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Canadiens Wrap

Habs Wrap: Canadiens Playoff Odds, Laine, Slafkovsky

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MONTREAL — There’s always Montreal Canadiens news to be absorbed on a daily basis, but there are only so many hours in a day. On Sundays, we recap the most exciting and relevant NHL news stories that you may have missed throughout the week so that you can stay in the Canadiens loop.

Monday

I know not everyone was happy with the lack of activity from the Habs at the NHL Trade Deadline, but there is value in keeping the hardest-working players in the lineup happy. Or rather, not betraying their trust.

That being said, even though Kent Hughes was right to reward Suzuki for dragging his team to respectability, the Canadiens must quickly find their rhythm, or the flood of criticism will lead to a very frustrating end of the season, both from the players and the fans. [Canadiens Walk The Trade Dead-Line, Hughes Discusses Strategy]

The Laval Rocket aren’t just having a good year, they’re the top team in the AHL, and there’s very little doubt as to their validity of their place in the standings.

Not only did they beat the Rochester Americans on Friday, the team that formerly occupied the first-place position, they repeated their exploit on Saturday, beating the Americans 2–1 thanks to goals from Riley Kidney (3) and Joshua Roy (20). With the game-winning goal, Roy beats Jared Davidson to become the first Rocket player to reach the 20-goal mark.

Cayden Primeau was excellent, a continuation of his dominant play since being assigned to the AHL. He saved 23 of the 24 shots sent his way, which means he now sports a 14-2-0-1 record, as well as a .911 save percentage. For reference, Dobes’ had a .910 save percentage at the time of his call-up to the NHL.

I’m not trying to say Primeau is the better goaltender, but you’d have to be a cold-hearted bastard not to recognize he’s done everything possible to help the Rocket reach the top of the league.

Prospect Michael Hage maintained his point-per-game pace by earning his 34th point of the season during the University of Michigan’s 5-2 loss to Penn State. Unfortunately, the loss means Hage’s freshman campaign in the NCAA is over. All things considered, the rookie impressed, and not just because he scored 13 goals and 21 assists in 33 games. His ability to execute high-quality plays at top speed makes him incredibly entertaining, as well as the type of prospect that tends to excel once they make it to the NHL.

All Jacob Fowler does is win. Okay, that’s not entirely accurate, but his last loss dates back to February 14. The top Montreal Canadiens goaltending prospect made 27 saves, recording his seventh shutout of the season as the Boston College Eagles downed Merrimack 6-0.

Tuesday

The Habs decided to recall Joshua Roy from the Laval Rocket, while simultaneously re-assigning Owen Beck to the AHL. Say what you will about Beck’s well-rounded game, this is a move that screams ‘offence wanted’. Roy recently scored his 20th goal of the year, the first member of the Rocket to do so this season. His game-winning goal on Saturday ensured the Rocket maintained the top spot in the league.

For what it’s worth, Beck ended up controlling 53 percent of the expected goals during his time with the Habs, which is fairly impressive when we consider he was most often used with Patrik Laine and David Savard, two players who tend to struggle at 5v5. That being said, the Habs are entering Hail Mary territory, which explains why they wanted to give Roy another look. The Habs need goals, and they need them immediately. As in, a few seconds after puck drop tonight versus the Canucks.

The biggest issue now that Beck is no long in the NHL is the glaring hole at centre. The team was already barely treading water with Beck centring Alex Newhook and Patrik Laine, and we all know Newhook struggles when he’s tasked with playing down the middle of the ice.

So, about it being Hail Mary time.

There are 19 games left on the docket, and the Canadiens can’t afford to leave any points on the table. Simply put, the playoffs will be difficult, even if the team manages to find another gear.

The Habs have key matchups against the Florida Panthers and Ottawa Senators, which will go a long way in deciding their fate. The good news is  that the Eastern Conference is a bit of a mess, opening a tiny crack in a window the Canadiens will have no choice but to exploit. [Canadiens Playoff Hopes: Honest Analysis Of Montreal’s Chances]

There was a confirmed case of measles at the Bell Centre. The measles exposure took place on March 3, as the Canadiens faced the Buffalo Sabres. Anyone present at the Bell Centre should monitor themselves for symptoms, especially those who were located in the red sections 111-117.

The symptoms usually take 10–14 days to appear following exposure, and include a dry cough, a fever, and rashes. Also, please get vaccinated if you have not had the chance to do so. This is a dangerous disease, and we know how to prevent it, but it takes a small dose of civic responsibility from everyone. [City News]

Carey Price decided to make his way to the rink to watch his teammates practice. Okay, I know they’re not technically current Montreal Canadiens teammates, since they aren’t going to play on the same team, but they are teammates, because they technically play for the same team. I’m glad I could clear that up for everyone.

Let’s call it a teammate-consulting position.

Oliver Kapanen continues to enjoy a great season in the SHL. The 21-year-old prospect had a two-point effort against Modo, which I missed on Saturday. My apologies.

Wednesday

There were two lineup changes prior to Tuesday’s game versus the Canucks. The first saw Joshua Roy replace Owen Beck on the second line, while the second featured Samuel Montembeault taking over netminding duties from Jakub Dobes. You’d be hard-pressed to blame either Dobes or Beck for the 1-0 loss against the Calgary Flames.

The loss was mostly due to Dustin Wolf’s great play, but at this point in the season, the results matter more than the process, since the Canadiens can’t afford to leave any points on the table. In that vein, switching Beck for Roy was understandable, because the team desperately needs offence if they’re to maintain their dwindling playoff chances. [Canadiens Playoff Hopes: Honest Analysis Of Montreal’s Chances]

The Habs may only be receiving offence from their first line, but it’s better than nothing, especially when all three members of the top trio are contributing on a regular basis.

Juraj Slafkovsky, Cole Caufield, and Nick Suzuki did most of the heavy lifting against the Canucks, which was enough to secure a 4-2 win. Of course, the team needs other lines to start following suit, but for now, we can’t look a gift horse in the mouth. [Habs Highlights: Slafkovsky, Caufield, Suzuki Want Playoff Hockey]

Thursday

Prospect Oliver Kapanen continues to enjoy a great season in the SHL. The 21-year-old Finn had a three-point game against Växjö, to the tune of a goal and two assists. It was the final game of the regular season, which means Kapanen ends the campaign with 15 goals and 20 assists in 36 games. Remember, Kapanen was playing in Liiga last season, which means his increase in production in the SHL is notable, as it’s a stronger league.

Friday

Joel Armia was unable to face the Kraken due to an arm injury that took place against the Vancouver Canucks on Tuesday night. It’s officially an ‘upper-body’ injury, because NHL injury reports are fairly useless, but thankfully, humans are lucky enough to have sensory organs called eyes.

There were two lineup changes prior to the game against the Seattle Kraken. Jakub Dobes replaced Samuel Montembeault, while Patrik Laine entered the lineup to plug a hole left behind by Armia. Dobes didn’t have his best outing, but that’s to be expected from a young netminder every once in a while. Laine, however, provided crucial offence while the rest of the team napped. And Juraj Slafkovsky continued his excellent late-season play with a two-goal effort.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough to hold off the Kraken. They scored two powerplay goals late in the third period, and to make matters worse, they needed just five seconds to score in overtime. Montreal Canadiens head coach Martin St-Louis is at the very least partly responsible for the game-losing overtime strategy.  [Habs Highlights: Slafkovsky Continues Great Play, Laine Produces]

Slafkovsky’s two goals pushed his career totals to 100 points in 183 games, which isn’t that bad when we consider it was far from a talent-heavy draft.

That being said, there was certainly some elite talent to be found at the draft, as evidenced by Lane Hutson’s ridiculous rookie scoring pace. The 20-year-old defenceman hit the 50-point mark on Wednesday, the first rookie in the league to do so. And then he hit the 51-point mark a few minutes later, the first rookie in the league to do so. I get the sense he’ll hit 52 points soon, and he’ll be the first rookie in the league to …

Saturday

It was a tough night for Montreal-based teams,  as well as one Montreal-adjacent team. The Victoire lost 3-2 in overtime to the New York Sirens, which is notable since Montreal is the top team in the PWHL, while New York is dead last. The Laval Rocket also lost, a 5-2 defeat at the hands of the Bridgeport Islanders. Laval happens to be the top team in the AHL, while Bridgeport is, yup, you guessed it, dead last.

The bright side is that Alex Barre-Boulet (17,18) managed to score both goals for the Rocket.

This may shock you, but the first line once again led the charge as the Canadiens won a crucial game versus the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers. The 3-1 win will go a long way in keeping the team’s playoff hopes alive. [Habs Highlights: First Line Shines, Laine Scores Again]

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