Post-Game Talk: Habs defeat isles with 4 goal second period

[Rapala]

We'll see about the Ducks. They picked in the Top-10 5 years in a row, with 2 of those picks being Top-3.

2019: Zegras @ 9th
2020: Drysdale @ 6th
2021: McTavish @ 3rd
2022: Mintyukov @ 10th
2023: Carlsson @ 3rd

These guys are all studs. But Ducks are still last in the Western Conference. If Habs had picks in similar spots 5 years in a row and they're still last in the Division in the 6th year, we wouldn't be happy and we'd demand for heads to roll.



And they have some legit game breaking talent in Stutzle and Tkachuk, as well as Norris and Batherson. Some studs on D in Chabot, Sanderson & Chychrun, along with some good vets like Giroux and Tarasenko.

What they need now more than ever is a coaching change. And that could be what takes them to the next level that we expect them to be. But regardless of all that, they're still at the bottom.

Which reiterates my point, that I'd rather be the Habs right now than the Sens.



For me, missing the playoffs by less than last year is a step in the right direction. Meaning that if they end up picking 11th or 12th, it means that the team progressed. And there are a lot of good players who can be taken in that spot. One good example was in front of us tonight in Dobson, who was taken 12th OA.



I want them playing well whether they win or lose. Because playing well even in losses is a step in the right direction. But we can't expect them to play well and not want them to get wins. We don't want them getting numb to it because they keep losing.

Habs now have a 7-game road trip coming up. This could very well be what makes or breaks them.

Tanking with impunity in California just like the Sharks did.

 

[Theodore450]

Slafzuki

I was one of the few that wanted us to draft Slaf because I could see the fit. When we got the 1st ov I was almost sad because I thought for sure we would be Shane

 

[Rapala]

He's slow? The kid is 19 and is already playing very good NHL hockey...I would think, by any metric, he rates as a quick learner...

MSL calls him a sponge. I doubt he throws that out there lightly.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I’m keeping in mind that Dvorak is only 28 and Gally is barely over 30. Still a ton of room for development

We like to rag on Gallagher. But credit to the guy, no matter how much he's slowed down, the guy still battles like a warrior and is more effective than we give him credit for.

 

[Theodore450]

People are being too hard on him. We’re simply relying on him too much.

Remember how good Petry looked on the 2nd pair? He was terrific. But anytime Weber went down and we needed to use him as a number one, he crashed.

That’s what’s happening with Matheson now. He is playing at least one chair too high. We have no choice but to rely on on a D corp that’s too green. Under the right circumstances Matheson would be a great asset. But you can’t use him as much as we do against top players and expect great results.

Matheson couldn’t hold Petry Jock.

 

[Rapala]

Matheson couldn’t hold Petry Jock.

Petry's reputation would have been far better had he not played that final year under Ducharme. He definitely made far fewer errors than Matheson does on a regular basis.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Tonight is a milestone victory for the team. They finally beat a team on the second of a back-to-back!!

 

[domiwroze]

Petry's reputation would have been far better had he not played that final year under Ducharme. He definitely made far fewer errors than Matheson does on a regular basis.

Yep
Quick Reminder that Petry was once in the discussion for the Norris. Matheson is good offensively but I can't defend his poor play in his own zone, it's really, really f***ing bad this year.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Matheson couldn’t hold Petry Jock.

And yet we’re playing him against the league’s best players much of the time…

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Petry's reputation would have been far better had he not played that final year under Ducharme. He definitely made far fewer errors than Matheson does on a regular basis.

It was the exact opposite. I don’t know what you’re talking about man. People were ripping the shot out of him for playing badly and I defended him saying he was being misused cause we had nobody else.

Edit - Nope, I’m mistaken here. You are right about that stretch. He was really good. I’m remembering from previous years. I’ve gone back and you are correct here. He was a atud in that stretch.

 

[CheldishGamibno]

We like to rag on Gallagher. But credit to the guy, no matter how much he's slowed down, the guy still battles like a warrior and is more effective than we give him credit for.

Unlike last year, he's a net positive this year and I'm happy for him, even if he's a contract anchor

 

[Aces on the road]

Close call in the third.

Solid game by Andy, Slaf, Nick, Cole

You forgot best player

 

[Aces on the road]

Armia was best player on ice

 

[The Real Timo]

You forgot best player

Yoel!

 

[The Real Timo]

There are some fine women in Bond movies. Watching Spectre... Lea Seydoux... they are not flashy but damn fine.

 

[Scintillating10]

We like to rag on Gallagher. But credit to the guy, no matter how much he's slowed down, the guy still battles like a warrior and is more effective than we give him credit for.

Fans at Bell Centre certainly love Gallagher. Ovation they gave him during Pittsburgh shootout. Anderson also. That ovation may turn Anderson season around. He'll score 8 goals in next 15 games now. The Anderson Express!

 

[Aces on the road]

There are some fine women in Bond movies. Watching Spectre... Lea Seydoux... they are not flashy but damn fine.

But only one Sean Connery

 

[RabbleMasterBlaster]

I don't know what bizarro world this was but there was only a single penalty called right? Just the one against NYI? Think this is the first game this season Habs take no penalties

 

[morhilane]

He's slow? The kid is 19 and is already playing very good NHL hockey...I would think, by any metric, he rates as a quick learner...

He is a quick learner. He was super raw when he was drafted, his awareness was shit last season, his cardio was poor, he kept getting out muscled and he was lost in the dzone.

It's only been 30 games (and an off-season) since then, and now he's a top forechecking/board play player and defending 1 goal leads in the last minutes of a game. He actually wasn't defending 1 goal leads a week ago...

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Dobson is really impressive.

He’s an absolute stud

 

[Miller Time]

And yet we’re playing him against the league’s best players much of the time…

This.

Matheson is 62th when ranked by dmen cap hit

7th in ice time, 18th in points...

He's paid like a 2-3 dman, but used like an elite 1A.

He'd be great for us if we had another 1-2 better dmen taking up the toughest minutes.

Ppl need to chill out and see the big picture.

 

[Cournoyer12]

Confirmed.. H10H is Bubbles.

View attachment 784979

I’m not giving anybody a f***in R!!!

 

[Shred]

And yet we’re playing him against the league’s best players much of the time…

Have to consider that whoever else we would play against the league’s best players would also look bad

 

[pepperMonkey]

Not slow as in mentally challenged. More slow as in having to be shown something more than once, before he's able to do it. For example, how many times did you watch Slaf skate with the puck, with his head down?

Which is why I can see now why MSL took his time, slowly increasing his ice time. He didn't play this way from the beginning. He's slowly improved to the point where we can now call him a good player.

I would like to understand your definition of slow...
Slaf has only 69 NHL games under his belt with no AHL/equivalent time...

If Slaf is considered slow, then most players to ever play the game (except for a few exceptions) must be glacially slow as most take multiple years in the minors and then even more years in the NHL to go from bad (Slaf first year) to playing very good at the NHL level all the while being 19 years old.

How many players do you know that have "Improved" this much in less than one full season played? And no, not players that have come in already playing great. I'm talking about players who were awful when they came into the NHL and have improved as much as Slaf within 70 games and at most 19 years old.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I have lost hope on Barron. He was a complete tire-fire last night and makes mistakes terrible decisions in his own zone. If the Habs can trade him for a 2nd+ they should do it now.