Post-Game Talk: Habs defeat the Caps in OT

[morhilane]

I think we'll see some little positive changes when Dvorak comes back. It will allow the club to slide Monahan between Newhook and Slafkovsky.

Monie will be going beside CC/Suzuki, unless these two get split.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Monie will be going beside CC/Suzuki, unless these two get split.

I think Pearson could help the dynamic duo in several ways, maybe not stat padding, thus allowing Monahan to anchor a great second line.

If not Pearson, then Dvorak himself. He will help in faceoffs,possession and in the d-zone.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Yes but he's no AK27. Caufields shot and small area play are something else though

Doesn’t have his skill (few ever did actually) but I’m 100% that CC completely eclipses Kovy’s production with us.

I know nobody likes him but let's start off with Pacioretty.

He's still got a some distance to go before he reaches Kovalev status. Le Dieu du Stade was a more complete package.

Maybe pre-chara patches but patches as a whole doesn’t have much on Caufield

 

[MTL Dirty Birdy]

Recipe to win again this season
Ingredients needed
Suzuki to get atleast 1-2 points
Caufield to get atleast 1-2 points
Mix some Burrows

and you have explosive Diarrhea

Gotta say, did see this post on my bingo card hahaha

 

[26Mats]

I think Pearson could help the dynamic duo in several ways, maybe not stat padding, thus allowing Monahan to anchor a great second line.

If not Pearson, then Dvorak himself. He will help in faceoffs,possession and in the d-zone.

This is how I see it.

Would be nice to have 3 good lines. These are the duos I see to make that happen.

Caufield - Suzuki - _______
_______ - Newhook - Anderson
Slaf - Monhan - _______

I see RHP with Newhook and Anderson. But if Slaf keeps playing well with Newhook and Anderson, maybe RHP is that 3rd duo with Monahan. I think RHP would play well with Monahan.

If Pearson or Dvo can do well with CC and Suzuki, that opens up more talent for the 2nd and 3rd lines.

Caufield - Suzuki - Pearson
Slaf/RHP - Newhook - Anderson
RHP/Slaf - Monhan -Ylonen
Pez - Evans - Gallagher

 

[BaseballCoach]

This is how I see it.

Would be nice to have 3 good lines. These are the duos I see to make that happen.

Caufield - Suzuki - _______
_______ - Newhook - Anderson
Slaf - Monhan - _______

I see RHP with Newhook and Anderson. But if Slaf keeps playing well with Newhook and Anderson, maybe RHP is that 3rd duo with Monahan. I think RHP would play well with Monahan.

If Pearson or Dvo can do well with CC and Suzuki, that opens up more talent for the 2nd and 3rd lines.

Caufield - Suzuki - Pearson
Slaf/RHP - Newhook - Anderson
RHP/Slaf - Monhan -Ylonen
Pez - Evans - Gallagher

OR
Dvorak- Suzuki - Caufield
Pearson- Newhook - Anderson
Slaf - Monahan -Ylonen
RHP - Evans - Gallagher/Pezzetta

Trade Pearson at deadline for a 1st or 2nd, re-sign Monahan and move Newhook back to LW when Dach comes back next year. Roy probably replaces Ylonen, and Heineman replaces Pezzetta.

 

[26Mats]

OR
Dvorak- Suzuki - Caufield
Pearson- Newhook - Anderson
Slaf - Monahan -Ylonen
RHP - Evans - Gallagher/Pezzetta

Trade Pearson at deadline for a 1st or 2nd, re-sign Monahan and move Newhook back to LW when Dach comes back next year. Roy probably replaces Ylonen, and Heineman replaces Pezzetta.

I still have RHP ahead of Ylonen. But I'd also like to see Ylonen get a good role. We'll see who's healthy when Dvo makes his return...

I'd consider it a small miracle if we were to get a 2nd for Pearson. But he's a really good release. If he plays with the right linemates, he could score.

 

[The Real Timo]

I think Pearson could help the dynamic duo in several ways, maybe not stat padding, thus allowing Monahan to anchor a great second line.

If not Pearson, then Dvorak himself. He will help in faceoffs,possession and in the d-zone.

I’ve liked Pearson so far.

 

[Habssince89]

I think it's evident that the coaching/system is the issue. Alot of posts here writing everyone off (especially Matheson) and it just feels like negativity for negativitys sake. People are acting like this is the early 00s habs or something lol. Hyperbole is par for the course here but completely dismissing players is foolish and I've seen habs fans do it over and over and over. We shit on every player and act like we should have a team of Crosbys.

Anyway happy we won and I am stoked that the team got a W post-dach. Newhook is looking okay at C too

 

[MXD]

Alot of posts here writing everyone off (especially Matheson) and it just feels like negativity for negativitys sake.

On a good team, Matheson doesn't play as much as he does here. So of course, at times, he'll be outmatched and will look quite bad, just like he did yesterday, because he's given more duties than his skillset (and, frankly, his pricetag) would warrant. The identity of the coaches wouldn't change a thing here.

 

[Skip Bayless]

I don’t know what it was. I know he had the neck injury and I think he had some back problems. Probably too much weight on his frame but he fizzled out really quickly.

He had HOF talent but not a HOF career. Just ended too quickly for him.

I think one of the main reasons he was traded was his back issues that sprung from his love of heavy lifting. It was advised against by the habs staff, but he kept on doing it and suffered an accident.

That pretty much put a ticking clock to his career and everyone around the NHL knew it. This is why we got a post-prime Weber as a return and it was "the best deal". If it's the back, there's no coming back.

Both players were past their prime.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I still have RHP ahead of Ylonen.

So do I. I think Roy will replace Ylonen and that RHP will stay.

I don’t know what it was. I know he had the neck injury and I think he had some back problems. Probably too much weight on his frame but he fizzled out really quickly.

He had HOF talent but not a HOF career. Just ended too quickly for him.

In hindsight more people see it, but I sure wish I didn't get the hate I did when I first called out Subban's diminishing speed and impact. Unlike others, I never went after PK's character, just felt he was over-rated by 2016.

 

[Kimota]

What a mess this game was.

 

[Skip Bayless]

What a mess this game was.

Two really bad teams pretending to play shut down hockey AKA the goalies saved our asses.

 

[Kimota]

Is Caufield the hab's best/most exciting player since Kovalev?

Since Radulov, at least.

The performance of Allen give more weight to my view that without the goalies and Dach, we would have gotten Bedard.

Two really bad teams pretending to play shut down hockey AKA the goalies saved our asses.

We were so disorganized. Even against a bad team like the Caps, we were stuck so many times in our zone. At this point I'm still not sure about MSL.

 

[Kimota]

Even back-checks! And catches his man.

And bodies guys even for his size. He's a strong little guy.

 

[Habssince89]

On a good team, Matheson doesn't play as much as he does here. So of course, at times, he'll be outmatched and will look quite bad, just like he did yesterday, because he's given more duties than his skillset (and, frankly, his pricetag) would warrant. The identity of the coaches wouldn't change a thing here.

I don't disagree that Matheson is playing above his ideal spot, but I don't really buy he lacks a skill set that can contribute. The coaches certainly WOULD change things here. Are you telling me that Matheson wouldn't be better appreciated if we could see an improvement to the PP?

Like yeah there's a limit to what this current group of players can be, but this mentality that every player(and coach for that matter) is static, can never improve, nothing can ever change about them is the one of the worst takes I see daily on HF. We see it get disproven every single year. Think about how many threads are laughable in hindsight because of people dismissing players who had an injury or needed time to develop. Seems some people don't learn

 

[OldCraig71]

The Caps have reached the end in my opinion, Kuznetsov, Oshie, Backstrom and Ovie are nearing the end and if Ovie is to try and break the goal-scoring record held by 99 he needs to be elsewhere but this is highly unlikely. They had some great years, got a cup and now it's over, Pittsburgh is in a similar place but are trying to give it one more go, father time catches up to everyone.

 

[HuGo Sham]

I've said it since before the season started Matheson is not the answer on the PP. Bad shot selection errant passes slow/wrong/deliberate/telegraphed decision making.

How many times did he put Caufield in a bind. The play has go to Suzuki and give him as much time and space as possible. Until we find a better play maker the more touches Suzuki gets the better.

good point. Agreed

I think last TDL was the time to move him.

you're probably right. I hope Hughes somehow dumps pearson, savard and monahan this TDL. I know coaches are trying to win, but I find Marty over-reliant on some of these guys already this early in the season. Give Slafkovsky more than 12 mins!

 

[BehindTheTimes]

So do I. I think Roy will replace Ylonen and that RHP will stay.


In hindsight more people see it, but I sure wish I didn't get the hate I did when I first called out Subban's diminishing speed and impact. Unlike others, I never went after PK's character, just felt he was over-rated by 2016.

I don’t Think so, the guy was a big game player, injuries did him in. He was a Conn Smythe contender in Nashville’s run playing at the 75-80%.

The guy stepped up in big games. Loved the CH and we treated him like chopped liver.

The Caps have reached the end in my opinion, Kuznetsov, Oshie, Backstrom and Ovie are nearing the end and if Ovie is to try and break the goal-scoring record held by 99 he needs to be elsewhere but this is highly unlikely. They had some great years, got a cup and now it's over, Pittsburgh is in a similar place but are trying to give it one more go, father time catches up to everyone.

I think he will struggle to break it, but I’ve been calling ovy’s demise for 4-5 years now. I don’t bet against him anymore, he could get a 4 goal game next game and be on his way to another 50 goal season. I do expect a fall of cliff at some point, but we might not be there yet

 

[BaseballCoach]

Since Radulov, at least.

The performance of Allen give more weight to my view that without the goalies and Dach, we would have gotten Bedard.

We were going to finish exactly 3rd to last?

We were so disorganized. Even against a bad team like the Caps, we were stuck so many times in our zone. At this point I'm still not sure about MSL.

At some point, either before or after MSL gets fired, he will learn that playing defensively suspect wingers on their wrong wing is a recipe for being hemmed in.

I don’t Think so, the guy was a big game player, injuries did him in. He was a Conn Smythe contender in Nashville’s run playing at the 75-80%.

The guy stepped up in big games. Loved the CH and we treated him like chopped liver.

"We"? Most fans loved him, and the coaches gave him an enormous amount of rope. Bergy and the low-ball bridge deal? I'll grant you that.

 

[OldCraig71]

I don’t Think so, the guy was a big game player, injuries did him in. He was a Conn Smythe contender in Nashville’s run playing at the 75-80%.

The guy stepped up in big games. Loved the CH and we treated him like chopped liver.


I think he will struggle to break it, but I’ve been calling ovy’s demise for 4-5 years now. I don’t bet against him anymore, he could get a 4 goal game next game and be on his way to another 50 goal season. I do expect a fall of cliff at some point, but we might not be there yet

Yeah, he might but during last night's game it seemed that his shot power/speed/release just wasn't the same and Backstrom wasn't his setup guy either, it was Strome, and the connection between them wasn't the same in my opinion.. I love the great 8 and was a big fan of the Caps Cup run but it's over and they won't rebuild just like the Pens until the big boys decide to retire. The Caps looked slow and old and just a few years back would have run over a lineup such as ours. They were fun to watch for so many years and were sort of an earlier version of the struggles we are seeing in Toronto, regular-season dominance but not much come playoff time.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

We were going to finish exactly 3rd to last?


At some point, either before or after MSL gets fired, he will learn that playing defensively suspect wingers on their wrong wing is a recipe for being hemmed in.


"We"? Most fans loved him, and the coaches gave him an enormous amount of rope. Bergy and the low-ball bridge deal? I'll grant you that.

We, I mean management. Michel threw him under the bus every chance he got, deployed him his Norris year in one of the most bizarre fashions an elite dman was ever used. Wouldn’t endorse him for team Canada, bridge deal, to arbitration to the eventual trade, they never backed PK. When you get a chance to get Shea Weber you don’t ask for more.

Therrien/MB seemed like they had it out for their star from the beginning. Therrien did, because he said so on TV before he was ever hired.

 

[morhilane]

We were so disorganized. Even against a bad team like the Caps, we were stuck so many times in our zone. At this point I'm still not sure about MSL.

As soon as the opposite team start to put pressure in the dzone, the Habs breaksdown defensively.

This is due to players playing in over their heads (the team has no real 1st paid dmen right now), lack of confidence for some, lack of communication and just old habits taking over.

 

[SlafySZN]

I find that he's just better at everything this year.

Suzuki is producing but he's not controlling the game like he can. Once he gets going, Caufield is going to explode.

He plays a balanced game and try to drive the play more. He’s still shooting but i feel he tries to create plays for others and himself. More physical too. The little details are there.