GDT: Montreal Canadiens vs Toronto Maple Leafs (7PM EST)

[Scriptor]

I think you are right that his teammates did not help him much.

I did feel like Pitlick tried ( more in the 1st ) but you can see center is not his best position.

Those were sadly still the more NHL player we had in the line up tonight. Maybe we will get more from Slaf when he plays with actual good NHL players.

Armia, Pitlick and Evans were the only three NHl players in the lineup with Slafkovsky and, to be polite, they aren't exactly the cream of the crop for the Habs. Evans is better than Pitlick and Armia, but he wasn't playing with Slafkovsky either...

Slafkovsky is not being put in the best position to excel right now. I think they will play him with better players as the camp wears on and the herd thins out. looks like they are setting him up to improve as the camp wears on, in order to justify him starting in Montreal.

 

[Habano]

I wanted Shane Wright! That said, I can't believe how people have turned against Slaf after 2 preseason games. Can we give the kid a chance? Maybe with better line mates than Arimia and Pitlick?

He has played 2 preseason games ffs and and people are calling him a bust already? Unreal. Tonight he was on a line with a book end and a guy who was picked up on waivers whose ceiling is a 4th or 3rd liner at best. Chill out folks.

 

[Michelangelo]

I wanted Shane Wright! That said, I can't believe how people have turned against Slaf after 2 preseason games. Can we give the kid a chance? Maybe with better line mates than Arimia and Pitlick?

He has played 2 preseason games ffs and and people are calling him a bust already? Unreal. Tonight he was on a line with a book end and a guy who was picked up on waivers. Chill out folks.

Who's calling him a bust?

 

[Habano]

Who's calling him a bust?

Maybe bust is too strong a word but if you go through the thread, the shellacking he's getting is crazy. I'll wait a couple if years before I pass judgement

 

[MarkovsKnee]

After a game vs a legit contender, all ours prospects are put back in their place. from overhyped to patience

They were never over-hyped. Beck still looked good, and had a Corsi of 100% after 1st period. I think it's ok to be happy about his play throughout training camp. Ditto Mesar. Slafkovsky played fine.

Guhle didn't play.

Harris played another strong game.

And Leafs were far from a cup contender lineup tonight.

Only prospect you maybe take a real look at with some NHL games is Heineman, and only because he's 21 in November, already has 2 SHL seasons & plays a prostyle game.

Any teens get dispersed to other leagues, 20 year olds to Laval, albeit I can see both Guhle & X-man getting some NHL games early since our NHL D is really thin in depth. We'll see how rest of exhibition games go.

Next year's camp is way more important than this one anyway. We still want to suck balls this year like Buffalo did for McDavid and Toronto for Matthews.

No kids need to be around for that this year.

 

[Habs]

Who's calling him a bust?

I may have been calling him Bustkovsky from time to time. Standard protocol

 

[Habano]

I may have been calling him Bustkovsky from time to time. Standard protocol

Didn't even see you say that. I actually enjoy reading your posts because they're funny. I'm talking about the mood in the thread in general.

 

[Dharvey08]

Pitlick and Armia were hot garbage tonight.

Slaf made some decent plays on the puck but they seemed too complicated for his line mates.

The skill and attitude are definitely there and he will be for sure getting a long look (7-10 games) to see if he is able to perform at the nhl level before being sent to Laval.

A lot of people were calling Jack Hughes or Ekblad busts after their first year so I will for sure reserve my full jugement on him for at least 2 years.

At least the guy is not Bambi on skates and possess the right attitude.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Yeah I agree with this.

My only concern is that AHL is a lot of travel, very little time to actually get stronger, faster and better. Recovery, training, etc. Its all very crucial for him.

Liiga is the best of options, but I understand it is not happening.

Lmao, cant wait for 2031 then.

I would definitely prefer Slafkovsky in SHL actually. I'm not a fan of Liiga anymore. I wonder if that is possible.

 

[The Great Weal]

Armia genuinely sucks with everyone. Last time he was good was with Perry and Staal for 5 games. The time before that it was with Suzuki and Drouin against the Flyers for 3 games. The guy has zero chemistry with everyone.

 

[Runner77]

Beck continuing to get noticed.

With this play:



And winning this faceoff cleanly by switching his stick to his offhand:



Guy Carbonneau who was a faceoff specialist in his own right, said that he had often thought of switching his stick to his off hand on faceoffs, but never had the guts to try it:

 

[Tyson]

While Slaf is not overwhelming anyone, he couldn't have been on a line with two more useless vets.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

time will tell, but I think wright has looked like an nhl player and he played with eberle and Schwartz. He created space all night and seemed awkward at moments, but you could see him adapting as the game went on. feels like they want to give him a chance…

I don't think so. What did he do that was so great? He played 13 minutes, got boxed out & had some good shifts and bad shifts. He didn't stand out in anyway against Calgary's C team.

Nemec has already been criticized by his coach for his defensive play & Cooley is going to NCAA hockey and isn't even in camp.

People's expectations for this draft need to be cooled down. Slafkovsky is the right choice for this organization.

Ideally, you want a Rantanen/Draisaitl type development where he takes 1-2 years to continue to develop his game outside of NHL.

Slaf is the right choice for this club & what HuGo is trying to build. But, it isn't this year.

 

[Goldenhands]

I would definitely prefer Slafkovsky in SHL actually. I'm not a fan of Liiga anymore. I wonder if that is possible.

Why SHL over AHL?

 

[Tyson]

Hard to believe Arber Xhekaj was not drafted into the OHL or the NHL.
How does a player this good go completely un drafted?
Covid was obviously a factor but no amateur scouts saw his potential?

 

[MarkovsKnee]

Why do you prefer SHL to AHL exactly?

Less games, more practice/training opportunities, larger rink (helps with skating), strong league with good offenses & he's away from the Montreal media/fan hype train.

But, I absolutely expect him to be in AHL.

 

[Tyson]

Why SHL over AHL?

AHL is a less skilled league than the SHL.
Still alot of goons in the AHL. The SHL is a league that can be easier to work on developing skills. Just my take.

 

[Belial]

Burrows PP doing magic again.. black magic that is

There are one or two players max that is playing tonight and we'll get regular shifts on the PP when the season starts! Relax...

 

[Mrb1p]

Hard to believe Arber Xhekaj was not drafted into the OHL or the NHL.
How does a player this good go completely un drafted?
Covid was obviously a factor but no amateur scouts saw his potential?

Actually his draft year was 2019, so it was before Covid. It is indeed crazy, but its not him going undrafted that amazes me but his development path.

 

[Mrb1p]

I don't think so. What did he do that was so great? He played 13 minutes, got boxed out & had some good shifts and bad shifts. He didn't stand out in anyway against Calgary's C team.

Nemec has already been criticized by his coach for his defensive play & Cooley is going to NCAA hockey and isn't even in camp.

People's expectations for this draft need to be cooled down. Slafkovsky is the right choice for this organization.

Ideally, you want a Rantanen/Draisaitl type development where he takes 1-2 years to continue to develop his game outside of NHL.

Slaf is the right choice for this club & what HuGo is trying to build. But, it isn't this year.

I watched that Nemec game and he was all over the ice pushing plays and being fookin dynamic. Unsure thats a good example, if Slaf did that Id be running around the street screaming Chadkovsky.

Wright had a tamer game, similar to Slaf.

 

[le_sean]

There are one or two players max that is playing tonight and we'll get regular shifts on the PP when the season starts! Relax...

They were clearly trying things as Schueneman was on the 1st wave, but not Wideman.

 

[Belial]

They were clearly trying things as Schueneman was on the 1st wave, but not Wideman.

Yeah, they were using Leskinen over Wideman too.

 

[Runner77]

 

[Belial]

 

[BaseballCoach]

Only prospect you maybe take a real look at with some NHL games is Heineman, and only because he's 21 in November, already has 2 SHL seasons & plays a prostyle game.

Any teens get dispersed to other leagues, 20 year olds to Laval, albeit I can see both Guhle & X-man getting some NHL games early since our NHL D is really thin in depth. We'll see how rest of exhibition games go.

Next year's camp is way more important than this one anyway. We still want to suck balls this year like Buffalo did for McDavid and Toronto for Matthews.

No kids need to be around for that this year.

I don't think the Habs brass agree that they should have no kids around.

Aside from Slaf, Mesar, Beck. Roy and Kidney, all the other prospects are on a ticking ELC clock. Primeau is on a ticking cheap contract too.

If what you are saying is the kids are better than some of the vets, and therefore sending them down HELPS suck balls, the downside to that is delayed development and burning a year of quite a few ELCs. I don't think that is worth it, and it could de-motivate younger guys who might feel that even having a great camp is not rewarded, while plugs playing out the string are rewarded.

A guy who clearly earned an NHL spot at $900,000 per year is not going to be super-happy that he is being sent down in order for the team to lose more, and he personally takes a 92% pay cut for going along with the favour!!

Furthermore, if the goal is to suck balls, Gorton might as well fire the entire skills development team or shift their place of work to Laval, Trois-Rivieres and several junior clubs.

I really do not think an uber-tank is the Habs' plan. Their goal is to establish a winning culture, and any slide of draft pick ranking will be more than compensated by accelerated development, high asset values for traded players, and a greater attractiveness to free agents in 1-2 years.

NHL with their actual performances. I don't want to see players with good potential get benched/punished for mistakes that come from playing over their heads. I only object to the idea of sending them down in order to suck more, even though they are worthy.