xXx..CK..xXx

I deserve it. Terrible game for me.

I’ve seen 0-4 this game so far but I’m back for overtime

I switched away (and I very rarely do) to some tennis after Barzal's goal for 0-2 but now the game will definitely stay on after checking back in and seeing 2-2. I'm not jinxing anything, I promise.

Yeah, I know there’s been discussion before about how Toronto and Montreal aren’t exactly a rivalry. I just have fond memories of being up at my cottage as a child over the weekend and CBC being one of the only available Channels in my area on Saturday nights. I may be incorrect but it seems as though we faced the Leafs quite often on Hockey Night in Canada during the 90s. Either way, it’s just a matchup I enjoy watching. I am surprised I didn’t mention Montreal - Ottawa though. That probably has to do with recency bias and how both team’s haven’t been doing well this year so far.

.... or at least your favorite matchups in hockey? The talk about fighting in another thread led to this thought. I live in Southern California and last night Anaheim and LA had three staged fights in the first few minutes within a 2 second timespan, all three of which were off of separate face offs. Now I’m not saying fighting is the only component, or even an important one when it comes to rivalries in the modern NHL but I was curious to know what perhaps some of your favorite rivalries are in the NHL? This thread could be short if we were coming to an actual conclusion in regards to the “best” rivalries of all time, but based on geographical disparity, or even a player (Subban, Sergachev, etc.) perhaps some people enjoy different rivalries than we would think of. The following are my favorite current rivalries, or the matchups that intrigue me the most during the most important time of the year. Simply off the top of my head... 1) Boston vs Montreal 2) Anaheim vs Los Angeles 3) Montreal vs Toronto 4) Washington vs Pittsburgh 5) Los Angeles vs San Jose The battles of Alberta & Ontario are intriguing but it’s rare that both team have been good at the same time. Two other matchups I really enjoyed in the playoffs were 1) Dallas vs Edmonton 2) Colorado vs Detroit 3) Pittsburgh vs Detroit So, what are your greatest rivalries that you enjoy watching? Answer in whatever way you feel appropriate.

Also, considering his nickname is Casperetty amongst those who don’t like him, it really is these “character” traits that these people are looking for. The level of hate for him are all in part due to high expectations of him, which demonstrate that everyone knows what he is capable of. The skill level is there, it’s rather the “commitment”, “effort level”, “enthusiasm” that are lacking in their eyes. Those are descriptions of character in a sense and so that’s mostly what’s been missing. Sure, he only has 10 goals so far, but he will end with 25+ this year in an off season, while more fancy players who produce no more than him like Galchenyuk and Drouin get criticized less just because they look better to the eye test. I can tell you with actual certainty that Pacioretty gives a more consistent effort level than those two on a regular basis, they just have different styles of play and it appears that way to the eye test.

It’s easy to say that the team won’t compete for a cup within the next 5 years, but the same will really be said in retrospect for at least ~25 teams by the end of those 5 years. I think with Price, Weber, Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, Drouin + some other additions, the Habs can contend for a cup within Pacioretty’s window. The conflict on issues are the team we realistically have on the ice, versus the management team in place to help improve our squad. Our squad may not be perfect on paper right now, but if it’s the latter reason that lead people to believe we won’t be able to win, then I can’t put myself in their shoes. As much as I had a bad feeling about this season based on the off season, I’m not going to throw in the towel on our future. Bergevin may get fired for all we know... or our squad may improve due to our available cap space. After last season, we were one or two pieces away. This season we may be two or three pieces away, but we have cap space and a trade deadline that’s a year away to once again put us over the top. I don’t agree we can’t be contenders in the near future. Tampa and Winnipeg didn’t make the playoffs one year ago and look wher e they stand now. I don’t believe either team will win the cup, but they can certainly contend. I’ve seen no reason that any of the names suggested in return for Pacioretty would give us any more of a shot at a cup. I like each of them, and prefer Tavares over Pacioretty, but it’s not like Nugent Hopkins or Tavares have won anything more than Price or Pacioretty at the NHL level, regardless of age.

It’s funny because many of the same people who make fun of Bergevin and his “character” mission also want Pacioretty traded. Part of it is because of the value he brings back, but it’s mostly because he lacks these “character” traits that these people want to see in him. Simply put.

Watch the first few minutes of Anaheim - LA from last night in regards to the first part. I’m not arguing, but dead is a strong word.

He better be for his name to be worthy of your 2000th post Hope Danault is alright

So far Pacioretty and Galchenyuk are looking good from my players to watch. I should have bolded Deslauriers' name as well.

Byron was a spectator on that goal against. I caught the second half of that period only and it seemed to be alright in terms of entertainment value.

Saturday, the Habs and I look to continue our win streak against our greatest rival, the Boston Bruins. The game marks Claude Julien's first game against his former team and for some reason, I truly believe that will have zero impact on Saturday's performance. Both teams are coming off of their bye week. Tuuka Rask, who has been playing well as of late tends to play out of character against the Habs quite often and so it will be interesting to see if this will be the case, or if he will continue his recent strong play against us as well. Danton Heinen and Charlie Mcavoy, among others, are having stellar seasons. On the Canadiens end, look for recently named all star Carey Price to continue his solid play. Look for Pacioretty, Plekanec, Gallagher and perhaps Galchenyuk to have relatively strong games as well, as they often do against the Bruins. Victor Mete will also make his return to the lineup. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ MONTREAL CANADIENS Pacioretty - Danault - Lehkonen Byron - Plekanec - Gallagher Galchenyuk - Drouin - Hudon Deslauriers - De La Rose - Shaw Alzner - Petry Benn - Jerabek Mete - Schlemko Price Niemi ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ VS ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BOSTON BRUINS Marchand - Bergeron - Pastrnak DeBrusk - Krejci - Spooner Heinen - R. Nash - Backes Schaller - Kuraly - Acciari Chara - Mcavoy Krug - Carlo Grzelcyk - Miller Rask Khudobin ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I’m fine with Price being an All Star.... from here on out.

It’s interesting to think what another Olympic gold may have done for his game in the short term. It seems to have had an impact on the way he performed in 2014.

I think Byron would be a good call. I’m not looking at the stats or anything but it would be fun to watch him in the speed skating competition, and he’s not entirely undeserving. Sad about Weber and his injuries, as I saw him last year at the all star game in Los Angeles.

I agree with you and although it’s been happening more often in the recent past, it’s still not a common practice to trade away your captain. I personally like Pacioretty for what he can bring to the table but some people might argue that he is partly responsible for us being perceived as a collection and not a team. That’s not my perception but it seems to be a somewhat popular one. (If it is true that we are a collection and not a team, that falls on management and coaching) Although, it does seem to be mostly for the value he can bring back in a trade that it’s been suggested.

So as much as the team was not doing well, the 4 assists that were more than Gallagher's point total altogether should be dismissed? "If he's not scoring, it doesn't matter how many assists he gets". He also does play a relatively strong 2 way game. In the same timespan, what did Gallagher's intangibles bring to the team in terms of results? He had a few opposing players frustrated while the Habs continued to struggle. This is not meant an an attack on Gallagher, however. As to your questions... 1) Pacioretty can be an asset in and of himself to a cup contender. I personally don't view Lehkonen, Hudon, Plekanec, Petry, Alzner, Benn as players that are necessary core pieces to a cup contender so some of them can be used. Byron, Gallagher, Shaw, Jerabek are players I wouldn't move but could be used for value as well. My core would revolve around players like Galchenyuk, Pacioretty, Drouin, Weber, Mete, Price. Again, Gallagher and Byron are also close components to the core. As for the specific trade to improve the core, there's not much use in me throwing out some ideas even though I have thrown out Lehkonen, Hudon & a 1st for some big fish before. Many people view some of the players listed here as "less expendable" than Pacioretty so any of my trades would look either worse or like "not enough". I on the other hand think you could get a solid return for some of them, whether it be an influential defenseman or a top 6 forward. None of this takes into consideration free agent signing possibilities, where we don't have to give anyone up. 2) Considering the amount of cap space we had available this year, I'm not too concerned about signing Pacioretty to a more fitting contract than his current one. The lose a step issue is something that should be said for mostly every player, not just Pacioretty himself. Rick Nash has indeed lost a step but Pacioretty still has years ahead of him and it's not like he will become untradeable in the future simply because we've signed him. I understand that you were stating it as a concern about Pacioretty based on his current strengths and style of play but he can still be extremely effective for many years. What would become important when this happens is to coach around it. No matter his speed, Pacioretty's release will always be elite and so you need to find a way to get him setup in the offensive zone with proper line mates once he loses a step. Adjust to the moment, don't concern yourself with something that may happen in 5-6 years. Of course, if he does become the player you envision sooner rather than later, you've perhaps made an awesome deal shipping him out. But I think that's up for debate.

Pacioretty may have only had 4 points in December but Gallagher had 3 points in the same time span.

Your point is that the smartest thing to do was to have a replacement for Markov. Who would have been some available replacements for Bergevin? If there are none that come to mind, then it would still have been better to have Markov than nothing.

Stop it. You guys are making me like Bergevin.

He’s still not on pace for 36 points no ifs ands or buts. He might become a 60-70 point player, I just don’t think that should be or have been the expectation of him this year.

I think we’ve been playing better the last couple of games but we still are and may always be lacking execution. Jerabek is growing on me.

He missed some games due to injury so he’s not on pace for 36 points. If he played a full season he’d be on pace for about 30 assists and about 11 goals for 41 points. Right now, on the Montreal Canadiens, he “shouldn’t” be more than a 50-60 point player this year. The only thing lacking are his goals and maybe a couple of assists, as he should be a 20 goal scorer. 20-25 goals would put him at a 50-55 point pace. On the other hand, people expected that he should be a 60-70 point player right now and I’m not sure I agree with that.

Bad penalty by Shaw at the end of the period there but Gaunce drew that call like a basketball player would draw a foul in the NBA.