Montreal vs Toronto Series Thread - games start May 20 -

[Windoe]

Just a thought on our depth and Game 4 (the second of a back to back):

Guys we don't play in Game 3 should be well rested, relatively, and likely to play in Game 4

Also, fun idea, if you beat a team, you get to take one of their players forward with you.  Ie: We beat the Leafs, so now we can add Chucky to our team for the next round!  

[kinot-2]

12 minutes ago, Windoe said:

Just a thought on our depth and Game 4 (the second of a back to back):

Guys we don't play in Game 3 should be well rested, relatively, and likely to play in Game 4

Also, fun idea, if you beat a team, you get to take one of their players forward with you.  Ie: We beat the Leafs, so now we can add Chucky to our team for the next round!  

 If nothing else, that's original.

[Regis22]

34 minutes ago, Windoe said:

At least pick a better player 

[Windoe]

13 minutes ago, kinot-2 said:

 If nothing else, that's original.

I wonder who Toronto would take off Montreal?

Imagine we add Matthews, then McDavid, then Kucherov and face off against Vegas who added Phil the Thrill, McKinnon, and then Crosby.

 

[jennifer_rocket]

If there was ever a thing that would motivate the team not to lose in 4-5 games, It'd be the chance to play in front of 2,500 people in game six at the Bell Centre. It's only 2,500... but come on guys. Play a game for them!

[H_T_L]

Let's not kid ourselves here. We're playing Staal simply because MB overpaid for him and has to show some type of return so as not to look the fool. Somebody should break the news to him that his boat has already sailed on that one. As for Merrill over Romanov,,,, i defy anybody to explain that one to me. No coach in his right mind would play that guy over Romanov,,, so the only explanation has to be that the call was made by the same fool.

[habs1952]

6 hours ago, jennifer_rocket said:

Looks like Romanov, Kotkaniemi, and Caulfield will all be scratches in game one. Brilliant. 

Nothing like throwing in the towel before the series begins. Why even try to make the playoffs? They shoulda tanked the season.

[electron58]

3 minutes ago, habs1952 said:

Nothing like throwing in the towel before the series begins. Why even try to make the playoffs? They shoulda tanked the season.

Starting with last season. They should have got rid of bergevin & Julien, last season and let a new GM steer this club in a smarter direction. 

[ramcharger440]

So we as a team have issues scoring goals.......we just got one of the most exciting goal scoring players we have had in many years on the team, so we are not going to play him in the first playoff game? ok I must not know what I think I know how is the kid going to learn if we don't give him a shot in the important games? this guy is a clutch player! for that matter Romanov has played really well in big games when he is not playing with a slug! I don't understand what they are thinking in the head office? we are not going to win the cup we just don't have the guys to do it but we could really give our young guns a big boost playing them when it counts! the only older pickup from this year who deserves to play post season is Perry he has been a good player for us in a limited role Stall and Merrill have not earned it at all, what is that teaching the young guys?

[HARBORSPORT]

40 minutes ago, H_T_L said:

Let's not kid ourselves here. We're playing Staal simply because MB overpaid for him and has to show some type of return so as not to look the fool. Somebody should break the news to him that his boat has already sailed on that one. As for Merrill over Romanov,,,, i defy anybody to explain that one to me. No coach in his right mind would play that guy over Romanov,,, so the only explanation has to be that the call was made by the same fool.

this ^^

[PuckPundit]

Who'd bet against Galchenyuk scoring against Habs in the playoffs ? Payback is always yummy for ex-Habs.

[kinot-2]

1 hour ago, electron58 said:

Starting with last season. They should have got rid of bergevin & Julien, last season and let a new GM steer this club in a smarter direction. 

Recycled GM and Coach,,,,,,,,,,,,,, like always?

[HabsAlways]

4 hours ago, maas_art said:

Its pretty ridonculous.  Only 3 reasons imho:
 

3 For all his talk DD is still one of the "old school coaches" and he actually thinks Merrill/Staal/Perry gives us a better chance than Romanov/JK/CC


 

Given his deployment of players over the last 10-20 games ... its definitely #3

[maas_art]

2 hours ago, H_T_L said:

Let's not kid ourselves here. We're playing Staal simply because MB overpaid for him and has to show some type of return so as not to look the fool. Somebody should break the news to him that his boat has already sailed on that one. As for Merrill over Romanov,,,, i defy anybody to explain that one to me. No coach in his right mind would play that guy over Romanov,,, so the only explanation has to be that the call was made by the same fool.

Thing is, MB interfering makes sense.  DD going along with it doesnt. 

Its not like MB is going to fire him in the playoffs.  If you're DD and you know that this is not going to work, why do you listen to the GM?  Just do your thing because you'll almost certainly lose playing MB's lineup.  If you deploy the best possible group you have a chance.  

So sure, maybe he gets fired in the offseason but the thing is, if he did what he thought was best & managed to beat the laffs, there's a legit chance we win against Edmonton/Winnipeg.  Now you're final four.  Even if MB is pissed at you, no way he can fire you in the offseason.

I honestly think DD is on board for this crap, which is really disappointing because i thought he was a good choice to replace Julien. Heck even Julien gave the kids a chance last year in the bubble. 

[dreegking]

9 hours ago, jennifer_rocket said:

Looks like Romanov, Kotkaniemi, and Caulfield will all be scratches in game one. Brilliant. 

Pathetic. zFor Merrill? For Staal? For Perry? How to screw up the youth?

 

I have been a staunch supporter of Bergeron. But if this old team plays and can;'t skate and gets killed... I am off the Bergeron Pop Pom team. Seems to me the team is best going down the stretch when CC and Evans and JK play. play with speed. The other team they ice... has zero identity. 

[kinot-2]

Watching then ew on CTV tonight, they said "after the break Canada's team Gets ready for the POs. Ya gotta know who their are talking about. 

[26NCounting]

15 hours ago, jennifer_rocket said:

Looks like Romanov, Kotkaniemi, and Caulfield will all be scratches in game one. Brilliant. 

If this is the case we totally deserve to lose this series in 4 straight!  What a joke!  We seriously need a Coach and GM that have some clue about hockey

[CaptWelly]

11 hours ago, ramcharger440 said:

So we as a team have issues scoring goals.......we just got one of the most exciting goal scoring players we have had in many years on the team, so we are not going to play him in the first playoff game? ok I must not know what I think I know how is the kid going to learn if we don't give him a shot in the important games? this guy is a clutch player! for that matter Romanov has played really well in big games when he is not playing with a slug! I don't understand what they are thinking in the head office? we are not going to win the cup we just don't have the guys to do it but we could really give our young guns a big boost playing them when it counts! the only older pickup from this year who deserves to play post season is Perry he has been a good player for us in a limited role Stall and Merrill have not earned it at all, what is that teaching the young guys?

Perry has done a good job and I could see possibly sitting Byron as we don't need the speed as much against the leafs. We have CC though and he's hot right now , we need to be able to outscore Toronto. JK in Stahl out!

[electron58]

10 hours ago, kinot-2 said:

Recycled GM and Coach,,,,,,,,,,,,,, like always?

Can't be any worse than the status quo. Plus,  the first few years really were not bergevin's players!  What you have in last 5 years,  is.  How we doin?

[electron58]

9 hours ago, kinot-2 said:

Watching then ew on CTV tonight, they said "after the break Canada's team Gets ready for the POs. Ya gotta know who their are talking about. 

Well, for me, it's always been the Habs. So there's that!   😎

[maas_art]

10 hours ago, HabsAlways said:

Given his deployment of players over the last 10-20 games ... its definitely #3

Especially when he says stuff like this.   Did he just say JK is a crooked nail? 

[H_T_L]

10 hours ago, maas_art said:

Thing is, MB interfering makes sense.  DD going along with it doesnt. 

Its not like MB is going to fire him in the playoffs.  If you're DD and you know that this is not going to work, why do you listen to the GM?  Just do your thing because you'll almost certainly lose playing MB's lineup.  If you deploy the best possible group you have a chance.  

So sure, maybe he gets fired in the offseason but the thing is, if he did what he thought was best & managed to beat the laffs, there's a legit chance we win against Edmonton/Winnipeg.  Now you're final four.  Even if MB is pissed at you, no way he can fire you in the offseason.

I honestly think DD is on board for this crap, which is really disappointing because i thought he was a good choice to replace Julien. Heck even Julien gave the kids a chance last year in the bubble. 

He might not fire you but it doesn't stop him from putting out the word around the League that this guy doesn't listen to management. Tough to find work with that over your head.

[maas_art]

39 minutes ago, H_T_L said:

He might not fire you but it doesn't stop him from putting out the word around the League that this guy doesn't listen to management. Tough to find work with that over your head.

Damned if you do, damned if you don't.


With the lineup announcements (assuming they arent just trying to use misdirection) I am reminded of Nick Suzuki's comments just before Julien got fired. He said  "we are playing not to lose. we need to start playing to win."

These roster moves (and probably the system they are planning) are most likely designed "not to lose" rather than "to win."  Meaning, you only win if the other team makes a mistake.  Thats fine if you're the 2014 Canadian Olympic team where you're basically the best collection of players in the world but when you're the 2021 Montreal Canadiens you are going to make mistakes from time to time.  If you do  & all you're doing is playing "not to lose" you will most likely do just that. 

I am still hopeful but these latest moves bring down my optimism.  Its a shame, really, because I think we could make final four this year if they just use the team differently.  Its not a horrendous roster, its just being used really strangely. 

[jennifer_rocket]

13 hours ago, PuckPundit said:

Who'd bet against Galchenyuk scoring against Habs in the playoffs ? Payback is always yummy for ex-Habs.

I hope he scores three.

14 hours ago, ramcharger440 said:

So we as a team have issues scoring goals.......we just got one of the most exciting goal scoring players we have had in many years on the team, so we are not going to play him in the first playoff game? ok I must not know what I think I know how is the kid going to learn if we don't give him a shot in the important games? this guy is a clutch player! for that matter Romanov has played really well in big games when he is not playing with a slug! I don't understand what they are thinking in the head office? we are not going to win the cup we just don't have the guys to do it but we could really give our young guns a big boost playing them when it counts! the only older pickup from this year who deserves to play post season is Perry he has been a good player for us in a limited role Stall and Merrill have not earned it at all, what is that teaching the young guys?

Yeah... it makes absolutely no sense. Staal and Merrill should NOT be in this lineup. Caulfield has definitely earned himself this game. Romanov, without question, should be playing every game for Montreal, regular season or playoffs. 

[arpem-can]

Just a novel thought here ....what if the team Montreal ices in the 1st game beats the Leafs ?....