Pre-Game Talk: Habs-Flames Pt. II Saturday 7pm EST

[Gravity]

Hope to see a stronger effort.

Click to read more...

 

[David Suzuki]

Calgary wasn't particularly good last night we were just bad/tired. Price has been sharp lately and if we continue to stay at 5 on 5 as much as possible we should be fine.

 

[donghabs98]

Yeah I dont think the Flames won that game but moreso the Habs just didn't have any gas left. Had the Habs team from the previous two games showed up, I think things would have been different.

 

[angusyoung]

Hope to see a stronger effort.

Saying it will be a monumental game to date is probably an understatement,very important to show who's who. Somewhat concerned how they replace Chiarot though,not having much faith in Mete.

 

[Milhouse40]

It's a must win.

Calgary is mostly the only threat right now to the top 4 in the north division.
Must not let them breathe and come too close to us.

Last night, the Habs were an easy target.
Ducharme has been doing some change to his line-up last game, but we need to find some stability.

There's only 2 forwards without a goal under Ducharme : Evans and Drouin
There's only 2 players in the minus under Ducharme : Chiarot and Drouin

Kotkaniemi is 50.6% down the middle and Danault is 50.7% since Ducharme is here.
Suzuki is 43.9% and Evans is at 37%

KK has 6 points in 8 games but he's also only +0 during that stretch.
He has 3 points on the PP and Tatar has 4 points, leading the Habs forwards.

So base on all this, I would like to see this line-up being tried.

Toffoli - Suzuki - Anderson
Tatar - Kotkaniemi - Gallagher
Drouin - Danault - Armia
Byron - Evans - Perry

 

[A Loyal Dog]

I’m hoping Suzuki gets out of his funk. 5 points in his last 14 games is :/

 

[morhilane]

It's a must win.

Calgary is mostly the only threat right now to the top 4 in the north division.
Must not let them breathe and come too close to us.

Last night, the Habs were an easy target.
Ducharme has been doing some change to his line-up last game, but we need to find some stability.

There's only 2 forwards without a goal under Ducharme : Evans and Drouin
There's only 2 players in the minus under Ducharme : Chiarot and Drouin

Kotkaniemi is 50.6% down the middle and Danault is 50.7% since Ducharme is here.
Suzuki is 43.9% and Evans is at 37%

KK has 6 points in 8 games but he's also only +0 during that stretch.
He has 3 points on the PP and Tatar has 4 points, leading the Habs forwards.

So base on all this, I would like to see this line-up being tried.

Toffoli - Suzuki - Anderson
Tatar - Kotkaniemi - Gallagher
Drouin - Danault - Armia
Byron - Evans - Perry

You're "only 2 players in the minus under Ducharme" is wrong. Lehkonen is -5 since the coach change (probably why he is scratched).

 

[Habs 4 Life]

I see Bergevin sweating more and more here.... I think his job could be on the line here on this trip. We lose tomorrow and it' 3pts out of 8 against 2 of the worst Canadian teams. I hope Molson is ready!!

 

[Milhouse40]

You're "only 2 players in the minus under Ducharme" is wrong. Lehkonen is -5 since the coach change (probably why he is scratched).

Yeah, but Lehkonen is not playing for the last week neither, can't consider as a regular as of now.

 

[OldCraig71]

There are players on this team that need to take a long hard look at their performances up to this point in the season. There have been too many passengers on this roster and they need to wake up because time is slipping away.

 

[26Mats]

I’m hoping Suzuki gets out of his funk. 5 points in his last 14 games is :/

He doesn't look explosive. He's not getting chances or creating offense...

 

[nhlfan9191]

I see Bergevin sweating more and more here.... I think his job could be on the line here on this trip. We lose tomorrow and it' 3pts out of 8 against 2 of the worst Canadian teams. I hope Molson is ready!!

He won’t fire Bergevin mid season. Bergevin gets fired if we miss the playoffs.

 

[austin316]

Agreed....this is a must win game.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

He won’t fire Bergevin mid season. Bergevin gets fired if we miss the playoffs.

Even if we make the playoffs and lose round 1 in this weak division , Bergevin will get canned.

He needs atleast to get out of the canadian division to save his job.

It's been 9 years , he spent 105m US this off season. If he went all in and he expect so save his job with an easy playoff appearance in this favorable season . That won't happen , he needs big results.

 

[Lshap]

There are players on this team that need to take a long hard look at their performances up to this point in the season. There have been too many passengers on this roster and they need to wake up because time is slipping away.

Good news is that Danault is looking somewhat stronger, at least in terms of playmaking. Kotkaniemi is winning faceoffs and looks more confident with the puck. Bad news: Suzuki is having trouble, but it's way too soon for concern. My guess is it's mental fatigue. The kid's still getting used to the long season. I'm hopeful he'll turn it around. Same optimism for Tatar, Evans and Byron, who are under-performing but could/should find a groove again.

The only real concern I have is Weber. This is the first season he's noticeably declined and there's a chance it's permanent. If so, our defence has gotten significantly weaker.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Even if we make the playoffs and lose round 1 in this weak division , Bergevin will get canned.

He needs atleast to get out of the canadian division to save his job.

It's been 9 years , he spent 105m US this off season. If he went all in and he expect so save his job with an easy playoff appearance in this favorable season . That won't happen , he needs big results.

What you’re suggesting would make to much sense. I’ve learned my lesson in resorting to logic when it comes to this team. It should be another miss or another first round exit in playoffs that gets him sacked. But they’ll likely find an excuse. What concerns me the most is I don’t know if any of the candidates they’ll realistically look at are necessarily even better then him right now.

 

[TannedBum]

He doesn't look explosive. He's not getting chances or creating offense...

Definitely looks a bit slower than before and kinda chubby atm. Perhaps he expected success to come easily and got stuck in the comfort zone.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

What you’re suggesting would make to much sense. I’ve learned my lesson in resorting to logic when it comes to this team. It should be another miss or another first round exit in playoffs that gets him sacked. But they’ll likely find an excuse. What concerns me the most is I don’t know if any of the candidates they’ll realistically look at are necessarily even better then him right now.

Agree with you the logic in this org been long gone since Molson arrival.
I don't know what excuse they can use , They had the god luck of making covid bubbles because they were 24th.
Bergevin went all in this offseason due to the weak division we are playing in.
Right now the loser points are saving us atleast.
But yeah until Molson does not fire himself has ''president of hockey operations'' This frannchise will never find a good replacement even tho it's hard to be wors than Timmins/Bergevin.
I guess we will ride this covid season to save everyone's job once again , minus the coaching staff who took a L earlier.

 

[26Mats]

Definitely looks a bit slower than before and kinda chubby atm. Perhaps he expected success to come easily and got stuck in the comfort zone.

Hopefully, he finds his way ...

Armia's been playing great, btw. I really like him with Tatar and Danault. I find they've been our most consistent line since they were put together. Always buzzing offensively and responsible defensively. It's only been a couple of games, but hopefully they can keep it up.

If they can, I don't know who comes out of the top 9 when Caufield is ready (which could be later this season).

 

[Non Player Canadiens]

He doesn't look explosive. He's not getting chances or creating offense...

the creativity seems gone too

 

[peate]

It's hard enough wining games without having your own players sabotage your every effort. That penalty Byron took late when we were fighting for the tying goal was inexcusable. He should be stripped of his letter and sent to Laval, or at the very least, the taxi squad.

 

[OldCraig71]

Good news is that Danault is looking somewhat stronger, at least in terms of playmaking. Kotkaniemi is winning faceoffs and looks more confident with the puck. Bad news: Suzuki is having trouble, but it's way too soon for concern. My guess is it's mental fatigue. The kid's still getting used to the long season. I'm hopeful he'll turn it around. Same optimism for Tatar, Evans and Byron, who are under-performing but could/should find a groove again.

The only real concern I have is Weber. This is the first season he's noticeably declined and there's a chance it's permanent. If so, our defence has gotten significantly weaker.

Weber is not looking good as a number one defenceman anymore. I doubt that Ducharme will make the change but Petry should be our number one D, there also is the glaring issue of a lack of good left defense partners to play with both. Petry can carry a pairing but I think that Weber needs someone to help him, a faster more capable puck-mover if we can get it. As for the forwards, there are some that are really underperforming but part of that is attributed to the lack of good passing coming from our D, most good teams have good puck movement from the back end and we only really have Petry.

 

[TannedBum]

Hopefully, he finds his way ...

Armia's been playing great, btw. I really like him with Tatar and Danault. I find they've been our most consistent line since they were put together. Always buzzing offensively and responsible defensively. It's only been a couple of games, but hopefully they can keep it up.

He will, eventually. Yeah that line has a good thing going on and they have created a lot of chances. Well, last game was hard for every line. It was like they were shorthanded the whole game. No room or time to do anything at all. Flames were great.

 

[26Mats]

He will, eventually. Yeah that line has a good thing going on and they have created a lot of chances. Well, last game was hard for every line. It was like they were shorthanded the whole game. No room or time to do anything at all. Flames were great.

and I do believe we were gassed from playing on a back to back. I look forward to seeing if we can do better with a day's rest - as the Flames had.

 

[Rapala]

It's a must win.

Calgary is mostly the only threat right now to the top 4 in the north division.
Must not let them breathe and come too close to us.

Last night, the Habs were an easy target.
Ducharme has been doing some change to his line-up last game, but we need to find some stability.

There's only 2 forwards without a goal under Ducharme : Evans and Drouin
There's only 2 players in the minus under Ducharme : Chiarot and Drouin

Kotkaniemi is 50.6% down the middle and Danault is 50.7% since Ducharme is here.
Suzuki is 43.9% and Evans is at 37%

KK has 6 points in 8 games but he's also only +0 during that stretch.
He has 3 points on the PP and Tatar has 4 points, leading the Habs forwards.

So base on all this, I would like to see this line-up being tried.

Toffoli - Suzuki - Anderson
Tatar - Kotkaniemi - Gallagher
Drouin - Danault - Armia
Byron - Evans - Perry

Not bad.
I would insert Lehk in Byron's spot and flip flop him with Drouin based on who is playing well and situational needs. My thinking is I'm really not sure how Drouin can help Danault find a better shutdown game. The only thing about it is I'm not sure how much pride our GM is willing to swallow as this line up exposes some of the multiple serious contractual issues that he's blundered into. We haven't even looked at the D yet. If we ever see this I'll believe Dom does have full rein to do as he will.