Post-Game Talk: Hilarity ensues in Florida. Huge loss.

[Rapala]

It's not surprising that the wheels have fallen off, we are basically icing an AHL team that is trying to compete against NHL rosters. I will say that the AHL call-ups have worked hard, but that alone can't win us games.

The problem is people are falling in love with scrubs. We need some pugnacious talent coupled with tenacity. It's extremely sad Arber had to fight 10 fricking times in 50 games. I'm sick and tired of watching small wingers unable to win puck battles and when push comes to shove we are the ones always getting shoved. The thing I liked best about Corey Perry was not only his ability survive but to be able to dictate what went on in the trenches. We desperately need a younger version of Corey Perry who is comfortable anywhere and everywhere on the ice while being able to score goals. No more drafting pansies FFS.

 

[OldCraig71]

Time will tell, but I think Dach can be the #1 C we haven't had in 30 years. I also think Mailloux can be a Brent Burns type of #1 dman eventually. With Guhle, Barron, Hudson and Xhekaj, I think we have a bright future. I'm not worried about the D so much at this point, but G is a real problem, and top 6 players. As far as I'm concerned Dach Suzuki and Caufield are good pieces, hopefully we can add Dubois, but we're still missing two.

I'm not sold on Slafkovsky yet, he could be that guy but he could also end up an Armia.

People talk bout Farrell like he's the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I also kept reading Harris was the most sought after dman and would change this team and now people want him traded. It'll be interesting to see how he ends up, but he could be a 1st liner as much as he could be a 3rd liner, and he's another small one.

I remember the Harris talk and Norlinder as well. I don't comment much about prospects because I don't follow junior or college hockey and I don't have a leg to stand on when it comes to scouting or assessing young players. I will say that it takes a lot of talent to be able to make it to the NHL level and to be successful it takes a lot of good luck and a healthy body as well.

I forgot about Dach, he has size and talent but is still finding his way as well. I like Xhekaj and Guhle but it's a bit concerning to see the injuries so early in their NHL careers, Arber is going to need to cool it when it comes to fighting because he is becoming a marked man, he needs more support in Montreal, it can't always be him that answers the bell. I don't know about Slafkovsky either, he nearly got himself seriously injured on more than one occasion till finally being lost for the season. There is something going on whether it's our medical staff's negligence or poor coaching that is leaving our players in a vulnerable position. It needs to improve drastically, this season cannot be repeated.

 

[OldCraig71]

The problem is people are falling in love with scrubs. We need some pugnacious talent coupled with tenacity. It's extremely sad Arber had to fight 10 fricking times in 50 games. I'm sick and tired of watching small wingers unable to win puck battles and when push comes to shove we are the ones always getting shoved. The thing I liked best about Corey Perry was not only his ability survive but to be able to dictate what went on in the trenches. We desperately need a younger version of Corey Perry who is comfortable anywhere and everywhere on the ice while being able to score goals. No more drafting pansies FFS.

This is why I predicted that Caufield would be a 30-40 goal scorer instead of a 50+ goal guy, he's a small guy and while he is a wicked sniper he's one decent(not crushing) hit away from the press box. Farrell and Hutson are two more micro players that have oodles of talent but lack size. I loved Corey Perry but I don't know if that player even exists in a younger form. Matthews and company are cringing at the thought of facing him again lol.

 

[GobigorGohome]

This is why I predicted that Caufield would be a 30-40 goal scorer instead of a 50+ goal guy, he's a small guy and while he is a wicked sniper he's one decent(not crushing) hit away from the press box. Farrell and Hutson are two more micro players that have oodles of talent but lack size. I loved Corey Perry but I don't know if that player even exists in a younger form. Matthews and company are cringing at the thought of facing him again lol.

I like your thinking !!!
Not sure we won more than handful of puck battles against the Panthers.No body currently seems to finish checks anymore.Anderson tries but I think he has said FK it why should I be the only one

 

[OldCraig71]

I like your thinking !!!

I just say it as I sees it lol. I am wrong lots of times but I just think that the NHL game is harder on small players, it's okay to have 2 of them on a roster but when there's 5 of them on a team it spells trouble and we have been there in the past. They called us smurfs for way too long lol.

 

[GobigorGohome]

At least Monty recovered and shut door for rest of game .

 

[MasterD]

I just say it as I sees it lol. I am wrong lots of times but I just think that the NHL game is harder on small players, it's okay to have 2 of them on a roster but when there's 5 of them on a team it spells trouble and we have been there in the past. They called us smurfs for way too long lol.

Absolutely. "They're small but they're quick!" is fun and games until you face the Perry, Ladd, Byfuglien, Lucic, Wilson, etc of the world and then everyone's injured and season's over

 

[admiralcadillac]

Meh with talents like Dvorsky and Yager falling it seems like we can probably pick up an interesting player at 12-15

 

[Rapala]

This is why I predicted that Caufield would be a 30-40 goal scorer instead of a 50+ goal guy, he's a small guy and while he is a wicked sniper he's one decent(not crushing) hit away from the press box. Farrell and Hutson are two more micro players that have oodles of talent but lack size. I loved Corey Perry but I don't know if that player even exists in a younger form. Matthews and company are cringing at the thought of facing him again lol.

Preaching to the choir on this one my friend. Our takes are identical and it is one of the reasons I feel Suzuki ultimately has more value. I said the exact same thing about Evans. Although I like a lot of things about his game he like many of our forwards can not survive a sustained battle in the trenches. You can't have teams running players like Ghule with no push back and I'm not talking about fighting. A coach like Pat Burns would retaliate with lob dump ins to Gudas' corner and HARD HEAVY checking that would ensure he got the message loud and clear.

 

[OldCraig71]

Absolutely. "They're small but they're quick!" is fun and games until you face the Perry, Ladd, Byfuglien, Lucic, Wilson, etc of the world and then everyone's injured and season's over

There are games where big teams use their size to win games, maybe a second half of a back-to-back if you get what I am saying. A grind it out type of game where the opposition keeps the game on the boards and I have seen us lose a busload of those in the last 15 years simply because we had no answer for it.

 

[Rapala]

There are games where big teams use their size to win games, maybe a second half of a back-to-back if you get what I am saying. A grind it out type of game where the opposition keeps the game on the boards and I have seen us lose a busload of those in the last 15 years simply because we had no answer for it.

Like every important match up down the stretch against direct opponents. The one outlier of course was Covid 2 but our D got tons of praise heaped on them for their hard play. Nobody believes we would have lasted an early round against Tampa in a normal year.

 

[OldCraig71]

Preaching to the choir on this one my friend. Our takes are identical and it is one of the reasons I feel Suzuki ultimately has more value. I said the exact same thing about Evans. Although I like a lot of things about his game he like many of our forwards can not survive a sustained battle in the trenches. You can't have teams running players like Ghule with no push back and I'm not talking about fighting. A coach like Pat Burns would retaliate with lob dump ins to Gudas' corner and HARD HEAVY checking that would ensure he got the message loud and clear.

I agree with you as usual and I think that our takes are similar because we tend to take a logical/realistic stance on players and the game they play. Even though the game is changing there is still plenty of rough stuff and intimidation going on out there. When we were at our best we had a mix of everything, talent, size, grit/toughness and teams still need that, see Toronto and their struggles to win a round in the playoffs.

 

[Rapala]

I agree with you as usual and I think that our takes are similar because we tend to take a logical/realistic stance on players and the game they play. Even though the game is changing there is still plenty of rough stuff and intimidation going on out there. When we were at our best we had a mix of everything, talent, size, grit/toughness and teams still need that, see Toronto and their struggles to win a round in the playoffs.

I'm extremely happy our management seems to concur. Hughes talks about balance for a reason. Primarily because we are unbalanced and have been so since his arrival.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

You have to admit, Hughes has tried to get bigger, and bigger with talent, but some of our "Bigger" guys haven't always played like that this year, for whatever reason. And we've been (once again) decimated with injuries. Adding young guys like Slafkovsky, Dach and Barron, while players from the previous administration like Guhle and Xhekaj were all young regulars in the lineup. I fully expect him to stay the course in that regard. But he's been restricted in a lot of ways. Some of the deadwood will be cleared away when Drouin leaves, Dadonov was upgraded to Gurianov, and the biggest downfall that Hughes has faced - the lack of cap space to make moves - suddenly isn't an issue anymore once the season is over.

There should be approximately 13 million dollars, as of right now, in real money cap space for the UFA period in July, with a relief of Byron from LTIR. Obviously a lot of that will be going to Caufield, but you'll have to expect guys like Hoffman and Edmundson will also be made available/moved, not sure what they'll do vis-a-vis Gurianov and his qualifying offer but that could free up more, and of course there's the PLD question.

The draft lottery and draft and UFA period will be exciting times for Habs fans. It's about all we have to look forward to at this point haha.

 

[Rapala]

You have to admit, Hughes has tried to get bigger, and bigger with talent, but some of our "Bigger" guys haven't always played like that this year, for whatever reason. And we've been (once again) decimated with injuries. Adding young guys like Slafkovsky, Dach and Barron, while players from the previous administration like Guhle and Xhekaj were all young regulars in the lineup. I fully expect him to stay the course in that regard. But he's been restricted in a lot of ways. Some of the deadwood will be cleared away when Drouin leaves, Dadonov was upgraded to Gurianov, and the biggest downfall that Hughes has faced - the lack of cap space to make moves - suddenly isn't an issue anymore once the season is over.

There should be approximately 13 million dollars, as of right now, in real money cap space for the UFA period in July, with a relief of Byron from LTIR. Obviously a lot of that will be going to Caufield, but you'll have to expect guys like Hoffman and Edmundson will also be made available/moved, not sure what they'll do vis-a-vis Gurianov and his qualifying offer but that could free up more, and of course there's the PLD question.

The draft lottery and draft and UFA period will be exciting times for Habs fans. It's about all we have to look forward to at this point haha.

This is why I often mention redundancy with regards to our prospects. Hughes will have no compunction moving smaller skilled players for the right fit IMO.
They can't all play a role here or even in Laval. It's also why I didn't see us signing Drouin again no matter what even before he missed his meeting. It's just not the direction Hughes has demonstrated with any of his acquisitions.