JCPetit

Finally Therrien cut his ice time. It was about time. I was glad to see McCarron on the PP. Playing with better players, he will soon make us forget the no. 14.

A bit lucky, but the Habs will take anything that comes their way...

Without Carey Price, this team doesn't generate much offence. It simply takes too long to get the puck out of the zone. And let's face it, Weber is a good defenseman, but he does not have the ability to change the game all by himself. We had that kind of guy; unfortunately, he now plays in Nashville.

Kind words indeed. He will be back pretty soon.

As expected Sergachev made the team. The captain believes, like I do, that he deserves it because of his work in training camp. JJ Daigneault said today that he has never seen a defenseman as good as this one at 18 years old. I don't recall either, with the Habs, of course. Nobody knows how long this experiment will last. The pressure is on the youngster. Let's wish him the best.

Amazing. No doubt that Galchenyuk should have been the first pick that year.

Sergachev will start the season. According to Gagnon, he might very well get more than nine games if he plays well. The 41 games threshold, after which a player is entitled to free agency at 25 years old, is more of a concern to management, says Gagnon. In the case of number 34, management has not made up its mind yet.

I would be very surprised if number 22 does not make the team. Very few players have a set of skills like his. He still has to learn a few tricks, but I believe that he is a quick learner. We will see.

Sergachev will get a tryout. No doubt in my mind. He deserves it. Will he be good enough to remain with the team the whole season? It remains to be seen, but he will get his chance. It's up to him.

Sergachev certainly needs to improve his defensive game, but he deserves a try-out anyway. Let me remember you guys that we have endure a lot worse than him in the last few years.

Well, Don, the least I can say is that you are showing great class and humility in starting this thread. Everybody knows that you are not a Big Mac fan, but you sure are passionate about the Habs. Thumbs up to you!

Some journalists are finally opening their eyes. Plekanec's ability to feed his linemates is becoming a topic. It sure deserves scrutiny.

Pete Mahovlich's line was called the Doughnut Line. Plek's lines deserved the same name.

You would not get Don's approval on that one. ;-)

You got it right Don. Therrien, his staff and Bergevin, for giving them the players the team needs, have done a wonderful job and deserve their share of credit.

One guy who really is a big surprise to me, even though he has not a single point to show for his efforts, is DSP. I find him a lot faster than last season. Even his stick handling (I did not believe that he had any!) and passing skills are not bad. No wonder that we have a better 4th line. Flynn and Mitchell are also quick on their skates; they know about positioning and can be dangerous when they get close to the net. That 4th line is definitely a big plus this season so far.

Thomas and Holloway are basically AHLers. While I am not a big fan of Semin, I feel that we need to be patient with him. Same thing with Gilbert. He is not a great player, but he has played with heart and discipline. He deserves to remain in the lineup.

Odds are low that Audette will make it as a pro. Reway and Lehkonen are better bets.

I am not the least bit anxious about Big Mac's future as a hockey player in the NHL. I have seen enough of him so far, particularly in the games he played in the last training camps, to feel quite sure that he will fit nicely with more mature players. It is just a question of time. The big guy will silence the naysayers.

DSP is in the lineup to stay. Byron will have his opportunity when somebody will be hurt or sick, which will happen sooner or later.

We did not see the same game. Weise had one of his best game, ever, while Semin looked a lot sharper than in the first games. Chucky still has problems finding his linemates. IMO, it is just a question of time before he is confident enough to hold the puck a little bit longer, to make sure that his passes are accurate and reach his wingers.

Big Mac will be a force. Strong along the boards, he is a presence in front of the net. It's nice to have a good kid like him in the farm system.

Not sure if he will get a second chance. Bergevin looks pissed off. He had a bad training camp and now we learn that his behaviour and professionalism leave a lot to desire, to say the least. Big disappointment.

De la Rose will go down and Fleischmann will be signed.

I agree with the last comment. The team is slightly improved. We definitely have more depth at all positions, except the crease, where we still depend on the best goalie of the league. We could be in worst shape. The power play will make the difference this year. The good news is that probabilities are low that we can do worse. With the likes of Petry and Beaulieu to play on the 2nd unit, and guys like Kassian and Semin to go along more experienced youngsters like Gallagher and Chucky. Not to mention young veterans like Pax and Eller, we should be able to do better.