habs were better 5v5 because the canes goalies suck ass and the habs have price.

aho, TT and NN all > domi.
- Tumbleweed

Isn't Aho with the Habs...oh...wait....

The stupid stick incident aside, Kapanen has not been playing well. One person isn't going to drag a team down on their own, but I often feel that you see how Hyman added value to the first line.

I have this theory (that is unsubstantiated - I was going to try and look for it) that Hyman was really good at playing a support role - he'd move into empty pockets that had no offensive value to accept a pass, redistribute the puck, and shift the D. They could do this until an opportunity opened up. It created more room for Marner and Tavares.

Kapanen for all of his straight line speed, doesn't move into those areas in the offensive zone - making many zone entries effectively a 4 on 5 because Kap is all but nullified by his position.

I honestly think that a guy like Mikheyev might add a lot to that line because he is smart without the puck. He takes on a defensive posture when needed. He moves into soft spots when needed. He can cycle the puck. He is lacking Hyman's speed, but otherwise he's probably a better fit.
- Monkeypunk

I agree, I think Mikheyev would be a better fit than Kap..

It just seems that whenever the puck goes to him in the offensive zone, the play dies.

Isn't Aho with the Habs...oh...wait....
- hawk35

habs were better 5v5 because the canes goalies suck ass and the habs have price.

aho, TT and NN all > domi.
- Tumbleweed

price scored alot of goals.

I agree, I think Mikheyev would be a better fit than Kap..

It just seems that whenever the puck goes to him in the offensive zone, the play dies.
- PatC80

I had always assumed Kapanen was going to be on the third line.

Kerfoot is a pretty decent passer, and he's also pretty decent at hitting people with the stretch pass. That seems like a pretty good match up with Kapanen who's not a good passer and as such is not an above average offensive zone presence (imo), but is good at receiving stretch passes, at reading those offensive opportunities, and going. Get the puck up to Kapanen, let him just jet . . . Moore has the speed to get into the play pretty quickly behind Kap.

The other thing is that Kapanen looked good on the right side last year - this year he's playing the left side, and maybe it's just not his comfort zone.

Ok about Ago and teuravainen but....

Neideretter?

Svechnikov though.....

Even Necas is looking good....
- Scabeh

neideritter is developed into a damn good forward. 30 points in 36 games last year with the canes.

big forward, good on the puck.

I had always assumed Kapanen was going to be on the third line.

Kerfoot is a pretty decent passer, and he's also pretty decent at hitting people with the stretch pass. That seems like a pretty good match up with Kapanen who's not a good passer and as such is not an above average offensive zone presence (imo), but is good at receiving stretch passes, at reading those offensive opportunities, and going. Get the puck up to Kapanen, let him just jet . . . Moore has the speed to get into the play pretty quickly behind Kap.

The other thing is that Kapanen looked good on the right side last year - this year he's playing the left side, and maybe it's just not his comfort zone.
- Monkeypunk

I honestly think this is his issue. Playing out of position.. Last season, he played well with Matthews, so it's not an issue of not being able to play with good players..

If Babs wasn't so fixated on Kap playing with Marner and JT, he'd put him on the 3rd line with Kerfoot and Moore

That wasn’t on Hutch. It’s lazy to blame him.

Lucas, I'd say that while allowing 5 goals isn't an NHL calibre performance, that wasn't Hutchinson's fault.

It's more retrospective, really. I was watching the game at a party with some friends who aren't Leaf fans, so you know: "friends". Like I'd still save them in a zombie apocalypse, but I'd probably save other people first. Anyway . . .

When Montreal scored their 3rd goal, I blurted out, "For (frank) sake! Make a save!". My friend just laughed and laughed and was again reminded of why he likes watching Leaf games with me.

In Overtime, my friend commented, "Every Leaf fan should be s*** his d***. You should have lost 3 times by now." And as irritating as it is, he was right.

In hindsight, Hutchinson did as well as can be expected. Montreal jammed the crease and the net, and there were goal line scrambles that our defense did nothing about. They came with speed and pressure, and the Leafs, who I think figured they'd already won, didn't respond.
- Monkeypunk

They stormed the crease, like bumble bees,
They travelled like a burning flame,
We saw them slide the puck inside,
It was a 5-4 hockey game.

Oh....

They stormed the crease, like bumble bees,
They travelled like a burning flame,
We saw them slide the puck inside,
It was a 5-4 hockey game.

Oh....
- Atomic Wedgie

But, but, but....It was 4-1?

I had always assumed Kapanen was going to be on the third line.

Kerfoot is a pretty decent passer, and he's also pretty decent at hitting people with the stretch pass. That seems like a pretty good match up with Kapanen who's not a good passer and as such is not an above average offensive zone presence (imo), but is good at receiving stretch passes, at reading those offensive opportunities, and going. Get the puck up to Kapanen, let him just jet . . . Moore has the speed to get into the play pretty quickly behind Kap.

The other thing is that Kapanen looked good on the right side last year - this year he's playing the left side, and maybe it's just not his comfort zone.
- Monkeypunk

Weak excuse.

I can play equally bad on either wing.

That wasn’t on Hutch. It’s lazy to blame him.
- DrunkenCanuck

Agreed.. We should all blame Kapanen and our not-so Dirty D..

Weak excuse.

I can play equally bad on either wing.
- Atomic Wedgie

Kap has more learnding to do..

price scored alot of goals.
- munky123

His point does remain. Teams can be a lot more aggressive and open if you trust your goalie. If a team has Carey Price behind them, they can go balls to the wall on offense, because he's got their back. There are a few goalies in the league who teams' can really trust like that (Vasilevskiy, Rask, Andersen, Rinne, Gibson, Bobrovksy, Fleury, Bishop, and probably Binnington).

I think Carolina's 5v5 numbers come more from a sustained forecheck without the puck than it does from trusting their goalie.

I would also say that I have garnered this opinion from only watching maybe 10 Carolina games in the last 2 years, so that was my impression from watching them.

Agreed.. We should all blame Kapanen and our not-so Dirty D..
- PatC80

Rielly is really struggling paired with Jeff Finger.

Really have not been very impressed with kapanen. I don't want to bust up that third line as it is as well as they've been playing, factor in kapanen has been a plug and I have no trouble skipping him right to the 4th line.

I've actually liked timashov so far as well.

neideritter is developed into a damn good forward. 30 points in 36 games last year with the canes.

big forward, good on the puck.
- Tumbleweed

Meh, wouldn't be the first time that guys goes on a tear for a stretch of games.

Let's wait and see him do it in a full season.

Really have not been very impressed with kapanen. I don't want to bust up that third line as it is as well as they've been playing, factor in kapanen has been a plug and I have no trouble skipping him right to the 4th line.

I've actually liked timashov so far as well.
- joel878

Really? I'm not being an ass, or maybe I am - because you know when you do something all the time and you just don't realize you're doing it . . .

Anyway . . .

I don't like Timashov very much at all. I would go with Petan-Gauthier-Spezza as the 4th line. Maybe try Timashov in instead of Petan and see if that works? But I'm not a fan of his so far.

His point does remain. Teams can be a lot more aggressive and open if you trust your goalie. If a team has Carey Price behind them, they can go balls to the wall on offense, because he's got their back. There are a few goalies in the league who teams' can really trust like that (Vasilevskiy, Rask, Andersen, Rinne, Gibson, Bobrovksy, Fleury, Bishop, and probably Binnington).

I think Carolina's 5v5 numbers come more from a sustained forecheck without the puck than it does from trusting their goalie.

I would also say that I have garnered this opinion from only watching maybe 10 Carolina games in the last 2 years, so that was my impression from watching them.
- Monkeypunk

Or the opposite in OT - don't take any stupid chances, because you know you are going to win the damn game in the shootout.

Or the opposite in OT - don't take any stupid chances, because you know you are going to win the damn game in the shootout.
- Atomic Wedgie

Price must be intimidating as hell to go against in the shootout.

Rielly is really struggling paired with Jeff Finger.
- DrunkenCanuck

Please do not disparage Cody Franchise. He's urmazing.

Meh, wouldn't be the first time that guys goes on a tear for a stretch of games.

Let's wait and see him do it in a full season.
- Scabeh

When he was 24, he did have 25 goals. I would think with an up tempo team, he'll have more opportunities. Of course so far this year he has 0 goals, and unless I've forgotten my math, that's on pace for 0 goals.

Rielly is really struggling paired with Jeff Finger.
- DrunkenCanuck

You think that Rielly is struggling?

Price must be intimidating as hell to go against in the shootout.
- Scabeh

Scared Tavares, he franking shot wide of the net.

His point does remain. Teams can be a lot more aggressive and open if you trust your goalie. If a team has Carey Price behind them, they can go balls to the wall on offense, because he's got their back. There are a few goalies in the league who teams' can really trust like that (Vasilevskiy, Rask, Andersen, Rinne, Gibson, Bobrovksy, Fleury, Bishop, and probably Binnington).

I think Carolina's 5v5 numbers come more from a sustained forecheck without the puck than it does from trusting their goalie.

I would also say that I have garnered this opinion from only watching maybe 10 Carolina games in the last 2 years, so that was my impression from watching them.
- Monkeypunk

Totally fair, but whats funny is that price wasnt price or hasnt been Prices-esq for a the last few years. Hes been marginally good at best during long stretches, and narratives aside the first 50 games of the year last year, price maybe won 4-5 of them on his own, the rest....the last 30 games, he played stellar, but no better then say anderson! Habs fans will somewhat agree that it is the price show, but not like it once was, and the years of feeling fully confident that hell win us a game, game in and game out are long gone. TSN, Sportnets leafs homer networks will have everyone believe that its the price show, but.... he hasnt even been in the running for the vezina in the last little while, and we only missed the playoffs by 3 points.

the habs also chnaged style over the last 3 seasons since Julien has been back. Its an onslaught of speed and pressure, 4 lines of it. Its made it far from the days of price having to face 40+ shots a game. in fact i think the habs have some of the stingiest shot against then most teams vs shots for. anyways, who knows. sports are a fickled (frank) to predict. Look at tampa. So many people lost evertyhing on almost a sure fire cup victory.