Trizzak

Tatar - Danault - Toffoli Armia - Kotkaniemi - Anderson Drouin - Suzuki - Perry Byron - Staal - Evans Load up the top three lines, give each line a bit of speed to keep the pace up, and put Staal and Evans together to alternate on strong side faceoffs. If Caufield is called up he's on the 4th line in place of Evans.

The pandemic certainly didn't help him there.

I'm concerned that the Habs coaches spent their video sessions reviewing defensive zone coverage by watching vids of chickens being decapitated...

One of these teams was ready to play tonight. For some reason it was the team that played 65 minutes of hockey last night, then travelled to Montreal.

He's a highly touted prospect, he didn't look out of place last season during his callup, it's the Flames second night of a back-to-back and they'll probably be playing their backup too, and Allen has been letting in some goals lately that look like he needs a rest. It's been time to give Primeau a start for a few games now.

"It's easy to be confident when you have control of the puck. It's very, very difficult to keep that confidence when you gotta take whatever strange bounces life throws your way. Don't be careless, but don't be too careful either. You cannot be afraid to lose." Armia returns! Tatar - Danault - Byron Drouin - Kotkaniemi - Anderson Toffoli - Suzuki - Armia Lehkonen - Staal - Perry Kulak - Weber Edmundson - Petry Romanov - Ouellet Allen starts again for some reason.

So I don't know what's up with Laval's schedule this season, but apparently they have a game on the 15th, then the 18th, AND THEN NOTHING TIL THE 30TH. So Caufield's getting called up after the 15th or 18th and joining the Habs on their road trip, right? 11 days of nothing but practice is way too long for him to not play. Heck, bring Poehling too if you can swing it cap-wise.

The win tonight is nice, but the 5 games left against the Flames will be key. If this team doesn't step on Calgary's neck then they'll spend the rest of the season looking behind them instead of ahead.

As long as it's filed under "How to ruin team chemistry and alienate good faith from your fanbase"

The right winger.

Asked by Arpon Basu if there was a trade market for Victor Mete at all Bergevin said, "Ya, I was offered a first round pick but I figured I should just put him on waivers." ... "So that's a no?" "That's a no." How dare he make jokes about my special boy!

Based on practice lines yesterday (and assuming Armia is not ready yet): Tatar - Danault - Byron Toffoli - Suzuki - Evans Drouin - Kotkaniemi - Anderson Lehkonen - Staal - Perry Kulak - Weber Edmundson - Petry Romanov - Leskinen Ouellet Allen

Oh hey, there is a game soon. Go Habs! Lines to come...

Winnipeg and Montreal would have been after the same kinds of players. Both teams had to settle for depth pieces.

I've already acknowledged the market wasn't there.

Another way to get that Leskinen layer is to get someone better than your current regular LD and push everyone down a pairing. I had hoped the bar was a bit higher than "better than Leskinen."

This doesn't move the needle at all for Montreal. It's disappointing but based on the other trades done today seems pretty par for the course for what was available.

And Jeff Carter goes to the Penguins for a conditional 3rd and 4th

Taylor Hall is headed to Boston

A ton of trades happening tonight. GMs sending "u up?" texts and getting deals done. Mike Reilly to the Bruins for a 3rd Big Save Dave to the Leafs for a 3rd Coburn to the Isles for a 7th Jeff Carter is heading to the Penguins, apparently

They can only go to arbitration if he doesn't accept his QO. After this less than stellar season for Lehkonen he will take his QO and run to the bank if he is tendered one.

So it's gonna be Detroit, right?

Marc Bergevin's favourite player to acquire is and will forever be Marc Bergevin. Heck of a duster on Merrill though.

... I will be in my room and wish to not be disturbed.