Machine of Loving Grace

No, it's illegal. It's against the rules. That's why the game stops when it happens and people goto the penalty box after. Fights are not legal in the game.

If this is how he acts during an exhibition game, what is he gonna do when someone cross checks him in an important game and doesn't get called? Stupid player makes stupid decisions when provoked. Guess what? Everyone will provoke him. This was nothing to him. Habs will still play him at centre because they are pathetic down the middle (even with Peca impressing) so it doesn't hurt there. Honestly I don't mind since I want this team to lose as many games as possible but the fact we got this piece of trash who can't score 6 goals in a season with a goalie in the net for Alex Galchenyuk just irks me to no end. And i've been generally positive on all of Bergevin's moves since the deadline with exception to this and not making Shaw available to trade. I thought he was trash before he came here and he's proving it. Someone else can waste their time and effort on him and Shaw.

Think about it. If you only lose a few exhibition games for grabbing a guy who doesn't want to fight and punching him in the face, who is to stop someone doing it to McDavid? Matthews? Eichel? Laine? Kotkaniemi in his rookie season? Oh just a wrist slap for decking someone who doesn't want to fight? Cool time to punch anyone because that ain't bad. Sets a terrible precedent similar to how the original suspensions for high hits did nothing to stop the Cookes of the world from doing it until his 10 gamer after elbowing Mcdonagh (he still knee on kneed a guy in 2014 but he stopped the head shots)

If the next Florida game we see the Panthers taking runs at Habs players, it will be the league to blame for such a soft suspension. It is their job to make the right calls, and this one will only upset that locker room.

Price is a big boy. He can take care of himself. And does our team suck so much that Florida's defenceman can be in Price's grill and we do nothing to make them pay on the scoreboard? Guess so. I'll take a team that gets rolled over but wins the game over a team that sticks up for itself but can't win a game. What did Boston Bruins fans call those? Oh right. Moral victories. Enjoy your moral victories because this team is gonna lead the league in them.

I don't want Domi's on Montreal. Heck they shouldn't be in the league. I want skilled players who play the game right. You know, the kind of guys who can score 30 goals. Not sure how to get a guy like that. Maybe you have to draft them. Max Domi is garbage like his dad and him grabbing a player who doesn't want to fight and socking him is extra awful when wearing a Habs sweater. Maybe you enjoy someone not playing hockey in hockey, but I watch hockey for hockey. I'll be glad to throw him and Shaw under the bus and drive it myself. Never wanted them here and I'm sure as hell not gonna start making excuses for their behaviour.

My god that's the softest crap I've heard. Hockey is a physical game. If a guy is throwing big clean checks and you can't accept it, you shouldn't play. Fighting is illegal. There's a penalty for it. Nobody should be resorting to illegal play because of your legal play. And if the checks are high? The referee is the one who should do something. This is the same crap expressed in baseball. Playing too well? Someone has to bean you so you stop making pitchers look bad. It's pathetic. Your job is to play hockey, not illegally play hockey because someone is mad that you're playing too good of hockey.

The only thing this does is makes sure Domi isn't playing first line centre on opening night. Unless he gets a soft slap on the wrist and just misses exhibition games. You're talking like Leaf fans after David Clarkson jumped the boards. It's an exhibition game. It led to Huberdeau being a big idiot as well and fighting Byron. That's what happens. It doesn't stop anything. It just means the other team will try to escalate, which they did. But oh well. Habs fans have had Bruins envy for so long it's no surprise they get a Domi and suddenly feel tougher and like that will help in 2018. We have truly returned to the Trevor Linden era of the Habs.

Fighting is illegal. Nobody has to answer the bell. Beat them on the scoreboard.

He was throwing slashes. He always does. Doesn't matter. Beat him on the scoreboard.

I hope Domi doesn't get suspended for too many games. We need him on the ice for opposing teams to score. Grab a guy, guy doesn't fight back, still crack him. Domi is human garbage like his papi.

The same organization that refused to play Galchenyuk at centre, traded him for a winger, then put that winger at centre on their top line? Yeah, i'm going to take a guess they don't know how to evaluate centres. I think McCarron clears but if he didn't I would not be surprised. Both the Kings and Ducks are sniffing out for extra forwards.

You are thinking like a fan, not like a 50+ GM. If all GMs thought like fans, Vancouver wouldn't have added Roussel and Beagle at free agency.

I could see someone taking McCarron due to his size as a fourth line plug. I don't see anyone touching DLR unless someone thinks we handled him improperly and they need a defensive forward.

Well, that's one less winger to send down. And the end of Deslauriers in the top six. Hate it happened but it will be good for someone like Hudon or Lehkonen to move back to LW or giving Shinkaruk a solid observation.

Damn, pulled a Cammalleri. Nice to see.

27 year old grinder wins over local fans by scoring 10 more goals than anyone thought he would. What does he do? Punches himself stupid in exhibition.

Unlike in Montreal, if Domi could play centre, he would have never been moved.

I give just as much blame to Julien at this point. His job is much safer than Bergevin. He can do whatever he wants with the lines and if they fire him he is one of the highest paid coaches on vacation for a couple years. These lines are just as much his doing. If he didn't want Domi there he wouldn't be there. It was Julien who put Galchenyuk on the fourth line against the Rangers then claimed he was trying to spread the offence.

I got a feeling Peca will be 2C by December.

He needs to string together some healthy games. He does that there is bound to be another old school GM who wants him on the team. But we will most likely have to take a cap dump or cut his salary by a million or so to get it done. Maybe Lou on the Islanders will get annoyed with Josh Ho-Sang and take Shaw off our hands for him. I'm dreaming.

Top line could be in the NHL. Could be a decent second line on a good team. Second line is a bit of a mess. If the idea is for Deslauriers to protect Kotkaniemi, yeah history has proven guys will run someone regardless of who is on the ice. If it is to see if he could be the next Weise, I think we have too many talented left wingers to be putting Deslauriers up there. I mean we have so many, we've now moved Lehkonen and Hudon to the right wing. Curious to see if Shinkaruk works hard for this because his career is on the line. Good for Mete and Juulsen to get big minutes.

Kirk Muller runs the powerplay. Despite only winning 29 games, Montreal had the 13th best powerplay in the league. The only teams in the Top 20 powerplay with less than 40 wins were the 6th place Islanders (35), 9th place Canucks (31), and 20th place Sabres (25). Out of those teams Montreal had the least powerplay opportunities (though were only separated by 2 with Vancouver) at 245. In 16-17 the Habs were 13th again, albeit with a lower percentage. But they also were 27th in opportunities. In 15-16 the powerplay sucked and was 25th (pre-Muller) but also was 11th for PP opportunities. Between 12-13 and 15-16, the Habs were 6th in PP opportunities and 23rd in PP. 16-17 to 17-18 (smaller sample size I know) we're 23rd in PP opportunities but 11th in powerplay. You can draw your own conclusions on some of that. I should add that between 12-13 and 15-16, Subban was 4th in PP goals and 1st in PP points with Markov 11th in PP goals and 4th in PP points so it wasn't like the firepower wasn't there. Muller is making a serious contribution to the team in the way they play the powerplay in ways the crappy coaches Therrien brought in before Muller couldn't.

If your skating is not a strength in 2018 it is a weakness. That said he's young. I'm sure the Habs will hook him up with a skating coach and get him moving better.

He's pretty much done, but better him taking up a press box role, and he's a well liked guy who always worked hard and found some success in the playoffs. That's important to have in a locker where the only people who have seen a Stanley Cup final on the roster is Niemi as a rookie. Unless I'm missing someone.