The Chicoutimi Cucumber

I don't think it's beyond question that, next season, with a healthy Dach and Newhook, Slaf emerging as a serious force, and guys like Guhle being more seasoned, the Habs take a jump. It may not happen and injuries are a huge X-factor, but I can see us becoming one of the league's "surprises" next year.

Slaf is playing like he belongs on the first line. I agree, keep him there. In fact, with Caufield struggling to score, you can view Slaf (playing as he is at present) as significant "value added" to that line. Ylonen - he may be no more than a "tweener," but like you, I have a good feeling about him. He seems like a smart cookie who may grow into a role as a shifty 3rd-line/2nd line FW. I don't want to be premature, but it does seem that, for all my hand-wringing, this management group is actually developing its young talent properly. The young D are coming along. Slaf has finally started to show why he was drafted where he was. Like Dach, Newhook was growing into his role before (sigh) suffering disastrous injury. Even Primeau, as you say, is surpassing expectations.

I always found that rule perplexing. If I sweep the puck back as part of a lateral deke, technically it is not being “kept in motion towards the opponent’s goal line” 🤷‍♂️ I guess it’s, as you say, a matter of latitude in interpretation…

I think he’s a lover more than a fighter, but the way he’s been playing for the last month or so, it’s hard to believe he’s only 19.

SLAAAAAF

Ylonen has some skills

Friedman looks tired tonight. 🤷‍♀️ I wonder if the Habs have any interest in Kuzmenko? Big cap hit, though.

We have a crazy surplus of really nice young defencemen. Good problem to have. Holy sh*t! Slick Nick!! Way to make Buffalo pay for that dirty hit

He's a Habs young player who was finding his game...safe to say he will be injured for approximately 17 months EDIT: commentator keeps trying to justify the hit. It's Barron's fault he got boarded. Sigh. At least the refs let the perpetrator have it.

Damn, what a play by Struble

Armia pisses me off. He'll look great about 1.2% of the time. The rest of the time he is as useful as a legless mule.

We're getting primo Primeau tonight. Hell of a penalty kill performance. Seems like Evans was especially strong out there.

Sure. AHL plugs know that they can make a name for themselves if they take on WiFi and beat him. This is in some respect a tribute to the rep he has made despite only having played 50 games or whatever it is. But obviously it's a no-win scenario for him - very good that the Habs have laid down the law to him.

One of the really interesting sub-plots in this entire rebuild is whether MSL is the real deal as a long-term NHL coach. He seems to have established that he understands players’ psyches and is good with the kids. Tactical mastery would be the next step. If he “loves that part of the game,” that’s a good sign for his ability to eventually excel at it.

It’s nice to think the Habs could start pivoting next season. What bugs me is that injuries have made it harder to really assess what we have. The most important variable by far is Dach - is he really a sure-fire #1A centreman? We talk like he is, but can’t know for sure because he suffered massive injuries in both his seasons with us. What the hell is Harris all about anyway? Who knows, he’s been hurt too much to be confident about his ceiling. Slaf lost half a season last year. Guhle too; if he hadn’t lost 40 games last year we might be closer to knowing whether he can produce offence like a #1D. Even Caufield…he is certainly a top-line W but HOW great is he, exactly? He lost a half season to a catastrophic shoulder industry and has not been the same this season. Presumably he will recover fully in the longer run, but it would be nice to have a more extensive body of work decisively proving whether he’s a 40-50 goal man or a 25-30 goal man. If we hadn’t had such piss-poor injury luck, I might be more confident about pivoting to ‘playoff team’ next season. As it is, I can understand management wanting a little more time.