Pre-Game Talk: Habs @ Leafs - tonight at 7

[MXD]

Weal has looked good for Laval. Or keep Frolik in the lineup. Harvey-Pinard would've been a better choice than Belzile if we wanted a Quebecois in the lineup. We know that Belzile won't do much. Maybe RHP could shock us.

Frolik is lucky to have played 7 games.

 

[MXD]

Frolik
Weal
Ylonen
Vejdemo

Frolik was doing sooo great (and the other three played yesterday).

 

[dinodebino]

I rather have a winning team and the pursuit of a winning tradition than sticking on political views of what our team reprensent to us.

I rather enjoy myself watching my childhood team winning than discussing the fact that we have quebeckers or not wearing the jersey.

Your childhood team was built on Francos. This Franco debate is not even a debate. It creeps up all the time for naught. As @Runner77 wrote once, it's a given here, accept it. It's in the fabric of this franchise, it will be in the fabric of this franchise FOREVER. You don't like it? Nothing prevents you from changing allegeance. Read my lips : IT WILL NEVER CHANGE. Thus the reason why they are the Montreal CanadiENS, not CanadiANS, nor the Maroons. (dare I say, surely not the Maroons).

Besides, having Belzile there is because he brings more energy than the guy he's replacing, who's been inodore, incolore et sans flavore.

Nothing here, pass along.

 

[Rapala]

We haven't always had a French coach. Look at the Habs dynasties.

There was never an issue in the front office or the coaching staff. We had enough French Stars/Superstars to provide a constant flow of media in that language. We also had people like Claude Ruel during Scotty's tenure who could deal with the press. Also our long term players for the most part had no aversion to learning french and tried to speak it despite their accents. But the most important thing is we had tremendous success which is a cure for all ailments. Fans cared about what transpired on the ice period. The players could get away with murder but it didn't really matter when they won.

 

[dinodebino]

It's ridiculous and part of the reason the team will never be as successful as it can be until these types of situations are non-existent

Go cheer for another franchise if you don't like it. It's simple, really.

 

[26Mats]

could be worse. i like Perry with Caufield and KK with Tatar and Anderson - these 3 are all good 3rd liners at this point in their careers.

 

[dinodebino]

We haven't always had a French coach. Look at the Habs dynasties.

Yup, made up of 80 pcent francos where it really counts : on the ice.

 

[Wats]

Perry-Staal-Caufield

Yep, I think I can already guess how this one is going to go.

-3 with a Caufield goal

 

[1909]

-3 with a Caufield goal

Why not go back to Lehkonen-Evans-CC ?????

 

[WeThreeKings]

Those guys are in MTL and have played yesterday nite. Belzile is already with them in TO on the Squad. Easy to explain. No political bs here. Frolik is nothing to write home about.

It absolutely is political BS man, come the f*** on. They're using a useless AHLer over multiple established NHL vets and a couple of prospects.

 

[BLONG7]

Dom really struggles to figure out who should play with who..............
One thing for sure tonight, this is a HUGE game for Montreal, and a nothing game for the Leafs............that alone should make this a winnable game, as long as they start the game the right way!!!!
Tired of being down 2-0 after 5 minutes, or worse as we say last game. Danault was -3 in 3.26 of TOI............glad he is back in Montreal for the weekend......
A big start is the biggest need tonight......

 

[dinodebino]

You guys wanted the kids as 1-2, you got it.

Aside from the two geezers, this is a VERY young top 12...very.

Hope Allen is ready.

 

[Miller Time]

It absolutely is political BS man, come the f*** on. They're using a useless AHLer over multiple established NHL vets and a couple of prospects.

it's obvious not a hockey decision... but an understandable one. The BS is that it got to this point thanks to the inept GM and his roster building incompetence

 

[OldCraig71]

Why not go back to Lehkonen-Evans-CC ?????

That was the best I have seen Caufield look since he got here, they were skating their brains out and I thought seemed to have good chemistry as a line. Eric Staal looks like he is in a coma on skates ffs, he is completely done.

 

[dinodebino]

It absolutely is political BS man, come the f*** on. They're using a useless AHLer over multiple established NHL vets and a couple of prospects.

If Belzile would have been healthy all season long, he would have been Laval's best forward with Poehling. He's capable.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Belzile callup is stupid. It's a meaningless gesture and they should've just bit the bullet now. Pandemic is on, less attention to it...

They can add Quebec players next year if they want to but this is dumb.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Speaking of dumb... Armia on the first makes absolutely no sense. And can we please stop with the Staal experiment?

 

[dinodebino]

Speaking of dumb... Armia on the first makes absolutely no sense. And can we please stop with the Staal experiment?

This one, I agree with 100%.

 

[le_sean]

It absolutely is political BS man, come the f*** on. They're using a useless AHLer over multiple established NHL vets and a couple of prospects.

What established NHL vet? Staal is an established NHL vet, close to being a great. Do you want him in the lineup? Frolik provides nothing. If you’re talking Weal, the cap hit is too high. Ylonen? Then you’d complain that his development is stalled on the 4th line.

Belzile was already with the team and even played in the playoffs last year. Get over it.

 

[overlords]

Belzile callup is stupid. It's a meaningless gesture and they should've just bit the bullet now. Pandemic is on, less attention to it...

They can add Quebec players next year if they want to but this is dumb.

It's a non issue. Belzile is a better player than Staal at this point.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

It's a non issue. Belzile is a better player than Staal at this point.

I'm a better player than Staal is at this point.


I don't think you have to hate anyone to think this move is an empty gesture.

I'm all for preserving a French presence on the team but the reality is that it's getting harder and harder to do. There simply isn't the same percentage of French players that there used to be. French superstars are becoming increasingly uncommon, bordering on rare.

Cut the chord tonight and add more French players next year.

I'm not going to lose any sleep over this either way but I think it's an empty move.

 

[morhilane]

The line-up is pretty much the lines in the 3rd last game + Belzile.

Hopefully last game was enough for Tatar to shake the rust because he looked off.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If Belzile would have been healthy all season long, he would have been Laval's best forward with Poehling. He's capable.

Poehling was the guy I was thinking about. I mean wouldn't he have been the logical callup?

 

[austin316]

Game will be over before the 5 minute mark of the first period

 

[MXD]

It absolutely is political BS man, come the f*** on. They're using a useless AHLer over multiple established NHL vets and a couple of prospects.

Are you implying Michael Frolik has been useful?