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After 8 preseason games, the Canadiens are still winless and it’s time for the minds behind the team to decide who showed enough to stick around and who’s off to Laval. Last night’s game was more of the same really, stand-outs doing well, disappointing players staying the course. Caufield and Guhle found the back of the net, for the diminutive sniper, it was a 4th power play goal in as many games, and he leads the NHL in that category as well as in shots on goals. Drouin put in another uninspired performance and alongside Hoffman and Dadonov, he’s been a disappointment for me in this preseason.
Un deuxième but en autant de matchs pour Kaiden! 🙌
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) October 9, 2022
Kaiden Guhle scores in a second straight game!#GoHabsGo | #KraftHockeyville pic.twitter.com/z2DpwdEUGc
Caufield-Suzuki-Monahan Drouin-Dvorak-Anderson Slafkovsky-Dach-Gallagher Pitlick-Evans-Dadonov (as a place holder for Armia) Extra: Pezzeta Waiver:Hoffman
As for the defense, we’ve yet to have official word on Edmundson availability or Matheson for that matter but if they were healthy, these would be my pairings: Edmundson-Matheson Guhle-Savard Xhekaj-Wideman Extra: Kovacevic. If Edmundson is injured for a while, I’d keep Schuneman up.
Goalies: Allen, Montembeault
With what we’ve seen this week at camp, I believe Harris and Barron would benefit from getting some more development time in the AHL, especially now that the team went out to pick-up a RHD on the waiver wire. As for Slafkovsky, I think the experiment can carry on for a while and he can get a few games as an audition, especially considering how poorly some vets have done, but I don’t think he should be thrown to the wolves to play on the first line against the opposition’s best defensemen.
Meanwhile, I think Dach should start on the 3rd line, he’s shown good chemistry with Brendan Gallagher and his faceoff numbers have improved this preseason. When Suzuki was out, Monahan found himself playing with Caufield and that showed promise so I’d put him on there with the two young guns, if his hips hold up, that could be a very entertaining combo. As for Drouin, I think he’s still worth being showcased. My fourth line would include Armia if he was ready to go but for now, Dadonov can fill the spot and it may be wishful thinking, but I’d wave Hoffman. What would your line-up be?