Introducing Hockeybuzz's hockey meters. I'll be changing these throughout the year when things happen with the team and I'll be posting them as a division all at once every Monday... Let's start with everything starts....Montreal.
The Montreal Meters Pre-Season
Ok folks, this is Montreal. Hockey bleeds through the city streets, connecting both the old and new cities. The addition of Patrik Laine brings with it a level of excitement, but Laine has been let go by too many teams for a reason. The Canadiens and their fans don’t worry about such a thing honestly. They have a history of strong Finnish players and hope springs eternal…
Forwards…
SLAFKOVSKY SUZUKI CAUFIELD
NEWHOOK DACH LAINE
There is much hope around this top 6 after many of them showed progress under Marty’s freedom to create and play to their skills. At some point, you do have to get more defense from everyone though, but I like the coach allowing these kids to gain some confidence.
Defense.
MATHESON GUHLE
HUTSON SAVARD
The top four is an interesting combination…Matheson has truly taken the slow and steady race to be a top 2….Savard is declining, but would look great as a bottom pairing for someone in the playoffs…the bottom pairing is definitely trial by error…
Goalies
The net is Sam Montembeault’s to lose…he will have tube better to save this defense than a .903 save percentage…I actually think that’s possible…But to move the meter we have to see it….Primeau I watched play and a kid. No question that talent is now there…He could challenge..
Additions:
Surprisingly the Canadiens only added three players..
Patrik Laine, RW
Alex Barre-Boulet, F
Connor Hughes, G
Losses:
Yet 11 players are gone including 5 players to NHL teams..That's a pretty good turnover in the bottom 6…
Jordan Harris, D (CBJ)
Tanner Pearson, LW (VGK)
Johnathan Kovacevic, D (NJ)
Chris Wideman, D (Retired)
Mitchell Stephens, C (SEA)
Colin White, C (SJ)
Philippe Maillet, C (Switzerland)
Lias Andersson, C (Switzerland)
Filip Cederqvist, F (Sweden)
Jesse Ylonen, RW (TB)
Mattias Norlinder, D (Sweden)
For GM Kent Hughes to move the meter..
He is in a tough spot here. He's got to rebuild his team continually and stay competitive, so creativity is at a premium. So far I haven't been thrilled with Hughes's creative abilities to make things happen quickly.
For the Coach to move his meter:
Martin St. Louis will have to put more emphasis on the forward picking up their assignments than he has to date. The defense and goalies are too young to handle onslaughts.
The Ek’s Factor…
Caufield and Suzuki will be themselves + 1, but it will be more interesting to track SLAFKOVSKY and LAINE…I’m giving them a positive Ek’s Factor on the meter…but things can change…
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