Pre-Game Talk: 2023-2024 opening night roster set

[The Gr8 Dane]

Where is the pre game thread man hockey is finally back letsgooooooooooooooo

You forgot the bit where Marner and Matthews skate around the hab zone all night and we pretend it’s not a thing of beauty while we hope Reaves does not put out Xhekaj’s mojo.

Everything you predicted will most probably happen though

AM34 and Mitch love to skate around us on the perimeter and do nothing , those two are allergic to the slot. Nylander is the only one with balls on that team and he's allergic to contact.

With all that said 4-1 leafs!

 

[Goldthorpe]

Where is the pre game thread man hockey is finally back letsgooooooooooooooo

Game is Wednesday.

 

[417]

Question? Is Armia part of the 23 man roster or not? It appears to me he is but since he cleared waivers, we were able to save a little over a $1M in cap space heading into the season. I'm assuming he is part of the 23 man roster and it was the reason why Xhekaj was temporarily moved to the AHL.

Looks to me like we have around $2M in cap space heading into the season. That will change quickly once Price is moved to LTIR.

I'm wondering how long that line-up stays as is?

For now, yes...basically Joel Armia, Cayden Primeau and Carey Price are the "extra 3" on the roster,

They sent down Xhekaj, but they'll call him back up and probably send down Armia, and then put Price on LTIR.

Seeing the stark graphic that Gallagher is the team's third highest paid forward (player) should make any knowledgeable fan nauseous. That contract is positively Houle-ian in it's level of ineptness.

Yeah...brutal contract and we're years away from even having the possibility of ridding ourselves of it.

Grin and bear it, unfortunately.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Reaves is too nice of a guy to fight Xhekaj

Pearson-Monahan-Gallagher would've been a cup winning 2nd line 4 years ago LMAO

 

[FrankMTL]

Game is Wednesday.

That's why he asked for the "Pre-Game Thread" and not the "Game Day Thread"

 

[DramaticGloveSave]

It's actually crazy how much more Anderson can do but doesn't. The guy is one of the fastest skaters in the league, a very big guy who doesn't shy away from hitting and has pretty good goalscoring instincts. When he does work hard, he's the best player on the ice, but oftentimes he just doesn't work hard enough. His athleticism and above average skillset should still more than makeup for his lack of hockey IQ. Even if he doesn't try hard in every game of the regular season, the guy needs to be going balls to walls every shift in the playoffs yet his stats suck.

The thing with Anderson is he tends to get injured when he doesn’t pick his spots to go balls to the wall as you say. So I think it’s intentional.

That said, he could certainly fit well on the top line, CC and Suzuki tend to play a 2 man game anyway. Anderson can bring size and protection, open up space, and certainly has the speed and skill to keep up and finish plays.

If he struggles we can replace him, but I’m fairly confident he will do well. People love to say that he hasn’t fit well with them before but fail to mention there were other things going on at that time as well (CC struggling before MSL being one example).

 

[FloJack]

I invite no friends over for Leafs games so I can watch them in French and therefore no Sportsnet. Thank you Canada language laws!

 

[gusfring]

Heineman and Norlinder won spots on this roster.

 

[Runner77]

During a preseason game, puck was behind the opponents' net. Gally came to retrieve it very fast, threw himself to the board to try to fight for the puck. We heard a big CRASH but the puck was already long gone. The moment he hit the board, a dman was already passing the puck through the red line and we saw a good scoring chance against us. All of this happening while Gally was still trying to come back to the play.

Bonne saison!

Somewhat reminiscent of this Carlo Colaiacovo moment where he became the focal point even if a play had been going on without him.

 

[Habs Halifax]

For now, yes...basically Joel Armia, Cayden Primeau and Carey Price are the "extra 3" on the roster,

They sent down Xhekaj, but they'll call him back up and probably send down Armia, and then put Price on LTIR.


Yeah...brutal contract and we're years away from even having the possibility of ridding ourselves of it.

Grin and bear it, unfortunately.

According to my math, we either have $1M in cap space or $2M (with Armia's AHL salary) but not sure how that part works. I'm assuming it's only $1M in cap space and we are taking on Armia's full cap hit because he was not placed in Laval.

IMO, Xhekaj was sent down not for cap reasons but because we had 24 guys on our roster. Needed to get to 23 guys. He basically replaces Price on the 23 man roster when Price goes to LTIR.

 

[rik schau]

Yuk! that's the roster? it's so grand when an organization mocks the consumers. Looks like the tank is in full force again.should make a heap of fans ecstatic.
Bravo to miser Molson for playing his cards flawlessly yet again and saving face from irate fans for another decade as their are no expectations anymore. The perpetuity rebuild is on,let's go! lol

 

[Habs Halifax]

Seeing the stark graphic that Gallagher is the team's third highest paid forward (player) should make any knowledgeable fan nauseous. That contract is positively Houle-ian in it's level of ineptness.

I'm over it. It is what it is. Only thing that worries me is Gallagher's contract ovelaps Dach by one year. Lets see how that ages and if Gallagher either goes on LTIR or is trade by then. I'm doubtful.

We can't change the past. Gallagher was very good in his 20's but he's declined a lot at age 29+. We caved into the 30+ problem where we paid a guy that didn't skate well. I find those types decline faster in their 30's.

Anyways, he's here and he's playing. Live with it. We all don't like it but are we going to complain about it over and over again? Not sure where the value is on complaining about it. We all see the problem.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I edited my post to reflect the proper cap hit when his contract is buried (unfortunately not in time for you to quote me). You’re right it’s supposed to be $2.25 million.

No the Habs are not saving cap until Armia is assigned to the minors. Right now he is on the cap for $3.4 million.

Capfriendly has the Canadiens page updated to reflect their current cap situation.

In your post above (showing the roster) I believe you were missing Pezzetta.

Montreal Canadiens Salary Cap, Draft Picks, and Player Contracts - CapFriendly - NHL Salary Caps

Montreal Canadiens salary cap, contracts, roster, draft picks, salary, cap space, stats, salary cap projections, and daily cap tracking

www.capfriendly.com

Ah K, Price should be placed in IR, not active. IR spots don't count on the roster. So yeah, Pezzetta is the 23rd guy. My error was having Price active and not on IR.

So the new number is we have $110k of cap space with 23 guys. Remember this number because some fans here think it won't accrue. It will when Price gets moved to LTIR and we call up Xhekaj but then I wonder, who's getting put on waivers? Moving Price from IR to LTIR does not create a roster spot.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Yuk! that's the roster? it's so grand when an organization mocks the consumers. Looks like the tank is in full force again.should make a heap of fans ecstatic.
Bravo to miser Molson for playing his cards flawlessly yet again and saving face from irate fans for another decade as their are no expectations anymore. The perpetuity rebuild is on,let's go! lol

Yes nothing is more exciting than playing for that 9th spot in the east and drafting 18th overall how exhilarating , wasting a season away for a middling first round pick really gets my heart rate up you have no idea , second only to having Deharnais as a first line center for half a decade , truly rivetting stuff. Those teams that were deemed *competitive* while on paper being a bottom 5 roster in the league is truly where I would rather be , I miss the good old days of when the team was so good with paciorrety putting up historic 65 point seasons back to back , ahhh the good old days

 

[rik schau]

Yes nothing is more exciting than playing for that 9th spot in the east and drafting 18th overall how exhilarating , wasting a season away for a middling first round pick really gets my heart rate up you have no idea , second only to having Deharnais as a first line center for half a decade , truly rivetting stuff. Those teams that were deemed *competitive* while on paper being a bottom 5 roster in the league is truly where I would rather be , I miss the good old days of when the team was so good with paciorrety putting up historic 65 point seasons back to back , ahhh the good old days

Do you consider tanking improperly more exciting? This org. hasn't done anything properly since the last millennium except snow fans and rake in big bucks.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Monahan should be on the first line.

 

[CHfan1]

Ah K, Price should be placed in IR, not active. IR spots don't count on the roster. So yeah, Pezzetta is the 23rd guy. My error was having Price active and not on IR.

So the new number is we have $110k of cap space with 23 guys. Remember this number because some fans here think it won't accrue. It will when Price gets moved to LTIR and we call up Xhekaj but then I wonder, who's getting put on waivers? Moving Price from IR to LTIR does not create a roster spot.

If they bring Xhekaj up they’ll send Armia to the minors.

 

[BarracudaMtl]

NO Xhekaj?

 

[Habs Halifax]

If they bring Xhekaj up they’ll send Armia to the minors.

So the purpose of having Armia clear waivers is knowledge of knowing he can go down without clearing again and they have a guy who can play on the Laval roster? Doesn't have to clear waivers for 30 days now right?

 

[Redux91]

Yuk! that's the roster? it's so grand when an organization mocks the consumers. Looks like the tank is in full force again.should make a heap of fans ecstatic.
Bravo to miser Molson for playing his cards flawlessly yet again and saving face from irate fans for another decade as their are no expectations anymore. The perpetuity rebuild is on,let's go! lol

It's puzzling reading a post like this when a real game hasn't been played yet..

At the same time.. what roster.. we're you expecting..? Trading for McDavid for the wows?
Trading away Suzuki and Caufield for better draft spot?

Like.. what exactly kind of addition to the team would of liked to see that wouldn't of made you go 'yuk'
Because if it's 'should be norlinder instead of Barron, seasons over' I'm gonna give up on society lol

 

[Tyson]

NO Xhekaj?

paper work drill. He will he called up before the Leafs game and he didn't physically report to Laval. Armia is reporting to Laval today.

 

[Habs Halifax]

NO Xhekaj?

Paper move to get to 23 players on the roster and not have to do the following:

1) Price on LTIR before the season (plan is to move it after the season). There are advantages to this

2) Not having either of Ylonen or Primeau on waivers where there is a fair chance they might get taken.

Xhekaj will be on the roster. I guess we assume Armia will go to Laval in this case. He already cleared waivers so he doesn't have to again for another 30 days.

Why didn't we just send Armia down to the AHL and keep Xhekaj? Not sure.

Monahan should be on the first line.

Newhook not ready for full time center role and Dvorak is on LTIR for a month at least. Monahan is needed at center for now.

 

[bsl]

I'm over it. It is what it is. Only thing that worries me is Gallagher's contract ovelaps Dach by one year. Lets see how that ages and if Gallagher either goes on LTIR or is trade by then. I'm doubtful.

We can't change the past. Gallagher was very good in his 20's but he's digressed a lot at age 29+. We caved into the 30+ problem where we paid a guy that didn't skate well. I find those types decline faster in their 30's.

Anyways, he's here and he's playing. Live with it. We all don't like it but are we going to complain about it over and over again? Not sure where the value is on complaining about it. We all see the problem.

The word is regressed. Not digressed. Sorry to be a knob.

 

[Habs Halifax]

The word is regressed. Not digressed. Sorry to be a knob.

My bad.

 

[HABitual Fan]

I don't understand why Dvorak is on LTIR not IR and then moved to LTIR after the season starts. I thought the idea was to not use any LTIR in the offseason.