|
Canadiens Close Out 2017 In Florida, Mete Canada's Point Leader |
|
|
|
|
|
The Montreal Canadiens finish their 2017 schedule tonight in Florida against Vincent Trocheck and the Florida Panthers.
To say 2017 has been a a nightmare at many different levels for many different fans would be an understatement. From the disappointing playoff exit in spring 2017 to the New York Rangers, to a polarizing trade to bring in Drouin, to media fabricating all kinds of stories about players personal lives, to injuries to almost all the Habs star players, to the point we are at now... Habs clearly not playoff contenders, let alone Cup contenders, and gearing up for the trade deadline.
A difficult time for the players, I'm sure. Well, at least the ones who truly work hard for their teammates and fans like Gallagher, Weber, Price, Danault and Drouin. Some have criticized Drouin's compete level lately but lets be honest, there is no one finishing his plays. He can only do so much as one of the few creative guys on the team and he is fairly easy to cover when you don't have to worry much about Pacioretty.
I would like everyone to compete like Gallagher, a clear cut choice for Captain once Pacioretty is dealt this deadline or draft, but just because guys aren't gluttons for punishment doesn't mean they aren't doing their personal best. I think most who read my stuff here at HockeyBuzz (thank you) know that I don't think the team is as bad as the record says. I think a terrible start followed by some key injuries were compounded by media pressure. I think that the last thing a professional athletes needs in a fishbowl market is negative TMZ style coverage and negative National Inquirer level imagination. Not going to blame the season on the media, it's mostly what I mentioned before that, but it certainly wasn't supportive.
Anyways, the Canadiens have reached a crucial point after 3 straight losses by a combined score of 10-3. The point where they are deciding who they want to keep going into next season and how to accrue as many assets as possible for players that aren't in the teams plans next season. I actually feel they admitted that, passively, as soon as they pulled Weber from action indefinitely due to injury. The team, and player, pushed as far as they could until it just didn't make sense anymore to keep playing.
With 3 straight losses the Habs have reached 27th in the league and would pick 5th overall if the draft was today. There is an outside shot that the Habs are passed by the Red Wings and Senators before the end of the season, but they are unlikely to reach the futility levels of the bottom two teams: Buffalo and Arizona. Today the Habs are on track to land one of: Q Hughes (D), B Tkachuk (F), F Zadina (F), and O Wahlstrom (F, and my choice). This isn't bad at all as all of these players look to have high level potential. With guys like Poehling, Ikonen, Mete, Evans, Juulsen in the system and likely most of them getting NHL time this year and next the youth movement will be on in Montreal. A Pacioretty trade could bring in not only a blue chip prospect or two, but a 1st round pick as well.
Perhaps this brutal 2017 will lead to a better 2018, but I do like to look for the silver lining in my sports teams. That said, this years Habs suck way more than I expected.
So off to Florida tonight for the last game of the calendar year against the Panthers. A team that is loaded everywhere except in goal, where they have invested A LOT of money on mediocrity. The Panthers boast a roster with 3 near PPG forwards in Huberdeau, Trocheck, and Barkov to go along with a great D core of Ekblad, Yandle, and Matheson.
But the Panthers have handcuffed themselves with a combined 8 million dollar cap hit between a 38 year old former great R Luongo (who has 4 more years after this one) and a consistently disappointing, 29 year old J Reimer (who has 3 more years after this one). For a team as young and stacked as Florida, they sure did do their best to shoot both feet in the goaltending department.
"But both their SP%'s are better than Price's". Awesome, and a broken clock is right twice a day. I wouldn't bet a young, talented team on a 38 year old, injury prone goaltender and another who's typically a below average starter. But that's just me.
I'm not alluding to a feeling that Montreal will win tonight, I think the wind has currently left their sail. In fact I think the sail had some massive tears happen earlier in the year and never got moving. I'm just musing about the way the Panthers have built their crease. Maybe they can swing a deal with a team looking to occupy cap space this summer?
METE TIED FOR 3RD IN WORLD JUNIOR SCORING
Ok, well he's technically listed as #8 on the scoring list, but in terms of points there's one player with 6 (Mittelstadt), two players with 5 (Kayumov, Kostin), and six players with 4 points. Mete has 4 assists in 3 games despite going pointless in last nights amazing outdoor game against the Americans.
Mete also leads Team Canada in scoring so far with his 4 assists (to go with a +5 rating), while being the teams best overall defender too. The one knock on Mete is that he doesn't shoot. With only 2 shots registered in 4 games it's clear where his next area of development is and if he can build his game to include a effective type of shot then Montreal will have itself and even more impressive prospect, and thats saying something.
My adoration of Mete has been evident in some of my earliest blogs here at HockeyBuzz. I was a big fan of him from Junior and I may have been one of the first to write about how he could make the team. Despite the Canadiens season, Mete is a glimpse of the future of Montreal. Virtually everything regarding his progress this year has been positive for the undersized defender and the loan to the Junior team was one of the best moves the Canadiens have made all season.
Yes, we all lament the loss of Sergachev and what could have been. We all knew he was a great player. I followed him with my hometown Windsor Spitfires since the Canadiens drafted him and watched him raise a Memorial Cup. I know he has skills. I don't think he would be enjoying the same success on this seasons Habs, and I daresay Drouin may be a PPG player if he was on this years TB Lightning squad. The thing is, Montreal's F group would be even worse without Drouin and Sergachev may have found himself in a similar position as Mete (although I do think Sergachev would score a few goals with his bomb from the point).
I'm simply pointing out that we have some good youth coming and not every player in junior can walk into the NHL at 18, 19, even 20 nowadays. I think the league is trying to make it easier for them to make the NHL earlier by cutting out the goon play, interference, and finger/hand breaking slashes but it is still difficult to do. We will see this season and next if the Canadiens youth can come in and show they belong.
GO HABS GO!
COLLECT THE BEST! COLLECT UPPER DECK!
2017-18 UPPER DECK BLACK DIAMOND IS OUT THERE IN THE WILD! CHECK IT OUT AT YOUR LOCAL HOBBY STORE! #COLLECTTHEBEST
Don't forget to check out Upper Deck products at your local hobby shops and online! This seasons Black Diamond is now available with the possibility of finding actual diamonds embedded in the cards! It’s a high end product for serious collectors so if you’re a big collector, or a new one, make sure you stop by your local shop and see if you can get yourself a box (or case).
Follow Upper Deck and Upper Deck Hockey on Twitter for breaking info and cool giveaways like this. They asked on Monday to submit your favorite memorabilia embedded card for a chance to win a Upper Deck #Mailday where you could receive a box from Upper Deck loaded with packs, swag, box, auto, who knows! Be sure to check them out!
Here’s a first look at the upcoming 17 18 UD Ice product!
Follow me on Twitter @BrandonSmillie where I mostly stick to hockey stuff.
If you have interest in advertising in this space message me through the HockeyBuzz PM system or through Twitter.
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»