Despite a preseason loss at the hands of the Ottawa Senators by a score of 4-3, there are many positives to take away from last night’s matchup. Unfortunately, though the bright spots stood out, there were nevertheless a few players who were not up to the task.
Studs
Nathan Beaulieu: His steadiness and overall dominance has been on full display during training camp, and he is slowly (finally) emerging as a top-pairing defenseman. His leadership is demonstrated with every passing shift as he consistently controls the pace of the game, keeping his eyes up while handling the puck and feeding his teammates accurately during the transition out of the defensive zone. He is playing like his hair is on fire, and if he keeps this up, he will certainly have a breakout year.
Greg Pateryn: Pateryn seems to have finally found his confidence. The added pressure placed on him by head coach Michel Therrien is paying dividends, as he had yet another solid outing playing alongside the revitalized Beaulieu. While it is still the preseason, that pairing has looked like a bona fide top-2 duo, with Pateryn showcasing his mobility and vision every time he hits the ice. He has made it clear that he wants to contribute more offensively, which will certainly be welcomed, yet he remains poised as ever as he continues to play sound defense while providing his teammates with ample scoring chances. Sadly, he struck the post on a beautiful shot from the point.
Mikhail Sergachev: Sergachev did not look out of place last night and shone brightly as he fired an intelligent shot on net that was deflected by Brendan Gallagher. Twice he attempted to land solid hip checks on opponents, an aspect of his all-around game that will bring Bell Centre faithfuls out of their seats for years to come. He calmed down after a jittery first ten minutes- he told reporters his hands were shaking at first- and is showing that he is ready to make the jump to the NHL as soon as the regular season begins. In making his preseason debut after a little over a week after injuring himself during the rookie development camp, there’s absolutely nothing negative to say about his style of play. He should be given a 9-game trial (at the very least) once mid-October rolls around. I don’t see what more he can learn in the OHL or even the AHL…
Michael McCarron: It was about time that McCarron had a standout game. His power forward move to protect the puck using his huge body and drive to the net on a beautiful goal is exactly what has been asked of him, and he’s making David Desharnais look expendable (more on this later). He delivered bone crunching hits, and was noticeable with every passing shift. Don’t be surprised to see him start the year with the Habs and perhaps stick around all season.
Sven Andrighetto: I personally really like his style. He skates like the wind, fires intelligent shots, and forechecks aggressively while utilizing his vision to help set up scoring chances. I always believed that he belongs in the top-six of the forward group, and it’s only a matter of time before he starts filling the net and notching assists to really make himself a valuable addition to the team. He’s my choice for the standout player of the evening.
Zach Redmond: Raise your hands if you predicted that Redmond would have two goals to his name in as many games. Anybody? After a rough start to the match (which he fully acknowledged), Redmond added another tally on a smart shot from behind the net. He’s playing like a strong, top-4 defenseman, giving fellow right-handed blue-liner Pateryn a run for his money during the exhibition games. I’m not sure where he necessarily fits within the organization’s plans, and it would be a shame to see him spend more time as a healthy scratch than in a lineup this upcoming season. Another game or two will help establish his future role.
Brendan Gallagher: We’ve all come to know what to expect from Gallagher: tireless smart and hard work with grit combined with a nose for the net and willingness to take one for the team. Guess where he was parked when he scored…
Duds
David Desharnais: He’s all out of confidence, and I believe the organization should admit that they’re all out of room for a once-upon-a-time feel-good story of perseverance. He was virtually invisible on the ice last night, as his diminutive size caused him to be tossed around and off the puck with ease. He has shown that he’s no longer a part of the team’s plans moving forward. Enough is enough.
Mike Condon: He had a poor outing, plain and simple. For someone competing for the role as Carey Price’s backup, he needs to demonstrate more alertness and self-assurance while defending his net. Disappointing, to say the least.
Sleepers
Max Pacioretty: He had a few scoring chances and even struck the post on a good shot, and his passing was mostly dead-on last night. I placed him under the “sleepers… category because far too many times, I feel like he could’ve taken a few extra strides during the forecheck in order to create a turnover. He was coasting a little too much to my liking, but had several strong moments up front.
Alex Galchenyuk: Played an overall good game, and did not look like he missed a step with his line mates Gallagher and Pacioretty as their chemistry was on full display. A boneheaded and lazy turnover led to the game-winning goal for Ottawa, and that’s the only reason he’s in the “sleepers… category. Otherwise, he had tons of scoring chances and created quite a few himself.
Arrturi Lehkonen: He tried as hard as he possibly could to make things happen last night, and unfortunately came up short multiple times. Still, he is a creative player with superior hockey sense although he’ll need to take it up a notch if he intends on sticking around. There was frankly nothing too impressive about his performance yesterday.
Daniel Carr: He had a few shots on net and skated well. He demonstrated a keen understanding of what it takes to succeed offensively in the NHL, but did not blow me away with any specific plays.
Charles Hudon: His hockey sense is great and he plays way bigger than his small frame would have you believe, delivering body checks regularly and forechecking aggressively. What he lacked in offensive production he made up for with intelligent, defensive hockey. He’s a “sleeper… simply because he is not expected to be a checking forward but rather, a goal-scorer.
Mark Barberio: He was neither good nor bad. Played a decent, conservative game.
Who are your studs, duds and sleepers?