Let’s look at the positive’s
Written by Fred Arshoff & Chad Martin
Even though the Montreal Canadiens where eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs of Friday August 21, 2020 by the Philadelphia Flyers, there were many positives we were able to identify from this post season play.
Let’s all remember before the NHL (National Hockey League) shut down due to the COVID virus the HABS weren’t going to be in the playoffs which made making to the qualification round “bonus hockey”.
Also, due to not being in a playoff position pre shut down, Marc Bergevin traded away players who playoff bound teams wanted in exchange for draft choices. At the time, that was very good to build for the future. While there’s never a guarantee any player will develop into an nhl caliber player, what is guaranteed is if you don’t draft you will never find out. Even lower drafted players have made an impact on the team, such as Brendon Gallagher, who played though a good part of the qualification round and first round of the playoffs with a hip tear. Gallagher was a fifth round draft 147th player to be drafted in the 2010 NHL entry draft. We can even look to Primeau as a potential 7th round steal. You just never know.
In the qualification round the HABS were supposed to bow out to the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to most hockey experts. Instead we went on to defeat them and caused three of their assistant coaches not to have their contracts extended for more on this see https://wp.me/p9v32u-3i also co-written by us.
In the first round of the playoffs most hockey experts again said the HABS would be eliminated in four or five games. Instead, it took six games and many of their goals where results of bad breaks. We’re reasonably certain that 6 of the Flyers goals beat Price were off of HABS players. If not for those bad breaks the HABS would be playing another day. Also let’s not forget after game one HABS head coach was rushed to the hospital with cardiac issues and Kirk Muller was moved from dissociate coach to interim head coach. With the two games won by the HABS it was Muller’s first two wins as a NHL head coach. For more information on Julein cardiac issue please see https://wp.me/p9v32u-33 written by someone who doesn’t wish to be named and Fred Arshoff
The youth playing
Next let’s look at the youth we had who played and how well they preformed several of the youth played much better then the some veterans who are supposed to be the team leaders. One veteran we won’t call out is Gallagher. See our point in the first paragraph of this article.
Nick Suzuki
In the entire post season play Suzuki played much better then any raw rookie would. He centered the teams number one line played on both special teams and had more ice time then many players. We will admit Suzuki has playoff experience but at the OHL (Ontario hockey league) thus not the same as the NHL. Suzuki has proved to us he will be the HABS number one center for many years down the road barring an unforeseen injury. We also envision him as a future captain of the HABS, For more on Suzuki please see https://wp.me/p9v32u-2G also co-written by Chad Martin and myself.
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Kotkaniemi showed us for a sophmore player he has developed and is looking to be teams number number two center for many years, down the road,. The time Kotkaniemi spent in Laval really helped him to build his confidence back up. He also added the weight that was needed. He’s now harder to push him off the puck and a much bigger presence in front of the net which are qualities the Habs have been lacking for many, many years. For a player who missed quite a bit of time with a spleen injury while playing for the Laval Rocket he played an excellent two way game and worked hard to get back into game shape. It’s easy to envision him being named down the road as an assistant Captain unless due to the language difference may not be comfortable in that role. Given Saku Koivu’s role that seems unlikely.
Jake Evans
Evans started off as a healthy scratch but was he was inserted into the lineup showed he deserved to be there. This is Evans second season a professional hockey player before turning professional. He played in the NCAA with the University of Notre Dame. Evans was drafted by the HABS in the NHL entry draft in 2014 in round seven and was the 202nd overall player drafted, In 2018-19 season Evans started to play for the Laval Rocket. Evans also started the 2019/20 season in Laval and was called up when the injury bug hit and played 13 games. He is a solid third line player who is versatile at center or wing.
Victor Mete
Mete is a third year player who was playing in his first playoff games a professional hockey player, During the qualification round then the first round of the playoffs he was playing on the opposite side he normally plays. This may come to help him long term showing he can play on either side of defence if needed. As Mete on a good team would be a seventh defence-man, a coach would like to have someone in that position who can play either side when they need to insert him in the lineup. Mete did have playoff experience while in the OHL when with the London Knights where he played in 42 playoff games over three seasons. For more info on Mete see our article https://wp.me/p9v32u-3v
None playing youth
The HABS had with them two players who never played one who was unengilable to play and the other not engliable to play but being with the team will help their careers going forward and they are part of the future of the HABS
Cayden Primeau
Primeau was ineligible to play but let’s all be honest: as long as CP31 was healthy and able to play there was zero % chance he was going to get the nod. There were still benefits though. Primeau was able to practice with the team and was with them from when they starting training for the qualification round. He was also with the team in the bubble and this was his rookie season as a professional hockey player. Admittedly, during most of the practices he was with a smaller group of players who was practising under the guidance of Joel Bouchard the Laval Rocket head coach. We see Primeau being the potential heir to Price.
Alexander Romanov
Although we all knew Romanov wouldn’t under the CBA be allowed to play a game during the qualification round or playoffs itself, just having Romanov with the team will help him. He did participate in all team practices after he finished his quarantine in Toronto. Romanov is from Russia where the game and ice size are different. Also there was the culture and a language barrier (although the international language of hockey is English). For example, he would have to order his meals in English. Also, during his last season in Russia, his team didn’t use him very much during the playoffs most likely as they knew he would be signing with the HABS. We see Romanov being a top pairing left defence in one or two years, If he starts the season with the HABS for the 2020-21 season we would like him to be paired with Weber to help ease his nerves and playing with him would be like having a coach on the ice to help him.For more on Romanov please see https://wp.me/p9v32u-18 written by Fred Arshoff and someone who doesn’t wish their name to be known.
Let’s keep our heads up high as we did much better then we expected and we got players ready for the future.
YES THE FUTURE IS VERY BRIGHT FOR THE HABS
Montreal Sports 