BCHabnut

My bad. Traded from flames for a bag of pucks.

I thought kulak was a waiver pick up? Maybe I'm mistaken

This is how I summed it up as well. The team was improved by the 2 moves.

I just dont want to have serhachev flashbacks for a decade. As long as it's not that lopsided, I'm OK with trying to balance the team.

Right now, it looks like Montreal made a good move toward team balance. If Bolduc is a battler, even better. Lost puck battles were my biggest concern last season. Mailloux could blossom into a number 2 or 3 defenseman. If he finds his defensive game, this may be lopsided toward st Louis. But if he's another Nathan bealieu, which my senses tell me, than maybe we won this one.

I dont want him. Unless Laine goes this year. Loving the speed and skill, but some battle is badly needed in the top 6. Doesn't have to be mean or gritty, but needs to win puck battles. A la lehkonen. Can't be picky with 2C, but i really feel like any top 6 add needs to be a battler.

No doubt. Don't want him on PK. Waste of his minutes.

Hutson is very good defensively as well. Reminds me of Markov in his own zone. He comes out of a lot of puck battles with the puck.

I feel like 2 things helped Montreal sneak into the last season. Hutson being an absolute stud and the PK. Devo and Armia were a massive part of that PK. I would love to sign one of them.

All day long. I watch a lot of Oilers hockey, and I believe that for the last decade, Nuge has been an under rated tier 2 Selke candidate. He gets credit for his defensive game, but not enough.

Just watch, he'll be the best prospect we have in 2 years. Habs are awesome at finding good smurfs.

After over 40 years of following hockey, I dont know the player, but I do know that swing for skill should ALWAYS be the choice. There are Dvorak type safe players available every year via trade or FA. Fail with a Scherbac or succeed with a caufield. Go for the skill.

It may have just been my eyes, but I swear everytime Rodriguez had a puck battle against Edmonton, he came away with the puck. He impressed me in that series even though he wasn't putting up points.

Is another patience year needed? If there isn't a reasonable fit at 2C and PK RD, would you rather plug a hole and lose prospects of unknown ability, or give those prospects this year to see what you actually have? I would hate to see the emergence of Hutson and the Habs surprise playoff appearance (where they were dominated by a beatable team) interrupt a rebuild. Its a tough year to be a Habs gm.

Yes. He was stoic. I suspect if Suzuki had a dirty streak, he could get away with a lot as well.

Its definitely players who can grind and get away with fouls that succeed in playoffs. I agree. I personally prefer second half regular season and international hockey to playoffs now. The interference, obstruction, and other fouls cheapen the game.

Another cup with massive amounts of star depth but no generational superstar. St. Louis, Vegas, and Florida in recent years. Is depth surpassing generational skill in playoffs? Do you like the "whistles away" format and fouling of game breaking players? Should Edmonton trade Draisaitl to improve their depth?

The injuries are concerning for sure. I wish he was more careful about taking hits.

I dont know man. Ghule is darn solid. And still learning. He's our slavin. It would have to be a 1B centre with defensive, offensive ability and grit. But I'm a bit of a Ghule fan, so maybe I'm biased. Also, thank you for blatherskite. My daughter has an arts degree, but she doesn't broaden my vocabulary nearly as much as you! Found another synonym for trump.

Neither Beck or Kapanen have shown that they are NHL ready at this point. I wouldn't pencil either of them in. If they earn a spot, fine, but I haven't seen it yet.

Its a good time to sign an extension i think. Last season was probably a more realistic projection of his future production than the one prior. An elite skater who catches a lot of flak, from me included, for bad choices, but earns his salary as a number 3 or 4 defenseman.

Absolutely. 2c is not his place right now. I want his focus to be on winning puck battles. A skill you discuss a lot and is under rated by media.

Call me naive, but I'm giving Dach another year of hope. I just see playoff player in him. Its overly optimistic, but I've seen flashes of quiet dirtbag in him. In a copycat league, the quiet dirtbag with skill is just as valuable as a superstar when playoffs come. He will of course need to learn how to defend. I am praying that he finds his game this year. Just give us 30 to 40 points while learning defense and winning offensive puck battles. All while quietly cheating and hurting opposing players on purpose. This is not a game I enjoy or endorse, but it is the game that the league wants. Through their actions.

I even liked him when he was in Toronto. He just seems like a great guy. One of my favorite hockey personalities.

I can't read the article because subscription, but it feels like it's more glaring lately. The difference between regular season and playoffs. Like the last 10 years. When the Habs aren't playing in the playoffs, and I'm able to turn off the bias, I am starting to think I like regular season and international hockey more than playoff hockey. The superstars are fouled so often, that it is impossible to call every penalty. These fouls remove the exciting plays that make hockey fun to watch. I know it's always been this way, but it seems worse lately somehow.