Preseason GM 4 TOR vs MTL Saturday, Sept 30th @ 7:00 PM EDT

[Disgruntled70sHab]

Toronto Maple Leafs vs Montreal Canadiens
Saturday, Sept 30th @ 7:00 PM EDT
Networks: RDS,
TSN2, TSN4

  vs  

 Radio (Français): 98,5 fm Les Amateurs de Sports 
Radio (English): TSN 690   

         (Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Logan Mailloux, RD

* Logos courtesy SportsLogos.net and TSN.ca

[Willie Dog]

Let's hope there's more enthusiasm in this game

Lineup

Forwards
22 Caufield 14 Suzuki 15 Newhook

49 Harvey-Pinard 77 Dach 20 Slafkovsky

51 Heineman 86 Kidney 24 Andersson

55 Pezzetta 61 Maillet 57 Farrell

Defensemen
59 Norlinder 52 Barron

21 Guhle 64 Reinbacher

84 Trudeau 26 Kovacevic

Goalies
35 Montembeault

74 Dobes

[seventeen]

Farrell stuck on bottom 6 again. That tells you the decision has already been made. Unless he turns Pezzetta and Maillet into Caufield, he's headed for Laval. That 4th line hurts just to look at. Maillet is a 30 year old, though he did put up decent numbers in the KHL last year. 53 in 66 games.

Curious how that 3rd line will do.

The defense corps is a test. Guhle and Reinbacher should be ok, Trudeau and Kovacevic wouldn't frighten me too much as a third pair, but I really don't know about Norlinder/Barron. Norlinder appears to be improving as the camp has gone on. Barron seems to lack confidence and hasn't progressed.

I always look forward to seeing Dach. We should nickname him Ten-pin. If only we were still able to assign retired numbers. Sigh.

[seventeen]

Roy and Mesar sent down. Toronto takes a 1-0 lead. I check the minuses......Kovacevic Norlinder Pezzetta Maillet and Farrell. (Clears throat).

[drkcloud]

I read somewhere that Martin Jones has the worst numbers of any goalie in the NHL the past couple years and he's bound for the waiver wire.. somehow he's stopped all 23 he's faced tonight. Ugh

[NWTHabsFan]

Dobeš in for Monty to start the third. 3-0 Uber bad guys

[Tankdriver]

Anyone else concerned with the lack of scoring so far this pre-season?

[IamCanadiens]

Sept 30, 2023 20:09:30 GMT -5 Tankdriver said:

Anyone else concerned with the lack of scoring so far this pre-season?

No expectations for the Habs this year beyond player development. Only concern for me is injury prevention.

[Willie Dog]

This team won't make the playoffs, it'll be about player development and maximizing assets such as Monahan, Pearson, armia, bGal... and pray we can get something decent back for them.

[Tankdriver]

We're going to need a battleship ot two because so far it is a bunch of row boats with a 70 hp johnson motor.

[habsorbed]

That should have been no contest given the 2 line-ups. But Habs vets stunk out the joint. i know it's pre-season but Suze was awful and Dach not much better. Cole was pretty good. I see potential in Newhook but don't see him doing much this season. And that PP better get a lot better or I see another first overall.

As for the youngins, Guile very impressive. Reinbacher is the real deal, in a few years. Slafs showing improvement but still pretty raw. Dobes look really good. I like his poise and disposition, and his saves!

Barron should be concerned for his positon on the big team. Trudeau will never see the big team. Nor will Andersson.

[seventeen]

Pre-season, guys. Immaterial. Useless info.

Don’t place any bets based on pre-season.

[Tankdriver]

Disagree. That's where winning habits start.

[habsorbed]

Sept 30, 2023 23:23:09 GMT -5 Tankdriver said:

Disagree. That's where winning habits start.

Agree. We've been horrible in pre-season for a few years now. Is it coincidence that we've been horrible in regular season as well? I know Suze will pick up his game, and hopefully Dach too. But the lack of intensity (Farrell) is disconcerting. Is Marty making this too much of a kumbaya culture?

[PTH]

Norlinder and Barron are in a race to the bottom. Both scare me.

Trudeau seems to be outplaying both, and Reinbacher is improving every game.

If I'm Hughes, and some other GM has an interest in Barron, I'm listening.

I noticed Farrell in a few plays, and figure he needs the right linemates, but he definitely didn't have them tonight.

I'm not sure what to think about Newhook. He's got the speed, but I'm not sure he has the brains or hands to be effective. I hope we didn't give up 2 high picks for a cross between Byron and Eller.

[seventeen]

Oct 1, 2023 0:21:27 GMT -5 habsorbed said:

Sept 30, 2023 23:23:09 GMT -5 Tankdriver said:

Disagree. That's where winning habits start.

Agree. We've been horrible in pre-season for a few years now. Is it coincidence that we've been horrible in regular season as well? I know Suze will pick up his game, and hopefully Dach too. But the lack of intensity (Farrell) is disconcerting. Is Marty making this too much of a kumbaya culture?

Ok, Clarification needed.

The last couple of games, where our 'real line-up' is iced and we're getting our systems and chemistry in place is important. The previous games, where the coaches are throwing spaghetti at the wall to watch what sticks and if anyone stands out, are immaterial. There is so much crap going on in those early games (playing all those AHL calibre non prospects?) that you can't make judgments. D-men put the puck where a forward is supposed to be and he isn't there so the dman looks bad. Two guys go to forecheck the same player or two guys go to check the same attacking forward in our zone. The inexperience, lack of talent and poor chemistry are handicaps. As well, some teams ice ECHL lineups in opposition and others ice their regular group. There's no consistency in our line-ups or that of our opposition. You can't get a read in those circumstances.

[Tankdriver]

So why have 60 something players in camp? Serves no purpose at all except to make revenue for the extra preseason games that serve no purpose.

Which gets back to the original argument of having just 3 games with 30ish amount of players and finish two weeks earlier.