With linemates Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki this might be the No. 1 trio to take us by the last decade.
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The Canadiens even have a bona fide first line.
You’re in all probability saying: ‘Yeah, so do many different groups.’ And also you’d be proper. However the Habs have spent a lot of this century searching for a primary line that really will be known as that with out us all snickering.
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Bear in mind the notorious Man Lafleur quip, someplace within the midst of the hellish Marc Bergevin years?
“There’s no first line, second line, third line. I believe they’ve 4 fourth strains,” stated Lafleur, a fellow who was seldom shy about criticizing the crew that was his house throughout his glory years.
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OK, so The Flower was being a bit harsh, however he wasn’t completely improper. Prior to now, the Canadiens stored naming individuals No. 1 centre once they merely weren’t actual No. 1 centremen. Saku Koivu was an ideal all-heart participant, however he wasn’t the top-line centre who might take you to the Promised Land.
Scott Gomez most actually wasn’t. David Desharnais? Please. However Nick Suzuki is. He now has 12 targets and 34 factors in 38 video games this season and that’s enjoying on a crew that’s notably quick on scoring, and along with his wingman Cole Caufield not scoring like he used to.
Not that folk are down on Suzuki, however the captain doesn’t get almost the reward he deserves for his persistently high-calibre efficiency. He has 87 targets and 243 factors in 329 profession video games over four-and-a-half seasons. That doesn’t make him the perfect centreman within the league, however he’s mighty good on the place. That’s one thing you couldn’t say a few Canadiens participant since Pierre Turgeon was traded by Réjean Houle in 1996 after just one season with the CH for causes not understood by anybody besides Reggie.
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The actual purpose the primary line has come collectively is the arrival of Juraj Slafkovsky on the best wing. Suzuki, Caufield and Slaf have been collectively for a few month now and, throughout that point, the Slovakian winger’s play has improved dramatically. His greatest sport of the 12 months was arguably that nail-biter of a 4-3 win over the Stars in Dallas on Tuesday.
That was an superior sport for the Slafanator. He muscled alongside the boards to get the puck and made a gorgeous cross to arrange Suze’s one-timer, On Caufield’s objective, the essential play was Slafkovsky holding the puck within the O Zone. He’s the true deal. Not a star perhaps, however a superb energy ahead to be.
Caufield is the member of the trio I’m essentially the most nervous about. Sure, the diminutive right-winger scored targets in three consecutive video games on the finish of the prolonged highway journey, however he nonetheless doesn’t look something just like the sniper who put the puck at the back of the web 26 occasions in 46 video games final season. I imagine in Caufield, however there’s one thing improper with the image proper now. He nonetheless has a good 27 factors in 38 video games, but when he ends the season with simply over 20 targets, that’s gotta be thought of a disappointment.
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The very best information is Suzuki and Caufield are each signed to long-term offers and, presumably, Slafkovsky will probably be as properly. So this might be a primary line that would take us by the last decade. That’s form of cool.
A goalie threesome: Having three goalies was a catastrophe and a distraction again within the 1985-1986 season — till a younger fellow named Patrick Roy nabbed the highest job — and it’s as a lot of a catastrophe and a distraction within the 2023-2024 season. It’s time for it to finish.
And there’s a easy answer. You inform Jake Allen ‘thanks a lot to your devoted service’ and also you lastly give Samuel Montembeault the No. 1 designation with Cayden Primeau serving as his back-up. The crew lately signed Monty to a three-year, $9.45-million contract extension, which clearly makes him your man between the pipes. And Monty is enjoying like a sizzling No. 1 dude. Did you see him Tuesday in Dallas? Unreal. So why are they nonetheless playing around with this three-goalie carrousel?
After I say this, individuals preserve saying: ‘Yeah, however they should showcase Allen to allow them to commerce him.’ That’s absurd. The 31 different GMs know full properly who and what Allen is. If they need him, and somebody will within the coming weeks, all they should do is name Kent Hughes. Plus, let’s be actual right here. You aren’t going to get a king’s ransom for a 33-year-old back-up netminder with a 3.52 goals-against common.
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