Post-Game Talk: Monty shines in chippy OT loss to Greasebag Panthers!

[ChesterNimitz]

I missed the damn game! Watched all the highlights and very impressed. I just hate loser points. Even when entertained.

Understood.

But last nights game was one of the many steps the team has to take on the road back from irrelevance. It was Xhekaj’s menancing on ice presence and his superb 120 foot pass that sent in Suzuki on a breakaway. It was Guhle playing a dominating physical role in the defensive zone, blocking shots and knocking opponents on their asses. It was Suzuki showing and confirming that he is now an elite player and leader in this league. It was Montembleault providing stellar goaltending when this young team needed it most. And mostly, to this writer, it was Slafkovsky’s play in the overtime when no Panther player seemed to be able to contain this young player when he had the puck. He powered by opponents using his size, skating and skill to created multiple scoring chances on his own. He showed that he truly was worthy of being selected 1 OA in his draft year. If he can do this at 19, one can only wonder what he will look like when he's 22-23.

Yes, the loser point hurt the infernal 'tank'. But not all such points are created equal. We competed well against a very strong and smug team and but for some puck luck, we win that game.

I was proud of the team ( talent challenged as it currently is) who gave Montreal fans in the arena and those watching at home a real show. I don't think any fan watching, even the most strident "tanker", would have complained too bitterly if we had won last night.

It was a great game. Sorry you missed it.

 

[OldCraig71]

I'm surprised by your downward view of Caufield, but your assessments haven't been wrong.

I hope they move him to Dach's line next year and experiment with that. Slaf and Suzuki is such a beauty combo, I think Dach and Cole can be the same.

Plenty of my assessments have been wrong over the years, I'm not exactly batting 1000 on HF lol. It isn't a downward view btw but rather my take on how tough it is for a small player to produce against bigger opposing players that can skate and take away his time and space.

He reminds me of Phil Kessel and Mike Hoffman(when he was producing), a one-way offensive player who can go on streaks both good and bad. He would be better served to play with a big center and winger that allows him to access more space on the ice. We are seeing him take lower percentage shots from bad angles and he did it a few times last night because he can't get to the middle like he did last season. After all, teams have figured it out. I still believe he is a 30ish goal scorer which isn't a bad thing but for 8 million a season it might be disappointing.

 

[26Mats]

Understood.

But last nights game was one of the many steps the team has to take on the road back from irrelevance. It was Xhekaj’s menancing on ice presence and his superb 120 foot pass that sent in Suzuki on a breakaway. It was Guhle playing a dominating physical role in the defensive zone, blocking shots and knocking opponents on their asses. It was Suzuki showing and confirming that he is now an elite player and leader in this league. It was Montembleault providing stellar goaltending when this young team needed it most. And mostly, to this writer, it was Slafkovsky’s play in the overtime when no Panther player seemed to be able to contain this young player when he had the puck. He powered by opponents using his size, skating and skill to created multiple scoring chances on his own. He showed that he truly was worthy of being selected 1 OA in his draft year. If he can do this at 19, one can only wonder what he will look like when he's 22-23.

Yes, the loser point hurt the infernal 'tank'. But not all such points are created equal. We competed well against a very strong and smug team and but for some puck luck, we win that game.

I was proud of the team ( talent challenged as it currently is) who gave Montreal fans in the arena and those watching at home a real show. I don't think any fan watching, even the most strident "tanker", would have complained too bitterly if we had won last night.

It was a great game. Sorry you missed it.

It was a great game. Nice to hav these in a tanking season, as long as there aren't too many where we come out with 1 or 2 points. We're I think 2nd in the league in games decided by 1 goal.

Can't get any better than being top of the league in that category and bottom 5 in the standings during a tanking year, so we can still add anotherSlaf/Reinbacher-like piece to the future core.

I also liked Newhook and found myself looking forward to his prime years, say 25 to 29, when he's a little stronger and a little more experienced. He should be a really good secondary piece.

 

[tazsub3]

Im happy with the players used in overtime ….
No Anderson !

 

[waitin425]

Plenty of my assessments have been wrong over the years, I'm not exactly batting 1000 on HF lol. It isn't a downward view btw but rather my take on how tough it is for a small player to produce against bigger opposing players that can skate and take away his time and space.

He reminds me of Phil Kessel and Mike Hoffman(when he was producing), a one-way offensive player who can go on streaks both good and bad. He would be better served to play with a big center and winger that allows him to access more space on the ice. We are seeing him take lower percentage shots from bad angles and he did it a few times last night because he can't get to the middle like he did last season. After all, teams have figured it out. I still believe he is a 30ish goal scorer which isn't a bad thing but for 8 million a season it might be disappointing.

How do you think he will pair up with Dach? I think they are tailor made for eachother. Dach sees the ice very well and I believe will create space for Caufield. Also, putting CC on that 2nd line will hopefully mean, easier matchups. I am very hopeful for next years team. We still need two more top 6 pieces for the future. Hopefully Demidov....and perhaps Newhook or Roy can fully arrive.

 

[Haj]

Florida fan here, coming in "peace"

Martin St. Louis is a good coach. The Canadiens were prepared for the Panthers forecheck and PK. They are a better skating team (as a whole) than the Panthers, and the was able to leverage that advantage to keep the game close/have a shot at winning (along with great goaltending).

 

[Schooner Guy]

Understood.

But last nights game was one of the many steps the team has to take on the road back from irrelevance. It was Xhekaj’s menancing on ice presence and his superb 120 foot pass that sent in Suzuki on a breakaway. It was Guhle playing a dominating physical role in the defensive zone, blocking shots and knocking opponents on their asses. It was Suzuki showing and confirming that he is now an elite player and leader in this league. It was Montembleault providing stellar goaltending when this young team needed it most. And mostly, to this writer, it was Slafkovsky’s play in the overtime when no Panther player seemed to be able to contain this young player when he had the puck. He powered by opponents using his size, skating and skill to created multiple scoring chances on his own. He showed that he truly was worthy of being selected 1 OA in his draft year. If he can do this at 19, one can only wonder what he will look like when he's 22-23.

Yes, the loser point hurt the infernal 'tank'. But not all such points are created equal. We competed well against a very strong and smug team and but for some puck luck, we win that game.

I was proud of the team ( talent challenged as it currently is) who gave Montreal fans in the arena and those watching at home a real show. I don't think any fan watching, even the most strident "tanker", would have complained too bitterly if we had won last night.

It was a great game. Sorry you missed it.

It was an extremely fun game to watch! A well played road game with lots of intensity and pushback from the Habs.

Im happy with the players used in overtime ….
No Anderson !

He's still out there on the 2nd PP unit. I have no idea why.

 

[salbutera]

I'm surprised by your downward view of Caufield, but your assessments haven't been wrong.

I hope they move him to Dach's line next year and experiment with that. Slaf and Suzuki is such a beauty combo, I think Dach and Cole can be the same.

Other than Celebrini there is no NHL ready prospect at this years draft. Even Celebrini is projected to be a good player but no generational talent

 

[MasterD]

I think it's more about the league adapting to him than it is a bad or off year.

I'm surprised by your downward view of Caufield, but your assessments haven't been wrong.

I hope they move him to Dach's line next year and experiment with that. Slaf and Suzuki is such a beauty combo, I think Dach and Cole can be the same.

We're also 100% a 1 line team. No Dach, no Toffoli, no Monahan... Jake Evans plays the 2nd line ffs.


They're always facing the top D duos on opposing teams, and they know he's the scorer.

He's still out there on the 2nd PP unit. I have no idea why.

Play Anderson for Celebrini?

 

[OldCraig71]

How do you think he will pair up with Dach? I think they are tailor made for eachother. Dach sees the ice very well and I believe will create space for Caufield. Also, putting CC on that 2nd line will hopefully mean, easier matchups. I am very hopeful for next years team. We still need two more top 6 pieces for the future. Hopefully Demidov....and perhaps Newhook or Roy can fully arrive.

If Dach can stay healthy he would be an option for Caufield or the powers that be might leave our first line intact and go with it. Roy might be the option with Dach right now but time will tell. As for young draft picks stepping in and producing right away, we have to be patient. Some of these kids need a few years to adjust and Hughes might make a trade at the draft with the abundance of picks we have to improve the team in the short term.

 

[waitin425]

If Dach can stay healthy he would be an option for Caufield or the powers that be might leave our first line intact and go with it. Roy might be the option with Dach right now but time will tell. As for young draft picks stepping in and producing right away, we have to be patient. Some of these kids need a few years to adjust and Hughes might make a trade at the draft with the abundance of picks we have to improve the team in the short term.

Agreed. I am thinking more long term there than next year. Next year, I would roll with Suzuki and Slaf as a pair and Dach and Caufield as a pair.

Experiment with Newhook and Roy in the top 6 and hope one of them can emerge as a bonafide top 6er.

If we don't win the Mack sweepstakes, draft Demi/Lindstrom/Catton and hope for them to arrive for the 2025/26 season.

I think with Dach back (and healthy) we can expect a better result next year, and we will likely be picking outside of the top 10 in 2025. Hopefully 2 picks 11-16 with ours and Calgary's. We should be able to add even more depth in our prospect pool.

Summer of 2025 will be huge for us, with Armia, Savard, Allen, Dvorak and Evans all off the books. We can take a swing at a solid top 6 UFA as well if Roy and/or Newhook aren't cutting it, or if our young D men aren't.

Realistically 2025/26 playoffs is within reach, and we are building towards that outcome. The window should open that year and take us at least until 2030.

 

[sampollock]

the cats are the team to give the laughs a tough time in the playoffs, if they meet. love the cats in that role

 

[Redux91]

the cats are the team to give the laughs a tough time in the playoffs, if they meet. love the cats in that role

'We Want Florida'

 

[Schooner Guy]

Love that "Greasebag" qualifier -- gonna steal for the thread title.

It's no wonder they throw rats on the ice at Sunrise. The Panthers roster is also full of rats!

 

[26Mats]

Florida fan here, coming in "peace"

Martin St. Louis is a good coach. The Canadiens were prepared for the Panthers forecheck and PK. They are a better skating team (as a whole) than the Panthers, and the was able to leverage that advantage to keep the game close/have a shot at winning (along with great goaltending).

Good post. You guys for sure have a great team. But I did want to ask if you get annoyed by all of Tkachuk's diving and embellishment? He's a great player. But those antics? I'd like to see the refs clamor down in hom with some embellishment calls.

 

[sampollock]

Gally last night showed how bad he is playing a very good team.
him on the bench , look on his face shows a man who knows he is done.
cant play a 30 sec shift and is dead.
if he ever gets caught on the ice for a minute in his own zone, my not good

 

[tazsub3]

It was an extremely fun game to watch! A well played road game with lots of intensity and pushback from the Habs.


He's still out there on the 2nd PP unit. I have no idea why.

Cause no one else left hahahah and they took a timeout to keep the first unit out there , so tells you how much they value that second unit .
We finally have a solid first pp unit .

 

[Schooner Guy]

Panthers are hard to like with Tkachuk flopping then acting tough. When did Cousins become just a POS. Maybe he always was, just didnt see it in MTL

Cousins was always a douchebag rat. He was one of the Soo Greyhounds involved in a highly publicized rape scandal when Dubas was GM. It was a year or two after Cousins was drafted to the NHL.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

I also liked Newhook and found myself looking forward to his prime years, say 25 to 29, when he's a little stronger and a little more experienced. He should be a really good secondary piece.

Yes, Newhook's a promising, front line player for us.

That being said, I still don't think he has fully recovered from his high-ankle injury/strain. Newhook still lacks a bit of the fluidity and explosiveness that marked his skating before that serious injury. That type of injury takes a long time for players to make a full recovery. Also, the long lay-off has impaired his hand skills and timing as he often fumbles scoring chances.

I don't think we will see the 'real' Newhook until next fall. I can wait.

 

[Supersonic]

It’s just frustrating as f*** how shite our forward vets are.

Anderson has to be moved this offseason. And Gallagher needs to be cut, either this or next summer, cap penalty be damned. I remember one breakout we had last night where he almost turned it over because it looks like he skates as fast as I do now…just terrible

Keep Matheson & Savard. Matheson can always be traded 1-2 years from now when the other LDs graduate/are ready

 

[The Real Timo]

What about Monty getting run?

If ref didn't body shield Rodriges, Arber would have pounded the shit out of him. One thing I want to see is Habs having more nasty dirty players just for games like that. But still... think for the most part they stood up well to Panthers. Monty's just too big... hard to avoid

 

[Tyson]

Free Pezzetta! Last night's game was made for him.

 

[26Mats]

Free Pezzetta! Last night's game was made for him.

I really hope Pearson and another vet are moved at the TDL, both for the picks and for the room that is made for the youth.

 

[rik schau]

Crickey that was a cracker of a game. Glad I was able to see it. It must have surprised a lot of people that Montreal was able to go toe to toe with a potential cup winner and look like they are not in over their heads. They seem to play better on the road or am I imagining things. It makes me wonder how the season could have gone if they had tried to improve the team rather than manage for drafting purposes and that Dach and Newhook not got injured and Monahan traded away. Games are much more fun when your team is trying their best and being in the game.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Cause no one else left hahahah and they took a timeout to keep the first unit out there , so tells you how much they value that second unit .
We finally have a solid first pp unit .

I'd put Evans and Armia out before Anderson and Gally. Habs 2nd PP unit can't even keep possession with a man advantage. They put Evans and Armia out together in OT which is all about possession and they did alright.