Montreal Canadiens

[ericdaoust]

They don't need a fighter. They're ineffective. Sure they can go after someone but it doesn't stop the act from happening. There's a reason the goons are being phased out.

[ACC90]

Nope. They won. Fun game to watch but I started getting nervous when the Wings started coming alive. Oulette going after Bertuzzi was a stark reminder that we don’t really have anyone to fill that role. I don’t think Oulette even tried to throw a punch. I guess Deslaurier when he’s back - from the injury he got in a fight. I just felt the game started going down that garbage time road and the Habs have no answer for that. I thought Peca earned some more games. What should be done with Kotkaniemi as we approach the 9 game mark?

Yes I was wrong
Maybe returning Kotkaniemi in Europe/AHL could be a good move before the 10th game.. but like I said before, I would like to see KK with other player than Armia (Hudon or Shaw?!?).

Bergevin looks like a genius now with the trade : Pacioretty vs Tatar+Suzuki+2nd

[ericdaoust]

Some general observations so far:

-The team is clearly not the most talented. Tons of passes are deflected and intercepted when trying to set up plays in the offensive zone. Lots of blocked shots too and many of them are fired without a screen. But this team is fast and works hard. They do very well on mad scrambles around the net.

-Defensively they have managed to assemble a decent puck-moving group. They are controlling the game for the most part. They don't usually get pinned in their own end for long but are prone to massive breakdowns leading to high-quality chances. If they get pinned in their own end, they're done. They have to move the puck quickly, every time.

-Drouin is trying to do way too much and he's so easy to knock off the puck. I have a feeling he's the next guy to go one-for-one in exchange for another team's struggling high-paid forward.

-Byron and Gallagher are the ones benefiting the most from the new focus on speed. They are pushing the tempo the most.

-I still think they need to make a trade or two. Plekanec deserves to play and so does Peca. There isn't a forward I would want to sit out and there's still Shaw, de la Rose and Deslauriers out with injuries. Not to mention Scherbak doing about as much in the press box as he was doing during his most recent games. Something will happen here regardless of Kotkaniemi.

-Speaking of Kotkaniemi, I think he'll be kept around. He's not getting numbers but he's doing alright playing C, especially in the neutral zone. He understands the "active stick" part of the game that leads to turnovers. Definitely an NHL-quality player at this point. Management hasn't been patient with their shiny new toys in the past so...

-Very impressed with the top four so far. Reilly, Juulsen and Mete are newcomers in this position and they're all holding up well so far. Not the best defensive group but as I said they're moving the puck quickly which minimizes their flaws.

-Not as impressed with the third pair. Benn/Ouellet haven't been awful but they're so meh. I understand dressing one fringe NHLer when there's injuries but dressing two is problematic. It would be nice to turn one of the spare forwards into a stronger third-pairing guy who could skate with Schlemko in the longer-term.

[evans334]

Some general observations so far:

-I still think they need to make a trade or two. Plekanec deserves to play and so does Peca. There isn't a forward I would want to sit out and there's still Shaw, de la Rose and Deslauriers out with injuries. Not to mention Scherbak doing about as much in the press box as he was doing during his most recent games. Something will happen here regardless of Kotkaniemi.

-Very impressed with the top four so far. Reilly, Juulsen and Mete are newcomers in this position and they're all holding up well so far. Not the best defensive group but as I said they're moving the puck quickly which minimizes their flaws.

Was thinking these two points also.
Taking with a grain of salt they were playing an awful Detroit team.

Peca has done pretty well so far and I love to see him stay in the lineup.

Reilly and Juulsen have been really good so far.
I really like the way Reilly pushes the play and makes smart choices with the puck.

[ACC90]

[QUOTE=evans334;1932921]

Some general observations so far:

-I still think they need to make a trade or two. Plekanec deserves to play and so does Peca. There isn't a forward I would want to sit out and there's still Shaw, de la Rose and Deslauriers out with injuries. Not to mention Scherbak doing about as much in the press box as he was doing during his most recent games. Something will happen here regardless of Kotkaniemi.

-Very impressed with the top four so far. Reilly, Juulsen and Mete are newcomers in this position and they're all holding up well so far. Not the best defensive group but as I said they're moving the puck quickly which minimizes their flaws.



Was thinking these two points also.
Taking with a grain of salt they were playing an awful Detroit team.

Peca has done pretty well so far and I love to see him stay in the lineup.

Reilly and Juulsen have been really good so far.
I really like the way Reilly pushes the play and makes smart choices with the puck.

I think the only thing the Toronto Maple Leafs probably envy from the Habs is that kind of defensemen (Reilly and Juulsen)

[ericdaoust]

Jacob de la Rose is on waivers

[tweetdrivr]

They don't need a fighter. They're ineffective. Sure they can go after someone but it doesn't stop the act from happening. There's a reason the goons are being phased out.

I'm not saying they need a goon but someone like Deslaurier who is not a liability but does offer some intimidation. Bertuzzi trying to run over Drouin just after he struggles to his feet after blocking a shot and getting hurt is a dick move. As we have seen, often the refs don't call that stuff (see Matheson...no call but a two game suspension for being a jerk) and if you know no one on the team is going to at least take your number, why not be a dick? Domi's punch on Ekblad was a hot headed move and should have received a suspension. But Ekblad was being a dick. Sometimes if you're a dick, you get punched. Don't like it? Don't be a dick. There needs to be some little discouragement and the refs and DOPS are not getting everything. It'd be great if DOPS susprended Bertuzzi for shoving a guy over who was clearly hurting. But that's not a realistic expectation. Bertuzzi should be making that decision while in the back of his mind is "great, now I really need to pay attention to where Deslauier/Domi/Laroque is on the ice the rest of the night..."

This is a bit tongue-in-cheek but there is something to it in my opinion. I guess the best revenge is getting the W and they did that.

I have to think De La Rose clears. His recent health scare probably ensures that. I agree it'd be nice to trade for another NHL D. I still dislike watching Jordie Benn play. Did anyone notice on the broadcast of the wings game the announcer called him Jamie half the game? C'mon man...you're a professional.

I think if Drouin goes it's next off season. I don't think Bergevin will admit it isn't working until then (if Drouin doesn't get it together).

[ericdaoust]

I'm not saying they need a goon but someone like Deslaurier who is not a liability but does offer some intimidation. Bertuzzi trying to run over Drouin just after he struggles to his feet after blocking a shot and getting hurt is a dick move.

Disagree with the first part. Deslauriers just had his face broken by a non-NHLer. He's hardworking and tough but not intimidating. I agree it was a dick move by Bertuzzi but fighters don't prevent things from happening in the first place. If their job actually worked they would still be employed in greater numbers. The "protection" experiment in the NHL ultimately didn't work. Even the goon teams of recent years had a lot of cheap shots against them. It's part of hockey.

[tweetdrivr]

Disagree with the first part. Deslauriers just had his face broken by a non-NHLer. He's hardworking and tough but not intimidating. I agree it was a dick move by Bertuzzi but fighters don't prevent things from happening in the first place. If their job actually worked they would still be employed in greater numbers. The "protection" experiment in the NHL ultimately didn't work. Even the goon teams of recent years had a lot of cheap shots against them. It's part of hockey.

I agree fighters don't prevent things from happening. But some toughness still helps. I guess. Really it's on the refs. Bertuzzi should have been given an un-sportsman like for that one. I've done a fair amount of reffing over the years (nothing professional) and I'd have given Bertuzzi 2. You know they were looking it as Drouin was doing the bambi on ice act. It's letting stupid moves like that go that pushes a game out of hand oft times.

[ACC90]

I agree fighters don't prevent things from happening. But some toughness still helps. I guess. Really it's on the refs. Bertuzzi should have been given an un-sportsman like for that one. I've done a fair amount of reffing over the years (nothing professional) and I'd have given Bertuzzi 2. You know they were looking it as Drouin was doing the bambi on ice act. It's letting stupid moves like that go that pushes a game out of hand oft times.

We are in some kind of a dead end if referees don't change how they manage the game.

A lot of situations lately could have been avoid by a better rules application by referees
Ekblad vs Domi : If Ekblad would have received a 2 minutes for all the slashing he gave to Domi
Eller vs Marchand : If Eller would have received a 2 minutes for unsportmanlike conduct by taunting Boston bench

By the way, that doesn't excuse Marchand and Domi actions

[evans334]

De La Rose claimed by DET

[ericdaoust]

Not sure how much work Bergevin did trying to get a deal done for one of the forwards but it feels like they wasted DLR. There was value in him as a 4th line guy. I guess this is the result of having too many bottom-six guys in the fold.

[evans334]

Not sure how much work Bergevin did trying to get a deal done for one of the forwards but it feels like they wasted DLR. There was value in him as a 4th line guy. I guess this is the result of having too many bottom-six guys in the fold.

After watching JDLR underwhelming performance at his last WJC, where he was an over-ager playing with some budding talent, I never figured he'd be anything special.
I agree with you he never really got a shot, and would probably best served as a 4th line C.

I'd rather have waived and lost him over Scherbak, who still has a glimmer of offense in him.
I'm not a huge Deslaurier supporter either, so wouldn't have mind seeing him go either over JDLR.

JDLR probably takes Ehn's place in Detroit.
Buddy of mine made the joke the he now becomes Detroit's best defense-men lol.

[tweetdrivr]

Yeah there obviously wasn’t a trade there for a D from the Wings. They may well play DLR on the back end!

[ericdaoust]

My complaint is a minor one in the bigger picture. We're talking fourth liners here and the trade candidates would have fetched a mid-round pick at best or maybe another fringe dman. It does make you wonder though - if you had the choice of re-signing Plekanec vs investing in de la Rose growing into a full-time NHL role (with potential benefits beyond this year) which way would you go?