injury.

Detroit, Pittsburgh and Columbus all have D Corp issues to varying degrees though
Detroit has 2 really good young dmen in Seider and Edvinsonn. If Yzerman can grab a good veteran #3D in a trade and bring in Sandin-Pellika they have potential to move past Boston. Don't know if they can get SP right now though.
 

ODAAT

Registered User
Oct 17, 2006
52,844
21,969
Victoria BC
Habs, unfortunately. At least they are trying to build something, whereas the Bruins are in that ugly phase where the downwards slide is on but they haven't even accepted it yet, much less dealt with it. Montreal are still a few pieces short and perhaps like most rebuilds the whole thing will fail, and maybe Boston can turn things around quicker than we may dare hope for. But the odds are in the Canadiens' favor at least for the next little while and they have that youthful exuberance that can make for fun viewing even if the results don't always go your way.

All that aside, one thing is very noticeable. The current Habs play harder and more physical than the Bruins. Whatever the raw hit counts may say, the Montreal players make their opponents pay a price more than our guys do. And that should never ever have to be said, but it's the truth. Shameful.
2 totally situations, the Habs got so putrid they simply had to go full rebuild, B`s didn`t so we have or are watching a retool, not going great and not saying it was/is the right approach but..
 
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Dr Hook

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Mar 9, 2005
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2 totally situations, the Habs got so putrid they simply had to go full rebuild, B`s didn`t so we have or are watching a retool, not going great and not saying it was/is the right approach but..

When have the Bruins EVER gone full rebuild? I am not saying it hasn't happened at some point: some of the older fans than I may remember, or even remember better, but it seems like it hasn't happened in my lifetime (I am 55). Would they do it even if they went as putrid as the Habs have been the past decade or so? Would it just naturally happen after being bad for so long regardless of what ownership wanted?
 

KillerMillerTime

Registered User
Jun 30, 2019
8,635
7,313
Habs, unfortunately. At least they are trying to build something, whereas the Bruins are in that ugly phase where the downwards slide is on but they haven't even accepted it yet, much less dealt with it. Montreal are still a few pieces short and perhaps like most rebuilds the whole thing will fail, and maybe Boston can turn things around quicker than we may dare hope for. But the odds are in the Canadiens' favor at least for the next little while and they have that youthful exuberance that can make for fun viewing even if the results don't always go your way.

All that aside, one thing is very noticeable. The current Habs play harder and more physical than the Bruins. Whatever the raw hit counts may say, the Montreal players make their opponents pay a price more than our guys do. And that should never ever have to be said, but it's the truth. Shameful.

2 totally situations, the Habs got so putrid they simply had to go full rebuild, B`s didn`t so we have or are watching a retool, not going great and not saying it was/is the right approach but..

You are correct, but they have been to a SCF more recently than Boston, hard as it
Is to believe. If they make the PO it would be a 4 year drougt\rebuild. Question will be how complete is it.
 

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