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Post by habsorbed on Apr 16, 2024 1:29:55 GMT -5
What's with Gally the last few weeks? Did he not get the 'Tank' memo?
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Post by Polarice on Apr 16, 2024 5:40:56 GMT -5
You can't tell me the Habs aren't loosing on purpose...they had the game in control just to show Detroit who the better team was, then took their foot of the gas. Some of those goals a kid could have stopped, Monty wasn't giving any effort to stop those shots. The Habs are making sure that the game is competitive but the come out on the short end.
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Post by CentreHice on Apr 16, 2024 7:30:17 GMT -5
There have to be brighter days ahead....because there's nothing dimmer than a cellar-dwelling rebuild.
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Post by jkr on Apr 16, 2024 9:16:09 GMT -5
The habs have recalled Mailloux Mailman is chasing 1st in scoring for AHL defensan. I thought they would leave him to win it. I think their remaining 2 games are this Friday & Saturday & they will decide the final playoff spot. I'm sure he will head back for those. He's tied for 2nd in points for AHL D men & 5 points from the lead in that category. He also has 14 goals. It's an impressive pro debut. Just saw that yesterday was his 21st birthday. I guess the Habs present to Mailloux is an NHL pay cheque for the day. |
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Post by jkr on Apr 16, 2024 9:23:07 GMT -5
I dont care about a draft spot or two . This was emabarassing. Blowing a 4-1 lead and what, 7 shots, in the 3rd period AND overtime. Playing Anderson and Evans in OT is like throwing in the towel. The Wings season was on the line & you knew they were coming yet the team was not prepared. Not only that, they could have shown they have what it takes to win an elimination game, that's on the job training capital that's as good as gold in the NHL But this team didn't give out any effort in the 3rd period. None The problems with the inability to hold leads in the late stages and to defend when the opponent has pulled their goalie were there in game one against Toronto. Yet we saw these problems again in games 80 and 81 and throughout the season. It's as if they have not progressed in this area at all & I find that really frustrating. |
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Post by Boston_Habs on Apr 16, 2024 9:26:05 GMT -5
The Wings don't scare me when it comes to teams we need to pass in the standings, but they are way more productive in the middle of the lineup. The top end talent isn't overly impressive but the Wings have scored 40 more goals than the Habs this year and the difference is in the depth.
Both Detroit and Montreal have 3 guys with >60 points (Raymond is tops at 71), but Detroit has another 6 players with >40 points while the Habs only have 1, and Detroit has another 3 with >30 points compared to 1 for the Habs. That's the difference. They have guys like Kane (47 pts), Perron (46 pts), Compher (48 pts), Sprong (41 pts), and Rasmussen (33 pts), while we have Newhook (33 pts) Evans (28 pts), Gallagher (29 pts), and Armia (24 pts).
It may be the case that we don't need more top 6 talent assuming Kirby Dach is healthy next year and Newhook is consistent. But we obviously need more out of the middle of the lineup. The dropoff is massive and whether it's trades of free agents, it can't be the case that Jake Evans is 5th among forwards in ATOI and has 28 points to show for it.
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Post by seventeen on Apr 16, 2024 15:00:28 GMT -5
The Wings don't scare me when it comes to teams we need to pass in the standings, but they are way more productive in the middle of the lineup. The top end talent isn't overly impressive but the Wings have scored 40 more goals than the Habs this year and the difference is in the depth. Both Detroit and Montreal have 3 guys with >60 points (Raymond is tops at 71), but Detroit has another 6 players with >40 points while the Habs only have 1, and Detroit has another 3 with >30 points compared to 1 for the Habs. That's the difference. They have guys like Kane (47 pts), Perron (46 pts), Compher (48 pts), Sprong (41 pts), and Rasmussen (33 pts), while we have Newhook (33 pts) Evans (28 pts), Gallagher (29 pts), and Armia (24 pts). It may be the case that we don't need more top 6 talent assuming Kirby Dach is healthy next year and Newhook is consistent. But we obviously need more out of the middle of the lineup. The dropoff is massive and whether it's trades of free agents, it can't be the case that Jake Evans is 5th among forwards in ATOI and has 28 points to show for it. The first line is capable of 100+ goals but there's that huge drop off after that, as you point out. You know it's an issue when David Savard is ahead of Josh Anderson and Tanner Pearson. On a ppg basis, Savard leads those two, plus Gallagher, Jake Evans and every other forward not called Suzuki, Caufield, Slaf, Newhook and Dach. Sean Monahan, who hasn't been with the team since Feb 2, is still 5th in scoring. That's the bad news and reflects why we currently hold the 5th best draft pick. The good news is that Dach will be back and hopefully fully healthy, Roy will play a full year, making up a decent 2nd line of Newhook - Dach - Roy. That should get us 60 more goals at a minimum. It gets dicier after that. Our first pick this year is not likely to make the team. Tuch, Florian, Beck, Mesar will all need some Laval time. I wonder if Kapanen can make the jump? He, at least, has been playing against men in the Finnish Liga for 2 full seasons and exploded in the playoffs this year for 14 points in 12 games, an outstanding feat. He's 6', 180 lbs, so not big, but not tiny either. the other likely addition will come from some work by Hughes at the draft to move a D or some D for a 22 year old forward. The 3rd and 4th lines should preferably have some size. No doubt, that's the thinking with the signings of Tuch and Florian. The forwards available this year are all talented, but Lindstrom is the only one with real size. It's likely that Iginla adds some heft to his 186 lbs as the genes are certainly there. His dad was also darn strong and 6, 1" 210 lbs. My guess is Tij gets to those numbers in a few years. Eiserman is hefty even if not tall, and he's a pure scorer as was Caufield. Caufield rounded out his game and Eiserman might do the same. But he won't join the team till 2025-26 at the earliest. Fortunately those bottom roles are easier to fill. |
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Post by Boston_Habs on Apr 16, 2024 15:25:58 GMT -5
The 3rd and 4th lines should preferably have some size. No doubt, that's the thinking with the signings of Tuch and Florian. The forwards available this year are all talented, but Lindstrom is the only one with real size. I think that's the next step. I listened to Jon Cooper on the Knuckles podcast with Chris Nilan and for all the high end talent in Tampa, it was interesting to hear that Cooper still believes hockey is a game of intimidation, of imposing your will, and that the bigger, stronger, tougher team usually wins. It's hard to strike the right balance between skill, size, and toughness but I agree that the Habs' ability to get to the next level may rely less on the high end guys and more on size and toughness down through the lineup. It's dangerous because you hate to bring the talent level down, but you also see why a guy like Arber Xhekaj is so tantalizing. It's also why the ceiling on a player like Jordan Harris is probably lower than that of Jayden Struble, even if Struble is less talented than Harris. It's the toughness and intimidation factor that Cooper is talking about and it can't just come from the 4th liners and 3rd D pair. |
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Post by Skilly on Apr 16, 2024 15:44:34 GMT -5
I would have preferred to lose 4-1 then the big tease. But don't know why so many are upset about the loss: 1) we still look good for #5 lottery; 2) Hutson is our future and it is bright. The guy can skater, dance and think the game. A Norris candidate in a few years; 3) why would anyone expect a depleted line-up with no motiviation to win be able to compete with a team desparate to make the playoffs on home ice?; Anyone, particularly the odds makers had Wings to win. Wings goalie was weak and we were able to get a lead. But we were not the better team on the ice or on paper. But we will be in a year or two. What did bother me was the banging around of Cole with no push back. This seems to be a pattern which Marty has to address. Perhaps it's becuase the boys just want the season to end but you gotta stick up for your teamates, particularly your star players. But they did compete, they easily could have won, but they collapsed way too easily with ZERO fight. And it's been the same pattern all year. When the opposing team pulls their goalie, they dominate this team. The team just collapses and lets the shooting gallery begin. People seem to think a switch can be turned on. But teams need to learn to protect leads, and I don't see any learning on the Habs, |
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