Pre-Game Talk: Utah Hockey Club @ Montreal, 11/26/24 | 7 PM

[morhilane]

The stats of these two teams are interesting. Habs should win this on paper, unless they go for another catastrophic defense day.

Utah is 5th in scoring chances, Habs 25th, but
GF Utah 22nd, Habs 19th (?)
GA Utah 22nd, Habs 31st
PP Utath 20th, Habs 9th
PK Utah 25th, Habs 9th

I still can't believe the Habs have top 10 special units, but suck so much at 5v5.

 

[Naslundforever]

So sticking Armia on a line makes it the 4th line and is meant as a message to the kids. Ouch, poor Joel.

 

[eklund the clown]

How long does it take for Utah to be called something other that THE HOCKEY CLUB?

 

[vokiel]

I'd go with:

Heineman - Suzuki - Gallagher
Caufield - Dvorak - Slafkovsky
Anderson - Evans - Armia
Roy - Newhook - Dach

The "work your butts off or stfu" line up.

 

[Toene]

How long does it take for Utah to be called something other that THE HOCKEY CLUB?

I kinda like Utah HC. No need to find some goofy name like the Yetis or whatever silly concept they come up with. Utah HC is classy, kind of like the Canadiens. The official name is technically "Le Club de Hockey Canadien" or CHC. At first it was "Club Athlétique Canadien", or CAC. Simple, sober, efficient. Like AC Milan, or FC Barcelona.

 

[Goalfield13]

I kinda like Utah HC. No need to find some goofy name like the Yetis or whatever silly concept they come up with. Utah HC is classy, kind of like the Canadiens. The official name is technically "Le Club de Hockey Canadien" or CHC. At first it was "Club Athlétique Canadien", or CAC. Simple, sober, efficient. Like AC Milan, or FC Barcelona.

100%, which is why they WILL change it next year but keep the old sweaters available for sale forever. It's purely a marketing ploy.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I kinda like Utah HC. No need to find some goofy name like the Yetis or whatever silly concept they come up with. Utah HC is classy, kind of like the Canadiens. The official name is technically "Le Club de Hockey Canadien" or CHC. At first it was "Club Athlétique Canadien", or CAC. Simple, sober, efficient. Like AC Milan, or FC Barcelona.

This is not soccer. The FCs and HCs lack imagination and are bland and boring.

 

[Toene]

This is not soccer. The FCs and HCs lack imagination and are bland and boring.

Agree to disagree. I really don't need a team to have some "original" name to care about them. Like I'd care less about Nashville if they didn't have their super edgy "Predators" name. The Devils, the Sharks... come on. How about the Space Zombies? That's so cool and creative. I'm so glad the team I support isn't named after some animal or whatever. I'm a Panthers fan! Raaaawr! Sounds so silly.

 

[SwiftyHab]

We are all forced to watch like Guhle here

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

The stats of these two teams are interesting. Habs should win this on paper, unless they go for another catastrophic defense day.

Utah is 5th in scoring chances, Habs 25th, but
GF Utah 22nd, Habs 19th (?)
GA Utah 22nd, Habs 31st
PP Utath 20th, Habs 9th
PK Utah 25th, Habs 9th

I still can't believe the Habs have top 10 special units, but suck so much at 5v5.

Too many moving parts 5 on 5.

The Habs are more dynamic on defense than offense, but on offense they avoid the front of the net and don't like to move.

I'm really surprised that their PP is still where it is.

 

[habbubba]

Slaf - Dach - Armia

That's a line that can possibly spend their entire shift in the ozone, but nobody take a shot on net...

Replicating the Perry,Staal,Armia line that was good during the playoff run until lack of foot speed against Tampa did them in.

 

[JianYang]

How long does it take for Utah to be called something other that THE HOCKEY CLUB?

The team name and jersey branding are key marketing tools. The team has decided to take its time instead of rushing into it, which makes sense since the move from Arizona came together quickly.

The jersey is just as generic as the name. Everything about both the name and jersey screams placeholder. I expect they will have a complete rebranding with jersey and name in the offseason.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Will the Habs be Hockey Clubbed tonight?

 

[Kosseca]

I'd go with:

Heineman - Suzuki - Gallagher
Caufield - Dvorak - Slafkovsky
Anderson - Evans - Armia
Roy - Newhook - Dach

The "work your butts off or stfu" line up.

If you want to take that approach, put Dach at C. That is the expected role he should play. Time for him to take control of his future in that spot.

If he fails, KH know he need to find another C ASAP.

 

[schwang26]

Why call up Roy to play him on the 4th and probably less than 10 minutes? This is just dumb. Poor management.

 

[LaP]

If you want to take that approach, put Dach at C. That is the expected role he should play. Time for him to take control of his future in that spot.

If he fails, KH know he need to find another C ASAP.

I think people underrate Beck and Hage as prospects. I think there's a very good possibility they make a strong center line with Suzuki. Our team is young enough to wait. Replace Dvorak by Beck next year. Then the following year you can have a 20 years old Hage playing on the 3rd line.

 

[schwang26]

This will be another boring loss. Sorry but until some guys get their heads out of their asses like Dach and Slaf and until Laine gets back, this team will continue to slide.

 

[Le Tricolore]

The team name and jersey branding are key marketing tools. The team has decided to take its time instead of rushing into it, which makes sense since the move from Arizona came together quickly.

The jersey is just as generic as the name. Everything about both the name and jersey screams placeholder. I expect they will have a complete rebranding with jersey and name in the offseason.

Yeah, that's the plan. I think it was always just the one season thing.

I do hope they keep the same shade of blue for their branding though. It's great.

I assume I'll hate the team name, but turns out I'm probably not in their target demographic so my opinion doesn't matter at all.

 

[LaP]

Why call up Roy to play him on the 4th and probably less than 10 minutes? This is just dumb. Poor management.

It's not dumb to give a few NHL games (around 10 a year) to your top prospects even if it's just 10 minutes. All teams do that. What is dumb is to let your best prospects cook without giving them the chance to try the NHL a few games every years. Beck will play a few games this year too and it wont be dumb either.

A good example of that is William Eklund. Played 9 games his first season and 8 games his 2nd season. He was not ready but SJ gave him a few games to see where he was in his development. At one point if the only thing a young player do is dominate lesser competition he wont learn anything from it and wont know what he must work on.

 

[vokiel]

If you want to take that approach, put Dach at C. That is the expected role he should play. Time for him to take control of his future in that spot.

If he fails, KH know he need to find another C ASAP.

No f*** that! Dach needs to work and not coast like he does at C. Quite frankly he sucks at C. I'd trade his arse for a bag of chips rather than see him play C for another season.

He'd be on the wing to work his butt off into shape. Enough with the country club.

 

[Kosseca]

I think people underrate Beck and Hage as prospects. I think there's a very good possibility they make a strong center line with Suzuki. Our team is young enough to wait. Replace Dvorak by Beck next year. Then the following year you can have a 20 years old Hage playing on the 3rd line.

Beck ceiling is a 3C and that is ok. Hage is at least 2 seasons away from taking the 2C role. if you want the team to compete (not win, but compete and develop a winning attitude), you need someone now in role. I would be ok with a older player with a 2/3yrs contract that could come an help the young one (like Monahan did last season).

No f*** that! Dach needs to work and not coast like he does at C. Quite frankly he sucks at C. I'd trade his arse for a bag of chips rather than see him play C for another season.

He'd be on the wing to work his butt off into shape. Enough with the country club.

You got me wrong.... I dont see this as a reward, but as a final test for the kid. MSL gave him 20 game to get back into share and test his knee... he should be all good now. So go show what you go, you fail, you're gone.

 

[red devil]

 

[vokiel]

Beck ceiling is a 3C and that is ok. Hage is at least 2 seasons away from taking the 2C role. if you want the team to compete (not win, but compete and develop a winning attitude), you need someone now in role. I would be ok with a older player with a 2/3yrs contract that could come an help the young one (like Monahan did last season).


You got me wrong.... I dont see this as a reward, but as a final test for the kid. MSL gave him 20 game to get back into share and test his knee... he should be all good now. So go show what you go, you fail, you're gone.

I don't get your final test then. You play the guy in a position he's failing already? I mean if he fails and he's gone, it's not giving the club much chances of turning the initial trade into something. I'd rather this not be his final test, so make him sweat a bit to regain confidence, then I'd do that final test at C. That would work best on the Wing, but make it clear that he's got to be an energy guy, not a playmaker.

 

[BLONG7]

The stats of these two teams are interesting. Habs should win this on paper, unless they go for another catastrophic defense day.

Utah is 5th in scoring chances, Habs 25th, but
GF Utah 22nd, Habs 19th (?)
GA Utah 22nd, Habs 31st
PP Utath 20th, Habs 9th
PK Utah 25th, Habs 9th

I still can't believe the Habs have top 10 special units, but suck so much at 5v5.

The last two seasons, we were a good 5 on 5 team.............and the special teams were awful.
Very strange eh....our goalies ha ve let us down, 5 on 5 most games this year also, so............

 

[Kosseca]

I don't get your final test then. You play the guy in a position he's failing already? I mean if he fails and he's gone, it's not giving the club much chances of turning the initial trade into something. I'd rather this not be his final test, so make him sweat a bit to regain confidence, then I'd do that final test at C. That would work best on the Wing, but make it clear that he's got to be an energy guy, not a playmaker.

Physically, he's fine. it's mentally that he's not there yet. Last 10+ games he's been playing W to little progress. You think that more will help? I dont think it would. Playing W for these game was a good way to test the knee and get some good ice time to get you rhythm back, but now he need that killer instinct and by putting him C and telling him: you go drive the offense here (i.e. dont rely on Suzuki) it would trigger something.

Dach that can't play C is almost useless to this team. Down the road you have CC, Slaf, Demidov and Laine (maybe) that can play W. him being a 3W would be disappointing. As far as trade goes.... you'll get better value if he plays C poorly then if he plays W poorly.

Dont get me wrong, I want him to succeed in a 2c role, we need his size and skill, but he also need to play the right way.