Leaderboard

We need your A game tonight buddy. Habs can’t afford a win…

Ottawa pulls out the 5-3 victory.

"My son weighs about 25 pounds and I struggled to hold him in my arms for more than a minute without discomfort," he said Tuesday morning during a lengthy interview with La Presse. Despite a "daily routine" that allows him to cope with pain, sitting or standing for a long time is now painful. Air travel, therefore, is "difficult". "I got to a point where I couldn't go on," he says. "I spoke with the medical staff of what my life after hockey could look like if I didn't stop. There was a lot of doubt about how it would affect me in the long run. When we started talking about it, it became real. Life is long after the end of a career."

Years ago, on this very site, I crunched a bunch of numbers on Koivu and discovered that he produced like a PPG player, except that he would have long slumps of, like 10-15 games per season where he would basically produce nothing. 🤷‍♂️ Hence the endless argument over whether he was a #1A or a #2C. The other thing about him was that (with all due respect to Commandant) he was a playoff beast. I mean, he put Joe Thornton in his back pocket even while playing through a cracked rib. The tragedy of Koivu, as I’ve lamented many times, is that he was never the same after his knee was destroyed. I am sure he could have been a top-10 player if not for that. He was that dominant before the knee injury.

Franchise of Futility vs Franchise of Forever Projected line combos, courtesy Daily Faceoff Canucks exceed the Habs in every way, except in net, where I assume Casey DeSmith will be between the pipes owing to Demko's injury (as well as the fact that you'd dress him anyway, against a bottom-feeder like Montreal). I will be at this one, along with the 18 000 or so other local Habs fans who always swarm the arena when les boys come to town. GO HABS GO!

David Reinbacher's first game: A month or so again my wife and I and another couple decided we'd drive the hour to Belleville and watch Laval play the Bellville Senators. Last night was the night we bought tickets for and it also happened to be the first game for David Reinbachers so we were all interested to see him play. I expected to see him struggle with the speed and the smaller rink but other than a few isolated moments he looked totally at ease and I thought he played very well and fit in seamlessly. The only time I saw him confused, to me at least, was when they put him out towards the end of overtime, three on three, and I assume they were playing man on man and he probably had never played three on three before. His man took the puck and retreated out towards centre ice and DR looked to the bench, seemingly unsure if he should follow him or stay put. But other than that I thought he did very well. He is a very good and fast skater and was physical, not overly, but definitely used his size at time to his benefit. His teammates huddled with him before every face-off and they seemed to be discussing responsibilities and who should be where. On top of it all he used his skating and hockey smarts to pick off a pass, picked up a loose puck and skated in with another Laval player as a decoy and sniped a nice goal to the far side. His teammates mobbed him and it was definitely a great moment for him and the team. He also was named third star of the game by whoever picks the stars in Belleville. So if this was his first real game in North America on a smaller rink and a faster pace, I thought he did extremely well and I think he's going to as advertised, a very good skating, solid defence man who can carry the puck out of his end and make plays. A very good first game, IMHO!

The Coyotes pull their goalie, tie it up and win in overtime. That's a good night!!

I feel pretty confident that Hughes will make the right trades and not get unduly attached to players even if he picked or traded for them himself. If you can make the team better by trading, you do it, even if you are sending out a player that you like.

Keep in mind any comparison is a stylistic comparison, not a talent one.... so just cause someone is compared to Aho doesn't mean that the point totals is what we are comparing. He's a centre IMO. Yes, I see him in the NHL in 25-26, but I wouldn't say regardless of who takes him. Every team has different philosophies on what they do for development, but I'd think barring injury and lost development time in 2024-25, he'd be in the NHL by then. Some teams might even put him in the NHL 2024-25. What are people missing? I think he has almost no weaknesses. He does everything you need a player to do at an above average level, while still being elite in a few areas

Arizona should celebrate with winning their last two games 🎉

WHY in the world would the Habs want to "ice their best lineup"? Wins only have the potential to worsen their draft position. Hutson is getting at least one game because that burns a year of his ELC ... THAT and getting some $$$ in his pocket immediately is why he signed now ... there was always the "possibility" of his waiting and ultimately deciding to play another NCAA season. Struble is with the Habs because they only have 7 healthy defencemen and one of them could be injured/get sick before the game roster is submitted. @dlbalr made it clear that Baby Xhekaj is playing because Stephens can't, not to "give him a game". So, not the management screw-up you seem to so often hope for.

Boy, look at Morgan Reilly's numbers. I always liked his game - my kind of defenceman. For a guy in TO, where they pump the tires of every bum who cycles through the lineup, he seems almost underrated. And that's the only nice thing I'm gonna say for the next 12 hours. F**k off, Leafs. I hope Boston or whoever takes a leaf-blower to you and sweeps you in 4.

A team filled with NHL prospects is not the way to succeed in the AHL, though, that's a different type of team construction.

College free agency has started up. I've done a series of pieces for PHR with an overview of some of the better options by position. Some goalies/defence have signed since posting while the forwards were just posted this weekend so they're all still available for now. Gorton mentioned recently that they were doing some planning for college free agency so it appears they'll be trying to sign some players, likely some of the ones in these columns. Goalies: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/03/2024-college-free-agency-preview-goaltenders.html Defence: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/03/2024-college-free-agency-preview-defensemen.html Centres: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/03/2024-college-free-agency-preview-centers.html Wingers: https://www.prohockeyrumors.com/2024/03/2024-college-free-agency-preview-wingers.html

It was a fun game to be at last night. First time in eons the Habs came away with a win in Colorado. There was a nice tribute video for Newhook, and he interacted with a few fans wearing his jersey during warmups. I was a bit surprised at the amount of "give me a stick" type signs that folks were holding up during warmups, I guess pictures or pucks isn't enough anymore to satiate some greedy fans. The Habs have a strong skating defense. Guhle and Matheson are fun to watch.

I'm quite OK with other people being excited about it now, and I'll get excited about it myself come draft day. But, for now, I'm not going to invest a ton of time learning about prospects that may never pull on the CH sweater. That's just me. 🙂 And I'm still keenly following all our prospects, and especially those that might be joining the team for the final games of the season. That's excitement enough for me!

Quinn Hughes on being small offensive d-man going form NCAA to NHL. Canadiens weekly notebook: An awkward milestone, an endorsement for Lane Hutson and more - The Athletic “I figure why you’re asking, but I’m sure he’ll figure it out and he’ll be fine.” "He, of course, is Canadiens prospect Lane Hutson, a similarly undersized offensive defenceman currently completing his season at Boston University. Hutson’s name was never mentioned to Hughes, but he had no problem identifying the reason behind the question. Hutson has been compared to Hughes for years, and Hughes clearly knows it." “Right away, for the most part, I think I felt very confident. My first year couldn’t have gone better. I had a great season, and the second year, we struggled. I thought my third fourth and then this year have been really good. It’s just about building,” Hughes said. “Lane’s going to … it’s not about how good he is at 20 or 21, it’s about how good he is at 25, 26. I tell my brother Luke that, focus on one foot in front of the other, and he’s having a great year, too, but just keep grinding so that at 23, 24 you can say you’re one of the best in the league."

Hope is not a plan

Going to be in house for this one. If there's one last game they need to win, it's tonight. Going with an Oilers fan.

Martiineau is with TVA Sports ... he spoke with three players who played against Reinbacher this season (Google translate, minimal editing): GREATEST ASSET: Maxim Noreau: His hockey sense is very good. I would even say that he is above average for guys drafted in this stage of the draft. I saw him make very effective zone exits. He is also very smart in his decisions made in the heat of the moment. He never does anything for no reason. He will make a small, subtle maneuver with his body to help a teammate. He doesn’t panic and prefers to keep the puck than get rid of it. He can draw an attacker towards him in the neutral zone before giving the puck to his partner. And thanks to that, he has just created a three against two. He won't make spectacular lift passes or plays like that. But it will allow Caufield and Suzuki to have the puck quickly and ultimately, that’s what you want. Guillaume Asselin: His speed, his mobility. Without a doubt. He is very difficult to beat one on one for an attacker. Marc-Antoine Pouliot: He skates very, very well. He is very powerful. I've been playing in Switzerland for 12 years and a 19-year-old defenseman like him, in terms of the skating power/size combination, is extremely rare. OFFENCE: Asselin: I find that his ability to break free in offensive territory is underestimated. He knows how to make himself available without attracting attention. If you put him in a junior league, he'll give you 70 points. Hence the importance of taking some and leaving some with the numbers. He's not a Cale Makar, but I read some comments about him and it's completely false to say that he's only defensive. Pouliot: His mobility in enemy territory helps him a lot. He also has a shot that hits the net consistently. His team is doing a lot offensively. I wouldn't rely on his stats, personally. Noreau: Currently, in Kloten, he is playing with worse players than elsewhere in the league. This is the strict truth. Often, he makes a high-quality zone exit. But he doesn’t even have time to press the attack when the puck is back in his territory. If you put Reinbacher on a team where the forwards are good, he will get the puck to them when leaving the zone and allow them to attack the offensive territory with speed. That’s also offence. Without being spectacular, he will still collect his share of points. DEFENCE: Asselin: He can hardly be beaten in speed. His gap [distance control] is very good. He never gives you space one on one. He has a great stick. He is very intelligent in the way he positions himself on the ice. Honestly, he's not a defender you like to face. It's not fun playing against him! And I tell you this knowing full well that he is only 19 years old. He does this despite his young age and while playing in one of the best leagues in the world against men. It’s big, to be honest. There are a few Quebecers on the team and obviously, we sometimes talk about Reinbacher, because we know that he belongs to the Canadiens. And everyone agrees that he is strong and very difficult to beat. Often, when you know a guy his age is on the other team, you know you're going to be able to have fun. But with him it’s quite the opposite. His defensive game is very strong. Pouliot: I faced him several times this season and every match I had to face him, I felt like I was facing a man. His head moves a lot and he is turned on in his territory. He makes me feel like he's already 30. NEEDS TO DEVELOP: Noreau: I would say he's going to have to work on his battles for the puck, whether it's in a melee or with his stick. He's smart, but he's not the nastiest in the corners. Winning pucks in duels is very important. I also think he could be more mobile and hungry in the offensive zone, but that will come with coaching, in my opinion. Asselin: I would like to see him trust his offensive skills more in the offensive zone; be less conservative, more daring at times. He has more in him offensively than his decisions with the puck demonstrate. COMPARABLES: Noreau: Honestly, style-wise, he reminds me of Devon Toews. He is not flashy, he skates where there is space and does not try to outsmart opponents. At the end of the day, Toews, everyone puts him in the category of very good defender, but when you look at his game, there is absolutely nothing special about it. It’s the simplicity and good decisions that make it so good. Devon Toews is a gem for a coach. You can use it for 25 minutes anywhere and you know it’s going to do the job. I'm not saying that David Reinbacher, even at his peak, will be in the top 5 of best scorers among defensemen. But will CH fans really be disappointed to have a defender like Devon Toews on their team? To be at his best, a Cale Makar needs a Devon Toews. Asselin: The first name that comes to mind is Alex Pietrangelo. He is complete. He is not all offensive or all defensive. He skates well. He's the type of guy who helps you win. Reinbacher doesn't have an eye-catching style like Lane Hutson's, but he will still have great use for Montreal. He will play on the second unit powerplay and on the first unit penalty-kill. He will play between 24 and 27 minutes per game and will be matched to the best opponents. To win Stanley Cups, you need players like him. Champion teams often rely on big defenders who skate well. And Reinbacher is exactly that.

I'm thinking that Beck might be a better fit for an Armia-type role, although he might ende up playing centre. I expect we'll know much more for both Beck and Tuch a year from now.

As much as it pains me to see another year of rebuilding hockey, it's been way overdue in Montreal. It's been about 20 years of just ok teams, that may or may not make the playoffs, but had no real shot at a cup. The shots they did have, nobody really saw coming. For the sake of 10-15 years of high quality hockey as the prospect, I'm happy they're staying committed to the full rebuild.

That's good since Molson made it clear the other day he will not grant Gorton permission to talk to other teams.

Players hiding injuries is something no training/medical staff can prevent and it means they can't protect the players.

Some unknown rookie supposedly playing tonight. More details when available.

What's particularly interesting is that Tuch got a one-way AHL deal. Usually it's ATO/PTO deals at this time of year. I assume that lets them pay him more, offsetting some of the foregone money by not signing an ELC that starts this season.

Breaking the rules here but no GDT so here it is. Seriously, we need to lose this one

Andersson and Heineman score in the 3rd as Laval takes it 5-1. https://theahl.com/stats/game-summary/1026269 Laval is now two points behind Belleville. The Sens have a game in hand still but Laval has the tiebreaker.

As sacrilegious as rooting for Ottawa sounds that’s is exactly what we all should be doing tonight.

I’m looking forward to seeing if his game translates to the NHL. Not expecting to have that question answered over two games but it’s a start

I would like to see Pezzetta play 25 minutes on Saturday and give him a shot on the blueline.

Actually, I believe Torts has been most successful with young teams. Rebuilding Rags, rebuilding Columbus, Tampa when they were developing into champs. He completely flopped with a veteran team in Vancouver. And he had great success in Philly UNTIL, as others noted, he crapped on and humiliated the veteran captain. Veterans probably tire quickly of his ego and his abuse. Young players, hungry and eager, are probably more willing to follow him, especially when his demanding style has them suddenly winning games after years of failure. He's a jackass in my book, anyhow, so I'm not shedding tears over his problems.

Yeah, I think it's more this than anything. This is a team that was 'built' to contend for first overall in the lottery standings and even sold at the trade deadline when they were in a playoff spot. A letdown was bound to happen.

Even Anderson scored! We need 4 game losing streak please.

Gallagher is overpaid, no doubt. But he's at least been an effective NHL player at a 3rd line level this season. Anderson hasn't even been that.

At the moment Anderson has a higher ceiling but his floor is also much lower than Gallagher's.

For those that were questioning Florian's pick in the draft, he is good enough to take Jakov Novak's spot in the lineup (3RV Lions best scorer)... not too shabby

That is true, still think it was the right decision. Signing Danault would have made us better in the short term but still well short of being a playoff contender. He is 31 now, we needed to rebuild.

Anyone who has EVER thought that players "tank" was an idiot ... players can lose hope/spirit and play a stinker, but that is not the same thing.

Sorry brain fart. Meant to say we package our our pick and D prospects for front line forwards. We need some bonafide wingers for Dach.

That seems overly strong. With “all that’s gone down,” it was between the teams, not KK and Montreal. I may of forgotten something but I don’t believe KK spoke bad about Montreal or his departure, so I don’t see why he would be blacklisted from playing for Montreal again. Not that I think he ever will for completely different reasons.

Christian Dvorak on ice at #Habs practice this morning wearing full-contact sweater #Habs I thought he was done for the season but perhaps we see him soon.

Geez, that is some rarified air. Well, except for Plasse, LOL.

Hey just remember what our lineup used to be. Price was supposed to lead THEESE GUYS??? to a cup? Pacioretty-Desharnais-Cole Cammalleri-Plekanec-Kostitsyn Moen-Eller-Gionta Darche-Gomez-Leblanc Palushaj, Blunden Markov-Subban Emelin-Gorges Gill-Diaz Y. Weber Price-Budaj I’m definitely happier with where the team is now and the upward trajectory that the team is on.

Reasonably speaking, few Habs played a great game last night, Armia was far from the only one. From moneypuck.com:

I think Evans is the perfect 4th line centre, Beck will be the 3rd line center. We just have to figure out #2, hopefully a healthy Dach.

Hutson-Mailloux What the hell? Why not pull the goalie and have Matheson with them too?

It is, however, encumbered ... if they land this young man one more reason ton yrade Dvborak.

Hey Habs Fans. A few years back I bought some seats from the Forum. The seats are out of section 401, Row K, seats 34 & 35. That being said, I am looking for any "hockey" ticket stubs from these seats. Its a needle in a haystack kind of request, but worth a shot. I would love to find some stubs to go with these seats for my shrine to the Forum I will have in my basement in the coming years. Thanks in advance!! Sec 401 Row K Seats 34 & 35

Sens win, Coyotes win and Blue Jackets win, not a terrible night.