Habs Fan in Edmonton

That's good news, hopefully we don't get more than 1 point tonight.

No surprise they got a Hannifin deal done. Marchessault is going on 34 so it would have to be a short term deal however he is coming off a 40+ goal season and is likely looking for at least 3 years. Unless he is dying to play for the Habs and willing to give a big hometown discount then I just don't see it happening.

Agree 100%, Arizona moved ahead of the Habs last night with a big win. Habs don't need any points tonight!!! Thay had their big night against Philly.

What's interesting about that is Yakupov, Murray and Reinhart were all taken in the 2012 entry draft. Galchenyuk was 3rd that year. I think without a doubt the worst top 4 taken in any draft in recent memory.

Fair point, Torts is a polarizing figure. He wears his emotions on his sleeve, he is demanding and holds players accountable. Not all players like that. I have also heard players who have played for him say that he was one of the only coaches they had who actually cared about them as people. He makes mistakes like any coach but he also has a lot of positives. John Tortorella: In the Words of His Players (thehockeywriters.com)

I just don't think that Torts is the right coach for a rebuilding team. Being a coach for a rebuilding team requires a lot of patience and that just doesn't seem to be Torts strong suit. The Flyers over achieved early in the year and that led to expectations being higher than they should be, they were ripe for a letdown.

Great interview with Kent Hughes, gives a little clue about the draft at 25:20, said if the best player available was a LD, then they would look at trading up or back. Kent Hughes - Canadiens GM [Full Interview] | Frankly Speaking Podcast (youtube.com)

After 14 goals in 34 games last year the expectations were definitely higher. Expectations can weigh on a player. He is 25 now so he has had some time. I like his attitude, but he has to produce more (obviously). Perhaps 13th forward is about it.

Great to see Juraj get a hat trick, obviously a big confidence builder. Anderson's goal gave me hope that he can turn it around. It was the kind of play we need to see more often, skating hard and driving toward the net. When he does that he can be tough to handle. he hasn't done that enough this year.

The clock struck midnight for the Flyers, reversion to the mean, whatever you want to call it. I never thought the Flyers were a playoff team and it is finally showing. When they lost 6-2 in Columbus in an important game it became pretty obvious they were done. Torts was a coach of the year candidate for a long time but perhaps not anymore.

Yes, they had their fun tonight, time to get serious. LOL

That's true, Slaf getting a hat trick is nice. Winning a game 2-1 with Gallagher and Pearson getting the only goals would be a complete waste. The Flyers didn't even push back tonight. They took only 1 minor penalty in a game where they got smoked. They are done, they have quit.

It is good he gets a chance to play, good for his mental health. It's a no pressure game. It looks like Philly is discouraged and have packed it in. I think this is about as sure a win as the Habs are going to get this year. The rest of the games are against teams who are fighting for a playoff spot (except for Ottawa).

I am warming up to Parekh, would likely be a terrific power play quarterback. Interesting discussion about Iginla at the beginning (link below), some think he may actually be gone by the time the Habs draft. If that is the case then someone else may fall (Demidov, Lindstrom??) It will be interesting, I have really warmed up to Iginla though, could be an excellent top 6 forward for a long time. McCagg: I Wouldn't Be Shocked If Sennecke Is On Habs' Radar - Prospect Talk #44 (youtube.com)

At least Dvorak only has 1 year left, the others have three. For Anderson I do have some hope that he can regain his form, for Gallagher not so much.

That's terrible news. Hopefully not a chronic thing.

Any particular reason for that? You just don't like the Flyers?

Zayne Parekh is a great story. Mapping It Out: Zayne Parekh’s Family Journey Is Fuelling His Hockey Dream (youtube.com)

Yes, a loss is better but this should be the easiest game the Habs have left. Philly is totally disintegrating and just got smacked in Columbus in an almost must win game. Maybe the Tortorella magic has completely worn off. I would be very surprised if the Habs don't win.

Oilver Kapanen is tied for the playoff lead in scoring, has 7 goals in 9 games. Has anyone here followed him closely? I really haven't seem him play at all, but that's pretty impressive. TOP-10 Players - Liiga.fi

I think Parekh is the most intriguing prospect in the top grouping. No other prospect brings what he can from the back end. It will be interesting to watch him and Beck in the Memorial Cup. Iginla is really growing on me. Another 3 points last night, 8 goals in 6 playoff games for a 17 year old. Plus as per the highlight of the night, he is great on the forecheck. It seems he can do it all. WHL Highlight of the Night – April 7, 2024 - Western Hockey League (chl.ca)

The Yotes are listening to you. A great night for draft positioning.

I agree about staged fights. That fight last night was not so much a staged fight as it was Reaves being a bully and picking on a middleweight. When you look at the reply Pezzetta very reluctantly agreed. Last night sucked on a lot of levels.

Of course, the momentum of the fight was not the reason the Habs lost, not all. My point was that on a night when we were getting smoked by Toronto, it was also embarrassing to get your ass kicked in a fight. Having Arber in the lineup would have made the 2nd part a lot less likely.

He wasn't thinking. It was a little embarrassing. We missed having Arber in the lineup.