Montreal at NY Rangers, Thursday Feb 15, @ 7 pm EST

[Willie Dog]

To make myself feel better I.put it on sportsnet... Bruins losing 3-1 to the Kraken... nesn feed

[Skilly]

I know it looks like the Rangers 7th goal looks to be a result of Kovacevic blowing a tire and Kakko going by him. But if you look back at the sequence, Xhekaj had the puck along the boards with no pressure on him and he attempted to bank it out of the zone. It got stopped at the blueline by a Ranger who flipped it back in. Xhekaj knocked it down and once again tried to go up along the boards only to once again not get it cleared from the zone. This time the pass made it to kakko …

I’m telling you, he is definitely not the same player we got used to seeing last year

[Willie Dog]

Feb 15, 2024 21:38:57 GMT -5 Skilly said:

I know it looks like the Rangers 7th goal looks to be a result of Kovacevic blowing a tire and Kakko going by him. But if you look back at the sequence, Xhekaj had the puck along the boards with no pressure on him and he attempted to bank it out of the zone. It got stopped at the blueline by a Ranger who flipped it back in. Xhekaj knocked it down and once again tried to go up along the boards only to once again not get it cleared from the zone. This time the pass made it to kakko …

I’m telling you, he is definitely not the same player we got used to seeing last year

Would you trade him?

And with 7 goals against there is plenty of blame to go around... the Rags are an aggressive team and our D struggled tonight... they learn and move on

[Andrew]

This top line is blossoming into possibly the best line the Habs have had this millennium. Slaf with his size and wingspan is a takeaway and puck retrieval machine.

[Willie Dog]

Feb 15, 2024 22:04:53 GMT -5 Andrew said:

This top line is blossoming into possibly the best line the Habs have had this millennium. Slaf with his size and wingspan is a takeaway and puck retrieval machine.

True and i wish he would shoot more but Cole has become a puck hound as well, he has really shown an ability to steal a puck and set up a line mate... nice to see him develop other skills

[Andrew]

Feb 15, 2024 22:07:02 GMT -5 Willie Dog said:

Feb 15, 2024 22:04:53 GMT -5 Andrew said:

This top line is blossoming into possibly the best line the Habs have had this millennium. Slaf with his size and wingspan is a takeaway and puck retrieval machine.

True and i wish he would shoot more but Cole has become a puck hound as well, he has really shown an ability to steal a puck and set up a line mate... nice to see him develop other skills

Yes, a welcome addition to his toolbox! He's really anticipating the play well and has a quick stick.

[habsorbed]

Feb 15, 2024 21:38:57 GMT -5 Skilly said:

I know it looks like the Rangers 7th goal looks to be a result of Kovacevic blowing a tire and Kakko going by him. But if you look back at the sequence, Xhekaj had the puck along the boards with no pressure on him and he attempted to bank it out of the zone. It got stopped at the blueline by a Ranger who flipped it back in. Xhekaj knocked it down and once again tried to go up along the boards only to once again not get it cleared from the zone. This time the pass made it to kakko …

I’m telling you, he is definitely not the same player we got used to seeing last year

I agree. Perhaps it's all about confidence. But he is now looking like the undrafted player no one expected to play in the NHL. Was being sent down that crushing to his fragile ego?

[habsorbed]

Well as many mistakes as there were tonight, was there any as egregious as Marty's decisions which turned the game around in the second period?

We're down 2-1 and have a PP to tie it up. We have our #1 unit which has been on a tear and less than a minute into the PP, Marty puts out the 2nd unit. Bad enough he takes off the 1st unit when they played well for over 90 seconds on numerous PPs last game as most #1 PP around the league do now. But did you see our 2nd unit. Gally, Gicnac, and Pearson up front - lots of goals there, not to mention a washed up guy who hasn't played in 3 weeks. And then on D we have X and, wait for it, Josh That's right, Josh Anderson on the point running the PP. Ya, the guy whio hasn't scored a goal or an assist in foreever, again. The guy who can't handle the puck. The guy who has no hockey IQ

So what happens? You guessed it: Rags get a shorty with Josh playing D - 3-1. Marty challenges and loses. Rags go to PP and get another - 4-1. Game over. WTF!!!

My only hope is this was all for the tank effort. If i'm one of the league's seller dwellers, i'm complaining to Bettman about an intentional tank by the Habs. There is no way Marty could justify or explain having that 2nd PP unit except that he wants to lose games.

[jkr]

I dont believe the coach is intentionally trying to lose. Undermining your team has such negative consequences.

I expect players to develop & grow. I also expect the coaches to grow as well. St. Louis blew that challenge. I cant stand Kreider but he wasnt interfering. I dont know what he thought he saw but MSL blew it & put the team in bad spot.

[Polarice]

Feb 16, 2024 6:42:15 GMT -5 jkr said:

I dont believe the coach is intentionally trying to lose. Undermining your team has such negative consequences.

I expect players to develop & grow. I also expect the coaches to grow as well. St. Louis blew that challenge. I cant stand Kreider but he wasnt interfering. I dont know what he thought he saw but MSL blew it & put the team in bad spot.

He saw the players stick behind the goaltender, was it interference or not was a 50/50 call. I've seen less called over the years, but, I feel this was a coin flip.

The Rangers didn't out play Montreal which is one positive we can take out of this game. Sure they got the bounces and deflections...I counted 5 in total. I'm sure the players were frustrated after the game, I'm sure MSL will try and get them to forget this one.

[Willie Dog]

http://instagram.com/p/C3VKPsPuLST

[Skilly]

Feb 15, 2024 21:47:57 GMT -5 Willie Dog said:

Feb 15, 2024 21:38:57 GMT -5 Skilly said:

I know it looks like the Rangers 7th goal looks to be a result of Kovacevic blowing a tire and Kakko going by him. But if you look back at the sequence, Xhekaj had the puck along the boards with no pressure on him and he attempted to bank it out of the zone. It got stopped at the blueline by a Ranger who flipped it back in. Xhekaj knocked it down and once again tried to go up along the boards only to once again not get it cleared from the zone. This time the pass made it to kakko …

I’m telling you, he is definitely not the same player we got used to seeing last year

Would you trade him?

And with 7 goals against there is plenty of blame to go around... the Rags are an aggressive team and our D struggled tonight... they learn and move on

Yes, I think I would. He definitely isn’t untouchable in my opinion

His ceiling is 4th d-man and he likely is a 3rd pairing guy when this team is ready to compete

He is a 10-15 point a year defenseman. Who can take the body and get involved in scrums/fights

I can’t remember the last time he laid a good hit that sent a message
I also can’t remember when he really dominated a fight

Now I know he has been reigned in somewhat by MSL, but if he isn’t producing, hitting, or fighting than he is just another run of the mill guy which we can easily replace, especially if he is making defensive blunders or can’t clear the zone.

Did we really miss him when he was in the AHL? Was there a game where we were roughed up because he wasn’t there as a “deterrent “?

GMs should trade when a players value is high. And with Reinbacher, Hutson and possibly Mailloux waiting in the wings, the time to trade Xhekaj might just be now

[Willie Dog]

Feb 16, 2024 12:17:54 GMT -5 Skilly said:

Feb 15, 2024 21:47:57 GMT -5 Willie Dog said:

Would you trade him?

And with 7 goals against there is plenty of blame to go around... the Rags are an aggressive team and our D struggled tonight... they learn and move on

Yes, I think I would. He definitely isn’t untouchable in my opinion

His ceiling is 4th d-man and he likely is a 3rd pairing guy when this team is ready to compete

He is a 10-15 point a year defenseman. Who can take the body and get involved in scrums/fights

I can’t remember the last time he laid a good hit that sent a message
I also can’t remember when he really dominated a fight

Now I know he has been reigned in somewhat by MSL, but if he isn’t producing, hitting, or fighting than he is just another run of the mill guy which we can easily replace, especially if he is making defensive blunders or can’t clear the zone.

Did we really miss him when he was in the AHL? Was there a game where we were roughed up because he wasn’t there as a “deterrent “?

GMs should trade when a players value is high. And with Reinbacher, Hutson and possibly Mailloux waiting in the wings, the time to trade Xhekaj might just be now

For years and years we screamed for a guy who would keep the other teams assholes in line... we have one and you'd move him... so when caufield and Hutson get abused... what then? Pezzeta and kovacevic are going to come to the rescue?

Xhekaj is a unicorn, you don't get rid of a unicorn... he is one of the few D men who can skate the puck out of the zone smartly or regularly make a tape to tape pass. He still makes some mistakes defensively, its why he a 3rd pairing D... but who on our D doesn't make mistakes?

[seventeen]

Feb 15, 2024 18:48:09 GMT -5 Skilly said:

Feb 14, 2024 23:59:39 GMT -5 seventeen said:

Ah, Kjell Dahlin. Only 3 years with the Habs before returning to Sweden. Great start in his rookie year and then two mediocre seasons. He didn't play full seasons, so maybe injuries were the cause of him leaving. Or the style of the NHL (it was fairly gruesome back then) didn't suit him any longer.

John Kordic with a hat trick?

It’s still hurts me that he didn’t win the Calder

I somewhat see why Suter got it, but that was an era of many high scoring defensemen. But for Wendel Clark to get 18 first place votes and Dahlin only got 4, goes to show what a joke the voting was

Dahlin was a Swede at a time when Swede's were still considered patsies. I guess Kjell Samuelsson helped put an end to that thinking.

[seventeen]

Feb 15, 2024 21:27:21 GMT -5 Willie Dog said:

To make myself feel better I.put it on sportsnet... Bruins losing 3-1 to the Kraken... nesn feed

I always enjoy Jack Edwards' tone of voice when the Bruins are losing. There's a whiny, depressed quality about it that's music to my ears.

[seventeen]

Feb 15, 2024 21:47:57 GMT -5 Willie Dog said:

Feb 15, 2024 21:38:57 GMT -5 Skilly said:

I know it looks like the Rangers 7th goal looks to be a result of Kovacevic blowing a tire and Kakko going by him. But if you look back at the sequence, Xhekaj had the puck along the boards with no pressure on him and he attempted to bank it out of the zone. It got stopped at the blueline by a Ranger who flipped it back in. Xhekaj knocked it down and once again tried to go up along the boards only to once again not get it cleared from the zone. This time the pass made it to kakko …

I’m telling you, he is definitely not the same player we got used to seeing last year

Would you trade him?

And with 7 goals against there is plenty of blame to go around... the Rags are an aggressive team and our D struggled tonight... they learn and move on

I think you need to give him some time because he's probably conflicted right now and thinking rather than reacting. Much like Marty had Caufield working "on other things" early this season, where his goal scoring deserted him while he concentrated on those 'other things", I feel that's where Arber's head is these days. Marty's given him some defensive aspects on which to focus and while he's thinking about those, the rest of his game is not where it should be. What will worry me is if Marty starts to treat him like Ylonen. A last resort. That will mean MSL's lost trust in him and Bob's your uncle. Either Xhekaj or Marty will have to go.

[seventeen]

Feb 16, 2024 3:18:52 GMT -5 habsorbed said:

Well as many mistakes as there were tonight, was there any as egregious as Marty's decisions which turned the game around in the second period?

We're down 2-1 and have a PP to tie it up. We have our #1 unit which has been on a tear and less than a minute into the PP, Marty puts out the 2nd unit. Bad enough he takes off the 1st unit when they played well for over 90 seconds on numerous PPs last game as most #1 PP around the league do now. But did you see our 2nd unit. Gally, Gicnac, and Pearson up front - lots of goals there, not to mention a washed up guy who hasn't played in 3 weeks. And then on D we have X and, wait for it, Josh That's right, Josh Anderson on the point running the PP. Ya, the guy whio hasn't scored a goal or an assist in foreever, again. The guy who can't handle the puck. The guy who has no hockey IQ

So what happens? You guessed it: Rags get a shorty with Josh playing D - 3-1. Marty challenges and loses. Rags go to PP and get another - 4-1. Game over. WTF!!!

My only hope is this was all for the tank effort. If i'm one of the league's seller dwellers, i'm complaining to Bettman about an intentional tank by the Habs. There is no way Marty could justify or explain having that 2nd PP unit except that he wants to lose games.

Anderson on the point is really, really, really stupid. If that's Marty's call, and you have to think it was, there's no excuse and I don't accept that Marty would be trying to boost Anderson's confidence prior to the tDL. If there are two characteristics of Anderson's game that are indisputable, it's a) he has no creativity or hockey IQ to speak of and b) he is a lousy passer and doesn't have great hands.

If you had to name two characterstics that your point guy should have, it's those two factors above. (As an aside, Matheson doesn't have great hands either, so why is he there?). But to have Anderson there, is the height of stupidity and there's no way to soften that.

[seventeen]

Feb 16, 2024 12:17:54 GMT -5 Skilly said:

Feb 15, 2024 21:47:57 GMT -5 Willie Dog said:

Would you trade him?

And with 7 goals against there is plenty of blame to go around... the Rags are an aggressive team and our D struggled tonight... they learn and move on

Yes, I think I would. He definitely isn’t untouchable in my opinion

His ceiling is 4th d-man and he likely is a 3rd pairing guy when this team is ready to compete

He is a 10-15 point a year defenseman. Who can take the body and get involved in scrums/fights

I can’t remember the last time he laid a good hit that sent a message
I also can’t remember when he really dominated a fight

Now I know he has been reigned in somewhat by MSL, but if he isn’t producing, hitting, or fighting than he is just another run of the mill guy which we can easily replace, especially if he is making defensive blunders or can’t clear the zone.

Did we really miss him when he was in the AHL? Was there a game where we were roughed up because he wasn’t there as a “deterrent “?

GMs should trade when a players value is high. And with Reinbacher, Hutson and possibly Mailloux waiting in the wings, the time to trade Xhekaj might just be now

I disagree with you, (chuckle, not for the first time). You're making that decision at the lowest point in Xhekaj's career. Marty is asking him to clean up a few defensive details, to not take any penalties and to not fight. I can't think of a better way to disrupt a player like Xhekaj and his game than ask for those changes, all at once. I just hope Marty has patience with him and lets him sort out those aspects. Harris' injury is timely or Arber would be in the press box, correcting nothing.

[seventeen]

Feb 16, 2024 12:28:16 GMT -5 Willie Dog said:

Feb 16, 2024 12:17:54 GMT -5 Skilly said:

Yes, I think I would. He definitely isn’t untouchable in my opinion

His ceiling is 4th d-man and he likely is a 3rd pairing guy when this team is ready to compete

He is a 10-15 point a year defenseman. Who can take the body and get involved in scrums/fights

I can’t remember the last time he laid a good hit that sent a message
I also can’t remember when he really dominated a fight

Now I know he has been reigned in somewhat by MSL, but if he isn’t producing, hitting, or fighting than he is just another run of the mill guy which we can easily replace, especially if he is making defensive blunders or can’t clear the zone.

Did we really miss him when he was in the AHL? Was there a game where we were roughed up because he wasn’t there as a “deterrent “?

GMs should trade when a players value is high. And with Reinbacher, Hutson and possibly Mailloux waiting in the wings, the time to trade Xhekaj might just be now

For years and years we screamed for a guy who would keep the other teams assholes in line... we have one and you'd move him... so when caufield and Hutson get abused... what then? Pezzeta and kovacevic are going to come to the rescue?

Xhekaj is a unicorn, you don't get rid of a unicorn... he is one of the few D men who can skate the puck out of the zone smartly or regularly make a tape to tape pass. He still makes some mistakes defensively, its why he a 3rd pairing D... but who on our D doesn't make mistakes?

I still can't make sense out of some of Marty's decisions. Is he 5 moves ahead of us and that's a possibility, but sometimes you can be too smart for your own good and you make good decisions, but they're 6 months too soon, or you forget one unintended consequence and it blows up in your face. Marty's also learning how to coach in the NHL, on the fly, so we need to take that into account in our criticisms. I didn't see the NY game, but read quite a few recaps of it. One puzzling decision was to challenge the Rangers 3rd goal which was ruled not goalie interference. Unless it's a really key moment, a do or die moment AND it's pretty clear that you're going to win, challenging is not a good idea. I get the feeling from the recaps that it wasn't clearly goalie interference. Now that gave the Rags a PP and they cash in and instead of 3-1 it's 4-1 and the game is effectively over. I'd like to know (and we never will), who made that call. The HC often has to trust his assistants, but if Marty made the decision on his own, that's a sign he needs some gentle coaching of his own by Hughes. You can't blow a call like that in a playoff game. Last night, meh. We needed a loss anyway.

I am, however, flabbergasted and extremely disappointed in St. Louis for him putting Anderson on the point of the PP. There's no excuse for that unless you really are deliberately tanking.