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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 18, 2020 9:45:13 GMT -5
It will be interesting to see if Julien is ready to reinsert Juulsen back into the lineup after a long layoff. With both Kulak and Ouellet held off the ice to date, you have to think the coaches are watching his camp very closely.
Another good article from Marc Dumont about Juulsen. Dumont follows the Rocket very closely, so provides some great insights into the players and coaches there.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 18, 2020 10:03:17 GMT -5
Bouchard working with a separate group again today.
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Post by folatre on Jul 18, 2020 17:27:55 GMT -5
I fully understand if Domi is not comfortable with the risks he would be taking. Interestingly, though, another well known Type 1 diabetic, Kaapo Kakko, has been participating in the Rangers' since the start of the week.
Somehow I imagine that Pat Brisson is not keen on an important client taking all the risks with no future contract to fall back on.
If Domi misses the entire two weeks of camp and only joins the team in Toronto next weekend, what would Bergevin expect Julien to do with him?
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Post by GNick99 on Jul 20, 2020 6:44:09 GMT -5
We know Kovalchuk, Thompson, Scandella, and Cousins are not on the post-season roster because Bergevin rightly concluded we don’t need these guys while our playoff diminish to one-tenth of one percent. But the question now is who should be on the expanded roster for the series against Pittsburgh, in the event that it ever happens. The league apparently told clubs that the limit will be 28 skaters and however many goalies you choose to bring in the context of each club’s entire delegation entering the bubble cannot exceed 50 individuals. Forwards: Tatar, Danault, Gallagher, Lehkonen, Suzuki, Armia, Drouin, Domi, Byron, Weal, Evans, Weise, Hudon, Poehling, Vejdemo, Ylonen Defense: Chiarot, Weber, Petry, Kulak, Mete, Folin, Ouellet, Fleury, Juulsen, Brook, Alzner Goalies: Price, Lindgren, Primeau, McNiven That is 17 forwards, 11 d-men, and 4 goalies. No doubt if Romanov is ruled eligible, he would be there and Alzner could stay in BC and enjoy the summer. And likewise, if Demchenko is also eligible I suppose they bring him to get him acclimated, which would mean McNiven almost assuredly stays home. In addition, I am assuming that Kotkaniemi is not healthy enough for contact hockey until closer to September. With those 4 veteran traded, we have no playoff depth. I can't imagine getting thru 5 playoff rounds with no depth. 4 playoff rounds in other years with no depth never been done. Can't see it. A fluke upset of Pens be worse case scenario
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Post by seventeen on Jul 20, 2020 14:07:47 GMT -5
I can't recall which GM said it, but they stated you needed one player per round to step in. That infers someone's getting injured every 5-6 games.
I'm not that concerned about playoff depth this year. Or next. After that.....that's when I think we can be at least possible contenders. A lot depends on how the defence (Juulsen, Romanov, Brook, Fleury, Norlinder, Struble, Fairbrother and Harris) turn out. One top 10 defenseman out of that group and all is possible. I'm expecting Kotka and Suzuki to be top centres and Primeau to be one hell of a goalie. That leaves the defence to fill out the strength up the centre. In hindnsight I have lingering regrets over the Sergachev trade. He would be that big minutes eater and the rest of the group would be terrific support. Oh well.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 20, 2020 18:13:37 GMT -5
Domi at camp today. He gets a week to get in synch with his mates before heading to TO.
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Post by folatre on Jul 20, 2020 18:57:41 GMT -5
Good news. This is much better than Domi showing up to join the group in Toronto on the 26th.
But he is definitely behind guys getting two full weeks of camp let alone players on teams like the Penguins and the Leafs that basically had their entire roster together in Phase 2 before Phase 3 even began on the 13th.
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Post by seventeen on Jul 20, 2020 19:09:54 GMT -5
And let's hope he doesn't contract Covid. That would not be good.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 21, 2020 6:29:04 GMT -5
Yikes.
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Post by Willie Dog on Jul 21, 2020 7:43:47 GMT -5
Holy crap... Glad the kid is alright.
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Post by folatre on Jul 21, 2020 18:46:55 GMT -5
Price was pretty blunt with an honest response to a question about how well he would need to play for Montreal to take out Pittsburgh. Paraphrasing, he said something to the effect that "we all will have to play over our heads to win."
Maybe Pricer is just trying to lull the Penguins into being overconfident. Or maybe he believes the disparity in quality between the two rosters is quite pronounced. Or maybe both.
Just like his comments on locker clear out day in April 2019, some of the brutally honest things that he says must give Molson and Bergevin indigestion but I admire his honesty.
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 21, 2020 21:40:17 GMT -5
Price was pretty blunt with an honest response to a question about how well he would need to play for Montreal to take out Pittsburgh. Paraphrasing, he said something to the effect that "we all will have to play over our heads to win." Maybe Pricer is just trying to lull the Penguins into being overconfident. Or maybe he believes the disparity in quality between the two rosters is quite pronounced. Or maybe both. Just like his comments on locker clear out day in April 2019, some of the brutally honest things that he says must give Molson and Bergevin indigestion but I admire his honesty. Do Molson or Bergevin know what honesty and transparency are? Domi and Romanov are playing Russian roulette with their lives and careers.
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Post by Boston_Habs on Jul 22, 2020 11:56:08 GMT -5
I'll say it again. Now that the #1 pick is in play, we need to lose. Teams like Boston should take this tournament seriously, but not us.
I would roll out as many young guys as we can while still putting up a competitive fight.
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 22, 2020 12:43:56 GMT -5
And let's hope he doesn't contract Covid. That would not be good. Donald Trump told Gary Bettman that if the NHL stops testing, they will be safe.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 22, 2020 12:55:10 GMT -5
Scrimmage day. Ouellet and Kulak both hit the ice for the first time today, although Kulak did not stay for the scrimmage. He may be nursing something.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 23, 2020 12:42:35 GMT -5
Everyone was on the ice today, including Kulak. They will have to trim the roster by a few bodies before they head to TO.
Ouellet opens up about his reason for missing so much of Phase 3.
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Post by folatre on Jul 23, 2020 19:05:32 GMT -5
My understanding is that Montreal only had 17 forwards, 12 d-men (including Romanov), and 4 goalies. The NHL permits teams to bring 32 players into the bubble, so if Montreal wants to travel with the maximum allowable then basically everyone except one guy can travel.
Is the league going to mandate each club submit a 23 man roster list the night before or the morning of each game it plays?
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2020 12:31:13 GMT -5
My understanding is that Montreal only had 17 forwards, 12 d-men (including Romanov), and 4 goalies. The NHL permits teams to bring 32 players into the bubble, so if Montreal wants to travel with the maximum allowable then basically everyone except one guy can travel. Is the league going to mandate each club submit a 23 man roster list the night before or the morning of each game it plays? Teams have to submit their 52 personnel (including 31 player max) lists to the league today. We shall soon see which couple of players don’t go to the bubble. As for game rosters, I expect it will be similar to the roster deadline for regular playoff games in the past when teams can carry as many black aces as they want.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 24, 2020 12:39:50 GMT -5
Kulak opens up about his COVID experience. Good to see he is better. He was on the third pairing today, so he is catching up with his mates.
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Post by folatre on Jul 24, 2020 19:01:14 GMT -5
My understanding is that Montreal only had 17 forwards, 12 d-men (including Romanov), and 4 goalies. The NHL permits teams to bring 32 players into the bubble, so if Montreal wants to travel with the maximum allowable then basically everyone except one guy can travel. Is the league going to mandate each club submit a 23 man roster list the night before or the morning of each game it plays? Teams have to submit their 52 personnel (including 31 player max) lists to the league today. We shall soon see which couple of players don’t go to the bubble. As for game rosters, I expect it will be similar to the roster deadline for regular playoff games in the past when teams can carry as many black aces as they want. Thanks, NW. I doubt there is enough practice time in Toronto to warrant bringing a fourth goalie, so I have to figure McNiven is not involved. And if Romanov is traveling as part of the 52 but not counting against the 31 players, then basically everyone else in Phase 3 punches their ticket to Toronto: 17 forwards, 11 d-men, and 3 goalies.
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Post by NWTHabsFan on Jul 26, 2020 9:19:47 GMT -5
Last practice yesterday, as les boys are off to TO today. The lines and D pairings starting to take shape.
Weise still sticking around on the fourth line. Is Claude nostalgic from when Weise had a great playoff run and could still play NHL hockey?
Kulak and Ouellet both in the mix big time despite missing most of camp. Fleury seems to be the young guy that might get some shot, just based on where he is practicing.
Folin is way down the depth chart now. He is a UFA at the end of this season, so does not look like he will be back. They do have to make room for Juulsen who has to clear waivers anyway next season.
KK still as the 3C with Domi getting the 4C spot. Good to see KK not get relegated to either the LW or the 4th line...yet.
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Post by seventeen on Jul 26, 2020 13:43:21 GMT -5
We should start to see more of what this team truly is. These friendlies will be less friendly than usual, and the pace should be a lot higher. There's so little time that every shift counts. That '4th line' has really bad make-up. None of those guys is very good defensively and while I don't have any issue with not having the 'typical' energy 4th line and instead having 4 of BC's 'lines of fury', it makes it difficult to provide adequate ice time for everyone. I suspect that's why most teams opt to have 'specialists' for the 4th like, like PK'rs or face off guys or tough guys, rather than playing their excess skill players. Naturally, most teams don't have enough skill players. That's Montreal's biggest issue, though. Lots of pretty decent players and no real difference makers (yet).
I'm referring primarily to the offense. The defensive side is another think altogether. Just have a look at the left side of the defense. Chiarot on the top pairing. Kulak on the 2nd pairing. I'm tempted to use the line from Sesame Street, "Which of these things doesn't belong here" except the answer is 'all of them'.
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Post by Skilly on Jul 26, 2020 14:13:05 GMT -5
That’s a playing to lose lineup.
The least they could do, if that’s the objective, is throw out some combos for experimentation to get a jump on next year.
Put Domi with Kotkaniemi and let’s see if it works! (I’d put Poehling on that line too, but that’s just me).
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Post by Habs_fan_in_LA on Jul 26, 2020 17:14:58 GMT -5
That’s a playing lose lineup. The least they could do, if that’s the objective, is throw out some combos for experimentation to get a jump on next year. Put Domi with Kotkaniemi and let’s see if it works! (I’d put Poehling on that line too, but that’s just me). I never in my wildest dreams foresaw my Habs entering the playoffs to try out some line combinations for next year. Domi has to be the aggressive Domi, KotK has to spring back from his slump sophomore jinx, Poehling needs to be the four goal a game opportunist finisher, Price needs the best playoffs of his life and Weber is the ageing wonder who I believe will deliver the goods. If ALL that happens and Danault shuts down Crosby and Malkin we have a realistic chance of winning one game from the Pens with the crowd of one, Bergevin cheering from the GM's box.
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Post by folatre on Jul 26, 2020 18:01:15 GMT -5
Who knows how Poehling has looked in camp. I cannot recall recall hearing anything about him. I would be worried that he cannot beat out guys like Weise or Weal to at least grab a spot on the wing; however, honestly I think he would have had to outplay them by a clear margin to win a spot.
Julien is saying all the right things about that fourth line, but I am skeptical. This is not the Dale Weise of 2014. Jordan Weal, I just don't get it in general. Even strength he is a CF% darling (so was Schlemko in San Jose), but he somehow always manages to be on the ice for many more goals against than goals for. On the power play, he got almost 97 minutes this season and racked up a whopping 5 points. Honestly I do not understand what Bergevin, Julien, and a good portion of the English media in Montreal see in him. So basically I foresee Domi going with a heavy dose of hero-rushes where he tries to handle through three opponents.
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Post by HFTO on Jul 26, 2020 21:18:41 GMT -5
Love to see them run with the future KK Poehling Evans Juhlssen but unlikely
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Post by UberCranky on Jul 26, 2020 21:37:41 GMT -5
If....if Poeling pulls a rabbit out of his shorts and scores 3 goals like he did in his first game, he's going to become a legend in his own time.
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Post by folatre on Jul 26, 2020 23:07:36 GMT -5
Interestingly, Montreal is bringing all four goalies. I had thought with the limited practice time available to the clubs while in the bubble that it would not really be necessary.
Among the guys who were in camp, it looks like Dauphin and Brook were the only ones left behind in Montreal.
For all of the clubs destined for a nice short stay in Toronto or Edmonton, I would estimate that approximately eight guys eligible to play who are in fact making the trip will very likely not play in a single game.
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Post by UberCranky on Jul 30, 2020 23:11:40 GMT -5
Thanks, seventeen. My play-in round picks match those with the exception of the Nashville-Arizona series. Montreal is a long shot. There is a reason that they have the longest odds of any of the 24 teams to win the Cup ($100 wager pays out $10,000). I got a used jockstrap bet on the line. I don't know what the return will be, but i pre-declined it. lol This entire playoff thing is going to prove we're pretenders. Unfortunatly, it will leave a bad taste in our collective...even if the results are predictable.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on Aug 1, 2020 8:30:40 GMT -5
Thanks, seventeen. My play-in round picks match those with the exception of the Nashville-Arizona series. Montreal is a long shot. There is a reason that they have the longest odds of any of the 24 teams to win the Cup ($100 wager pays out $10,000). I got a used jockstrap bet on the line. I don't know what the return will be, but i pre-declined it. lol This entire playoff thing is going to prove we're pretenders. Unfortunatly, it will leave a bad taste in our collective...even if the results are predictable. The season series is slightly in favour of Pittsburgh, 2 games to 1, with the Penguins outscoring the Habs 8-7, but I'm not expecting too much, HA ... we're going into the qualifying round with two 20-year-old centres and it's not quite their time just yet ... I also keep reading that we could steal the series if Jaroslav Halak Carey Price stands on his head, though I'm not buying into it ... that said, if we do happen to take out Pittsburgh, great, but I'm not convinced we have the team to advance further in the playoffs ... that's a tad negative, sure, but like I was saying I'm trying not to expect too much ... Cheers.
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