The Montreal Canadiens and the Pittsburgh Penguins faced off in the newly built Videotron Centre in Quebec City in a game that saw the Habs win it by a score of 4-1. The media has not stopped praising the beauty of the Centre, with many stating that there is absolutely no reason why Quebec is not ready to have its own hockey team. Although I was not at the game itself, I could only imagine what the amphitheater could possibly look like...
After taking in one of the more interesting preseason games of the current calendar, I've made a few observations with regards to the overall way that the Habs played. While Pittsburgh certainly did not dress up their A-team, there are lots of positives that head coach Michel Therrien can take away from his players' performances tonight.
Firstly, it's refreshing to see the Canadiens play a brand of hockey that strays away from last season's defensive-oriented and at times dull style. The mandate has been made clear, and the defensemen have been given the green light to take more chances and try to increase their offensive output. Most notably, Andrei Markov looked rejuvenated as he often carried the puck into the Penguins' zone and brought it behind their net, creating a few scoring chances with his nifty passing and exceptional vision. It has been years since I've seen Markov play behind the opposing net, and the forwards did a great job of covering for him when he pinched. Not enough can be said about the backhanded pass through the neutral zone in the first period that sent David Desharnais streaking in on a breakaway, only to be stoned by Marc-Andre Fleury. Markov and his always-stellar partner PK Subban both finished the night with two assists each.
Desharnais, Dale Weise and Tomas Fleischmann's line, save for Weise's somewhat questionable performance, has developed the kind of chemistry that could potentially give the Habs a third scoring line. They played together throughout the duration of the training camp, and it's hard to argue that Fleischmann hasn't earned himself at least a two-year contract. His four points in four games, continuous scoring chances and ability to always be at the right place at the right time is something that Marc Bergevin and the entire Canadiens organization can surely benefit from, especially considering the affordable rate at which Flesichmann can be signed. With a little under $3 million left on the salary cap, Fleischmann can prove to be a great bargain, capable of scoring 15 goals and adding approximately 20 assists while serving third-line duty and occasionally filling in a top-six role.
Speaking of top-six roles, what can be said about the exceptional chemistry that Alex Galchenyuk, Alexander Semin and Lars Eller have developed? They seem to naturally know how to find each other on the ice at all times, as evidenced by Galchenyuk's dazzling display of skill. His dekes and passes are always a sight to behold, and he is most certainly going to play the role of #1 center for many years to come. Of course, it's hard to deny that Eller is not a top-six left-winger, and he's on a mission to prove to everyone, including Michel Therrien, that he belongs on a line with elite talent. He never looked out of place, and is beaming with confidence. This is rather unusual for Eller, as at the end of last season, he was disgruntled and disappointed that he wasn't given his due opportunities to perform up to the task. He may never need to play center again, and I'm certain that he's perfectly fine with that notion. A goal and an assist, as well as a tremendous effort on his end, along with a revitalized Alexander Semin will do wonders for Eller this upcoming season.
I enjoyed watching Charles Hudon play tonight. He may not be ready to be a goal-scoring powerhouse at the NHL level just yet, but his acute hockey sense, anticipation, and mature decision-making capabilities will serve the Habs well in the future. He's a fast-learner, and I was pleasantly surprised by his skillset. He'll make an excellent center someday.
Unfortunately, there were a few players who hardly showed up Jacob De La Rose was unconvincing, although he might be suffering from confidence issues for the first time in his young professional career. Brendan Gallagher was invisible tonight, as was his linemate Tomas Plekanec. Nikita Sherbak didn't impress anyone, and will be better off recovering from his injury and finding his form with the Ice Caps in St-John's.
Finally, put yourself in Michel Therrien's shoes. Zack Kassian, Torrey Mitchell, Brian Flynn, Devante Smith-Pelly and Jacob De La Rose can all fill the fourth-line roles accordingly.
Who stays and who sits?