BCHabnut

Yep. I think he just is was he is at this point. A strong on the puck. Smart defensive player who has flashes of offense and can dominate in 4 or 5 games and year. Pretty good 3rd liner if his pay matched his production.

Caufield caught an elbow too.

Achari with the nice flying elbow there.

Slaf had a strong game. Boys didn't get blown out. So far. Lots of giveaways but improved game overall as it progressed, without abandoning defense.

Better ish...

I've had it with the giveaways. Too much!

This team has nothing going on. It's brutal. Brutal. What's with throwing the puck at a player who's double covered? Over and over.

Yep. I like him as an overpaid defensive 3rd liner.

I'd like to see a defensively responsible game. Even if it results in a lower score.

He's a fantastic penalty killer. Arguably the best on the team.

Ya. I forgot about Kapanen. And then typed Heineman accidentally. Ya Dvorak can piss off.

Evans is a player that i think Hughes should try to re sign for under 3. 2.25 to 2.75, 3 to 4 years. He's extremely spotty offensively, but for me he's the perfect 4th line centre for this team.

I was asking earlier if there was a hockey trade out there for a RD, but as you say, his contract is excellent. Next years deadline might be the right time for trading him. Keep the picks rolling in.

Haha. True. But I'd hate to have Beck come up when he's not ready. I suppose Heineman could centre a line and a winger could come up. How is Tuch playing? I'd like to see how he looks on 4th line duty.

Is there a centre who has earned his spot?

Ya. Time will tell. Every draft year, an bunch of players are desirable. 4 years later, 3/4 of them were drafted in the wrong spot. Reinbachers development, from horrible team in Europe to season lost from injury, will probably need 2 more years.

These are the top 2 pairings I picture as well. How the 3rd pair winds up is anybodies guess. Lots of candidates. I like struble more than Xhekaj. Have since strubles first game.

I haven't been this excited about a rookie since subban.

Hutson and ghule are the only 2 right now IMO. Barron or Mailloux could still develop into that role.

Very good comparison. Or oleg Petrov

I'm done. Not burning data for this.

No. First 2 were luck.

I think he will as well. I'm just not sure it's a good idea unless Hughes can find an upgrade or the return is an overpay. There is nobody to fill his role at the moment. Right defense is the next challenge for Hughes for sure.

Exactly. The goal of playing hockey is to win. There are 2 elements to do that. Fighting is not one of them. Score goals and stop goals from being scored on you. Fortunately the stopping goal part is much cheaper usually. Unless you get a Datsyuk Kopitar Bergeron Barkov unicorn. Players that excel defensively and are paid accordingly, are not a problem on this team.

So you get rid of all those stable defensive players who are playing in bottom 6 and bottom pair roles to make room for who? Beck is on his first year in the AHL. Savard is the only good defensive right handed defenseman on the entire team or in the system. All the rest are what ifs. If all the vets leave, how qualified are the core vets, Suzuki, caufield... at insulating mistakes of all of these rookies. Montreal biggest issue in the last 2 seasons is defensively. It's not the right time to get rid of all of the good defensive players on the team in hopes that rookies on etc can fill the gap. Asset management be damned. The team has assets. Time to start winning. Balance the team with players suited to their station. Find an RD. Pay players according to where they fit in the lineup. That's my idea of asset management going forward.