Inside today’s Locked on Canadiens
With the summer coming to a slow simmer in terms of news, and the Canadiens remaining relatively quiet, the hosts take a moment to put together their predictions at an opening night lineup for the Habs.
While the goalies are likely locked in with Jake Allen and Samuel Montembeault, are their roles reversed going into next season? Will Cayden Primeau factor into the team’s plans at all, or is he destined to be the pillar for the Laval Rocket once again?
Amongst the forwards there is a ton of competition of lineup spots, and the Habs have a lot of difficult decisions to make, especially with prospects graduating out of the AHL. Has Rafaël Harvey-Pinard locked himself into a top six role? Can Jesse Ylönen make the jump full-time? Which veterans are likely saying good-bye so Juraj Slafkovsky can slide into the top six?
Finally, on defence there is a battle for all six spots in the lineup, and no matter what it will likely leave a prospect or fan favourite in the press box at some point. Will limited ice time force Kent Hughes to make a tough choice and send someone to the AHL, or can he successfully juggle his defensive group this season?
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18 Comments
Let them play in the AHL they will be ready when they going to be ready
can't escape the damn betting ads, not even here. disappointing.
Dvorak's contract is backloaded with two years at $5.75m. Some teams care a lot about this stuff. He's also rumored to miss opening night per the athletic. Probably means injury setback which further lowers his value.
Edit: Rule of thumb is RH RDs rarely if ever play at LD due to the 60/40. LH LDs are far more habituated to the right side. I'd be stunned if Kovacevic is the sacrificial lamb. Personally, if Guhle is at RD, Barron is in the AHL. If Guhle is at LD, Xhekaj is in the AHL.
Injuries will sort the D out…then trades. Everyone will get a look but by 20 games-in, deals. Baron looked great at the Worlds, is too low on everyones list, patience. Your 1st line won't make it past pre-season…too small. Slot Slav in the AHL 1st line & PP minutes. This is not a good team! They must go all in on development priorities.
I want Slafkovsky on Monahan's wing. Worst case you could just sit Hoffman could you not? Or buy him out? Or put him on waivers?
play 7 d
I think Owen Beck might be ready and the Habs might not want him to go back to junior. So then Dvorak coul be traded to make space for Beck.
With a bit of luck and without too many injuries, Montreal can likely play near 500 next season…but if things start going "sour" on them for any reason, I guess they are going to get another great draft pick !!!
Dach. Suzuki caufield
Slaf. Newhook. Rhp
Andersen beck gally
Hoffman Evans. Armia
Guhle. Mailloux
Matheson barron
Wifi. Savard
Monty
Primeau
That looks like a good price point on Newhook. With Stanley Cup pedigree and red white and blue skill and speed, he should be a great depth piece to put you back into playoff contention. Great job in the off-season Kent. Training camp is going to have that prove it to be a hab feel, which is healthy for your development and maturation. Good luck Montreal, your destiny is in your dreams. 🎯
Dach-Suzuki-Caufield
Anderson-Monahan-Slafkovsky
Hoffman-Newhook-Pinard
L.Anderson-Dvorak-Gallagher
Matherson-Ghule
Savard-Xhekaj
Harris-Barron
Montembault
Allen
We have become so used to seeing so few prospects in the system in the last decade, that it seems strange to have players that could legitimately be NHL players playing in the AHL. But I think that this should be a normal occurrence on a regular NHL team or a least on a rebuilding team. It would be a good idea to see which defensemen are the ones that the Habs want to keep the most before trading away assets. Because Reinbacher and Hutson are still young guys, I would say that in this scenario that it should maybe be a few years before the Canadiens even think of trading away any of that young defense core. But this is a very good problem to have. We may be sentimental about the young players on our team, but at some point, some really good defensemen will be traded and will probably (hopefully) get a very good return, and then we can get sentimental about the players that the team trades for.
Right winger first line will be a six foot+ 200 pound +
Scott wave Slaf you're outa your mind & Harvey is not on my first line 🤓you stay there you get ready your mind is going to blow up this year
No way is WIFI not on the Habs this year with the Leafs adding Reeves and the B’s bringing back Looch. The defence is beyond stacked and is going to be very crowded in the next couple of years. Our future number one pairing of Lane and popcorn as well as Logan is going to be sick! Wonder if some of the d men could switch to forward. I recall Wendal Clark was drafted as a d man wonder if we do something like that with Jayden Struble who looks like a monster?!?!
RHP on the 1st ahhhh nope. 3rd maybe
Sorry Scott I respectfully disagree with you assessment of the habs next years and here it's why ?
First think about Juraj Slafkovskỳ! As you know For him to develop he needs top Line minutes but we can't him give him top line minutes because the Left Winger on the first line is of course our best scorer #22 Cole Caufield.Ok that's all right ! What about the second line left wing ? Last Year Rafael Harvey-Pinard did a fantastic job as a replacement for Cole Caufield when he get injured. I hope he get reward as the 2nd line Left. For me Juraj did not do better than Cole or Rafael. Than we got Mike Hoffman we can't put on the first and second. So i put him on 3rd. And Finally Putting Slafkovsky is a waste of time. So Where to put Juraj Slajkovskỳ how about first line in … Laval. Before the end of the year or not Mike Hoffman will be move to another team and finally Juraj Slavkovskỳ will be call back play on third until he is good enough to switch place with Rafael Harvey-Pinard and finally when he become to be ready to play on the first line Cole Caufield will be move on the right wing on the first line.
So why not doing right now#20 Slavkovskỳ (LW) – Suzuki (C) – Caufield (RW)
Because Slavkovskỳ need to earn his place on the top line. we can just give it to him. it must be earn.
P.S. Don't need to or can't trade Dvorak because he will probably start the year on Injury reserve.
Hoffman is my first choice to go as I’m
way more tired of him