GDT: Final Preseason Game vs. Ottawa Senators (6:30PM ET on TVA Sports, TSN690 & 98.5 FM)

[dinodebino]

Any fights yesterday? Missed the game.

 

[domiwroze]

Any fights yesterday? Missed the game.

None. Pitlick laid a guy out with a hip check that resulted in a little scrum and someone hit Barron right on the numbers.

Other than that and Barron's bloody nose, pretty well controlled game by the refs.

 

[OldCraig71]

We just managed to go 0-8 in the preseason, quite the confidence builder for a young team. Our D is bad/inexperienced and we don't really have a solid defensive/checking forward line. I think that 20 wins might be an optimistic prediction and while I do realize that it's part of the process, I am left wondering how it will affect some of our guys. Montreal is one of if not the toughest cities in the NHL to play in, there will need to be plenty of damage control done by HuGo and company.

I am interested in seeing how long Molson will be able to stomach this, will he allow the guys he hired to do their jobs or will he want to make the playoffs where anything can happen? We will have plenty of cap space at the end of this season and we will see what happens then I guess.

 

[dinodebino]

None. Pitlick laid a guy out with a hip check that resulted in a little scrum and someone hit Barron right on the numbers.

Other than that and Barron's bloody nose, pretty well controlled game by the refs.

Boooooring

 

[Walrus26]

Can we include Burrows in the final round of cuts, please?

When the PK is clogging the blue line, let's continue trying to stickhandle a zone entry. Just chip it in, get the D turned around and see what you can dig out from the corner to keep the PK honest......

FFS.

 

[Naslundforever]

Boooooring

Yeah it looked like the old “get a message accross by grunting a lot” first 5 minutes maybe where habs had their head way up for good reasons then they all played rather boring hockey.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

We just managed to go 0-8 in the preseason, quite the confidence builder for a young team. Our D is bad/inexperienced and we don't really have a solid defensive/checking forward line. I think that 20 wins might be an optimistic prediction and while I do realize that it's part of the process, I am left wondering how it will affect some of our guys. Montreal is one of if not the toughest cities in the NHL to play in, there will need to be plenty of damage control done by HuGo and company.

I am interested in seeing how long Molson will be able to stomach this, will he allow the guys he hired to do their jobs or will he want to make the playoffs where anything can happen? We will have plenty of cap space at the end of this season and we will see what happens then I guess.

With two first round picks in a very deep draft, 20 wins must be considered mission accomplished. What happens after next summer’s draft and the projected jettisoning of all the nonproductive contracts, will take care of itself.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Can we include Burrows in the final round of cuts, please?

When the PK is clogging the blue line, let's continue trying to stickhandle a zone entry. Just chip it in, get the D turned around and see what you can dig out from the corner to keep the PK honest......

FFS.

Burrows and Houle have to be cut by the end of the year.

 

[StCaufield]

The yearly "Drouin's ready to take the season by force" pieces this past August already have a stench on them.

Good news: these were the last Pre-Season Drouin pieces we'll ever hear.

Bad news: the mid-season PR bump is yet to come, and since it is his UFA year we will likely see a few other pieces too especially if he's traded at the deadline

Worse news: the Habs are going to lose a lot of games this year and it'll drive some players and coaches crazy, I pray and hope MSL isn't one of them

So you should be good with Anderson being traded too right? His IQ is only slightly higher than drouin at the moment. They’re both worth 3m a season maybe 3.5. If drouin can limit his turnovers and Anderson grows a brain they’d be pretty good

That’s why you need to keep Anderson

I don’t know the context here but I’m assuming you mean keep him for the tank

 

[StCaufield]

We just managed to go 0-8 in the preseason, quite the confidence builder for a young team. Our D is bad/inexperienced and we don't really have a solid defensive/checking forward line. I think that 20 wins might be an optimistic prediction and while I do realize that it's part of the process, I am left wondering how it will affect some of our guys. Montreal is one of if not the toughest cities in the NHL to play in, there will need to be plenty of damage control done by HuGo and company.

I am interested in seeing how long Molson will be able to stomach this, will he allow the guys he hired to do their jobs or will he want to make the playoffs where anything can happen? We will have plenty of cap space at the end of this season and we will see what happens then I guess.

Another confidence booster is almost their entire fan base wanting them to fail to get Bedard. The millennial hockey fan is genuinely broken. Yeah let’s pray for failed development

 

[Naslundforever]

Can we include Burrows in the final round of cuts, please?

When the PK is clogging the blue line, let's continue trying to stickhandle a zone entry. Just chip it in, get the D turned around and see what you can dig out from the corner to keep the PK honest......

FFS.

Used to be what I loved to watch with HOF hab defenders or big wingers (talking the Lemieux, Richer, Corson years - even Kovy later) - you come through the neutral zone fast as you can while baiting/reading the D) then you either have a 2v1 somewhere on the ice with speed and power, a lane to the goalie, a play for possession or you and your 225 lb friends crash the boards on the side of the dump-in. I mean OK, add this new deal that looks like a hand off to a running back for a 3 yard play but they are a 1-trick poney right now.

 

[dcyhabs]

So you should be good with Anderson being traded too right? His IQ is only slightly higher than drouin at the moment. They’re both worth 3m a season maybe 3.5. If drouin can limit his turnovers and Anderson grows a brain they’d be pretty good


I don’t know the context here but I’m assuming you mean keep him for the tank

Drouin isn’t some terrible, useless, effortless hockey player, he has a pretty narrow skillset and needs to play with guys who open space. He put up points when the team was playing well, not so much when it wasn’t. Drouin’s skillset is redundant on the habs while Anderson’s is essential. Anderson could succeed on pretty much any team while Drouin would only work on a few.

Sergachev would be good on pretty much any team, too. Team building is tough from a distance but you’d think professional GMs would do it. The avalanche do, and the Lightning. It looks like Hughes is giving it a shot and he can’t really do worse than Bergevin.

 

[Naslundforever]

Another confidence booster is almost their entire fan base wanting them to fail to get Bedard. The millennial hockey fan is genuinely broken. Yeah let’s pray for failed development

I think losing won’t be a concious or even subconcious decision on the team’s part, it’ll be a function of the law of average over 82 games with those goalies, that D, and those below league average vets.

I believe if the games are somewhat close the intensity will remain high which is good for development. Blowouts and getting schooled physically would be bad for sure.

They may want to boost vet pp stats and trade value (thinking Drouin, Dadonov, Armia, Hoffman…) so that will be a balancing act of objectives because any rookie will need special team looks to learn. Could be an argument for Slaf in AHL for example…

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Another confidence booster is almost their entire fan base wanting them to fail to get Bedard. The millennial hockey fan is genuinely broken. Yeah let’s pray for failed development

I don’t think any true Montreal fan is hoping for a ‘failed development” for its numerous promising prospects . Only that the full effect of such development takes place after what is clearly going to be a thrown away year. I think most attuned fans of bottom dwelling teams realize that the only road to salvation is for their respective team to go throw a painful trough which puts them in a position where they can draft the franchise level players that are needed to convert the team into legitimate contender. One only has to see the rebuilding process that is about to bare fruits for Buffalo, Detroit and Ottawa who all have gone through extended periods of mediocrity. Draft well, and all is possible. Draft poorly, and you become the New York Jets.

 

[Sam de Mtl]

We just managed to go 0-8 in the preseason, quite the confidence builder for a young team. Our D is bad/inexperienced and we don't really have a solid defensive/checking forward line. I think that 20 wins might be an optimistic prediction and while I do realize that it's part of the process, I am left wondering how it will affect some of our guys. Montreal is one of if not the toughest cities in the NHL to play in, there will need to be plenty of damage control done by HuGo and company.

I am interested in seeing how long Molson will be able to stomach this, will he allow the guys he hired to do their jobs or will he want to make the playoffs where anything can happen? We will have plenty of cap space at the end of this season and we will see what happens then I guess.

It's crazy how much better this team would be if instead of Hoffman, Dadonov and Drouin, the team had 3 talentless defensive specialists to use in crunch time situations or PKs. At least we get rid of two of them at season's end. They are the real tank commanders.

Burrows and Houle have to be cut by the end of the year.

I don't know what the obsession is over firing Houle. He got good results last year and didn't impead the development of anyone worthwhile.

If he shows bad signs this year, then sure, they can fire him and get someone on board who coached bantam somewhere (mostly joking, although it is a possibility after the MSL and Robidas hires). It would make sense for them to have a more coherent identity in both clubs. I think there is a possibility that Houle is able to work the way this administration wants to.

 

[WeThreeKings]

It's crazy how much better this team would be if instead of Hoffman, Dadonov and Drouin, the team had 3 talentless defensive specialists to use in crunch time situations or PKs. At least we get rid of two of them at season's end. They are the real tank commanders.



I don't know what the obsession is over firing Houle. He got good results last year and didn't impead the development of anyone worthwhile.

If he shows bad signs this year, then sure, they can fire him and get someone on board who coached bantam somewhere (mostly joking, although it is a possibility after the MSL and Robidas hires). It would make sense for them to have a more coherent identity in both clubs. I think there is a possibility that Houle is able to work the way this administration wants to.

He definitely handled Norlinder terribly in every stint except the two games where Hugo mandated they give him opportunity and minutes before making his decision to go back to Sweden.

They didn't have anyone other than RHP and Ylonen once Norlinder went back.. but you can already see it in his comments about Mesar, that there's no room for him. That makes no sense. I agree that the OHL is a solid option for Mesar but that isn't Houles call. Houle's call is to develop players who are there and if you're talking about not giving him opportunity because you have Mitchell Stephens and Abbadanato on the team, then the philosophy and thinking is all wrong.

 

[WinterLion]

He definitely handled Norlinder terribly in every stint except the two games where Hugo mandated they give him opportunity and minutes before making his decision to go back to Sweden.

They didn't have anyone other than RHP and Ylonen once Norlinder went back.. but you can already see it in his comments about Mesar, that there's no room for him. That makes no sense. I agree that the OHL is a solid option for Mesar but that isn't Houles call. Houle's call is to develop players who are there and if you're talking about not giving him opportunity because you have Mitchell Stephens and Abbadanato on the team, then the philosophy and thinking is all wrong.

Yeah Houle is a bit old school. The big question is can he (and will he) adapt and be patient with the young guys. If he doesn't I think he is gone.

I have no problem with him clamping down and playing boring hockey at playoff time because the experience is worth it, but Laval should be good enough to win AND let the kids play important roles and get a long leash.

 

[schwang26]

Can we include Burrows in the final round of cuts, please?

When the PK is clogging the blue line, let's continue trying to stickhandle a zone entry. Just chip it in, get the D turned around and see what you can dig out from the corner to keep the PK honest......

FFS.

I agree. I wonder how long he'll have before he gets fired. With so many offensively talented forwards, how the hell are they not scoring? I get that they lack a true number 1 point man, but still. They should've killed that Sens team last night.

 

[OldCraig71]

It's crazy how much better this team would be if instead of Hoffman, Dadonov and Drouin, the team had 3 talentless defensive specialists to use in crunch time situations or PKs. At least we get rid of two of them at season's end. They are the real tank commanders.



I don't know what the obsession is over firing Houle. He got good results last year and didn't impead the development of anyone worthwhile.

If he shows bad signs this year, then sure, they can fire him and get someone on board who coached bantam somewhere (mostly joking, although it is a possibility after the MSL and Robidas hires). It would make sense for them to have a more coherent identity in both clubs. I think there is a possibility that Houle is able to work the way this administration wants to.

I don't know what our former brain trust had in mind when they got Mike Hoffman, he is at the end of the NHL road and does nothing more than take up a roster spot from a cheaper more effective player. Both he and Drouin are untradeable and we are stuck with them.

 

[OldCraig71]

Another confidence booster is almost their entire fan base wanting them to fail to get Bedard. The millennial hockey fan is genuinely broken. Yeah let’s pray for failed development

I think that you overestimate the power of the fanbase here. Management both past and present put this team together and it is on them to perform as they are being paid to do so. The NHL is the best league in the world and it is rare that young players are able to step in and take over from the veterans they replaced, especially defensemen. This is what a rebuilding team looks like and we will have to take the lumps that go along with it and fans have little to do with that except for not spending the money to show up to watch a 20 win team in action.

 

[ReHabs]

So you should be good with Anderson being traded too right? His IQ is only slightly higher than drouin at the moment. They’re both worth 3m a season maybe 3.5. If drouin can limit his turnovers and Anderson grows a brain they’d be pretty good

I don’t have any particular love for Josh Anderson but Drouin is by far the worse player between the two.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

None. Pitlick laid a guy out with a hip check that resulted in a little scrum and someone hit Barron right on the numbers.

Other than that and Barron's bloody nose, pretty well controlled game by the refs.

Kastelic didn't hit him with his shoulder though. He tried to turn away from crushing him and got him with his big butt.

 

[Gravity]

Habs fans: "we need s rebuild!"
Habs fans after preseason losses: "We suck! Our coaches suck! Our defense sucks! Our goalies suck! We need better players!"

I'm just perplexed as to what a rebuild entails ..

We do suck. Our defense does suck and we do need better players which is why we're rebuilding. To get those better players via the draft.

Pointing out we suck and acknowledging that we're rebuilding are not mutually exclusive.

 

[GobigorGohome]

Harris needs a year in the AHL.Also needs to get much stronger .Coach needs to tell him to stop flopping on ice to defend fr

 

[waffledave]

He can't stay healthy but his point-per-game played is decent.

I know he's frustrating to watch... But for a fanbase that asks for creative plays and more offense, it's quite weird to crap on one of the only ones that actually try to be creative...

Dude it doesn't matter at all what is PPG is (its not very good for a top 6 foward, at all, btw). What does he bring to the team? Absolutely nothing. He is worse than a warm body.

His acquisition by Bergevin was an abject failure.