Sept 10th - Sportsnet Canadiens Reporter Eric Engels

0:00Hi Podvans, Max Russian here from the Chart Topping Guardian for the Weekly Podcast. Don't let the crowd. If you enjoy the World Cup with us, you'll be glad to know we're back for the new Premier League season. Expect three episodes of week, questionable predictions, and the biggest stories in soccer from the Premier League to the Champions League and beyond. Watch now on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcast. Losing weight can feel like a roller coaster, full of ups, downs, and being thrown for loops, like when someone brings donuts into the office, or your kids' dino nuggets start giving you that look again. That's why there's noom. They combine GLP ones to quiet the food noise with healthy habits that help you keep it quiet, even if you get off the meds. Their program is designed to make weight loss a smooth ride, helping you understand what drives you. So you can build better habits to not just lose weight, but keep it off. Noom. Lose for keeps. Get started at noom.com. Not all customers will clinically qualify for medications. Individual results may vary. You'll listen to Jason Greger show, presented by playelberta.ca.

1:03Remember, if you gamble, use your game sense. Stay within your limits. Go to gamecents.ab.ca. Part of guess with Jack Ia. What are you hearing on contract negotiations to expect to see him and camp? It's a good question. He's one of two players that are unsigned. Zach Bulldoop being the other who they traded for last summer. And Jack Ia's circumstances look. He obviously was scratched from 17 games last year in 40, 60, played under 12 minutes. He wants to know how he's going to be used, especially on a deep blue line where it's overflowing. And there's also some young guys like Anxure and Ryback are pushing for space. You know, if it's as a forward, if he's even open to that concept of playing on a line with his brother potentially and wreaking havoc and vicious Atlantic division, it seems to have a lot more brawn to match some of the skill that you see around there. I think he'd like to know that he'll have runway to try that, you know, if he would agree to it. And that's a big if.

2:04So I think he's also just kind of been waiting to see him out, right? Where a week away from camp, you mentioned the cast base they have. There's some trade potential. We know that Kent Hughes has been trying hard all summer to improve the group and forward. Potentially that means trading from a surplus on defense. So I feel like I just set a lot in a little bit of time. So I'll leave it, leave the floor back to you guys here. Um, the like Jack, I, you know, he's a unique player. But his physicality, especially in that Atlantic division is something that they need. Do they not even in the regular season might not be a regular in the playoffs, but in the regular season, they probably need them. Something that they need and need more of. And I would stress it in the playoffs. He proved how valuable it can be. He played really well despite missing a few games. You know, he missed the Carolina series. He missed game seven against Tampa Bay, which I'm sure hurts, but you know, he plugged back in for a bigger team against Buffalo. And I know Tampa plays that rough and tumble style and played really good hockey in the

3:04playoffs. So it's, it's very difficult to move forward without it. I like that. I think the Canadian's value and feel he's very important. But he needs to feel valued and he needs to feel important. And I think it's only normal for him to kind of wait and see how this shakes out. Now, there's a limit to waiting and seeing him, right? Like, I think missing all of training camp could go against them a little bit, not in terms of his standing with the team, but it's very hard to jump in while the train's already moving. And I think history kind of bears that out for guys who end up sitting out camp. So I don't think he'd like to do that. I think he'd like to figure this out sooner than later. But a lot of it is contingent on what the Canadians plan on doing with the rest of their roster. Eric, the Habs are in a great place and seem to be more solid by the minutes. But even so, what do you think would be the first thing under wish list right now?

4:07Claire to play with Ivan Demadov, right? You know, the headclap Copsky do it for about 30 games last year and he was able to bring up the level for both Demadov and Capin and were playing as rookies. But if you can get a legitimate player next to Demadov to compliment a line of coffee old Suzuki and Slav Kosti, which is obviously one of the best ones in the NHL, well, now you're cooking with gas. So I think that's been the goal since the off season started and it remains the goal and the reason it does is because these guys, and when I say these guys, I mean Kent Hughes and Jeff Gordon, they're not just shooting for, well, let's just get somebody who's talented who fits the bill. They want to get someone who's going to grow with their core and be someone that they feel is going to help them win year over year, at least contend to win year over year. And that's why a name like Carl Marchenko has been involved with the Canadians for a long time, not just a skilled guy, but the right age to grow with this core. And players like him are, you know, there's not a lot of them that are potentially available.

5:11And so if the Canadians have to wait, whether it be for him or somebody else that fits that kind of mold, they will, because they have built very responsibly and they have the luxury to do so. Are there any other prospects saying it in any position that are not going on the door to make the team this year and have an impact? Oh, yeah, I think there's a bunch. I mean, talked about Jack guy's brother. He's one for sure. He's put on weight. You would think, and muscle I should say, not weight in terms of weight in a bad way. Yeah. You know, he brings the elements that you would want a player to bring and that the Canadians need more of as you discuss with Arbor. You know, you've got Owen Beck, who took strides last year and is a really smart professional hockey player, is a really mature player. And he can kind of shift up and down the line up just like Florian Jack guy potentially could. You've got David Ryan backer, who's had a bunch of injury situations since being drafted

6:11fifth overall by the Canadians. If Michael Hage weren't going back to Michigan, he would be ready, in my opinion, to be a pop six forward in this week. Alexander Zorowski's baking in Russia and could like those two guys that I just mentioned could be here by, you know, March, April. So, you know, the Canadians have, if you look at cores under 25-year-old players, you'd have to put them in the top three or four in the league. And then if you look at the prospect pipeline and guys knocking on the door, quote unquote, they're probably in that category as well, which is a good place to be when you just made the Eastern Conference final. Eric Engels joins us from sports net in Montreal as we are basically less than a week away from start of training camp, rookie camps, we'll get going tomorrow. The Canadians aren't a great financial situation. They look at their cap, you know, they've got a lot of their best young guys signed a long term, you know, like Denou Anderson and Kirby Dock are guys who would be a UFA's next

7:13year, you know, Alexander Carrier, you know, nobody who's like, you know, going to break the bank, I wouldn't think by any stretch of the imagination. But you talk about all the pieces they have here. The challenge for Montreal might be is, you know, knowing if they're looking to say, okay, we'll give up one piece to get something else is if they, you know, make sure that they trade away the right piece. Is that going to really be their challenge here is as they try to fill out this roster to win? It's adding what they need and then who do they think is the right guy to move out to get the piece they need? You could view it as a challenge it certainly is, right? Like every decision you make is you get further along and closer to your contention window, becomes that much heightened in terms of the pressure on it, right? And the wrong move at the wrong time can set you back and these guys have done such a good job of putting one foot in front of the other. The last thing they want to do is take a step backward. That said, Hi, Podvans, Max Russian here from the Chart Topping Guardian football weekly podcast.

8:15Don't not to crowd. If you enjoy the World Cup with us, you'll be glad to know we're back for the Premier League season, expect three episodes of week, questionable predictions and the biggest stories in soccer from the Premier League to the Champions League and beyond. Watch now on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Losing weight can feel like a roller coaster, full of ups, downs and being thrown for loops like when someone brings donuts into the office or your kids dino nuggets start giving you that look again. That's why there's noom. They combine GLP ones to quiet the food noise with healthy habits that help you keep it quiet even if you get off the meds. Their program is designed to make weight loss a smooth ride, helping you understand what drives you. So you can build better habits to not just lose weight but keep it off. Noom. Lose for keeps. Get started at noom.com. Not all customers will clinically qualify for medications. Individual results may vary. Looking for the best of Verbo? Discover vacation rentals of the year, top quality homes, guests love from across the country. Our curated list takes the guesswork out of planning so you can spend less time searching

9:18and more time packing. Book your next day now with Verbo. They have kind of had a pattern in terms of how they've made their moves. Whenever they've created, even if it was a good player like an Alexander Romanov, it's from a position of surplus to address a position of need. So I don't see them breaking that pattern necessarily and I don't think it's too challenging to not break that pattern if you know what I mean. You're in one respect. You're right. It's it is the biggest challenge moving forward because you don't want to make the wrong move. But in another, when you have the luxury of having so many good prospects and so many good young players, you can be pretty selective about who you're bringing in and who you're taking out. What do you think they're going to do with their goal? Are they going to carry three goalies again this season? Now Jacob Fowler could go down to the miners.

10:19I think he doesn't, well, he doesn't require waivers. So, you know, and where do you think Sam Montenboe is? Like this guy was, you know, one of the three goalies at the Olympics and now, sorry, at foreignations. And now suddenly, you know what, he lost his starter's job and the act of Dolby's got the new contract and everything like that. But like, he can't just fall enough a cliff that quickly, has he? Geez, what have guys and had been to know about goal tending volatility? Yeah. This is, I almost cursed on your airways. I, this is voodoo. The stuff is voodoo. Like who can predict what's going to happen with a goal tender from one year to the other? Sam Montenboe a year ago was fifth in the league and goal saved above expected, which is the, the me the most important goal tending category, right? If he's saving you goals that you're going to net. And then last year, as he fell off a cliff, this year, who's to say he's not to return to form and be an important part of what they have going on in Montreal or somewhere else?

11:22I don't think it's something they have to solve going into camp. I don't think they want to go through the entire season with three goal tenders or with a follower in the minors for that matter for the whole season. So I can't sit here and tell you exactly what's going to happen. But I don't see a long term future for Sam Montenboe and Montreal. And the other two guys, you know, Dolbisch was if you look at from trade deadline through the third round of the playoffs, he was easily one of the best goal tenders in the world. Now the cautionary tale is what happened to Montenboe. So yeah, like, who know I'm the last person that's ever going to make a prediction about a goal tenders performance and what to expect out of this year. I'm sure people in Edmunds are saying the same thing about the guys that are there. But the Canadians have three and they have three that if all three of them are at the height of their abilities are really good. So I wouldn't sit here and say it's over for Sam Montenboe and he'll never be good

12:27again because judging his whole career development arc, there would be no way of accurately saying that. So we'll see what happens. Yeah. The other factor for the Canadians is, you look at their line combinations and you see Suzuki and coffee. Obviously, they work very well. They had Slav Kosky there. Do you see like, like, who's the ideal line mates you think for Demadov? I think Alex Newoch has a job to lose in their top six, right? He was fantastic in the playoffs. He's finally at that age where it's all kind of come together for him. He got off to the best start of his career last year through 17 games before fracturing his ankle and missing four months. And then when he came back, it was like, he hadn't missed the beat. And then, you know, okay, Adrenaline wore off and there wasn't a bit of catching up to do. But what he did in the playoffs showed, you know, there's been all this talk for three

13:30years here, like, how are the Canadians going to find a second line center? This guy could do it. It's up to him and to prove it now. I mean, he's stepping into his prime. It's a contract year. He's coming off an excellent playoff where he scored some clutch goals, series winning goals, two of them in a row. He can play up and down the line up. He's got the speed. He's got the sparts and he's really just found his rhythm. Who's to say it's not him? That said, they still need somebody else. And I think Oliver Capinan has been undersold 22 gold rookies season in the NHL's, not a joke. That's a very good performance from a first year player in the league. I think he has the ability to be a middle six player who moves his way up the top six. But in an ideal world that have an upgrade. So you ask me who's the best player to play with Davin on. You might not be on this roster. But with what they have, they can manage it until they find that player. Yeah, that's fair. Do you think, like, now I know I've heard Boston and New York and like Chris Criter when

14:34I just look at the player and the size and the speed and everything. I'm like, this guy could fit into that top nine. But, you know, with Bull Duke, maybe they just have too many. So they're probably not going to look at him. What do you think? I don't know if it's about them, although partially it could be. I think Boston makes almost too much sense in this circumstance. On the ice, he's a fit. You know, here's a guy that is big. He has not lost too much of a skating stride, making them like, obsolete at his age. You can find a pretty friendly deal that's bonus laden. Wood fit one of the cap. So not at a stage of his career where he demands to be on the first unit of the power play, which there wouldn't be space for him there. No. But, you know, the Canadians could use more of the profile of this player. So I can't sit here and say it's not going to happen or it's impossible or it wouldn't be a good idea. But I do think there's other places where it's more likely. And I also, I know it's taking time here before something gets announced or done.

15:39But I can't help but feel as though he ripped up his contract knowing there's something else that's probably done. And unless I'm being misdirected, I don't think it's with Montreal. So we'll see. Yeah, I kind of agree to see on that one. There would seem to be like to walk away from $4 million, you had to be pretty confident. There was another deal out there in a similar price range. Maybe not exactly. I think it's. I think it's I don't know if this is 100% true, but I believe he was given the opportunity to speak to some teams. Okay. Oh, there I would make sense. And I, hey, they're up against it, right? So it would make sense. It's being talked about for a while. They had to get rid of one of their $6 million guys and it turns out that it's Chris Criter. Eric always great to talk to you, man. Rookie Camp coming up and then main camp and boom, shortest preseason ever. I love it. And then we'll be right into the season in under three weeks. So I look forward to it. The thing that ever happened to all of us.

16:40I agree. I agree. Awesome. Thanks, Eric. Have a great day. See you, bye. Hi, boy, Van Max here. Barry's here too. Hello. And now the Premier League is back. Barry, meaning we're providing incredibly astute analysis three times a week wherever you get your podcasts. Barry, with the remaining 10 seconds of this ad, can you provide some astute analysis? I think our silver going to win the Premier League. And there you are for more hot tanks like that. Watch your listen to football weekly wherever you get your podcasts. Just two wheels, two pedals and you. At Bikes Online, we share your passion for everything cycling. Whatever bike you're looking for from mountain to road, either pedal powered or electric, we've got what you want ready for super fast delivery. Quality gear at prices you won't find in your average bike shop. All bikes are pro-built and tuned before shipping to get you riding quickly. If you find a better deal, we'll beat it by 5%. Shop now at bikesonline.com and ride more for less. Quick question. When was the last time a display ad changed your mind?

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