tomh009

As a rule, almost all young centres need to work on their faceoff skills. Habs's centremen have been able to improve significantly in this regard and I expect that Kapanen, Beck and others will be able to do the same.

I think he's doing the right thing. Gaining 10 lbs will not help him avoid hits, better mobility might.

This has nothing to do with the player's situation and everything to do with the favourable cap treatment of VGK. I don't know what could possibly justify exempting Vegas from the fundamental principles of the salary cap.

He never coached before appointing himself as the head coach. And he doesn't have player credentials, either.

Maybe ... but it still begs the question of why Vegas was let off the hook when the CBA is very clear on the options: termination, buyout, LTIR or roster. Whether it was Lehner's mental health issues or his bankruptcy proceedings, I don't see why Vegas was allowed to walk away from Lehner with zero impact on their cap.

Isn't there also #3? Don't show up for a physical, LTIR status not granted, player ends up on normal IR and his salary counts against cap. If they wanted to do a contract termination they could have done it without the LTIR shenanigans. But then Lehner would not have been paid, either.

Primeau was not great. GSAAx of -2.24 (Ullmark had GSAAx of +0.46) according to naturalstattrick.com. Should really make more than six saves on ten PP shots. Xhekaj, it was not anger, but he needs better decision-making. Referees did not throw the book at Grieg in spite of the check to Dach's head, and Grieg refused multiple challenge to fight. So, Xhekaj decided that he needed to demonstrate that dirty checks on the Habs' top players are not acceptable--by giving the Sens a dose of the same. Resulted in three goals against (yeah, should not have been that many) and that would be totally unacceptable in the regular season, but in the pre-season, yeah, it's not as bad, and it certainly did send a message.

Ullmark played a strong game, Primeau was more or less OK. Habs' xGF was almost double that of Ottawa. Either goaltending or fewer penalties would have won the game. The most TOI in the game? Armia at 23+ minutes.

Habs have one shot in four power plays so far. Sens are 4/7 on PP (yes, there was a fiver in there) ... but Evans, Savard and Mailloux have been on the ice for three of those four. I don't think Mailloux is ready for this, and Evans is missing Armia (who is getting less PK time because he's on PP).

With Laine injured, I think Kapanen is not quite so dark any more ...

Let's hope so, he needs some games!

That's a pretty tall order for tonight's Habs lineup ... need some good goaltending to compensate.

Roy-Dach-Armia is interesting, wonder what lineup the Sens are submitting. And Kapanen being tested on the wing ...

41-35-2-4 for 88 points 5th in division, 18th overall 5, 85, 50 More optimistic than for the past few years! Edit: corrected the points calculation 😊

Would they keep Reinbacher on the NHL IR rather than AHL IR? That would mean paying him the NHL salary, which would count against the cap, right?