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January 14th 2019 10:10pm Boston ties it with a minute left. 10:15pm we win in OT Roller coaster of emotions for my then 6yr old.

Moving Fowler for Binnington is top 3 worst trade proposals in this 581 page thread.

Those numbers are since the beginning of the season, are they not? We all agree that goaltending was a huge problem before the holidays. I'd like to see what the numbers will look like for January. Montembeault didn't play a great game, but I do think it would qualify as "adequate goaltending" which is basically the level most people agreed would be necessary for the Habs to get into the playoffs. -0.5 GSAx is not horrible, as long as this is not the start of a decline. The five goals? Tkachuk, 3F on the play, scores on a rush on two-man PP, no one covering that side of the net Stutzle fools Montembeault by passing the puck back between his legs Cozens scores through traffic on PP Zub shot deflects off Perron (or maybe Dobson), both of whom are in the blue ice, blocking Montembeault Sanderson scored on an Ottawa three-on-one just as a Habs PP expires 8/10 HD saves, 7/10 MD, 10/10 LD. Yeah, maybe he should have had one (or maybe two) of those, but I really don't see this game as increasing the goaltending concern level. There were bigger issues elsewhere ...

Thankfully Ottawa’s goalie is complete shit

Not really ... but then Bolduc isn't setting the world on fire either ... maybe it was a less significant trade than both sides hoped.

Creative, yes ... but if it's just creative passing, they won't score. So, the thinking with Dobson is to give them another shooting option.

You quote a 3 game sample. Gallagher may have slowed but he is still contributing to a team fighting for the division lead and Danault has stabilized the PK and has won some key face-offs especially in OT. Enjoy the team success. Gallagher will play out his contract, Hughes and Gorton will find a suitable upgrade and all will be well.

I love this one ...

Here's what I predict will happen. Gally will continue to be a lineup regular owing to sundry injuries (minor or major). He will have patches where he looks awful and patches where everyone starts talking about how he's finding new life. Come the playoffs, he will look more like the old Gally, making an impact, and everyone will be singing hosannahs in his name. Then he will be atrocious next season. I say all this because it seems to be a common pattern with over-the-hill, warrior-type vets. They can still bring it for short spurts, especially in the crunch. But they can't do it over the entire meat-grinder of season - especially not with a compressed sked like this.

I always liked Hammer…I thought he got a little bit of a rough ride because people didn’t like his contract, which I personally found reasonable at the time for a legit #2-3 defenceman.

Newhook won a cup, what are we talking about here?

Adam Engström’s path to the Canadiens is a blueprint for David Reinbacher - The Athletic ... Those reasons, in the eyes of Laval Rocket coach Pascal Vincent, explain why Engström is currently playing well for the Canadiens while Reinbacher remains in Laval. “The physical maturity of Adam Engström, he’s older. Just compare them at the same age, and then we’re going to have a real conversation, but right now, Adam is older,” Vincent said Thursday after Rocket practice. “And he wasn’t injured, so he was able to train. Reino spent a year and a half or so just trying to get back from an injury. When you do that, you’re not building on top, you’re just trying to level up. “And Reino is a tall person, so he needs to fill in that body, and it takes time. And it’s fine. It’s not a problem. There’s no rush. But I can tell you, the mindset and the potential is outstanding.” A bit on St Louis stair running. Martin St-Louis: A Discussion That Explains It All - TVA Sports

One goal over his glove. One deflection in front of the net. And then a flurry of Carolina players in front of the net with only Hutson there for support (and Hutson falling down, too). Not a brilliant start for him, but I don't see this as any kind of condemnation of his play, either.

EDIT because I can't spell. All good arguments. My point is that for months the conversation has been - if only we could find a solid 2C. Now our 2nd line is our strength. I agree there is no panic for line 1. But, maybe if we had been looking for a 1W or a 2C we might have found someone. Hindsight is always 20/20, but it is hard to argue with Slafkovski's success on line 2 right now. Don't recall anyone floating that out as a legit answer. Does that mean a 1W is easy to find? Of course not. I'm just saying that we have options. And if if Danault steps up, or Dach is ever healthy, or, or, or...

Dale Hunter and discipline are two words not meant to mix together. 😁

One top prospect, a decent prospect, a fringe defenceman, a cap dump, and a second-round pick doesn't feel like the type of package they can't say no to, especially for not just one but two of their top players. Here's a number one in-prime centre who isn't available barring an overpayment (a too good to be true offer). That's what teams are being told. A stud top-six F that's slightly younger than Thomas. That's Slafkovsky, not Hage and a collection of spare parts.

I don't get pairing your best dman with your worst - unless you are short bodies or have gotten into penalty trouble. Struble has been awful for a long time now.

Robert Thomas is a superbly talented player, but he fits the profile of our other top players other than Slafkovsky ... what the Habs NEED up front is a Top 6, or an "elite" 3rd line, physical forward ... on the back-end a physical Top 4 RHD ... unless HuGo are trying to change the paradigm for winning a Cup, Thomas does not bring the Habs what they need.

It is absolutely incredible how Dobes has the record that he has with the way that he plays the position. He is out there doing the Booker T spinaroonie most nights, but somehow keeps racking up the wins. My thirteen year old son who is a goalie is more technically sound than he is.

Hughes vs Hutson. Or a russian rookie vs the $17,000,000 russian.

What will be interesting to see is Hutson and Hughes on the ice at the same time. I have seen both play but it should be interesting to contrast their games when they are both on the same ice.

Curious to see who is playing tonight and what Marty does with the lines. I bet that no matter who returns that Veleno will play. Marty can’t help himself…despite only 4 points on the season Marty can’t resist the left handed centre that has a 1.3% better chance at winning a faceoff. Please don’t sit Blais so that Veleno can play.

Lane Hutson is now tied for 6th in the league in assists, leads all defensemen. I am sure glad Hughes signed him to that long term contract. How much would he get now if hadn't signed given the season he is having?

Josh Anderson played an ok game tonight.

FWIW; At about 42 minutes in, they have Pickford interview. Dont think much can be gleened from the standard hockey-player Q&A. Fowler sent to Laval, a lineup crunch is coming + a chat with Bryce Pickford | Basu & Godin Notebook

Is he really? Let's look at GSAx: This year: Binnington -18.5, Montembeault -6.0 2024-25: Binnington +5.3, Montembeault +24.6 2023-24: Binnington +16.5, Montembeault +3.5 2023-24: Binnington -9.2, Montembeault +11.8 He had one better season two years ago, but neither this season nor the other two has he been even close to Montembeault. Montembeault has been a solid starter for three of the four seasons, Binnington only twice. And giving up Fowler, who may still be an NHL starter in the future, though clearly his not there yet? No way.

I wasnt either. Not cool hitting the back of his head.

Good value for what he brings, seems like a heady, versatile player that we picked off the scrapheap.

I was curious if swapping Gallagher for Anderson would help the Danault line’s stats which have been deeply negative in every single game. The Danault line was the only line with positive stats tonight! Gallagher also had positive stats while his centre Veleno was worst on team. Majority of players were negative tonight

Dobson is a good offensive D man and all, but you gotta have Hutson out for a 5 on 3. He's a wizard!

Hopefully that end-of-game helps Dobes's confidence...I get a bit tired of his scrambling around. Messy win, but we are about 3X better than those pieces of crap, and were by far the better team all night. The score flattered the Canucks IMHO.

You have to use the eye test with stats. He gets easily beaten in the corners. Flubs most chances he has. Gave away the puck numerous times in our own zone. The cherry on top is the bonehead penalties. I noticed all of these in the games this week. His line has scored, but I don’t see him being a contributor on those goals.

WTF is Gallagher doing out with 2.5 min left with an empty net. Sick of seeing him. Just waive him already!

I am not certain Blais is still waiver exempt ... I would hope they would risk Veleno before Blais

Nice comments about Hage Player grades: Evaluating the Canadian world junior roster that settled for bronze

I don’t hate it, it’s worth a try for a few shifts, but I doubt that it will work. Laine tends to want to carry the puck, which is Suzuki’s job on that line. That also gives us three non-physical players on that line, so the question remains, who of the three is going to dig the puck out of corners etc.

And ...

Hutson-Carrier on 5-on-5 doesn’t mean 25 minutes for Carrier as he won’t play Hutson’s PP minutes. Anyway, am waiting with interest to see how St-Louis configures the D corps.

Canada used to ice teams that dominated the walls and wore defenders down with big hits. Controlled the middle if the ice and forechecked aggressively. This Czech team is more like the old canada teams.

Good timing with commercial break before the pk.

Note the start time Will it be Fowler or Montembeault ... or a shocking second in a row for Dobeš? Will Matheson be back? Can Anderson play?

In much the same way that Montreal is close to Tokyo.

This team is a problem for the Eastern Conference.

He is a force now.

Posting this because it’s incredible even if it has nothing to do with these Olympics

From The Athletic:

And therein lies the hope of Fowler longer-term

Caufield and Suzuki really refused to lose tonight. They were fantastic. Absolutely the leaders on this team. Goal #2 was wonky but Monty had a strong outing overall. Good for him. Have I mentioned that Brad Marchand is a gutter-crawling, maggot infested, slime-encrusted piece of dogsh*t? Well he is.

I don’t see CC-Nick-? as a crisis requiring a major move. They are still an effective duo. It’s just CC is in a mini-slump. Suzuki has 11 points in 11 games nevertheless. We’re accustomed to that line being one of the best in hockey. But if it slips down a notch that is an acceptable price to pay for having a really strong second line IMHO. The Kid Line is flying and that is great news for the development of all three players on it, two of whom are Crown Jewels in the rebuild. My impression is that the Danault line is also looking good in the early going, even if the stat card implies otherwise. Basically I’m happy with a balanced FW unit as opposed to one that is reliant on one powerhouse trio. Now, if at some point a stud top-6 W becomes available - and they’re not as hard to find as other pieces - we should certainly consider it. Heck, free agency might be our best bet. But I don’t want to cough up major assets, especially given that a guy like Bolduc might still grow into the role of utility player on that line.

They won 6-2 ffs. Not every coaching decision was wrong.