Post-Game Talk: Montembeault shines. Guhle scores first in 3-2 win!

[Manse]

Nice goal Guhle.

Piss off Gallagher.

Won't get to excited Gallagher's goals had a lot off help to get in the net lol Monty was first star in that game by far and away

 

[Rapala]

Just a qu

The 5 FWD PP actually looked dangerous, they just didn't manage to score.

They gave up two glorious SH opportunities to Buffalo just to put it into context. Rapala was less than impressed.

 

[Rapala]

It’s pretty ironic how goaltending and our rookie D squad is 99% why we are playing.500 hockey at this point, and that they were THE main concern starting the season.
Imagine if all of Hoffman, Drouin, Dadonov, Wideman, Dvorak and Pitlick were playing just ‘average’ instead of trash, and if our p.p was quarterbacked by Matheson. We could easily be right behind Boston in the Atlantic right now ( we’re actually just 1 point behind Florida at the present)
Fans are gonna be pissed, but I don’t see the Habs finishing bottom 3 this year. Probably gonna finish in the no man’s land somewhere between 18th to 25th overall.

People trip out and are not quick to grasp the fact that top tier kids enter the league far more prepared than even 10 years ago. The most important factors are probably support, and off ice comportment, which is a player development responsibility IMO. As for our goaltending Allen had some very solid seasons sharing the net in St. Louis. The knock on him was he couldn't put it all together for the post season. I think Monty is a good fit for him. Gone are the days of the 60 plus games starting role. We over used Allen last season under Marty and all it did was help the Tank when he went down.

8 games are far too small of a sample to draw any sort of conclusion. MTL could be right behind BOS but they could be right with ARI (very close games with TOR PIT and BUF).

The over all lack of depth will rear it's ugly head after about 20 - 30 games.

 

[Lshap]

I was very hard on Montembeault last year, with justification. But full credit to him for a very solid start to the season. High-quality goaltending last night!

That said, 8 games is a blip in a long season. Let's see where everyone is by December.

 

[HostileCapSpace]

I was very hard on Montembeault last year, with justification. But full credit to him for a very solid start to the season. High-quality goaltending last night!

That said, 8 games is a blip in a long season. Let's see where everyone is by December.

Allen and Monty are 3rd and 11th in the league in goals saved above expected. You have to think the gates will open at some point.

NHL Goalie Statistics

NHL Goalie Analytics, Expected Goals, Expected Rebounds

www.moneypuck.com

 

[the]

Gally with 2! This board been telling me for weeks Gallagher was garbage. Guess shows how much these posters know. Lol.

Never watched game, did Harris play right side?

He didn't score 2 goals and the first goal he can thank Owen Power.

 

[MasterD]

It would be typical Habs fashion to pick first last draft and somehow not get any of the potential 3 franchise defining players from this year's draft.

Bound to mediocrity.

Still in October and our goalies are still Allen and Monty.

Wait after Christmas, we’ll drop to the bottom.

I was very hard on Montembeault last year, with justification. But full credit to him for a very solid start to the season. High-quality goaltending last night!

That said, 8 games is a blip in a long season. Let's see where everyone is by December.

Amen.

In my mind Montambeault’s nickname should be Red Light Montambeault, but he’s playing good so far, props to him.

 

[MasterD]

You don't think that failing to acquire an actual franchise defining player this year will likely end with us going back to our typical first/second round exits into drafting low 20s for the next decade?

It's a picture I've been seeing for about the last 20 years.

That was all Carey Price. And I don’t even like him.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Still in October and our goalies are still Allen and Monty.

Wait after Christmas, we’ll drop to the bottom.


Amen.

In my mind Montambeault’s nickname should be Red Light Montambeault, but he’s playing good so far, props to him.

I said mid to end November, that's when we will start struggling IMO. Like many others, I don't really care about the winning and losing, I just want to see this team keep it's entertainment up and it's been fun since MSL and management took over. Besides Bedard, can't really ask for more to be honest!!

 

[beowulf]

While only 8 games in, my kind of worst situation for the Habs is happening so far. A .500 team that does not make the playoffs but is not low enough to get a top 5 pick.

Still nice to see the goalies doing well and both goals from the defence were score by rookies this season.

 

[Lshap]

Allen and Monty are 3rd and 11th in the league in goals saved above expected. You have to think the gates will open at some point.

NHL Goalie Statistics

NHL Goalie Analytics, Expected Goals, Expected Rebounds

www.moneypuck.com

Definitely. Our goaltending should be much better than last year's revolving door, which isn't saying much. My guess is Allen/Monty settle into the middle of the pack. Not bad. Not great.

IMO, the biggest variable in determining where the Habs finish will be the D. If Guhle, Xhekaj, Harris don't slump, and Mattheson and Edmundson are solid, the Habs will be a low-midpack team. If the rookies sag and we get hit with more injuries, we're a bottom-7 team.

 

[MXD]

While only 8 games in, my kind of worst situation for the Habs is happening so far. A .500 team that does not make the playoffs but is not low enough to get a top 5 pick.

Still nice to see the goalies doing well and both goals from the defence were score by rookies this season.

Goaltending is unsustainable

 

[Andy]

The development of Harris and Guhle have kind of sped up the backend rebuild and is help contributing to the habs .500 record. They aren't playing like rookies at all. And when Matheson and Edmundson return, the defense will be decent. Not good enough for a playoff team, but better than bottom feeder for sure.

I fully expected a lot of growing pains from Harris and Guhle, but they look like they already have 2 seasons of nhl experience under their belt.

Replacing Wideman and Kovacevic with Edmundson and Matheson will be a big change, and it may actually even help the offense a little bit.

Xhekaj is no slouch either, but not at the same level as Harris and Guhle.

 

[Naslundforever]

Some understand it better.

Look, this is a year with quite a few top end centre prospects, and in Habs fashion they will draft none of them. Enjoy the ride and hope Dach ends up being more than what he's shown.

Edit: Realized this sounded a bit more bitter than I intended. I think the pick this year will be a core player, but not the bonafide guy we are trying to manifest.

Slafkovsky - Suzuki - Caufield
Dach - Beck - Mesar
Anderson - Dubois -Heineman
3x special team ufa vets on expiring contracts

Guhle - Mailloux
Xhekaj - Matheson
Hutson - 2023 draft wtf omg out of nowhere pick

will win the cup in 2026-2027

 

[Lshap]

While only 8 games in, my kind of worst situation for the Habs is happening so far. A .500 team that does not make the playoffs but is not low enough to get a top 5 pick.

Still nice to see the goalies doing well and both goals from the defence were score by rookies this season.

In absolute rankings, yeah, no-man's land is the worst place to finish. But in terms of performance, the worst situation would be to win on the backs of the older vets. Luckily, the Habs' solid start is thanks mostly to youth and rookies, which is what every team wants – kids who can win games.

 

[Lockin17]

imagine Guhle in 3 years from now how good he is going to be......

 

[GrandBison]

I was very hard on Montembeault last year, with justification. But full credit to him for a very solid start to the season. High-quality goaltending last night!

That said, 8 games is a blip in a long season. Let's see where everyone is by December.

History is a reason why we are so hard on goalies. Montembeault lets some softies in but so does the rest of "OK" goalies in this league. Our vision is tint by Price, 2010 Halak, Huet playing over his head, Hart Théodore and Roy.

Last year, we had a team that forget how to get out of defensive zone. That was not helping Monty to look good.

 

[rik schau]

Fun game! Happy that Sammy got some run support for his splendid effort. As raw as the defense is,they are playing very reliably and mature,and will only get better.
Nice to see the lines altered to a degree,feel like they squandered training camp though and are only trying things now.

 

[BLONG7]

While only 8 games in, my kind of worst situation for the Habs is happening so far. A .500 team that does not make the playoffs but is not low enough to get a top 5 pick.

Still nice to see the goalies doing well and both goals from the defence were score by rookies this season.

We won the lottery ONE season too early.

 

[Andy]

In absolute rankings, yeah, no-man's land is the worst place to finish. But in terms of performance, the worst situation would be to win on the backs of the older vets. Luckily, the Habs' solid start is thanks mostly to youth and rookies, which is what every team wants – kids who can win games.

Exactly. We're winning games because of Suzuki, Caufield, Harris, Guhle, Xhekaj. The vets contributing to the success are mostly Anderson, Monahan, Savard, and Gallagher.

That's pretty much what you want to see from a team rebuilding. If Dach and Slaf can be added to that mix, the habs are starting to get into decent shape.

 

[Adam Michaels]

Good showing for Dach on FOs but how many did he take?

Maybe someone already answered you. But I looked this morning. He took a whopping 3 face-offs (won 2 and lost 1). Monahan took 10 face-offs (won 7 and lost 3) for 70%.

 

[BLONG7]

Gally with 2! This board been telling me for weeks Gallagher was garbage. Guess shows how much these posters know. Lol.

Never watched game, did Harris play right side?

Read the boxscore, and the goal that won the game was given back to Anderson.....

 

[ReHabs]

Gally with 2! This board been telling me for weeks Gallagher was garbage. Guess shows how much these posters know. Lol.

Never watched game, did Harris play right side?

C'mon man

 

[rik schau]

It was clear he was playing injured last year but he still battled. The constant Gally bashing is a little much, it’s old and tired.

as is Gallagher.lol.

 

[Gravity]

Obviously I’d love a top 3 pick, but 8 wouldn’t be so bad if it means good progression by the young players who are already on the roster.

For starters, I'm hoping Guhle has a Seider-esque rookie season.