GDT Sept. 26, Ottawa vs Montreal, 7:30 PM

[habs rule]

looked like he hurt himself. Maybe kassian hurt him hard to say.

[hankhab]

Looks like both Tinordi and Bournival have made the team, for now, at least. I like Bournival, hopefully he gets in enough games to continue developing. I think Tinordi played well enough to be number 5 even when Emelin gets back. I think Murray will be riding the press box unless there are injuries, like I said before, he is just way too slow, and I think the habs agree with me.

[Guest Stogey24]

Looks like both Tinordi and Bournival have made the team, for now, at least. I like Bournival, hopefully he gets in enough games to continue developing. I think Tinordi played well enough to be number 5 even when Emelin gets back. I think Murray will be riding the press box unless there are injuries, like I said before, he is just way too slow, and I think the habs agree with me.

Why would Montreal bother spending 1.5mill on a guy who is going to ride the press box? M.B knew what he was getting into with Murray. He's a great P.K guy who will block a ton of shots and stand up for his team mates. That's a lot more than I can say for some of the players on the current roster.

[Chris]

Yes, no kidding.

If Murry is healthy, Murray is playing period.

It's not a bad thing that Tinordi gets plenty of ice time in Hamilton. He'll be the first call up this year.

Next year he'll be a full time starter.

[JMMR]

Yes, no kidding.

If Murry is healthy, Murray is playing period.

It's not a bad thing that Tinordi gets plenty of ice time in Hamilton. He'll be the first call up this year.

Next year he'll be a full time starter.

Tinordi made the team.

At least to start the year.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Yes, no kidding.

If Murry is healthy, Murray is playing period.

It's not a bad thing that Tinordi gets plenty of ice time in Hamilton. He'll be the first call up this year.

Next year he'll be a full time starter.

I don't agree with this. Murray was a late season, cheap, stop gap signing. If Tinordi outplays him, the spot is his. There's no way he sits in the pressbox if Murray struggles to save face on a 1.5 million dollar signing. Most likely, Markov, Bouillon and Murray, when no one is injured, take turns in the pressbox.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Personally, I don't care which one plays - Murray or Tinordi - as long as they are providing a serious physical presence on one of the softest bluelines in the NHL. And I suspect both will get ample opportunity, at least until Emelin returns (assuming he can pick up where he left off, which isn't a given). If Murray is ahead of Tinordi on the depth chart, Tinordi will still slot in when we get an injury on D. If Tinordi is ahead of Murray, the same holds for him; and also rookies can generally be expected to go through slumps once the initial burst of enthusiasm wears off and the punishing reality of daily life in the NHL hits. This will be Murray's opening.

My guess is that, one way or the other, the Habs will be glad they signed Murray before all is said and done. Between him, Tinordi and Emelin, we went from having one physical presence on the back end to having three NHL-calibre physical players there. That kind of depth is absolutely huge over a long season and (hopefully) playoff.

[Link67]

Personally, I don't care which one plays - Murray or Tinordi - as long as they are providing a serious physical presence on one of the softest bluelines in the NHL. And I suspect both will get ample opportunity, at least until Emelin returns (assuming he can pick up where he left off, which isn't a given). If Murray is ahead of Tinordi on the depth chart, Tinordi will still slot in when we get an injury on D. If Tinordi is ahead of Murray, the same holds for him; and also rookies can generally be expected to go through slumps once the initial burst of enthusiasm wears off and the punishing reality of daily life in the NHL hits. This will be Murray's opening.

My guess is that, one way or the other, the Habs will be glad they signed Murray before all is said and done. Between him, Tinordi and Emelin, we went from having one physical presence on the back end to having three NHL-calibre physical players there. That kind of depth is absolutely huge over a long season and (hopefully) playoff.

well hold on now, I fail to see how we can be considered one of the softest blue lines in the league. this D is pretty physical when fully healthy, our only soft D-men are Markov and Diaz, Diaz is sure to lose his spot in the depth chart to Tinordi if the current trend continues, which would leave only Markov. Even a Tough as Nails team like Toronto has 2 soft d-men with Liles and Gardiner in there line up, but of course the years of punishing our skulls with the notion that this team is soft, tiny, blow away with the slightest sneeze has to show its ugly mug yet again.

Even as we make strides as an organization year after year to get a little bigger and tougher, whether from within or from outside acquisitions, this team can't get a break from this stereotype that has plagued it for years. We have PK who is always looking for the Big hit, Emelin. Murray and Tinordi now, all with the instinct to put someone on there backs coming over the blue line, and Georges always plays with grit and determination and is hardly considered soft by any stretch of the imagination.

The way I see it, our forwards may be smaller finesse players for the most part outside of Max, Bourque, and the 4th line, but our Defense this year will be hardly something to ignore as an opposing player going into our corners, or coming over our Blue line, that is going to be hard to argue if you ask me. We have a mean. punishing D-man playing on each line once Emelin returns, and that means more intimidation, and more net clearing presences every game.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

The Lightning have the softest blue line in the NHL. Their idea of grit is 35 games from Keith Aulie.

[dlbalr]

The Lightning have the softest blue line in the NHL. Their idea of grit is 35 games from Keith Aulie.

They also have Radko Gudas, one of only a few players last year to average roughly 4 hits per game. But yes, they're not a particularly physical bunch overall.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

They also have Radko Gudas, one of only a few players last year to average roughly 4 hits per game. But yes, they're not a particularly physical bunch overall.

I saw him play against Manchester with Tokarski in the AHL playoffs, 2011. He has a beard that would put Paul Mara to shame.

[Seb]

I saw him play against Manchester with Tokarski in the AHL playoffs, 2011. He has a beard that would put Paul Mara to shame.

And his first name is Radko.

Radko.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

well hold on now, I fail to see how we can be considered one of the softest blue lines in the league. this D is pretty physical when fully healthy, our only soft D-men are Markov and Diaz, Diaz is sure to lose his spot in the depth chart to Tinordi if the current trend continues, which would leave only Markov. Even a Tough as Nails team like Toronto has 2 soft d-men with Liles and Gardiner in there line up, but of course the years of punishing our skulls with the notion that this team is soft, tiny, blow away with the slightest sneeze has to show its ugly mug yet again.

Even as we make strides as an organization year after year to get a little bigger and tougher, whether from within or from outside acquisitions, this team can't get a break from this stereotype that has plagued it for years. We have PK who is always looking for the Big hit, Emelin. Murray and Tinordi now, all with the instinct to put someone on there backs coming over the blue line, and Georges always plays with grit and determination and is hardly considered soft by any stretch of the imagination.

The way I see it, our forwards may be smaller finesse players for the most part outside of Max, Bourque, and the 4th line, but our Defense this year will be hardly something to ignore as an opposing player going into our corners, or coming over our Blue line, that is going to be hard to argue if you ask me. We have a mean. punishing D-man playing on each line once Emelin returns, and that means more intimidation, and more net clearing presences every game.

You make a good point. I probably was too hard on the D in writing that - a hangover from a late-season phase where our defence as a whole was just too easily pushed around, no matter how much 'heart' guys like Gorges bring. In any case: with Tinordi, Emelin, and Murray in the mix, along with SubbANG!!! I believe we will see a pretty physically daunting blueline coalesce before the season is over. Look for commentators and opponents to be "surprised" by how much punishment is being dished out in our zone before all is said and done.

[Colin]

I would like to point out that, while he doesn't dish out hits like other players, Markov is not un-physical. He uses his body better than any Habs d-man today - and better than any who have played here in a long time. Through angling players out of the play, in superior positioning, and in dishing out reasonable punishment in front of the net, Markov should never be considered "soft." I will agree, however, that he is not "hard" like an Emelin.

Also, forgotten in this list, Bouillon has never, ever been soft. Now, he may be dropping in the depth chart, but he can still dish out, pound-for-pound some of the most devastating hits on the club.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Well, it's one thing to be game, it's another thing to be physically powerful. Gorges, Bouillon and even Markov (debatable) can be argued to be players who manage to hang in there down low despite obvious disadvantages. But that's a core that is pretty clearly vulnerable to being overwhelmed by power forwards and net crashers, and nobody thinks twice about crossing our blueline EXCEPT when they're on SubbANG!!!'s side. I believe that, if and when Emelin, Tinordi and Murray are all options out there, you will see the gigantic difference that a physically intimidating blueline can make. And the biggest beneficiary will be Price.

[Trizzak]

I would like to point out that, while he doesn't dish out hits like other players, Markov is not un-physical. He uses his body better than any Habs d-man today - and better than any who have played here in a long time. Through angling players out of the play, in superior positioning, and in dishing out reasonable punishment in front of the net, Markov should never be considered "soft." I will agree, however, that he is not "hard" like an Emelin.

Also, forgotten in this list, Bouillon has never, ever been soft. Now, he may be dropping in the depth chart, but he can still dish out, pound-for-pound some of the most devastating hits on the club.

Well, it's one thing to be game, it's another thing to be physically powerful. Gorges, Bouillon and even Markov (debatable) can be argued to be players who manage to hang in there down low despite obvious disadvantages. But that's a core that is pretty clearly vulnerable to being overwhelmed by power forwards and net crashers, and nobody thinks twice about crossing our blueline EXCEPT when they're on SubbANG!!!'s side. I believe that, if and when Emelin, Tinordi and Murray are all options out there, you will see the gigantic difference that a physically intimidating blueline can make. And the biggest beneficiary will be Price.

It's true, the only soft player on defense now is Diaz, and the only mean er on defence is Murray. Everyone else falls somewhere in between on the spectrum.

I could handle having another mean er on defense, or at least one who can take on more minutes than Murray can.

[Link67]

It's true, the only soft player on defense now is Diaz, and the only mean ######er on defence is Murray. Everyone else falls somewhere in between on the spectrum.

I could handle having another mean ######er on defense, or at least one who can take on more minutes than Murray can.

Tinordi will be that man, it is written in the stars at this point, he has the size, the edge, and a heck of a role model in his Dad to be that Chris Pronger type player for this team for a long time. He will only get meaner and nastier as he comes out of his shell as an NHLer. I live in windsor and got to watch the kid several times while he was playing here as a Knight, he was nasty, nastier than i've seen him his entire time with the big club. A lot of that has to do with comfort, and adjusting to the game at an NHL level to feel capable of playing that way on a nightly basis without hurting your team.

the closest thing to the London Knight Tinordi i've seen in the NHL is his game against Carolina during pre-season where he leveled at least 3 players, one of which was Eric Staal, and I firmly believe that type of game will be his game in the very near future for a long long time.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Emelin is also a mean SOB.

Like I say, if/when all three of those guys become viable options, look out. The bodies are gonna pile up around our crease and at our blueline.

[Colin]

And I believe, after this discussion, that we should anoint a new nickname to Diaz.

All in favour of "Butter" say aye.

[Toronthab]

Personally, I don't care which one plays - Murray or Tinordi - as long as they are providing a serious physical presence on one of the softest bluelines in the NHL. And I suspect both will get ample opportunity, at least until Emelin returns (assuming he can pick up where he left off, which isn't a given). If Murray is ahead of Tinordi on the depth chart, Tinordi will still slot in when we get an injury on D. If Tinordi is ahead of Murray, the same holds for him; and also rookies can generally be expected to go through slumps once the initial burst of enthusiasm wears off and the punishing reality of daily life in the NHL hits. This will be Murray's opening.

My guess is that, one way or the other, the Habs will be glad they signed Murray before all is said and done. Between him, Tinordi and Emelin, we went from having one physical presence on the back end to having three NHL-calibre physical players there. That kind of depth is absolutely huge over a long season and (hopefully) playoff.

I think so too... so you may want to reconsider....

[JMMR]

And I believe, after this discussion, that we should anoint a new nickname to Diaz.

All in favour of "Butter" say aye.

Aye

Here here!

Or bestreichen!