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What Questions Haven't Been Answered at Habs Camp? |
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1) It'll be interesting to see what Stephane Quintal has to say about Jarred Tinordi's thundering hit on Nate Schmidt in last night's preseason contest between the Canadiens and Capitals. Tinordi kept his skates on the ice, his hit was perfectly on time, and there was no swinging or lifting motion with his arm to merit a five-minute misconduct/match penalty for elbowing. All of that said, the laws of physics made it entirely probable that Tinordi's six-foot-six frame made direct contact with Schmidt's head, with Schmidt giving up half a foot to him.
It's hard to punish a player that doesn't have any clear intent to injure. Tinordi's got a clean history and a solid reputation. My inclination is that the expulsion from the game will serve as the only supplemental discipline, and if more happens to come, maybe it's a sign that the NHL is just starting to deal with hits to the head--no matter how they happen--with a bit more severity. It may not be a popular opinion, but I'm okay with that, if it ends up being the case.
2) Good to see Lars Eller on the ice last night for his first exhibition game. He looks faster. It's going to take him a bit of time to find his rhythm, but that's what these games are for.
3) Speaking of rhythm, Carey Price sure had his last night. Great effort by Joel Ward to steal the game, and nothing for Price to shake his head at.
It strikes me that Price had his ups and downs in previous exhibition seasons, only to find his stride on opening day and carry forward as the guy everyone's come to respect. He seems more at ease this year. Seems comfortable, confident and ready. Maybe that extra time off the ice after last season did him some good.
Price played 59 games in the regular season, started five contests in the Olympics, and played another 12 in the playoffs. He showed no signs of rust by game 76, when Chris Kreider "accidentally" ended his year.
So, how many games does Price start this season?
4) Fans are going to have to take some of the bad with the good as it pertains to Tom Gilbert. It's going to be frustrating at times to see a lack of physicality from him in his own end. He's going to get baited into taking some retaliatory penalties--as any defenseman does. Try to tune all of that out, and watch for his composure with the puck in his own end. He doesn't panic very much. He passes extremely well out of the zone, and more often than not finds the right play to make. He protects the puck well, he can jump into the rush, and he reads the play very well.
People also need to realize there's an adjustment period for him to make. He's not only learning the tendencies of his given partner for the night; he needs to know which forwards do what best; he needs to know the intricacies of the system; he needs to know how active Price is with the puck.
When Gilbert pulls most, if not all of it together, you'll see fewer blemishes. But, yes, there will be times when you want him to throw his weight around a little bit more.
5) Coming back to Tinordi, his hit last night was a perfect example of trying to do something to distinguish himself. It was the culmination of a night's worth of trying to play out of his shell, as he no doubt had heard the criticisms of his conservatism through camp--to date.
His d-zone coverage was terribly amiss in the first half of the game, and he got suckered into two penalties because he was frantic about trying to stand out. He was frantic about trying to prove his feet were moving at all times. He was frenetic and out of sync. And you know what, instead of boiling it down to him just not being ready, maybe it's really a sign that he just desperately wants to be given the opportunity to play here.
You can never have enough scoring, top-six forwards, but the biggest thing missing on Montreal's team this year is a player who can provide what the best version of Jarred Tinordi can be. If Jarred Tinordi's going to be that guy any time soon, he needs to get another extended crack at playing at this level. Such is the nature of having a good, deep team, and it's up to him to get his skate through the door.
6) You can't help but wonder if last night was any sort of indication as to how Michel Therrien is going to employ Jiri Sekac when everyone's healthy.
Sekac didn't get on the ice too much, especially in the third period, and that was partly due to the disrupted rhythm penalties created, but it was also due to seniority selections for powerplay duty.
Here's what you should like, if you're Therrien: After a long sit in the third period, Sekac made something happen on his very first shift. He seemingly has made something happen on almost all of his shifts in this exhibition, whether they were in or completely out of rhythm.
7) You didn't actually think they were hanging onto Nikita Scherbak for a nine-game tryout?
Don't get me wrong, the kid has all the tools to play at this level in the near future, but the Canadiens have no reason to rush him, and they have lofty goals for this season with no time to spare in starting the process to achieve them.
The Habs know the best possible place for Scherbak is playing Major Junior Hockey, and after giving him a great taste of what life can be like up here, it's time he get acquainted with his new teammates in Everett, with the Silvertips.
8) How soon before people are jumping all over P.A. Parenteau for not finding the scoresheet yet?
How soon before Parenteau finds out how hard it is to be homegrown, playing in your home-town?
Let's hope he delays that process. He's shown very good chemistry with Pacioretty and Desharnais, and he's only played one exhibition game with both of them. Give it time.
9) Speaking of time, a little more of it on the wing isn't going to ruin what Alex Galchenyuk is showing you already. He's a centreman. It's undeniable. There's no debate. But he's also a better winger than the four guys currently slated for roles up the middle.
Does he absolutely have to start the season at centre to get to the next level of his development? No.
Trading away from this depth up the middle, pre-season, is like getting a bonus and spending it immediately because you want to balance your ledger. Sure, whatever you buy might give you some instant gratification, heck it might even by you something you appreciate over time, but saving it allows you to explore all your options and get the best return eventually. (Meh, it's preseason, I'm still warming up to come up with golden analogies).
Eighty-two games ahead. Eighty-two. October to April. Long doesn't even begin to describe it. It's so painful--and not for you and me. It's brutal.
Last season, two of the team's top centres in Desharnais and Eller went through 20-game slumps. Alex Galchenyuk missed significant action at key points as well.
It's simple: If you're playing up the middle, and you're slumping, move over, because Galchenyuk is more than capable. If there's an injury, don't worry about it, Galchenyuk's ready to fill in. And fill in, he will--early too. And this is how slowly, but surely, the Canadiens are going to be forced to move, inevitably netting that reward that brings them closer to being a contender in conjunction with promoting Galchenyuk because he's ready for it.
Of all the problems this team has--the good problems--Galchenyuk having to start on the wing is the best one of them all.
10) What else remains to be discovered in this training camp?
Three games remaining, and Price is starting two of them. Seems they must know where they're going with the back-up thing...
Christian Thomas is good enough to fill in, but he's not good enough to make the team out of camp. The good news for him is, if he keeps playing the way he has, he's inspiring more confidence that when he does get called up he can actually be used.
Lines?
It's assumed Therrien wants to start this way:
Pacioretty-Desharnais-Parenteau
Galchenyuk-Plekanec-Gallagher
Bourque-Eller-Sekac
Prust-Malholtra-Weise
Emelin-Subban
Markov-Gilbert
Beaulieu-Weaver
I can see a few permutations in the near future.
For one, is Emelin going to be able to stick there?
What would Sekac look like if he were swapped with Parenteau, and Parenteau if he were swapped for Sekac? Not trying to build up Sekac more than I already have, but his endurance is through the roof, and his skill screams top-six. We all know Parenteau wants to be seen as top-six as well, but the Canadiens need to find the best balance on three lines that can all be pretty devastating in their own right.
Galchenyuk-Plekanec-Gallagher, or Galchenyuk-Eller-Gallagher? Where does this end up?
That's it for now...
Oh, one more thing:
I don't expect Francis Bouillon to make it past training camp. It's nice that they kept him past the first round of cuts, but it couldn't have been any clearer--in Quebec City--that he can't keep up with these players anymore. I don't believe there's a chance they'll sign him, but it would be nice if they found a job for him with the team, considering how highly they regard him.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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