Why Have The Habs Forgotten How To Defend? | The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro March 16 2026

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It's going to be sick.

Maranera the SIGFODGAST in all transparency this podcast was recorded a little bit earlier in

the evening so a couple of very important games on the NHL schedule tonight which by the time

you're watching we're probably final so we're not going to be talking about them but two games

that obviously interested the Montreal Canadians a lot maybe more than the others.

Detroit hosted Calgary and the Boston Bruins visited the devils in new jersey.

And once again these two teams are going to be facing the Canadians this week.

The Bruins travel to Montreal after the game.

The Canadians will host them tomorrow night and the Canadians will travel to Detroit.

Of course where they visit the Detroit Red Wings they'll travel to Detroit on Wednesday

where they visit the Red Wings on Thursday night so once again prerecorded just before

those games were actually over so we are not exactly live.

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Liberty B brewed for special occasions drink responsibly please although further ado we're talking

Montreal Canadians hockey and once again going into tonight's games for Detroit and for Boston

the Canadians were third in the Atlantic two points up on the Bruins and the Red Wings had played

the same amount of games as the Bruins one game in hand on the Red Wings but the Canadians lost two

very important games on the weekend and I've been saying all day and I'm going to say it again

probably you know what I don't want to be redundant but man I don't remember what was the last

time the Canadians lost two games back to back on home ice versus two Western Carfords teams that

hurt as much as these ones hurt on the weekend because the Canadians could have given themselves a

little bit of breathing room between them and Boston and Detroit and as it stands it's becoming

suffocating there's very little breathing room there's a common trend the Canadians don't defend

very well that's been going on since October November December January February March you try and

limit it but it's really starting to hurt the Montreal Canadians now down the stretch with about

four weeks left in the regular season I discussed this and so much more with Nicolas Cloutier of TV

Nick how are you my man I'm doing great Tony what about you I'm doing extremely well

two losses that hurt what do you take out of what you saw this weekend well it's not the fact that

they lost it's it's the way they lost those games and the fact that the defense is becoming a

systemic issue let me tell you what Tony there's a common trend in in the playoffs in the NHL

is that if you can defend you're not going to go deep you're not going to make a run especially if

you're a very bad team on the pk teams that are bad on the pk they don't go far in the playoffs too

teams that can play those very tight two one games one one games they don't go very far in the playoffs

goes you have to play different styles in a playoff you have to play different games sometimes in

the playoffs comes a time where the the other team the the team that you're facing is not taking any

risk and is not making any mistakes so you've got to adapt to that type of game you've got to be able

able to play both games if you're a contender if you want to play run in gun and trade scoring

chances the Habs can do that but the Habs haven't showed that they can win games by the score of

two to one and that's a concerning trend Tony even for the youngest team at the NHL because

that's been a trend for what life for three years now really has I'm trying to think back you know

you mentioned a team that didn't have a good penalty kill the last team that didn't have a good

penalty kill that actually won a Stanley Cup I'm thinking one two three four five six seven eight

the penguins in 1991 19th the eighth worst penalty kill yeah national hockey league

they had the eighth worst penalty kill in the national hockey league and when they wanted in

1990 91 they had two four they had the sixth worst penalty kill so yeah correct yes yeah but

you know what you're right for the most part there's a trend if you're in the bottom 10 in terms

of penalty kill in the national hockey league you're not going to go very far in the playoffs exactly

the other trend if you're eighth last in the national hockey league or eighth worst for goals against

you don't go far in the playoffs either so now the big question Nick is is if you're not very good

on the penalty kill and you're not very good in terms of goals against so the Canadians once again

are eighth worst in the national hockey league for goals against yeah and on the penalty kill the

Canadians are sixth worst my question to you is is that so bad so that the Canadians end up

missing out on the playoffs because it's getting tight Nick yeah Columbus is what three points away

yeah I do think the abs still make the playoffs and one thing I'm going to say Tony

they've they've lost a couple games in a row this season but never did they lose three games in a

row like they they've shown the ability to bounce back this season I'll give them I'll give them that

like any any time like during during rough stretch where people get alarm they've bounced back

and they prove they can bounce back so that's reassuring but they do got to pick it up pretty quick

because as you mentioned teams are pushing behind and the teams that abs are trying to catch up

well they've improved at the deadline so abs are one of the few teams that that haven't done anything

well they did get the no earlier in the season so you could say they they've done something

but they haven't done anything on the back end to address the systemic issues we've talked about

so namely the the the PK we didn't even mention clearing the front of the net the physical play

so yeah it's gonna be a tight race I do think they still make it but even if they do make it

with a difference like if they if they get beaten in four or five games in the first round

that that's not that's not enough great that's not like like you want to see this team make steps

they they've made steps offensively they're now they're not elite offensively like any any

opposing lead is not safe for the other team so yeah I'll give them that but defensively they're

they're not taking any step have any they they've taken step backwards because the PK is so bad

compared to last year where it was good so that's that's concerning Nick I said take the 10 days

ago on trade deadline day is look I don't blame the cranes for not making a home run move because you

know what it's it's not easy to make a home run room on trade deadline and we know we've heard

general manager told us before that the big trades are made in the offseason the cranes made a

big trade in the offseason as a matter of fact well they acquired bulldoch but the bigger one obviously

was acquiring no adoption from the New York out in there so I don't blame them for that for that

I would have gone out and I would have gotten myself an insurance policy trying to get a

defenseman who plays a good 15 minutes per game good 5v5 good on the penalty kill a big right-handed

defenseman I talked about Connor Murphy he was acquired probably four days before the deadline by

the Emmington orders I think he would have been perfect for the Canadians unfortunately that one

there slipped and then on trade deadline day I talked about Trevor Van Riem's like who ultimately

was not moved among others and Pierre McGuire very old spoken about it too thought the Montreal

Canadians really needed a right-handed defenseman that can play anywhere between 15 to 20 minutes

per game big rugged we know that those guys don't grow on trees obviously Kent Hughes was asked

earlier today at the GM meetings in Florida if he regretted not making a move and he said

that he did not your thoughts okay so twofold first I don't I know they they at least kicked

tires on Murphy that's been confirmed to me by by someone close to to the player so they did

I don't know if they were comfortable with the idea of renting a player I don't know if they're

they're in that at that point yet in the rebuild so maybe they would have been comfortable with

the idea of paying what a third-round pick or a fourth-round pick from Ruffee but perhaps not

a second like the Emmington Oilers paid for Murphy so that's one thing second thing is they

did make a trade it just did not get through so it's it's hard to complain about it since they

did try to get to get something done but you know what like we've all been to such yet before and

we you procrastinate and you send your work you don't send work on time and you get a back

trade for it that that's what happens that's part of the game so you could also say that like you

had you had all day to make a trade so and you didn't make it happen so that's the other way of

looking at it but still you can't really say that you start on his hands because I mean he did

make a trade for the know the earlier during the season so and when you make a trade earlier

in the season it's even better because well the the player has time as time to build a chemistry

with his teammate so even it's even better than making a trade at the deadline. He made a trade

for texia too but I think when we're talking about the defensive zone coverage Nick once again

let's be fair it's been an issue the entire season we've seen especially especially in the last

month to two months that the sixth offenseman does not get a lot of ice time we've seen that

Caden Gouli has struggled one paired with Mike Matheson and struggled also one paired with

Lane Hudson and when he's paired with Lane Hudson Lane has to end up playing the right side

you could say yes struggled to just so correct so we know that they needed a right hand

the defenseman and I think that and and also we know that the Buffalo Sabers obviously reinforced

themselves the day before the trade deadline so I think it's a little bit of a downer that they

weren't able to make a move once again I'm not expecting the home run they have been very active

in the last eight nine months there's no doubt about it they made a lot of moves to make their

team better. Rome wasn't built in a day you can't go out and expect to make five six seven eight

moves but so they did a good job but they needed a right hand the defenseman Nick I mean it's

yeah I think the game doesn't lie I think the videos don't lie I think the stats don't lie they

needed that and and I think it's gonna hurt them okay was they're gonna miss the playoffs I don't

know I looked at I'm still optimistic but I'll tell you this it's not complicated right I don't

know bring up the schedule but there's a couple of games versus Columbus both in Montreal there's a

game versus Detroit there's a game versus Tampa there's a game versus the Bruins these are the

games they need to pick up points totally agree but I just want to bounce back on what you said

about the RHD Tony because you said they needed to get that defenseman well they could have done

two things they had two options available to them they they could have traded for they could have

tried to trade for a perico type of player but then you would have you would have to send back

Rhymebacker in that kind of deal because well Buffalo at Vertica on the table right yes the other

thing you could have done is you go for a player are not on RHD with only one year remaining on

his deal so that you do not emperor the development an eventual arrival of David Rhymebacker so we

have to do one thing so so you either trade Rhymebacker for RHD that's gonna be on your team for

for a few years at least four or five years or you trade for a RHD with little terms so that

you do not block out Rhymebacker so those were the two options available to them so that that

really that really limits your options to be to be fair so it's either a guy a perico or

risco island like players that type so if it did not materialize that they did not get their

price that that's where I can I can understand why they did not do anything let's talk about

David Rhymebacker you had a couple terrific pieces last week on the tibia spa website and you

talked about the Canadians calling up Jacob Fowler and said that there was you know if they wanted

to recall David Rhymebacker they could actually do it as of today yep and they did not that doesn't

mean that they're not by the way because once again they could recall them tomorrow morning at 10

o'clock in the morning their press releases usually go out at 10 a.m. or 5 p.m. they could recall

them tomorrow morning and by recalling them tomorrow instead of today they save a day's worth on

the cap correct you can better explain that to us of course so so a level of practice today

they had another yesterday they're back from their their road trip right now and they're playing

a home game on Wednesday so the players in the valve they're they're already here like they're

in the neighborhood neighborhood right now so it would be really easy for you to call Rhymebacker

and tell him you know what come to town be ready I think he's already in town I think he lives near

a bell center so be ready I'm going to call you I'm going to call you tomorrow call you back from

LaValle and so be at the morning skate that could be easily done I'm not saying they're going to do

yeah if the Canadians do want to recall Rhymebacker for the game tomorrow against the

Bruins like they they might as well do it like they can do it they have the ability to do it

and by doing so and not recalling him today as in as in Monday they do save space on the cap

because the cap is calculated for a player scapid in roaster days so a roster day so it would

make a ton of sense if they want an empty play against the Bruins to only recall them tomorrow morning

all right do you think they should uh you know what I would love to give you a yes or no answer

and if I have a hot take like I don't shy away from it there's one thing like they Rhymebacker

can't help this team tomorrow like they can help this eat an L this team win games is that the

best thing for his development because then he comes in and he's supposed to be the savior of

all the the abs defensive miscuse I don't know if it's the right fit for him I don't know if it's

the right time like you know as well as me Tony how much noise was around Rhymebacker since he got

drafted by the have so I hear you but I want to answer your question by asking you a question

yeah go ahead is it the best thing for Jacob Fowler's development to be playing national

oculi games right now instead of playing uh american oculi games the store is not the same

Rhymebacker from the day we respect there was so much noise around I understand that and I don't

think Fowler's a unicorn in terms of handling that noise your little one grew three inches over

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saying that let's just say they recall ryan backer and he doesn't play to expectations and

unfortunately it's not good yeah it could be a serious setback it could affect him and his

development the rest of the way you think you're thinking that he can probably he can get burned by it

yeah and Tony let me tell you another thing yeah where does it where does he play most minutes right

now angstrom is injured in laval yeah right now he's playing like 28 minutes a game that's golden

development he's not going to get that much y'all like it's not even close

but i you know i'd be willing to bet that before the season started they said at one point we

got to give this kid a taste of pro hockey and he's got to play with the big team here we are

in the middle of march it hasn't happened yet you're thinking so if they clinched there's a

game or two left in the season yeah it's somebody out that's a game that he could play but the more

day that go by i'm starting to side with you Tony because the other thing is if you do give them

the opportunity to show his game during meaningful games for the Canadians that gives you much more

clarity and showing the offseason right i don't know if they would really want a chance at now though

to bring in and i know they brought in a young goalie but to bring in a young defenseman versus

the Bruins or versus the Redwings and especially when you're lacking some physicality on the back end

which would probably mean taking a jackeye out of the lineup to put a rhyme backer or not playing

a shrewdball what a rhyme backer because obviously jackeye and rhyme backer take turns at who's in

and who's out who would that be a pretty courageous decision but speaking of which i mean they're

they've accustomed us to taking pretty courageous decisions right as courageous decision

to bring in the first in to give him 10 games and then to call him back now and to give him that

game in Ottawa versus the senators and give him the game versus the ducks last night you made a great

point though about physicality as much as i do a lot of rhyme backer's game he's not physically

mature yet and if you want physicality on the blue line rhyme backer is not the guy that's going

to give you that right now one guy that should be giving it to you is Caden Gouley

yeah on the game winning goal against last night by cutter goat's yay there's a lot of players who

I think when they go back and look at the tape they're not going to be happy with what they're

going to see yeah Aiden Gouley gets his pocket picked it's a question of will it's a question of

desire it's a question of aggressiveness question of who wanted it more Jeffrey Viel wanted it more

than Gouley ship some of the puck Gouley ends up on the ice and Lane Hudson who at one point was

you know a couple of feet in front of his goalie decides to you know what i'm going to go give

him a hand i'm going to try and help him out here and makes his way there and then let's cutter

goat's yay slip behind them and forgets about him Cole Coffield is kind of stuck in no man's land

who do I got here I got him I got him I got nobody where am I going and the Canadians get scored on

some will say that Jacob Fowler was could have done better on the game winning goal uh

beat him between the legs yeah maybe they're right I think he's the last guy to blame I'm not telling

you that he shouldn't stop these the last guy to blame it's like I look at it it's like blaming

Jordan Bennington for Canada losing the goal metal versus the states I mean yeah uh

me david makes the first mistake of trying to go one on three uh McCarr makes the second mistake

for trying to keep it in at the blue line instead of playing safer and and retreating back

and McKinnon makes the third mistake of getting bumped off the puck and losing the battle uh

to zack renski and so now if you're going to tell me could Jordan Bennington should he have made

that safe yeah maybe a beat him five hole like that it but I think he's the last one that we

should look at and I think that Fowler's maybe the last Canadian we should look at also last night

what's going on with goolee when he was drafted in the first round sixteenth overall

out of the western hockey league um there was a lot of expectations big time leader

people at team canada and the junior program knew him well so this guy's a real one uh he could

be a shutdown pairing the fence been for a good 15 years in the national hockey league and when

he's at his best he is but when he's not you say to yourself okay he needs to play third pairing

and he needs to have his minutes limited and he needs to be play third pairing because he needs

to go up against third and fourth liners it was a tough weekend for a lot of players on the weekend

but I think you have some stats that show us that it's just difficult for goolee this season period

since he's been back he hasn't found his groove yet I think uh of all the abs demon this season

kid and goolee is the one that has given the most the greater amount of expected goals against

for 60 minutes if we can show up the chart yet right here so and that's not that's not

typical for goolee like in that mid in that metric it was doing much much better last season

he's supposed to be one of your best uh in zone defenseman uh he's he's one of your best defenseman

when you're talking about clearing the net and what worries me too Tony is how he fell over

on that goal you alluded to earlier like goolee is a strong man but he keeps experiencing those

balanced issues like oftentimes in a game if you look at him and get he gets into his awkward

positions that that worries me his posture has been something uh that has been looked at I think

he tried to correct it I tried to make adjustments but we we do see that odd awkward fall

at times during games and he puts himself just like Kirby Dodd does a bit

invulnerable positions during hockey games like and even even in his return I think like

couple games after his return like he almost you almost got injured I don't know if you remember

to play but yes yeah you let he let's worry and then he went to the locker room and he came back

exactly it's worrisome because you you can't at this point you cannot have the benefit of the

doubt of saying it's luck because you do put yourself in those positions but the thing is

that is the same at the four position now you know that exactly resembles Kirby doc and Kirby doc

resembles Kate and Gouli in terms of their reckless and they put themselves in positions where they

get hit and get hit often and get hurt another guy puts himself in a position to get hit a lot by

the way is Carrier but I think he has really lucked with his health he doesn't really get hurt

but the other guy that that's a miracle though but just going back on Gouli what what

earth the Canadian is that they they need defensemen like Ken and Gouli they don't need the less Gouli

they need more Gouli's if you look at the top four the only a demon that could have the tag of a

physical stay at home ish demon is Ken and Gouli so he's essential to the abs but the only thing is

he's a life shot so whoever's going to play with him is not going to be playing on this strong side

that's an issue and the other the other issue is he's often putting himself in positions where

he could be injured and the third issue is Ken and Gouli just hasn't been Ken and Gouli this

season so so we've got a problem in our hands because Ken and Gouli if he's not if you don't get

in going I don't see how that defense is solved because he's essential to that like he's a pillar to

that all right okay so now it terms of Gouli are you putting him on the third pairing

not yet no he's still important don't he like they don't even they don't trust their six demons so

I know I don't know I don't know you do that honestly and that's why I think the right hand

of the defense know what to help because if you would have got of course a right-handed

defenseman that plays 15 minutes a game maybe that right-handed defenseman becomes a defense

partner for lane huts and you put lane back on his natural left you put him with that right

pairing the fenceman Matheson's a left you put him with Noah dobson who's a right and then

you put Gouli of course on your third pairing left D and you pair him with you know either joc

or shruble having said that once again we can't live in the past what's done is done it's not done

but I would I would consider I would consider going back to lane huts and back at left D you know what

giving carry the responsibility for one or two games and I understand it's the two biggest

games coming up I get it to either play with Hudson or to play with Matheson yes carry who he

thinks is probably more comfortable with do I think they're gonna do it no but I think obviously

something has to change on the blue line the coach I would imagine will tell you that what

has to change is gauging the risk and you know one of the things I find that they do as well

is that they leave their position and sometimes they leave the defensive zone whether it's one

defenseman leaves the defensive zone before the other defenseman gets it out or it's a forward

who should stay or forward who should stay in the defensive zone to pick up a pass that actually

leaves the zone the spit going on for a while they got to change this man yeah yeah and we

talk about the defense a lot Tony like the end the gap control the gap control in all this space

the demon gave to the opposing forwards the thing is if you're a demon and you don't see back pressure

you don't see your your your forwards coming back well you have no choice but to be sagging like

you cannot take like the puck carrier add on if there's no back pressure from the forwards

so like it's fine like and and I'm the first one to say that the defense the abs demon I've not

been playing well I've been playing subpar but we also have to talk about the forwards and the

forwards my new they've made a lot of mistakes that created arm and rush the other way and like

you said like it is the same principle as Bennington making the last mistake well it's pretty much

the same with the with the demon because the demon are inheriting problems that are given to them

by the forwards messing it up the other way they create these arm and rush like they're the ones

that are messing up that are making the first mistake and then there's all this space in the middle

of the eyes and the demon have to deal with I have to deal with it so the forwards have to

have to come back stronger on the play after support the demon for it to work

yeah okay so now in terms of injuries we're talking about

ghoulis history and since he came back from the injury Kirby doc got injured again last night

and we have a picture here we can show it the contact they hit from VL on Kirby doc there you

have it Kent Hughes was asked about Kirby doc and his injury earlier today at the GM meetings

in florida let's hear for the month rock and age general manager

okay all right um sorry and there was a little bit of background noise but it is what it is um

and he said look um I didn't have a chance to see the hit because I was flying when it happened

so I didn't have a chance to see the replay I can't tell you if it's long term or short or short

term I'm under the impression that it's not under it's not long term he says it's so he also

he also says one of the thing Tony yeah he eludes to bad luck yes and I don't think he has a choice

you know because Kirby doc's still an asset for the Montreal Canedians so he cannot he cannot be

telling all the GMs that that are in Florida right now yeah a this guy this guy will will

often get injured and he's the one responsible for it there's only one problem there's only one

let's bring up his hockey DB so general managers have this tool the way we all do it's hockey

DB it's a hockey database and they'll look at Kirby doc and they'll say hold on a second

even going back to junior hockey my day kicks off with the refreshing Celsius energy drink

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and one two three four five six this is seven season national hockey league

why is Kirby doc never played a full season ever that's not a bad look at this point I'm

talking that's that's a that's a recurring theme at this point and staying healthy is a quality

yeah unfortunately for doc and look it's a it's a quality he doesn't have and it sucks for him

like I wholeheartedly agree like it sucks it's see he probably feels it's unfair

but when you're a GM or an opposing team GM and you look at Kirby doc

well you you come to the same conclusion as we're as we're coming right now like right

you you cannot unsee it so King Hughes of course he addresses the media and he says yeah it's

bad luck well he has to he has to because you know what the quality we we've talked about this

qualifying offer being at four million dollars right Tony yeah I was like I was thinking about

this the other day yeah Nick just a little bit of clarity for those who are listening those

walking his salary is three point three six two million yeah and so to qualify him

and retain his rights as an RFA and retain his rights as an RFA you're close to four million dollars

exactly yeah I think it's 10% yeah so you have to give no you have to give him four million

that's four million okay that's okay there you have it if you do not qualify him so if you do not

give him is four million qualifying offer yeah he becomes unrestricted free agent so he can

walk for nothing but the thing is and and I do we we've talked about the possibility of not qualifying him

them singing singing in on terms because he might take the hometown discount because he likes

much we all well the other thing is there's always a team Tony that will look at a right shot

at a right shot sentiment and say with his size and say hey we might just like the cap has gone

up like we might just throw four million at Kirby doc for what for a hit like two years like who cares

there might be another team that is willing to do that so I was thinking about this Tony and I was

thinking you know all can't use is in regards to asset management I don't see can't use putting

himself in a situation where he might lose Kirby doc for nothing so what I'm saying here is

I don't think so either they're you know they're playing this dog market Gordon and Hughes and

they're they're not giving away an asset that they paid a price for at a loss they just that's

not the way they do business that's why they're so good at what they do which is why I think

they might try to trade in before he even goes to that deadline for for qualifying offers right yeah

before before you you you have to take this really really tough decision about qualifying him or not

and risking losing an asset over nothing well before it even comes to that that would be

thank you to Krashe to just trade him before to get himself out of that problem and to maximize

his asset before potentially losing it right yes you're absolutely right about that so now doc

have they tried everything in your opinion because if I'm here once again it's his fourth year

of a four-year contract and yes he is our at the end of the year qualifying offers at four

million dollars you and I agree that they're not going to lose them for nothing at least I

don't think they will but is there is there something they haven't tried they tried him at center

on the second line they tried him on center on the third they tried him at center on the fourth

they tried him on the wing they tried him on the wing which is who keen coffee old

is there something they know what they have in Kirby doc they know what they have in Kirby doc

the one thing I will say injury aside I did not mind his play this year especially on the wing

when he came Kirby doc when he plays with some F you in his game and he keeps it simple

yes he's a good player for the opinions yes but how many times have we heard that about players

like if he plays with some F you in his game but it's a big if because they don't and they do

it one in every four and that's why when those players their career will always be substandard

with all due respect of course I say it they will never play to the to their to their max of

their potential you know and I say this all the time I think it's a comparison that's good right

Benoit Pulley out went fourth in the draft right if he was going to be available at

fifth the claims we're going to take him instead of carry price right everyone thought he had

the tools peer looks what went third in the draft everyone thought that he was going to end up

respectfully to peer look have a better career than he's had okay

because if he would play to his potentially he wouldn't have been moved the amount of times

that he's been moved but in the end Pulley out's career was what it was Dubois career is what it is

and Doc's career so far is what it is and what he what it is because you know it's it's once

again if when he plays if he said it's and it's not all the time he does not do it consistently

I'd be shitting you if I was telling you the opposite yeah and that's why those players are

available and that's why players like that are going to continue to be available going forward

like I don't think the cranes are going to be his last team I don't see going that way no I don't

think so but you know what I'm going to say it again big right shot center man tell me tell me there's

no team that will look at Kirby at Kirby doc I don't see it they will there's a team out there

that we'll look at Kirby doc I agree with you there's always going to be a team when a player is

25 years old six foot four 220 pounds right handed sentiment that was a former first round draft

pick draft the third overall who by the way is is squeaky clean off the ice you've never heard

any bad stories about them you're always going to have a team that's going to say I think I could

jumpstart this guy I think this guy can work out in our system or they're always going to have a

team that's going to say this guy's worth a shot there's no doubt about it there's there's totally

really like there's always a team that teams they're smarter than everyone and they think you know

what I think we do have the staff to get this player going like they cannot help themselves like

they will think they can resurrect a career of a big right shot sentiment do you agree with me though

he's not um he's not a second-line sentiment of course he's not under contending of course

with me he's a better winger than he is a sentiment I know I he's know what down the stretch

I kind of liked him as a winger I think I thought in a perfect world if he was to stay in

Montreal he'd have been a third-line winger but as as I said when he plays with some FU he's a

fantastic third-line winger he doesn't do it consistently okay so now how the Canadians played

since post trade deadline they played seven games since Montreal Canadian General Manager Kent

Hughes was asked about it let's hear from the Canadians GM

here you've got very consistent with your confidence level that you know what's

the majority of the group will address these things and we've gone about 10

oh we've seen it already I think we had in the california trip we were probably giving up a

little bit too much particularly after rush and they went to work on that for some improvement on it

and games against Toronto and Ottawa and I didn't see the game last night a little bit of a fallback

but that's the nature of the beach and in terms of coaching and even with mature teams and

sounds and downs we've seen I think a mature experience seems like a Colorado or Dallas they've had

periods too so we expect there's an interest there you have it once again there's some

background noise but it is what it is Kent Hughes says my analysis is that obviously there's

some things that we need to address our defensive zone coverage the way we defend leads it's an

issue that we've had what is your level of optimism that you guys can turn it around and

can fix it he says I've already seen it for example coming back from california we needed to

address certain things we did versus Toronto and Ottawa we obviously had a setback this weekend

I wasn't able to watch the game last night because once again he was flying but he said

even the best teams like Colorado and Dallas for example they've had they've had some hiccups

and addressing some of these things and it's all part of the maturation process your thoughts

well he's right like we've said earlier in the show history has proven us that Montreal will win

tomorrow Montreal is never won as never lost three games in a row so when they do go to the

bad bad stretches of bad hockey bad defensive hockey at some point they do pick it up and they do

show some anger so he's right about saying that and he's right about like we keep saying that

Montreal's the youngest team in the league and we we showed out around as an excuse for every bad

stretch but the thing is I've seen Colorado have some brutal stretch of hockey at some point during

the season as well like it does happen to every team so he's right on that but the thing that was

not addressed in that answer is that when we're talking about defensive problems they have not

a little bit limited to one bad stretch of hockey Tony they have been they have been going around

since the beginning of the rebuild pretty much and what's been concerning is that there were

as defensively that they were last year and they're supposed to be taking making step forward and

I do understand the team is younger this year the team does not there's no longer as that that

it's Saval that team no longer as Joel or Mia there's another player I'm missing in there is it

is there are we are Saval or that PK the core act yeah so that's three core pieces of your PK that

yet that you that you lost right away so there's still there's still trying to to fill out those

holes and they haven't yet that that's why I think they're gonna be really really really really

aggressive during the offseason but they didn't make one big step back this year defensively

and they've compensated by being early offensively which translates well in regular season success

yeah but I'm very doubtful again for playoff success and I can understand that because of once again

one of the things that let them down last year was a lack of experience be a lack of maybe depth

at at the composition of the team you know teams usually you you want to have two offensive lines you

haven't want to have a defensive shutdown line you want to have a an energy line a checking line

an energy line I think they can have a defensive line I think if they put deno with Evans and I

know it's two centers put Evans at right wing with Anderson I think you have a shutdown line

I think if you have the Suzuki line and you have the captain in line I think you can have two offensive

lines but it's going to be a lot of pressure on captain and NHL rookie to actually perform

in the playoffs at center but he's a good player so we'll see what happens there I don't think

they have the ingredients to have an energy line um no you know well they have blood lava

they're saying about bulldog throws his weight around every now and then but he might actually

be able to line up every now and then taxi is not that kind of player you know

liney and valeno are not either florey and jack i i think is valeno does does hit people

he hits yes he hits two is one of the leaders for the cadet and spot is he the prototypical

fourth line energy no nobody does give you energy does it gives you does it give you like

ton of physicality nobody does finish his checks and he does give you energy if you're looking for

an energy line i'd like to see him back in the lineup at some point here because you know what

joe valeno can skate and he's a better skater than some couple of other mature octanadians and

when they don't have him in their lineup they're not as fast as they can be i agree i want to see him

at some point and i will say one thing yeah the odds of valeno getting back into lineup

are much greater than lineys so on that note it's funny you say that because i think we're several

to believe that unless there's some kind of injury disaster the lineys not getting back in

having said that their power play was old for seven on the weekend on the weekend

it was old for seven on the weekend with sezuki and koffield and slavkowski and hutsen and demidoff

you're playing the two most important games where the power play

can actually win you a game even if you don't put them at five v five and you double shift

your best forwards and you keep them just for the power play

is it not worth it counterpoint abs have no trouble scoring goals right now

lots of trouble preventing them a lady does not provide any of what we're saying right now

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even see not that I say to be sending him for a shift five on five and that's nothing against

lightning they just don't have a spot for him and who do you think out of the first wave of

the power play by the way because if he if he's playing second wave power played there's no

there's no use having him in the lineup is there I hear you and again that's nothing

is taking out someone on the first wave I get it listen I think he's played once again and I've

said it before unless there's some kind of injury disaster I don't think we see him back

in a Montreal can aim uniform but just to play devil's advocate I think the question remains to

you know needs to be asked look we're going to bring up some stats which will show you one of the

reasons why he's not in the lineup okay yeah yeah so here we go so ever since he's been with the

Canadians he's been you most used five on five with new hook 419 to 420 minutes then with doc 275

minutes Evans 96 minutes Anderson 63 minutes Soskowski 58 minutes Joshua Ottawa 53 minutes so he's

not playing with the Coffields and the Suzuki's you know or Demi Dobs of this world

most used on the power play yes with Suzuki 153 minutes 151 with Slough Kowski

148 with Coffield one 13 minutes with doc 13 minutes with Gallagher and 12 minutes with

Demi Dobs but now here's when he plays with the players 5v5 with their goals four and goals

against our so when he plays with new hook there are minus six differential when he plays with

doctor a minus two when he plays with Evans their a minus five when he plays with Anderson there's

a minus one when he plays with Slough Kowski it's a minus one and when he plays with Joshua

Ottawa it's a minus two so his differential is in the negatives and that's why it doesn't play

yeah well I'm just I'm just going to add to that Tony during some of the drills we've seen

at abs practice they throw them on the blue line at times they throw them at center like does

that indicate to you that they have any attention no that indicate yeah he's not in the plant

whatsoever and that sucks for him I understand and you know what Tony I do think on some other teams

in the NHL they would use they would use special cleaning they would have him in the lineup

but it's just not a fit for Montreal this season it was last season it was great last season

he did exactly what they wanted him to do and what they acquired him for

but now he's no longer a fit and I don't think my thanks and we has any time for him to be honest

okay um we've talked about that the goalies we talked about the goalies as well Kent Hughes

was asked about it three goalies on the team what's the plan here down the stretch let's hear

for the much talk to each other manager

we're a couple of points out of the top of the standings in our division we're a couple of points

from being excluded from the playoffs so I would imagine that the coaching staff will play the

goal tender that gives them the best chance to win then he was asked well we seem semi-multable

between now and the end of the year this is up to Marty Sanlewey he's going to play

globally that gives him the best chance to win the fact that it was non-committal

regarding the multiple tells you everything you have to know Tony right yeah but you know what

if I recall there was someone earlier in the season a podcaster you you hear him on the radio

every now and then you see him on television tying guy very good looking very very good looking

brown already already he's ripped and he has six back up brown blackish curly hair

bluish green eyes all depending on the kind of sweater that he's wearing if he's wearing a

blue top is eyes actually look blue a lot of charisma a lot of personality who said earlier in

the season what's most important is winning games you got to play the goalie that gives you the

best chance to win so you know what we're hearing it now when there's 16 games left but what happened

when we're talking about it in late October early November that when Dolby's had won four in a row

and they went to multiple for two straight and we're like why are they doing that or at least

I was like why are they doing it well because multiple had to play it in the you know what the

last two games and he hadn't played in a days or whatever these things can't come back to bite you

they can and if the Canadians and I think they're going to make the playoffs and man do I ever hope

they make the playoffs but if they don't and they end up being on the outside from my point

they're gonna they're gonna have to look back on a lot of things and their defences on coverage

and some of their blown leads and you know they're gonna have to look at that they're gonna have to

look at some of the games where they didn't continue to write the hot gold tender some games

deal lost because of gold ending no that I don't think and that's that's why only two goalies

will be playing probably down the stretch because you cannot afford to lose a game before

of gold ending so think about the last two games they've lost well Dolby's I didn't mind Dolby's

against San Jose I think the Floder Ferrari's Floder was the one he probably wants to to get back

I did find God though that he started the game versus the team we've talked about this

backwards six on him the week before and I know I think you threw out the whole thing of while

you're giving him a chance to rebound and make amends I get that I still don't think I would have

done it now do I think that if they put Fowler in versus San Jose and the Dolby's in versus Anaheim

that they end up winning those games on the weekend I don't think so but it's hypothetical we'll

never know we'll never know but I thought that was a little bit curious because Fowler played

an amazing game in Ottawa and the only reason why Dolby's didn't play in Ottawa was because

it was two games and two nights we know that yes Fowler played an amazing game in Ottawa why not

come back with them why give them a chance to cool down you know you're playing back to back

so you know that both they're gonna play and you have one goalie who's coming off an amazing

game in his last game and you have another goalie who gave up six versus one of those teams on

the weekend so why don't you just play Fowler anyway it is what it is once again it's well you

could say you could say I'm not gonna say it's easier to talk later but I would have the record

by saying on Thursday and Friday that I would have played Fowler on Saturday and Dolby's on Sunday

but once again there's a lot of other things they have to clean up in their games the point the point

Tony is you didn't you didn't lose against the sharks because of Dolby's and you didn't lose against

the ducks because of Fowler they need they don't need their goal tending to be especially stellar they

just cannot afford to lose games because of goal tending that's why if Fowler and Dolby's

are going to have the net for the end of the season I cannot afford to lose any games because

of goal tending and mind you the defense has been bad this year but it has at the loss games

entirely due to goal tending at some point let's be honest here I'll tell you how multiple gets

back in and I'll talk to you about that in probably a minute now before I talk to you about

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if you want to get on the action the Canadians host the Boston Bruins and I invite you all I invite

you all to watch our show tomorrow night the Habs post game show with Pierre McGuire and a special

guest or two following the hockey game between the Canadians and the Bruins I'll be on immediately

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please and older and please play responsibly so here's our montainville gets in one of the two

goalies gets injured that's one way he gets in and if one of the two goalies gets injured at that

point when they play back to back he'll get in a game number one number two the Canadians clinch

a playoff spot with two games or one game left in the regular season at that point they'll give

him multiple a game that's the those are the only two scenarios I see him getting in but sports is

so strange it it changes so fast yeah we'll see what happens so your prediction is there's a trend

the Canadians don't lose three games in a row you're expecting a Canadians win versus the Bruins

tomorrow night yep history tells us that gonna listen to history they better win that game

oh yeah oh gosh is that okay so we're gonna we're gonna use this cliche a lot until the end of

the season but is that the game of the year the next two games like there's gonna be several games

of the year between now and the end of the season so the game versus Detroit the game versus

Boston to one nights the most important game of the year after that when they visit Detroit on

Thursday that'll be the most important game of the year the game versus the Islanders on the weekend

that's gonna be a big game and by the way on the weekend I will be live at Cafe Milano oh

to bring you of course the Habs post game show I'll watch the game from there and the post game show

actually should start probably at around give or take 9.45 pm but I'll Cafe Milano three locations

one on Jerry and Celina are the other one on St. Martijn Laval all be at the one on Brunswick in

either DDO or Point Claire I'm not so sure where they are exactly on the West Island whether it's

actually considered DDO or Point Claire but anyway you get my drift it's it's on Brunswick boulevard

and so I'll be there and so I'd love to see so many of you that are part of the chat whether it's

on YouTube or on Facebook or you comment on Twitter I'd love to see you at Cafe Milano on Saturday night

we'll watch the game together and then I'll be on after the game so and then there's two big

home games versus Columbus that are gonna be very important there's a game versus the Tampa Bay

Lightning it's gonna be very important so there's several big games between now and the end of the year

Nick Cluzier thanks so much for doing this my man who's always a pleasure who stands out tomorrow in

this predicted Montreal Canadians win by you. Hey tell you what Demidov didn't get any points

last night but I thought it was amazing all over the ice I think he has a huge game tomorrow.

Ivan Demidov is the star as Nick Cluzier who's your starting gold dinner?

Tomorrow I go back with Dolbech goes with Dolbech all right thank you Nick. See I was a pleasure

Tony thank you my man. I appreciate you. I appreciate you Nicola Cluzier from TVS Spar thank you very

much special thanks to all of our sponsors special thanks to Shane Gomo and Master Control if you

like the podcast tonight like hit the like button hit the high button as well at the bottom of

the video that gives us a little bit of momentum going forward and once again we appreciate you thank

you so much and we hope to see you in big numbers tomorrow night immediately following the Canadians

and the Bruins thank you so much for that thank you so much for your support leave us a five star

review on Apple it's our way of feeling the love if we can it's a sick podcast have a good night

I'm Marin Arrow and once again podcast was recorded just before the Bruins game was over and just

before the Detroit game was over so we're not going to tell you about the score just now so keep

that in mind thank you have a good night and that's a wrap hope you don't miss us too much until

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