tomh009

The Heat is 9-3-0 against other teams in the Canadian division -- and 0-5-1 against Laval. They have yet to figure out how to win against the Rocket. Let's see whether the boys can complete the season series without a loss. Still no sign of our injured forwards.

Maybe nobody tomorrow night. But there will be three games in four nights, five in six and six in eight. Only two of those six games are against the Leafs. But it's also quite possible that there is no plan for him to play, bar any further injuries.

I don't think Lehkonen really needs a change of scenery. The effort and hustle is there, he consistently works hard. For some reason he has trouble putting the puck in the net, but I don't think it's due to the environment or the effort.

Primeau and Leskinen both called up to the taxi squad. Primeau will back up Allen but not clear yet whether Leskinen will actually dress for the Habs (to give a night off for other D-men) or just fill the empty seat on the taxi squad.

Both Armia (as a rental) and Lehkonen (who will be an RFA) should have some actual trade value, they are not just bad contracts that need to be dumped.

I expect to see Byron back on the line with Tatar and Danault. And I expect Evans will be in the press box once Armia returns.

We survived without Toffoli and without Armia (yes, yes, Armia is not Gallagher). And still without Chiarot. We are eight points ahead of the Canucks, with two game still on hand, and only about 20 games remain. I don't think it's necessary to go into panic mode right now. Unless Bergevin makes a significant trade, no one is going to replace Gallagher's output anyway. I very much agree, the rest of our (scoring by) committee needs to step up and fill in. From failing hands ...

An excellent summary, thanks.

The other thing is that it's much easier to find the $350K next year than this year -- because this year all the players and contracts are already locked in. For next year Bergevin can still make many different choices, even if he loses $350K of cap space.

There is a difference. On the other hand, Kotkaniemi played a full season in Liiga -- and scored a respectable 29 points in 57 games as a 17-year-old -- before coming over. Caufield may be in better shape. but this really is what we preach against. And then we throw it out the window the next time we have a hot prospect available.

Thanks! That was the gut feel I had, that Weal and Poehling had scored a bucketful on PP. What I really wish AHL published is the TOI data.

Ylonen might be a better short-term choice given that he's now got 20+ AHL games under his belt, in addition to the men's league experience in Finland. But he has a mystery injury so don't know when he would even be available ... Throwing Caufield to the wolves on the first day is exactly what we complained about the Habs doing with Kotkaniemi.

We're on an OT/SO winning streak now!

And then we Staal another one!

Tatar filling in for the injured Gallagher!

I think you might include Gallagher (when not injured) and Petry in that category as well ...

Maybe it's a coaching problem and we need to fire the coach? Oh, wait ...

I think Allen would have earned this start but ...

Quote from Ducharme's press conference this afternoon:

So far, in the Ducharme era, Kotkaniemi has been getting more ice time and more responsibility than Julien ever gave him. He's scored 10 points in 16 games under Ducharme, or 0.625/game, in spite of not always having the highest-scoring linemates. For perspective, Gallagher is at 0.68 this season, Suzuki 0.65, Drouin 0.62 and Anderson 0.58. I don't see anything in his game performances that would have caused Ducharme to suddenly write him off. But maybe Ducharme will tell us more this afternoon, or after the game.

Didn't Kotkaniemi already play a game or two with Byron and Lehkonen a bit earlier, while Toffoli was injured?

He's been particularly effective on the Rocket power play; three of his eight goals are PPGs (AHL doesn't have stats for power play assists). Maybe someone that is actually seeing the games (radio not quite the same) could comment on whether that success might be transferable to the NHL. In any case, a big improvement over last season.

RHP now has seven points in the last four games and 11 in the last 10. Not bad for a seventh-round pick! Don't know about NHL potential quite yet but I think he has at least earned a contract spot for next year.

It is, yes, but the roster as a minimum size, as does the taxi squad. And they don't qualify either one.

Stockton scored one with the goalie out but it's not enough, as RHP puts one in the empty net and the Rocket goes undefeated (in regulation) in the last 12 games.