OffThePost.org

Unless you've got a Vasilevskiy or Sorokin, goalies are pretty fickle and with the Habs rebuilding, I don't want them to install a big goalie now, only to have him fizzle out. Monty still has room to grow and I think has a good a shot as any midrange goalie to figure it out. But yeah, he'll never carry a team. Hopefully he won't have to.

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Yes, I agree with that. Right this minute, we don't need that goalie yet but in a few years, who knows.
And to be frank, we have been spoiled for decades now with incredible goaltending, so this just feels weird.

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Kraken just what the doctor ordered. Anderson scores his first in 25, Monahan his first in 15 and Pearson in 19.

Slafkovsky on the top line. Dude just won board battles all night. A super strong guy who can win the puck with some slick mitts doesn't maybe make for the most exciting first overall pick, but the guy clearly has a future.

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Could be a good thing and force them to create a better offensive team.

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What would Mad Max be like with EVs?

Slafkovsky gets in his first NHL fight and scores the shootout winner against Buffalo. Hell of a game for him.

Sabres cheap shotted them all night. Xhekaj was missed.

With Dach and Newhook out, the Habs have only three decent forwards. On the other hand, they've added Struble to the mix of halfway decent defencemen. They'll have to trade a dman for a forward eventually.

Ditto in goal. Primeau isn't a world beater, but if you can get something for Allen, maybe it's worth running it with two young goalies for a while?

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Habs need scoring. They're rumoured to be interested in Jonatan Berggren, who's getting jerked around in Detroit.

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Coach MSL says this team is the most put together since he got here, which is good to hear. They're among the leaders in one-goal games this season, which is a good sign for a rebuilding team with two major offensive weapons out long term.

Justin Barron is quality becoming a solid offensive defenceman.

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Good to hear about Barron. I don't regret that trade for a moment because Lehkonen has been phenomenal (when healthy) but him developing into a legit NHLer is still a feather in the much-maligned Avs draft/development cap.

Habs haven't won in Minny since 2011 and they were 5 seconds away from pushing a shootout last night, but Kirill the Thrill kept the losing streak alive.

The top line finally hit the scoreboard after weeks of dominant metrics. Looking forward to seeing Cole-Nick-Slaf building momentum post-break.

Beyond that, the forward situation looks dire. Dvorak is done, even getting passed by Evans who can't score bless his heart.

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4 points in the last 2 games for Slafkovsky. Night and day compared to the start of the season.

Ignore the Habs at your own peril. They're not a great team, but they're not a layup either. They'll battle you.

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Weird situation brewing in Habland: Arber Xhekaj returned from injury and was sent to Laval for what everyone assumed was a conditioning stint, only now he's been there a few weeks and Georges Laraque's initial Intel that he was being punished/exiled is looking more and more true.

What did he do to get out of Montreal's good graces? Why is another fan favourite seemingly not on the same page with management?

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Habs hit the rough patch of their road trip: losses in Carolina and Miami.

The team is unable to generate offence at the moment. The top line gets their one goal a game, the Evans line has a couple of good shifts, then nothing.

No Dach and Newhook is the obvious culprit here. Not sure anything can be done until they're back.

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From Twitter/X/Whatever:

Accurate. Gallagher actually looks way better this year compared to the last two, when his skating was really laboured. He can get in tight again, but can't finish.

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Suzuki and Caufield are getting hot, finally. Slafkovsky is consistently getting points too.

Anderson and Dvorak might be out a while, so the Habs basically have 9 forwards available. Time to take on some expiring contracts and get some freebies in the process.

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Dvorak is done for the season with a pectoral injury. Second straight season ended by injury.

His time in Montreal has been absolutely disastrous: 145 gp, 68 pts. With Dach and Newhook out he got passed by Jake Evans on the depth chart. Yikes. One year left after this one, he's only going to be 28. Will someone take a chance on him? Maybe his hometown team of Chicago?

I think he's done here, and the Habs need to seriously think about their future at centre, because they've got Suzuki and a bunch of mysteries below him. Dach can't stay healthy, Newhook probably isn't a centre full-time. Evans' contract is up next season.

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Wasn't that because he's been injured the last two seasons?

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I promise you that Newhook is most assuredly not a full-time center. He shouldn't even be a part-time center. Not a good enough skater, nowhere near good enough defensively, and more to the point his hockey IQ isn't stellar. He's a good kid and a good player, but needs to be in a situation where he can freewheel a bit, a secondary scoring winger on the middle six.

Hughes needs to get a center in this year's draft. There should be plenty of good ones to be had. Can't build around Dach, he's simply too fragile.

Habs allegedly turned down Reinbacher (the fifth pick) for Cutter Gauthier at the draft. Time will tell if that was the right move.

Meanwhile, the Cutter trade seems to suggest Cole Caufield's best bud Trevor Zegras is available. Wonder what it would cost?

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Wow, 2-1 Habs after one against Phily.

Habs being outshot 10-2, but scored on both shots. Ersson with a 0.000 save %

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