2024-25 Montreal Canadiens discussion thread

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

I think all this talk of changing goalies is way too premature. A big part of what makes a goalie successful is confidence and I think it's pretty hard for the goalies in Montreal to feel confident playing behind a defense struggling to learn a new system. When the team plays better, the goalies will look better. 

[dlbalr]

On 11/11/2024 at 2:30 PM, GHT120 said:

That is pretty categorical ... surprised that Karine Hains (affiliated with the Hockey News) apparently depended solely on Laraque.

 

They're all about getting as many posts as possible so every single report (or even general thought) from somewhere else is regurgitated on their team sites.  (And with Montreal's in particular, they will cover the current team and anyone who may have ever played for the team in an effort to help drive up the post volume.)

[GHT120]

1 minute ago, dlbalr said:

 

They're all about getting as many posts as possible so every single report (or even general thought) from somewhere else is regurgitated on their team sites.  (And with Montreal's in particular, they will cover the current team and anyone who may have ever played for the team in an effort to help drive up the post volume.)

😞

[DON]

2019 re-draft

2019 NHL REDRAFT | Where Does Caufield Land?

 

[DON]

One good thing about being smaller/lighter, can be quicker to react or are shiftier (like a Hughes, Makar or Fox) . Hutson does seem to have lots of takeaways. Like dlbalr notes, is one aspect that was unexpected, likely has to do with his smarts as well.

Unlike a Barron who seems to fumble a puck at opposing blue line and never recovers.

 

HW 3 Stars: October 2024 – HabsWorld.net

 

"...Someone who handles the puck as much as he does – he’s among the league leaders in that regard – is going to turn it over at an above-average rate.  But his hustling back defensively to break those up is a particularly encouraging element on top of the offence."

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

1 hour ago, DON said:

One good thing about being smaller/lighter, can be quicker to react or are shiftier (like a Hughes, Makar or Fox) . Hutson does seem to have lots of takeaways. Like dlbalr notes, is one aspect that was unexpected, likely has to do with his smarts as well.

Unlike a Barron who seems to fumble a puck at opposing blue line and never recovers.

 

HW 3 Stars: October 2024 – HabsWorld.net

 

"...Someone who handles the puck as much as he does – he’s among the league leaders in that regard – is going to turn it over at an above-average rate.  But his hustling back defensively to break those up is a particularly encouraging element on top of the offence."

 

Personally, I love that small players are now viable, unlike in the dead puck era where you had the occasional Theo Fleury and a bunch of hulking slow-foots.

 

I still say Hutson reminds me a little bit of Quinn Hughes. When Hughes broke in, there was the usual hand-wringing about whether he could play defence and whether he was too small. Boudreau initially used him as an offence-only guy. What was noticeable was that Hughes *wanted* to take PK time and by, I think, his second year made it clear to the coach that he wanted the opportunity to show what he could do in all situations. (That was the start of his ascension to superstardom). Hutson may well have the same mindset. 

 

Readings Brian’s review, I notice Caufield has all of one assist. It’s hard to complain when he’s pumping in goals at this pace, but last season he added playmaking to his arsenal, and this year it’s evaporated. Again, not complaining, but that does seem…weird.

 

 

 

 

 

[Habsfan]

40 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

I notice Caufield has all of one assist. It’s hard to complain when he’s pumping in goals at this pace, but last season he added playmaking to his arsenal, and this year it’s evaporated. Again, not complaining, but that does seem…weird.

Agreed! If Caufield ends up scoring 45+ goals, I won't care that he only gets 12 assists. But yeah, it's weird to go from 28 goals + 35 assists, to almost no assists after 16 games.

 

But hey, no stressing here. There are other things to worry about on this team!

[tomh009]

1 hour ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

Readings Brian’s review, I notice Caufield has all of one assist. It’s hard to complain when he’s pumping in goals at this pace, but last season he added playmaking to his arsenal, and this year it’s evaporated. Again, not complaining, but that does seem…weird.

I think he is getting more high-quality shooting opportunities than he did last season, and he's taking advantage of those instead of passing. Or he is just more confident (of his shoulder) and deciding to shoot instead of passing.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Recently got Spotify (holy hell there is so much content), I have never been into podcasts but I’m going to check some out. 
 

Anyone have any Habs related podcasts to recommend?

[Commandant]

5 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Recently got Spotify (holy hell there is so much content), I have never been into podcasts but I’m going to check some out. 
 

Anyone have any Habs related podcasts to recommend?

 

Locked on Canadiens

Basu and Godin notebook

Habsworld podcast

 

are the three habs related ones i listen to. 

 

NHL wide i like, 

 

32 Thoughts

Ray and Dregs  (Ferraro and Dreger).  

[Prime Minister Koivu]

1 hour ago, Commandant said:

 

Locked on Canadiens

Basu and Godin notebook

Habsworld podcast

 

are the three habs related ones i listen to. 

 

NHL wide i like, 

 

32 Thoughts

Ray and Dregs  (Ferraro and Dreger).  

Thanks buddy 👍

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

Columbus smokes the Penguins tonight  and tomorrow they will come to Montreal feeling satisfied and get smoked by the Habs. Perfect!!

[DON]

10 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

Columbus smokes the Penguins tonight  and tomorrow they will come to Montreal feeling satisfied and get smoked by the Habs. Perfect!!

Sorry, i dont share your confidence, but hope they light up the BLue Jacket  goalie... AND Hutson scores .

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

9 minutes ago, DON said:

Sorry, i dont share your confidence, but hope they light up the BLue Jacket  goalie... AND Hutson scores .

 

It's more hope than confidence. Just very glad to see Columbus use up one of their good games against Pittsburgh. The Penguins went into the 3rd period down a goal and were outshot 20-4. Ouch! 

[DON]

4 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

It's more hope than confidence. Just very glad to see Columbus use up one of their good games against Pittsburgh. The Penguins went into the 3rd period down a goal and were outshot 20-4. Ouch! 

Or the Pens just pretty weak team arnt they?

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

3 minutes ago, DON said:

Or the Pens just pretty weak team arnt they?

 

And they are old.

[DON]

8 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

And they are old.

Was a battle of 2 shitty teams, wasnt it.

Like tomorrow's game. 6-10 team vs a 5-12 Habs team

[DON]

Canadiens know short-term pain offers better path to long-term gain - Sportsnet.ca

 

"But he’s doing the only thing that makes sense at this juncture: Nothing."

 

“When you’re losing, you want to give everything to your team to give it a better chance, but you have to be patient and stay the course,” Hughes told reporters from the GM meetings in Toronto earlier this week. “We won’t do short-term things that would affect our long-term plan.”

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

2 hours ago, DON said:

Canadiens know short-term pain offers better path to long-term gain - Sportsnet.ca

 

"But he’s doing the only thing that makes sense at this juncture: Nothing."

 

“When you’re losing, you want to give everything to your team to give it a better chance, but you have to be patient and stay the course,” Hughes told reporters from the GM meetings in Toronto earlier this week. “We won’t do short-term things that would affect our long-term plan.”

 

It’s the right approach, of course.

 

Gotta be tough for GMs…most of them are hyper-competitive and more emotionally invested in the team than we are as fans. You watch your team floundering, you probably really, really want to do something.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

11 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

It’s the right approach, of course.

 

Gotta be tough for GMs…most of them are hyper-competitive and more emotionally invested in the team than we are as fans. You watch your team floundering, you probably really, really want to do something.

 

Definitely the right approach. Stay the course. Growing pains are part of the process. Hughes is the right man for the job. 

[Lanes World]

As much as I’d like to see this team win, the potential of a top 5 pick is almost essential for this rebuild….Unless Hughes can make a trade that doesn’t affect the future.  

[GHT120]

36 minutes ago, Lanes World said:

As much as I’d like to see this team win, the potential of a top 5 pick is almost essential for this rebuild….Unless Hughes can make a trade that doesn’t affect the future.  

Have heard no rumours (so not in that thread), have no proposal (so not in that thread) and it wouldn't turn this season around (which I think is what you were referring to) ... but I wonder what it would take to get David Jiricek out of Columbus?

CBJs are doing no better than last season (when they were the 5th worst team in the NHL, 10 points behind the Habs) but DJ has only played 5 games (TOI - 11:47) this season ... neither GM Waddell nor HC Evanson have any personal investment in the player as they were not around when he was drafted ... at the right "price", adding another 20/21 yr-old RHD to the existing pair (Mailloux and Reinbacher) only improves the odds of filling the 1st/2nd RH pairing slot with a youngster (YES, I am writing off Barron as a Top 4 defenceman).

[DON]

Barron is playing today, will be interesting to see how he plays, hasnt played a game in over 2 weeks..

[Prime Minister Koivu]

 

“I love how we defend. We’re very connected…we’re tough to play against defensively. But we are not as tough to play against offensively.”

 

“We get a lot of puck possession time if you look recently. But puck possession doesn’t necessarily mean offense. Possession is an opportunity to bring offense. We’re not connected enough, we don’t play fast enough together to translate puck possession into offensive attack. It’s a balance that we’re searching for offensively but not at the expense of doing the right things defensively…”.

 

- Habs coach Marty St. Louis today

 

Habs have been much better defensively the past few games but I’m not sure that I’d agree that we are tough to play against defensively. 

[alfredoh2009]

1 hour ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

 

“I love how we defend. We’re very connected…we’re tough to play against defensively. But we are not as tough to play against offensively.”

 

“We get a lot of puck possession time if you look recently. But puck possession doesn’t necessarily mean offense. Possession is an opportunity to bring offense. We’re not connected enough, we don’t play fast enough together to translate puck possession into offensive attack. It’s a balance that we’re searching for offensively but not at the expense of doing the right things defensively…”.

 

- Habs coach Marty St. Louis today

 

Habs have been much better defensively the past few games but I’m not sure that I’d agree that we are tough to play against defensively. 

 

I share your disagreement with the coach on being tough to play against. I was very surprised by how positively he talked about the time after the 0-3 loss.

I hope the coach has a better result next time