GDT Apr. 2, Habs vs Panthers, 7 PM

[dlbalr]

Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Gallagher

Eller - Plekanec - Mitchell

Byron - Desharnais - Andrighetto

Carr - McCarron - Danault

Markov - Emelin

Hanley - Pateryn

Dietz - Lernout

Condon

Huberdeau - Barkov - Jagr

Jokinen - Bjugstad - Smith

Purcell - Grimaldi - Hudler

Howden - MacKenzie - Thornton

Ekblad - Campbell

Kampfer - Kulikov

Kindl - Gudbranson

Luongo

Puck drop is at 7:00 on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

I think the Panthers are a top 2/4 dman away from making some serious noise.

[Commandant]

They might have that shortly in Mattheson.

One test here though is that this Panthers team is at the extreme end of PDO, and is not very good in possession stats. We saw what happened to the Colorado team from 2014 and the Flames team from 2015 who showed similar advanced stats. Things didnt go so well the following season.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

We should just play the college kid.

[dlbalr]

We should just play the college kid.

My guess is he starts Thursday in Carolina. That's the easiest of the remaining games.

[DON]

Quite a young group of d-men, but is a perfect situation for auditions and them to see bit of NHL action (bigger pay-cheque also).

How will Gallagher and Gallagher-lite (Carr) play, I think both will stand out in their 1st game back.

[dlbalr]

1-0 after 1, the Habs had another solid period. Gallagher wasted little time getting back on the scoresheet - Hanley got yet another assist there. Markov had a really nice tip-in goal but it was called back on the offside.

[dlbalr]

Lernout played 5 shifts in the 1st and only got blown by a couple of times. It's scary moments when he's out there. I think he can be a useful defenceman down the road but that's two or three years from now. He's only the 3rd player from the 2014 3rd round to play in the NHL.

[Guest Stogey24]

Lernout played 5 shifts in the 1st and only got blown by a couple of times. It's scary moments when he's out there. I think he can be a useful defenceman down the road but that's two or three years from now. He's only the 3rd player from the 2014 3rd round to play in the NHL.

I didn't really seem him get blown by.

[dlbalr]

I didn't really seem him get blown by.

I'm pretty sure his first shift saw a guy getting by him and generating net pressure. Grimaldi got around him as well although that one's understandable since it's Grimaldi - he's kind of quick.

That second goal from Florida has to be a bit of a deflator for the Habs. They were just seconds away from being up two in the second intermission but now the Panthers are back in it. That should make the third period a bit more interesting.

[Guest Stogey24]

Nice to see Hanley pick up another assist on Gallagher's goal.

[Guest Stogey24]

Markov's defensive game has looked bad

[Trizzak]

Please, Bergevin, trade almost anything and get Barkov on the team. He's the new Habs Killer.

[dlbalr]

Lernout's hurt now. This is nuts. John Scott may actually be next in line to be recalled on defence since they really don't seem to want to bring Ellis back. (Ryan Johnston is the other semi-plausible option.)

[Neech]

Way to pull out the regulation loss, guys!

[Commandant]

Tank Mission Accomplished.

[lazy26]

Wow, that is commitment to the tank!

[Lovett's Magnatones]

I'm very disappointed. Sure, after the events of this year, I've seen the Habs lose every which way, but I (and my younger sister visiting) got to see these shit piles blow a three goal lead and cough up the loss with ten seconds left in person.

Where to start? Gallagher hustled and created plays. Galchenyuk impressed with his skill. Pateryn glommed onto Markov. You could see him picking Markov's brain during TV timeouts. I think he has a future in the league. If you changed Hanley's jersey number from 71 to 61, he could pass for Raphael Diaz.

The rest of the team...you would think, by the effort level of some of the vets (Max, Plekanec) and the unknowns that this was a preseason game.

McCarron tried to be engaged and keep up with the play, but aside from some Barrie-London carryover with Ekblad after the whistles, he was a non factor. I can understand why, he's getting a long look because of injuries, but he needs at least another half a year in the minors to be effective in a role outside the fourth line. His foot speed need work. I'm no less enthusiastic about him, but he's a project.

To put it nicely, Max and Plekanec are a disgrace. Plekanec was invisible all night. He showed no effort. Just playing out the string. Pacioretty sucked. He floated away the second goal being offsides, he shied away from several puck battles to avoid hits, and glided around like he didn't have a care in the world.

You would think Larry got paid in cycle time, he's as bad as Subban used to be. He dangled his way into the ice and then had no idea what to do with the puck!

Therrien had an impressive tan. When the coach is hitting the tanning bed three times a week and the GM is modeling for the front page of Sorialto's website...I'm not going to go there. Therrien had a nice scheme to cover the Panther's behind the net breakout, so some credit was due for frustrating the Cats for about 14 minutes.

Condon let in four. Just another night at the office. Lernout was overmatched in his first few shifts, but I expected that.

This is going to be an interesting off season to say the least. As Brian Wilde said, the coach's tan is better than his record, and the GM I'd trying to hide behind his beard. The Habs have a Captain that's a frigging stiff, and the two of their core players best days at behind them. This team might need a shakeup along the lines of what Gainey did when he took over as coach. Something here reeks.

[KoRP]

Great post LM, thanks!

What has stunk is the veteran leadership core, and the Habs haven't really won anything with that core... Even Gilbert said the leadership sucked this season in the face of adversity, the leaders folded, Gallagher said "we weren't Professional enough to deal with adversity during all the losing".

This team is Price, Subban, Gallagher, Galchenyuk, and maybe Petry.... at this point, the rest aren't even NHL'ers... but those 4 players, and maybe Petry are the only ones I would consider keeping, oh, maybe Patch if he grows a real set of nuts.

But, it must still be Therrien's fault, what a crock. Can't win with a bunch of under sized career AHL caliber players, its not rocket science.

It is true that Condon gives up a bad goal per game, but Markov gives up at least 2 or 3 per game, the man is incredibly tired and weak on the defensive side of the game. Plekanec, well he is just bad, and looks content with losing.

Losers.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

You're right, the leadership is awful. I think Brian mentioned in a wrap up article that the team would be helped trading for a Malhotra type, but alas, Bergevin wanted to freeze the roster at it's lowest point in franchise history for some reason.

I'm having serious misgivings about Pacioretty as Captain. That game was just the icing on the cake.

-He doesn't put forth the best effort. (Gallagher)

-He isn't the best skater. (Subban)

-He hasn't won before or had the most experience. (I guess this would have to be Markov)

-He certainly isn't the best inspirational speaker, judging from his epic fail of an F bomb in December.

I have a hard time believing the players chose him; or perhaps it was a Donald Trump type vote, and he took 32% of a four candidate field.

[Neech]

Can't help but agree with your take on Patches. He was a default choice, and at this point he seems like the third best candidate for the role after PK (overall best player, give him the C despite reservations a la Ovechkin) or Gallagher (heart and soul player). For leadership in sports, the most important thing besides being a good player is an intangible 'it' factor that Pacioretty doesn't have when you compare him to Gionta or other quality leaders around the league. He's just not charismatic.

On the other hand, I don't think 'who wears the C' is a huge deal as long as we have enough leaders in the room, which we clearly don't. Pleks and Markov were always a bit aloof.

[DON]

What a sweet was to lose! I thought would get at least one point, but thankfully they must of been watching out of town scoreboard, seeing Sabres and Arizona close to within 1 point of them.

Great to see Gallagher playing.

Desharnais had another good game.

Didn't see where Lernout got hurt and sure hope it is Ellis and not Scott to be recalled, but Scott would for sure help sink team for last couple games.

Pateryn got 22 minutes, played solid again

DD(ietz) & Hanley both collect another point and really didn't look out of place, Lernout looked 1/2 step slow and lost out there; but as expected for the kid in his 1st game vs a big solid team.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

You always have to remember that Price is the true leader of the team, regardless of what letter is put on the chest of the other players. Pacioretty is a respected contributor to the committee of leaders and likely got the C because everyone felt he was the safe choice. I'm sure he's well liked as well. If Carey wanted someone else I doubt Max would have the C.

He's had a rough year due to the team collapsing and him getting zero help from his administration. I have full confidence him and the team will bounce back. That said I also don't ever look at him as the defacto leader of the team. That's Carey and nobody else.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Great post from Lovett

Is Plekanec unmotivated and playing out the string? Or is he in decline? I keep raising this prospect because it worries me. I could see us adding a top-6 FW or two, only to have the effort undermined by the realization that he's no longer a top-6 FW.

One thing, though: it's hardly uncommon for veterans on teams that expected to make the playoffs to play listlessly when there's nothing left to play for. I know we don't like it, but Ray Ferraro was saying just this on the radio the other day - he had lots of experience on terrible teams, and notes that when you've got 10 games left and you know it's pointless, it's incredibly hard NOT to start thinking about your upcoming vacation in Hawaii, etc., etc.. Human nature. So I wouldn't make too much of it.

What worries me about the team leadership is less that they're mailing it in with nothing on the line, and more that a trickle of comments have entered the media this season, all tending in the same direction: namely, that there IS a cultural problem in the dressing room. Gilbert said that he thought players on the team were reaching for excuses instead of taking responsibility. Eller made what I thought was a telling remark a couple of weeks ago to the effect that there 'are no Cup rings in this room' and that, therefore, they had to figure it out on their own. Then there was that PK blow up ('not my job') and ongoing rumours of problems.

This team needs to go out and sign 1-2 guys with Rings who can take a regular shift, even if it's as a #7 defenceman or a 4th-liner. I think this group really needs players who have gone all the way and who can say, 'I won a Cup and THIS is how we did it...'

[Chris]

I don't really have a problem with Pacs, I would have given him an A instead of the captain. he has always been streaky and vanishes from time to time. At least he produces.

Pleks is actually getting a raise the next 3 years I believe, he is worthless. Vanishes in the playoffs, this year a 25 plus game goal less streak and currently 1 goal in 22 or something. That guy and his salary need to be moved.

I don't like DD, he does produce from time to time, he is soft, small and loses too many battles. His production has decreased this year as well.

Some others like Eller I would move as well. Byron at less than a mill has produced almost as many goals as those other guys mentioned and they are taking up like 12 mill in salary.

MB has some serious work to do to make this team a contender.