Jump to content

October 27, 2022 - Canadiens at Sabres 19h00 EST


alfredoh2009

Recommended Posts

 

I saw Guhle's goal but my internet was acting up so I didn't see who shot it.  I was surprised to see on the replay that he  was the 1 who shot it.   It looked more like a shot that Suzuki or Hoffman would fire at the net.  

 

Monty played great.  It's wild how much he has improved but I guess he got a ton of experience last year getting shelled so much.   

 

Take that bottom feeding tankists!! 😝  After 8 games, the Habs are tied for 3rd in the Division.  Sure, its a 6 way tie, but meh; I'll take it.  They're only 1 point out of 2nd.  😍

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Commenting b/c I’d openly questioned Monty and was again impressed with him.

In a way, he stole the game as Sabres dominated for extensive stretches and did a good job minimizing Habs quality chances.

Great game by him, I’m always happy for a win.

Go Habs Go.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

If we don't get Bedard because the kids are too good then that is absolutely fine with me. 

 

The early returns do suggest a group that has some good young talent and has a great internal vibe - the prototypical team of plucky youngsters who are either in the first blush of excitement over realizing that they can cut it in this league, or else are hitting the next level, like Suzuki and Caufield. That’s a team that won’t make the playoffs but will win some games and be entertaining as they miss them. Not a last-place-overall team.

 

There are at least two X-factors, though. One is goaltending. A significant injury to Allen and the team will end up in Canucks-land, i.e., disastrous, sustained losing streak. A *grave* injury to Allen and last overall remains realistic. The other X-factor is mid-season fatigue. There will come a time when the excitement wears off and the meat-grinder of the NHL season saps the energy out of the rookies. How dramatic the dip will be is hard to predict, but for sure it’s coming.

 

I think a bottom-10 finish is a given. But a bottom-3 finish is not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

The early returns do suggest a group that has some good young talent and has a great internal vibe - the prototypical team of plucky youngsters who are either in the first blush of excitement over realizing that they can cut it in this league, or else are hitting the next level, like Suzuki and Caufield. That’s a team that won’t make the playoffs but will win some games and be entertaining as they miss them. Not a last-place-overall team.

 

There are at least two X-factors, though. One is goaltending. A significant injury to Allen and the team will end up in Canucks-land, i.e., disastrous, sustained losing streak. A *grave* injury to Allen and last overall remains realistic. The other X-factor is mid-season fatigue. There will come a time when the excitement wears off and the meat-grinder of the NHL season saps the energy out of the rookies. How dramatic the dip will be is hard to predict, but for sure it’s coming.

 

I think a bottom-10 finish is a given. But a bottom-3 finish is not.

 

Good analysis, totally agree, I don't think we will be a bottom 3 team unless the injury bug hits some key players, ie. Allen, Suzuki.  Rookies usually hit the "wall" at some point where the grind of the regular season over takes that excitement rookies have. It should be a fun season, especially compared to that awful first half of last year. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think i guessed 28th place finish, might be a bit pessimistic, but am sure will be some tough stretches (e.g. California trip is always horrible).

November looks OK but December schedule not so good.

 

Please more Guhle/Harris on the PP and less Wideman.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Zukes is step up from Suzy i guess.

https://theathletic.com/3738726/2022/10/28/kaiden-guhle-first-nhl-goal-canadiens/

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Canadiens were about to line up for the opening faceoff of the third period Thursday in a 1-1 tie with the Buffalo Sabres, when Nick Suzuki decided to pay a little visit to an unlikely visitor.

He skated over to rookie defenceman Kaiden Guhle and gave him a task.

“Zukes came up to me and said, ‘It would be a good time to score your first,'” Guhle said. “Kind of crazy how that worked out.”

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

The early returns do suggest a group that has some good young talent and has a great internal vibe - the prototypical team of plucky youngsters who are either in the first blush of excitement over realizing that they can cut it in this league, or else are hitting the next level, like Suzuki and Caufield. That’s a team that won’t make the playoffs but will win some games and be entertaining as they miss them. Not a last-place-overall team.

 

There are at least two X-factors, though. One is goaltending. A significant injury to Allen and the team will end up in Canucks-land, i.e., disastrous, sustained losing streak. A *grave* injury to Allen and last overall remains realistic. The other X-factor is mid-season fatigue. There will come a time when the excitement wears off and the meat-grinder of the NHL season saps the energy out of the rookies. How dramatic the dip will be is hard to predict, but for sure it’s coming.

 

I think a bottom-10 finish is a given. But a bottom-3 finish is not.

 

I may have posted this already, sorry if I repeat myself.

 

isn't there another factor that has to do with the level of play increasing through the season, peaking in time for the playoffs?

 

I remember this being mentioned a few times by coaches to temper expectations when rookies are outperforming others at the beginning of the season.

This is different from fatigue that comes when multiple games are playing in a short period of time, like in the current road trip.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, alfredoh2009 said:

 

I may have posted this already, sorry if I repeat myself.

 

isn't there another factor that has to do with the level of play increasing through the season, peaking in time for the playoffs?

 

I remember this being mentioned a few times by coaches to temper expectations when rookies are outperforming others at the beginning of the season.

This is different from fatigue that comes when multiple games are playing in a short period of time, like in the current road trip.

 

I’ve always been flummoxed by the idea that teams “get better” as the season heats up, because 2 points in October are worth exactly the same as 2 points in March. However, I think you’re probably right that, as a matter of empirical fact, things do get more intense over time, and that it’s easier to steal games in the first two months of the season than the last two. So yeah, that’s a valid consideration too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

I’ve always been flummoxed by the idea that teams “get better” as the season heats up, because 2 points in October are worth exactly the same as 2 points in March. However, I think you’re probably right that, as a matter of empirical fact, things do get more intense over time, and that it’s easier to steal games in the first two months of the season than the last two. So yeah, that’s a valid consideration too.

 

the Michel Therrien mirage

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is Monty finding another level, ie., one that would make him an actual NHL goalie? I doubt it, but big guys do take longer, and I’m pulling for him. https://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2022/10/28/23428072/samuel-montembeault-is-having-a-bounce-back-start-montreal-canadiens-habs-nhl-season?fbclid=IwAR2YJEFdpWkAcyfpdf24cjUlE2sCGcxvGov9dSNgbkc_IBUgu4dyNmckb0Q

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, dlbalr said:

He has done this before - several times (including last season) - and he goes back to being his usual self before long.  There's no reason to think history won't repeat itself again.

 

Hope ... yes

Think ... agreed, no

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, dlbalr said:

He has done this before - several times (including last season) - and he goes back to being his usual self before long.  There's no reason to think history won't repeat itself again.

But, if wrist was a factor last year, we can hope.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

30 minutes ago, DON said:

But, if wrist was a factor last year, we can hope.

 

image.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, GHT120 said:

Hope ... yes

Think ... agreed, no

Three games is still a small sample, but hope springs eternal. :) dlbalr is correct that there is no reason to assume (yet) that things are different this year. However, it's possible that he has improved, with a healthy wrist and coaching changes. Let's see what things look like in December ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A lot of mention about the rookies but the Habs are not a young team. We are right in the middle of the NHL in terms of average age. We don’t have any veteran superstars but we do have a veteran presence on this team, and even more-so when Matheson and Edmundson return.

 

My only point is that I am going against the grain in saying there is no reason to believe the Habs are unique, and cannot be a team that “progresses as the year evolves” as well as other teams.

 

(The rookie question is valid, but it’s not like Harris or Guhle are racking up 1000 points right now, and that will disappear. They are simply playing fundamentally strong basic hockey.)
 

It seems as though in some fans’ eyes, the Habs can do no well but other teams can. 
 

“The Habs will regress but other teams will progress”

 

”The Habs won so maybe the other team took them lightly”

 

”If the starting goalie goes down, the Habs are doomed, but other teams would survive that scenario”

 

There are plenty more examples…

 

One can bring up tanking all they want, but the Habs are not tanking. 
 

My other point which got lost amidst my rant is that the Habs have a solid forward (veteran) corps. 
 

Suzuki

Caufield

Anderson

Gallagher

Hoffman

Monahan

 

Then we have outliers like 

 

Dadonov

Dach

Evans

Drouin

 

I know a third of the people I listed are hated by many fans (Drouin, Dadonov, Hoffman) however our forward depth is better than it has been in some time.

 

Dadonov and Drouin have been terrible at times but their ceilings are quite high so these are better players to have on the squad than Charles Hudons. 
 

Anyway, I don’t have our team making the playoffs either necessarily, but the team is a lot better than most give it credit for, and that is perfectly fine with me.

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On paper they are a weak team overall; but if some of the stars align, with some players having big years, they can be a middling team.

But, has been a fun 9 games so far with lots of encouraging stuff, for sure.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...