Post-Game Talk: A little Tuna to rid the taste of Campbell soup. Habs beat the Leaf.

[HabsInsider]

We needed the win more. It's nice but I'm not overly impressed with this group. Leafs played to about 1/3 of their capability.

 

[LastRide]

Smells like fish in here.

 

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

I was clamoring for Byron on Danault's line for like ever and it finally happened.

I think that line with Byron on it can still be very effective.

Tatar - Danault - Byron
Drouin - Suzuki - Gally
Toffoli - KK - Anderson
Lehky - Staal - Perry
Armia

I think Gally with Suzuki will help Suzuki get his groove back.

 

[Habssince89]

I was clamoring for Byron on Danault's line for like ever and it finally happened.

I think that line with Byron on it can still be very effective.

Tatar - Danault - Byron
Drouin - Suzuki - Gally
Toffoli - KK - Anderson
Lehky - Staal - Perry
Armia

I think Gally with Suzuki will help Suzuki get his groove back.

The better the forecheck the better Danault can steal pucks and force the play into the opponent's end.

 

[HelloBellyvo]

Drouin was not that bad today let’s hold our horses

He wasn't that good either. Loose reins on the horses

 

[Locks]

A convincing win against a top team. But I don't understand the rational for dressing Ouellet after a solid first game by Leskinen. Probably after a horrible game against the Jets the coach needed to make a change and the guy playing his first game of the season was an easy pick, he can't take out Staal just yet. Ouellet played just over 12 minutes and clearly looked overmatched.

I understand Staal will get every opportunity to find his game, if he has any left, but at some point if nothing changes they will have to consider bringing Poehling for that 4C role.

 

[nhlfan9191]

How does a buyout of Drouin look? He's heading down that path.

I doubt they’d ever buy him out. But I believe it would be $1.8 million over the next 4 years to do it this offseason.

 

[RationalExpectations]

Two Habs lines dominated, two were invisible at best. Kulak Weber is not a playoff s team pairing. Let us hope either one of the acquisitions can step up.

 

[The Great Weal]

Two Habs lines dominated, two were invisible at best. Kulak Weber is not a playoff s team pairing. Let us hope either one of the acquisitions can step up.

I think at this point they just need to go with Romanov-Weber for the 2nd pair and have Chiarot-Merrill as the 3rd pairing

 

[RationalExpectations]

I think at this point they just need to go with Romanov-Weber for the 2nd pair and have Chiarot-Merrill as the 3rd pairing

I personally would be ok with that, I woukd be interested in trying Gustafsson with Weber, puck moving guy, defensive liability but goal would be to have puck control when he is on the ice. You play Petry Edmunson 25 mins a night, 20 minutes Romanov - X , 15 minutes Weber-Gustafsson (or vice versa depending on who is having a good game)

 

[Archijerej]

He's a huge part of the team, I want to keep him so badly, but not at 5+.

We're pretty much cooked next year without him, unless we sign Lowry and the kids take a big step forward.

 

[MasterDecoy]

When the season started, did you think KK would be a 50% faceoff guy

not in a million years

 

[Runner77]

Is he fluent in French?

Not that I know of. KK was being fed a line in the clip, it sounds as if he’s just emulating sounds.

 

[Redux91]

God that's beautiful

And the marner wipe out was even better

 

[Corson27]

Record was great before Mete’s agent complained

I know what you say falls under post hoc ergo proptor hoc, but yeah, makes you wonder if that’s when the Habs’ eighteen wheeler started its run off the cliff

 

[nhlfan9191]

We needed the win more. It's nice but I'm not overly impressed with this group. Leafs played to about 1/3 of their capability.

I agree but the thing with the Leafs is they play about 1/3 of their capability in the playoffs most of the time which would work nicely for us should we play them.

 

[Rapala]

This is what #6 is supposed to bring to the table game in and game out. We got jobbed.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

A convincing win against a top team. But I don't understand the rational for dressing Ouellet after a solid first game by Leskinen. Probably after a horrible game against the Jets the coach needed to make a change and the guy playing his first game of the season was an easy pick, he can't take out Staal just yet. Ouellet played just over 12 minutes and clearly looked overmatched.

I understand Staal will get every opportunity to find his game, if he has any left, but at some point if nothing changes they will have to consider bringing Poehling for that 4C role.

It is clear and obvious that Staal is a mere shell of the player he once was. Opposing teams must lick their chops when they see him on the ice. I just close my eyes and hope his shift ends without a goal against. Paying a third and fifth draft choice was almost as bad as when the leafs foolishly gave us a second round draft choice for a fading Plekanec. Pure incompetence in both cases.

 

[Rapala]

I like Byron with Danault-Tatar. He's been great recently.

I assume Armia will take Evans spot.

And maybe I'd give a try-out to Gustafsson with Weber until Chiarot is back, and put Kulak on the 3rd pair.

Suzuki/Toffoli need some speed on that wing Armia is not a good fit IMO.

 

[hvac412]

Drouin was not that bad today let’s hold our horses

Should have been benched after that brain dead tripping penalty,all the skills needed to be a star but not much between the ears.

 

[Uber Coca]

I think at this point they just need to go with Romanov-Weber for the 2nd pair and have Chiarot-Merrill as the 3rd pairing

Weber shouldn't be on the first pair anymore though. That's the biggest issue.

 

[HTTP 400]

Danault warrants Selke consideration this year.

Interresting stats in La Presse this morning (sorry, in french):

"Même si le Tricolore n’a disputé « que » six duels contre les Maple Leafs cette saison, aucun attaquant n’a été opposé à Phillip Danault plus longtemps qu’Auston Matthews à cinq contre cinq. Comme on le sait, Matthews s’éclate contre le CH : le voilà à 10 points en 6 joutes en 2021. Pourtant, le score est égal à 2-2 avec Danault en ce qui a trait aux buts marqués par chaque équipe (toujours à cinq contre cinq) lorsque les deux rivaux sont sur la patinoire en même temps. Et lundi soir, pour la cinquième fois en six affrontements, Danault a eu l’avantage sur le plan de la possession de rondelle".

In sum, Danault's line totally neutralized Matthews line this season.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Suzuki/Toffoli need some speed on that wing Armia is not a good fit IMO.

Evans is really underrated. Montreal is quite a slow team and I’m not just referencing it’s defence. Staal, Perry, Toffoli and Armia are all mediocre skaters. Evans adds a needed element of speed that allows him to forecheck effectively and play defence responsibly. Removing him and all the nonsense of waiving Byron will make our already pedestrian skating team even slower.

 

[BLONG7]

Hopefully Caufield pushes Drouin out of the lineup....or at the very least down in the lineup.
This was a good win, Anderson was a beast!!

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

Hopefully Caufield pushes Drouin out of the lineup....or at the very least down in the lineup.
This was a good win, Anderson was a beast!!

I still think that Caufield will probably join the team after the western trip . He's doing well with the Rockets , we should not rush him for no reasons.