GHT120

I am beginning to think that Domi might be the best choice for the 4C ... his style fits that sort of role better than KK ... Max will get PP time and if Habs need a goal can then be bumped up to 3rd line with KK (have a slight preference for Domi on the wing) ... besides, not certain the third line will have a ton of offence with either KK or Max at centre (depends on what "Byron" we see) so the 3rd/4th lines may get similar ice time anyway.

Niemi was great his first year as a Hab and terrible last year, so because I appreciate that first year I won't include him in the presumption that a signing would not be better than Lindgren. If Kinkaid-like is the option for signing a veteran then I agree ... assuming there is an AHL season; if not, then Primeau gets the job. But Lindgren would likely mean 60-ish games for Price ... I would suggest mapping out 8-10(ish) of those remaining games for Primeau to play ... against not elite teams and when minimal travel is required to get him back to the Rocket.

Agreed ... I've liked what little I've seen of McNiven ... he is 2.5 years younger than CL ... in many ways last season was a development loss as he bounced around between Laval and 3 ECHL teams ... so he may yet have unrealized potential. Lindgren turns 27 in December ... he is as almost assuredly as good as he ever is going to be, and IMO that is a poor to mediocre NHL backup.

Not a 'Boys fan so I'll pass on that ... expect it will end up being a more modern NHL traditional nickname like Romi or Romes (which is sad)

☹️ I watch the French broadcasts ... much prefer RDS ... do not like the TVA crew ... but still better than Sportsnet (from the little I have heard of them).

Another team to possibly exploit if Habs don't expect Krug or Hall to come on board https://nhlrumors.com/nhl-rumors-the-arizona-coyotes-would-need-to-create-cap-to-re-sign-hall-some-trade-options/2020/07/21/

Correct it was for last week NEW YORK -- The National Hockey League today released the following statement on COVID-19 testing results: "The NHL concluded the first five days (July 13-17) of Phase 3 (formal training camp) of its Return to Play with two positive test results for COVID-19 among the 2,618 tests administered to more than 800 players. Both Players who tested positive have self-isolated and are following CDC and Health Canada protocols. During Phase 3, the NHL will continue to provide regular updates on the number of tests administered to Players and the results of those tests. The League will not be providing information on the identity of the Players or Clubs https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-statement-on-coronavirus-testing-results/c-317534672 But it would still mean the Habs had both positive tests ... unless Ouellette and Kulak knew they had Covid before reporting to camp and are quarantining ... the two positive tests reported may reflect "looking for new infections" testing and not "coming out of quarantine" testing

The two positives are quite possibly (almost certainly) Ouellette and Kulak ... don't think they have set foot on the ice since practice started

Much like Kovalev and Koivu, it seems that Malkin steps up his game to another level when Crosby is out and Evgeni is "THE MAN" ... always thought Kovalev did the same when Saku was out

Hockey30 (admittedly only occasionally reliable) has been saying from the start that the reason is poor conditioning ... makes some sense to me ... Lavoie tweeted yesterday that they are no injured and if it was Covid related the habs wouldn't (hopefully) have them associating ... could be that they did what Habs asked but rest of team did far more ... Julien did say that they had to alter the practice plan because players were far ahead of what they expected

Good news ... he was apparently very lucky

Don't know that anyone has said they "don't do that" ... rather that the clearances are based on the risk of catching Covid ... can't really be based on what would happen if someone catches it as even a perfectly healthy 20 year-olds could end up on a ventilator, or dead ... informing Max of their assessment of the risks of hin catching it and *** if *** he catches it informs the decision that Max had to make in terms of accepting the consequences of catching Covid

That is how it would have to be ... but don't see Hudon and Weal really offering any offensive support for KK in a "roll the lines" scenario ... and Lehkonen IMO brings little if any offence to the 3rd line ... so I would bump up KK (maybe have KK and Max play rock, paper, scissors, lizard, Spock for which plays centre), drop Lehkonen to 4th line and put Evans between him and Weal ... I am tired of the brief flashes of Hudon's potential spaced out with tons of disinterested play

All the doctors can do in this case is determine whether or not a player is at higher risk of getting infected ... if yes, then decide whether to clear the player ... if not, then explain to the player the risks involved should they get infected ... as the NHL&NHLPA have determined that the risk of exposure is mitigated, the approval just puts the ball in the players' court to decide whether or not to play. Concussions is perhaps the obvious parallel, as there are greater risks associated if you are concussed again ... but with concussions (and other injuries) the problem is that players have admitted that they lie to doctors so as to be able to get back on the ice ... doctors can only make assessments based on what they know, or are told.

Possibility ... but I think Julien is very fond of a more "traditional" 4th line ... and also not certain the Habs have the scoring depth to make KK useful as an offensive 4C ... but time will tell

Agreed ... assuming Danault will play (rumoured the separate training group is focused primarily on conditioning), IMO Domi's role depends on how well KK plays ... if he continues to impress then Domi plays LW beside him ... if KK falters as camp goes on the Max may be the 3C and KK may sit or fill the 3LW slot

In fairness to Habsfan89, I think it is just their individual opinion that the greater threat of serious complications should Max be infected does not warrant the risk ... that Domi was cleared to play does not change that greater threat, really it means that the NHL/team doctors have decided that the risk of becoming infected are no worse than any other player ... Max clearly faces greater of serious complications (potentially further aggravated by his also having celiac disease?) has decided to accept the risk, but Habsfan89 simply would advise he not ... simple opinion ... there is no right or wrong I respect Max's decision to play ... would have equally respected his deciding not to play ... we each assume responsibility for our own lives

It is also possible that the Blues would want Mete precisely because of the expansion draft ... they need to expose a defenceman under contract in 2021-22 who played in at least 40 NHL games the prior season or played in at least 70 NHL games in the prior two seasons ... Mete would only need to be extended and play 19 games in 20-21 ... but considering this possibility requires more (a) research than I care to do and (b) knowledge of the Blues than I have ... of course that might be the very reason the Habs might want to keep Mete ... Kulak is the likley other option to expose ... unless they have the rebuilding cojones to expose Weber (kidding, won't happen)

Apparently skating (Today) as the 5C But is rotating on the 2nd unit PP

Mete is also an RFA but wouldn't (IMO) get anywhere near the money Dunn would ... Vince has 5 times the number of goals and 50% more assists per 82 games than Mete in similar career ice time (15:04 TOI, 1:53 PP and 0:05 PK versus VM's 15:28/0:33/0:35) ... think Victor would be affordable for the Blues but question is whether they would want him . I agree about Poehling ... he would IMO be attractive to STL ... he has a year left on his ELC and still has most of the "shine" of having (A) been a first round pick and (B) a strong showing at the 2019 WJHC ... but I would be willing to move him ... but would taking on Allen reduce Dunn's value to just Poehling?

Smartly played ... BTW, I do believe "tanking" exists, but it is a longer-term play by GMs (i.e., build a weaker roster by trading higher-end players in return for young prospects & draft picks) ... but Molson et al won't ever buy into it.

(See below) I wouldn't take on Eriksson's contract (2 yrs @ $6 million) for all three of Kole Lind, Brogan Rafferty and Adam Gaudette ... especially in a flat cap world ... Broberg is a right-handed Ouellette, Kole hasn't done much of anything in the AHL in two years and Gaudreau played 4th line NHL minutes (although he had 4g, 8a on VAN's 4th overall PP) ... Kole and Gaudreau might be interesting in their own right (some would say typical MB targets) but if you are taking on Ericksson's cap hit it would (IMO) have to be in a Broeser deal ... Loui and Brock would free up almost @12 million for VAN ... enough to re-sign Toffoli (rumoured to be a priority) and even pursue another high-end UFA Maybe something like Habs #1 (assuming it is 9th) and Lehkonen for Boeser, Loui, Gaudreau and VAN 2021 first

Think that would be the best decision ... but somewhat concerned by how Max will react ... he seemed upset when he was briefly moved to wing earlier "this" season ...

The $6 million for four seasons is a badly broken leg ... $24 million is an amputation

So you became the Missouri Cucumber?