Montreal Canadiens 2023-2024 season

[RichMan]

Right out of the gates, I'm a say it: Can they take a friggin decision on Cayden Primeau already?! Keep him or let him go for a good trade. I'm tired of the headlines, "Possible trade...", "Rumours concerning...", blah blah blah.

Will Allen be the one traded? Again a bunch of non-stop rumours. If he can keep his numbers up, him and Montembeault can be a great tandem and will no doubt push each other to become better as the season develops.

Aside from my little rant. I think we're off to a ok start. Could be better but it's still early. Suzuki seems to have taken a backseat to let Caufield shine. Monahan is offering some good support on the offence. Pierre Harvey-Pinard is earning his stripes with good efforts. Newhook is kinda in and out. Xhekaj is clearly taking names and laying down the law but in today's game, I don't know how long he'll be able to keep this up before he gets benched or worse, hurt to a point he can't contribute at anything anymore. Anderson is acting more like a support on the attack and I'm hoping he'll find the net more often as he did the past seasons. Armia is back down and is doing awesome in Laval. We need him back in Montreal as I feel he is a good player for the team and he deserves to keep his spot with the HABS.

And now Gallagher...my man, our iron horse, our Trojan. It's apparent that the game, the abuse, the injuries are taking a large toll on his physic and maybe mental state as well. His game is not the same. He did score twice the past few games and has a couple assists, but his real job and presence in front of the net seems to have changed some and I hope that he can either find his comfort zone soon or even be allowed by St-Louis to take a break now and then to recuperate from all the beatings he gets in front of the net. There's been comments thrown around about him getting traded and even suggestions that he should retire. If for any reason, he does choose to hang them up, I hope it's with the HABS and that he gets all the honourable mentions he deserves for his work and sacrifice given for his team. I'm with you Galli 

[seagoal]

1 hour ago, RichMan said:

Right out of the gates, I'm a say it: Can they take a friggin decision on Cayden Primeau already?! Keep him or let him go for a good trade. I'm tired of the headlines, "Possible trade...", "Rumours concerning...", blah blah blah.

Will Allen be the one traded? Again a bunch of non-stop rumours. If he can keep his numbers up, him and Montembeault can be a great tandem and will no doubt push each other to become better as the season develops.

Aside from my little rant. I think we're off to a ok start. Could be better but it's still early. Suzuki seems to have taken a backseat to let Caufield shine. Monahan is offering some good support on the offence. Pierre Harvey-Pinard is earning his stripes with good efforts. Newhook is kinda in and out. Xhekaj is clearly taking names and laying down the law but in today's game, I don't know how long he'll be able to keep this up before he gets benched or worse, hurt to a point he can't contribute at anything anymore. Anderson is acting more like a support on the attack and I'm hoping he'll find the net more often as he did the past seasons. Armia is back down and is doing awesome in Laval. We need him back in Montreal as I feel he is a good player for the team and he deserves to keep his spot with the HABS.

And now Gallagher...my man, our iron horse, our Trojan. It's apparent that the game, the abuse, the injuries are taking a large toll on his physic and maybe mental state as well. His game is not the same. He did score twice the past few games and has a couple assists, but his real job and presence in front of the net seems to have changed some and I hope that he can either find his comfort zone soon or even be allowed by St-Louis to take a break now and then to recuperate from all the beatings he gets in front of the net. There's been comments thrown around about him getting traded and even suggestions that he should retire. If for any reason, he does choose to hang them up, I hope it's with the HABS and that he gets all the honourable mentions he deserves for his work and sacrifice given for his team. I'm with you Galli 

When I was in Montreal,  Caufield was the jersey I saw the most just around town and at the game.  He was also who amazed me the most in warmups and in the game.  That kid's talent and skill is unreal. 

[SpookyOne]

Another L as usual….

[RichMan]

And so, all the rumours continue, as well as the goalie carousel with Montembault, Allen and Primeau. BUT, there is signs of movement and maybe things to come within this week or the following. The Rocket de Laval have signed Kassimir Kaskisuo to a pro tryout contract. He's played for the Marlies and has seen the show for the Leafs and the Preds. He does bring experience and maybe they'll keep him, or not. It remains to be seen.

There is so much going on with goalies at all the levels in the Habs system that it's becoming confusing and borderline frustrating. I can just imagine how their goalies, Montembault aside, are feeling about all this.

I think Allen would have more game time elsewhere unless this is what he likes. Primeau can't develop to what the organisation expects if he can't see multiple starts to test his limits. 

There's also a lot of talk of Hutton and Fulher, the later supposedly being tagged as the team's real future #1.

In any case, I hope Montembault kills it up there and I wish nothing but good stuff for Kas.

[Fullright]

I dont get to see the team as much as I would like but almost every time I catch them on NHL Network, Allen is in net taking a beating. From the little I've seen of Montembault, he's looked pretty good. NHL just isnt the same without the Les Habitant being a good team. 

[keeperton]

Montembault has looked really good all year. I'm not sure how much some of the underlying analyses may look, but every game I've sat down to watch him in he's a huge factory in why is his team stays in the game.

Edited December 21, 2023 by keeperton

[johncho]

The underlaying numbers suggests that he's been stealing games, and one of the top in terms of 5v5 goals against.

I think this year and the next two will be developmental years where we start trying to get midway.

 

[RichMan]

4 hours ago, johncho said:

The underlaying numbers suggests that he's been stealing games, and one of the top in terms of 5v5 goals against.

I think this year and the next two will be developmental years where we start trying to get midway.

 

Whether we can or not, I'd like to see our boys make a close run for the playoffs, just for the sake of saying. And I'm hoping next season is a Cinderella one for the team...good start, good placement, good run for the cup.

If anything this season, it might be the Leafs second chance. It doesn't bother me in the least. I just want to see the cup in Canadian hands for once. 

[Fullright]

Habs should get a win tonight unless Bedard goes more nuts than usual. 

For 18 years old, he's really something else. 

[johncho]

19 hours ago, RichMan said:

If anything this season, it might be the Leafs second chance. It doesn't bother me in the least. I just want to see the cup in Canadian hands for once. 

Being a Canadian team used to mean something in the past, but I really don't think it matters anymore with the make up of the team. I wish there was some advantage you could give to drafting or trading for hometown kids, but I also know that it would be unfair and would go against parity. 

[coopaloop1234]

19 hours ago, RichMan said:

If anything this season, it might be the Leafs second chance. It doesn't bother me in the least. I just want to see the cup in Canadian hands for once. 

Them and Edmonton are the last teams I ever want to see win the cup, let alone be the first ones to end the draught. 

Toronto for just being Toronto, and Edmonton for falling ass backwards into undeserved consecutive first picks and still squandering it all. 

Fuck 'em both. 

6 minutes ago, johncho said:

Being a Canadian team used to mean something in the past, but I really don't think it matters anymore with the make up of the team. I wish there was some advantage you could give to drafting or trading for hometown kids, but I also know that it would be unfair and would go against parity. 

Most teams winning the Cup are still heavily saturated with Canadians. Lightning team aside, they're only 40% Canadian. 

[WillyGrips13]

Weren’t the Knights heavily Canadian? I think the Ducks were, too. I know more than one Canadian who are fans of American teams because of some hometown kid came from there and play on an American team. Or they came to visit their school to give a speech and made a lasting impression.

Anecdotally, I feel like the pressure playing for the Leafs must be crushing between the media and all their childhood buddies and family friends being so close at all times. 
I’m guessing the Canadian pride comes into play more with international tournaments like World Juniors, World Championships, World Cups and Olympics.

 

[RichMan]

On 12/22/2023 at 8:58 PM, WillyGrips13 said:

Weren’t the Knights heavily Canadian? I think the Ducks were, too. I know more than one Canadian who are fans of American teams because of some hometown kid came from there and play on an American team. Or they came to visit their school to give a speech and made a lasting impression.

Anecdotally, I feel like the pressure playing for the Leafs must be crushing between the media and all their childhood buddies and family friends being so close at all times. 
I’m guessing the Canadian pride comes into play more with international tournaments like World Juniors, World Championships, World Cups and Olympics.

 

I get the reference. When I say "Canadian", I mean on Canadian soil, in a Canadian city team. Who was the last? Habs in '93, that's it. That is a loooong time and way overdue.

Now over the holidays, I'm getting a lot of sports news notifications on trade talks and throwing out names like Dvorak and Allen and Anderson and Savard...

Maybe it's just me or how I perceive things but, how in the hell can you solidify a whole and grow towards the objective when you are continuously getting rid of key players that are doing well and producing for the team JUST because their performances has garnered interest and their market value has risen. It makes no friggin sense. We can't expect instant success in a prolonged period from anyone, I don't care how high they are ranked. Team building means sticking with the good people and gelling and providing the results we need to get to that goal.

It sometimes feel like we're just a player builder team, getting them ready to move on to a stronger contender. It's been like this for a long time now and whatever they are trying to do or looking for is just not the answer. At least not in my mind. 

Getting rid of an under performer or a bad seed or that one-too-many player is understandable and expected. We've been rebuilding for 10+ years. Now it's time to stick to what works and make it stronger. 

[johncho]

I don't mind moving Dvorak and Allen. Dvorak is decent but a bit redundant with our other forwards coming up the pipeline. 

Allen was a godsend stabilizer when we needed him, but now that we have two young goalies (plus Fowler if he pans out) I think it's time to remove the training wheels this year or the next. Or get rid of Primeau but I think he could figure it out eventually to take the backup spot and he's still pretty young. 

I want to keep Monahan, he seems to be a good role model for Dach and the other players seem to love him as well. 

[RichMan]

Here we go again 

Habs trade Monahan for future round pics that give no immediate guarantee they will be able to perform at the NHL level. 

Once again we throw away a good contributing player for some cash flow and possible maybes. 

Montreal Canadiens, rebuilding since 1994 and on...

[RichMan]

On 12/30/2023 at 1:02 PM, johncho said:

I don't mind moving Dvorak and Allen. Dvorak is decent but a bit redundant with our other forwards coming up the pipeline. 

Allen was a godsend stabilizer when we needed him, but now that we have two young goalies (plus Fowler if he pans out) I think it's time to remove the training wheels this year or the next. Or get rid of Primeau but I think he could figure it out eventually to take the backup spot and he's still pretty young. 

I want to keep Monahan, he seems to be a good role model for Dach and the other players seem to love him as well. 

With Kaskisuo in Laval right now and doing quite well and having some experience at the top, Allen could go and Primeau could fall back to Laval if he doesn't bring enough A game. Hence another shot for Kassimir to be a #2 for Montenbeault. 

[johncho]

Fowler looking better and better each week. I was able to catch a couple of games when they were showing the BU vs BC series. I thought he was stellar.

Monahan didn't sign term so hopefully we can at least be in the mix for a possible landing spot for him in the Summer.

I really don't know about Kas, I know he's doing ok in Laval, but I guess in the past he didn't quite look good at the NHL level?

[Ryan W]

9 hours ago, RichMan said:

Here we go again 

Habs trade Monahan for future round pics that give no immediate guarantee they will be able to perform at the NHL level. 

Once again we throw away a good contributing player for some cash flow and possible maybes. 

Montreal Canadiens, rebuilding since 1994 and on...

I actually see this as the complete opposite. Habs have never committed to a rebuild since 1994. Its always been sign UFAs to plug holes and live in no mans land making the playoffs as a 6,7,8 seed and not being a true contender but also not picking high enough for a chance at elite talent. Monahan has been fantastic, but hes a UFA at years end, rumor has it the one year contract was with another promise to trade him to a contender if habs werent in playoff contention. Why wouldnt they acquire assets to help the franchise? This doesnt mean they cant sign him o\in the off season, and if another team offers him a lot more years and money then maybe its best with his injury history.

Moves like this are the reason they may actually have a contender for the first time since '93, in my opinion.