By the point the Montreal Canadiens take the ice on Thursday to play the Los Angeles Kings, the membership can have greater than every week of hockey within the books. That features a quartet of matches that noticed some highs and a few lows. 4 video games don’t an everyday season make however there are some pertinent takeaways from what’s within the document books and a few honest warnings to followers who could have gotten too excited too early.
Kaiden Guhle’s Robust Begin
Because the summer time rolled alongside after which the preseason and coaching camp, it appeared as if a lot of the dialog about Montreal’s blue line involved nearly everyone apart from Kaiden Guhle. He was a part of the bigger debates, sure, however plenty of ink was spilled – and keyboard tapping carried out – to debate Lane Hutson’s potential inclusion into the lineup, or how Arber Xhekaj is the hard-nosed defenceman the crew was lacking, or what to do with veterans David Savard and Mike Matheson, gamers getting up there in age who had been both fairly poor in 2023-24 or missed time as a consequence of accidents.
However via 4 contests, Guhle is proving to be probably the most strong presence. Remember the fact that as per MoneyPuck, Montreal has the very best anticipated objectives in opposition to within the NHL at 12.34, and it isn’t even shut. Their anticipated aim differential is a jaw-dropping negative-4.99. Subsequent come the Chicago Blackhawks with minus-2.42. That’s not a great determine both however it’s removed from negative-4.99!
Associated: Canadiens Should Not Give Montembeault the Carey Worth Therapy
It’s straightforward to level to netminder Samuel Montembeault for why the aspect has defied these numbers to a level. His play between the pipes is definitely a cause why the Canadiens land in 12th with a minus-1.34 objectives in opposition to the above-expected stat. That’s greater than honest given the beforehand quoted numbers.
However Guhle’s contributions shouldn’t be neglected. He’s logging tons of ice time up to now (21:24) and is a plus-6. Contemplate that the Canadiens’ have misplaced half their video games by two and three objectives, in order that’s a minus-5 shared by the crew proper there. Higher nonetheless, in a type of matches, Monday’s 6-3 defeat to the Pittsburgh Penguins, the 22-year-old completed at plus-1 courtesy of a cannon one-timer he scored within the first interval. He was a plus-3 when the membership fell 6-4 to the Boston Bruins final week.
The Alberta native is a giant boy at 6-foot-3 and 201 kilos. That stature and his ability set permit him to make the form of defensive performs – and offensive ones – Montreal desperately wants. Guhle can be proving his bravery within the face of assured ache as he leads the crew in blocked photographs with 18. It’s early days in 2024-25, however his play is the type that may see him be an important blueliner this season when all is claimed and accomplished.
Emil Heineman Enjoys the Highlight
Who? Emil Heineman, that’s who. There’s no foul in not being overly acquainted with the 22-year-old Swede. The ahead was drafted by the Florida Panthers in 2020 (43rd general) however by no means suited up for them. His rights had been traded to the Calgary Flames, after which he was rapidly dealt to the Canadiens in 2022 – that was the deal that despatched Tyler Toffoli westward.
He was included within the lineup 4 instances in 2023-24, averaging 9:57 of ice time and located a method to end the season plus-2.
He’s performed thrice this season (the lone absence being the Boston recreation) and has already netted two objectives. He opened the scoring on Saturday at dwelling versus the Ottawa Senators when the latter’s defence clumsily left him alone in entrance of the crease to blast dwelling a go from Christian Dvorak on the facility play. He discovered the again of the web once more on Monday courtesy of a stupendous wrist shot on a second-period rush that gave the hosts a 3-2 benefit on the time.
Heineman seems to be supremely assured when he skates and shoots, which is probably the most a head coach can ask from a younger participant with restricted big-league expertise. He additionally seems to have that sensible knack of being in the proper place on the time to inflict harm. A nostril for the aim, one may say. There’s not a lot NHL tape on him (seven whole contests on the professional degree), however he’s sneakily turn into a weapon for Montreal in his early profession.
Canadiens Followers Should Be Affected person
Far be it for us to inform followers what to do. Ought to they select to bemoan unhealthy outcomes, so be it. That stated, the primary week of Canadiens hockey has proven a few of the good with a few of the unhealthy. The 2 aforementioned children are having nice begins to the marketing campaign, as are Montembeault and Cole Caufield (4 objectives already).
However nights just like the 4-1 win over Ottawa – Montreal’s greatest exhibiting via 4 video games – are solely a touch of what the longer term may maintain, not an affirmation of what presently is. Folks misplaced their minds when the aspect surprisingly downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 1-0 on opening evening. A more in-depth inspection reveals that the Leafs most likely did get “goalied.” The sport in Boston was a downer though the crew confirmed some spirit, and on Monday, Pittsburgh reclaimed full management as soon as the Habs went up 3-2, ergo the 6-3 loss.
Hutson is a pleasure to observe skate and puck deal with, however there may be some P.Ok. Subban in his recreation. He’s extremely expert however typically he merely doesn’t defend effectively. It’s okay insofar as he’s solely six matches into his skilled profession. On the flip aspect, the teaching workers has seen match to throw him into the lion’s den and the inexperience often reveals.
Juraj Slafkovsky, who lastly received on the board in Monday’s recreation with a power-play marker, is a light-weight in terms of stopping the opposition from creating possibilities. Not that his specialty is meant to be defending, however on two Penguins objectives he seemed weak. The Kris Letang aim that made it 5-3 began in Pittsburgh’s zone when Slafkovsky utterly whiffed on a physique examine in opposition to the boards that might have prevented a rush.
Then there may be goalie Cayden Primeau, who we wrote about over the weekend. He must step up on the nights his quantity known as to provide Montembeault a relaxation.
Final week, fellow The Hockey Writers scribe Ryan Szporer penned that the Canadiens are a thriller on this early 2024-25 season. That was earlier than the Ottawa recreation. One other method of it’s arguing that Montreal is totally within the thick of rebuilding. It began final season with a barely better-than-usual marketing campaign and has continued via 4 matches this season with the anticipated ups and downs. When a rebuild is at the least heading in a constructive route, you get video games like these versus Toronto and Ottawa. Boston and Pittsburgh video games remind us this stuff take and persistence is a advantage.
