After a dead silent trade deadline, the Montreal Canadiens were in Anaheim on Friday night to face the Ducks. The result was a 6-5 shootout loss.
Slafkovsky is still the best fit for Suzuki and Caufield.
The ideal for any contending hockey team is six forwards who legitimately belong in the top six. Popular opinion is that the Canadiens are a player, or maybe two, short in that category. The coach tried to balance his offence over two lines and it worked, at least for a while.
But with both lines struggling of late, and Alex Newhook healthy and hopping, Martin St. Louis opted to go back to his dependable top line. It paid off early, with Slaf ending the first with two assists.
Marty is hoping some combination of the talent that remains will be good enough to be the second line. Who knows? With no one added at the deadline, perhaps Michael Hage will get a chance to earn a spot there before the season is done.
Sam Montembeault is still nearsighted.
The offside challenge can’t save you every time. In this one it couldn’t even save him the next time. The scouting report on the Habs netminder is simple. If you make it to the blue line, let her rip, because Montembeault couldn’t catch a cold licking the doorknobs at a walk-in clinic in February.
With Monty, as Marty Biron put it, it’s one step forward and two steps back. He can stand on his head and make big saves one minute and let in a blooper the next. I thought he was good in the shootout, but at some point the Canadiens have to call it.
The penalty kill is still rough.
Only five teams in the NHL are worse. The addition of Phil Danault and the return of Kaiden Guhle were supposed to set it right. My eye test says they’re too passive when down a man.
The young Habs can still mount a comeback and still can’t hold a lead.
Being down 4-2 going into the third should always be worrisome, but with this crew you know the offence can turn it on. Two goals from Clutch Cole Caufield and a nice catch and release from Alexandre Carrier and the Habs were leading late. But then with the Anaheim net empty they couldn’t lock it down and let one in with less than a minute on the clock.
They’re too loose and playing sloppy hockey right now.
HuGo is still future focused.
It was a little surprising to learn way too long after the deadline that HuGo had put all their eggs in one basket and then couldn’t deliver when they ran out of road. Hughes said it was a significant trade that would have made the team better now and over the long term. We may see it again in the summer.
The principle objective is to build a team capable of winning over the long term.
We look at the current Habs and see the second line needs help, the defense group is unbalanced, and the goaltending is unreliable. Hughes looks at Hage near ready to sign and Zharovsky coming a year later. He looks at Reinbacher getting better and hungrier in Laval. And he looks at Fowler being close to claiming the net.
Some help would have been nice, but help is coming, and it’s the kind they can keep for a long window.
Hab At Her 