by Andrew Saadalla, Guest Columnist, All Habs Hockey Magazine
The Montreal Canadiens have closed the curtains on a very successful preseason schedule last night by defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs 6-1. Their 4-1-2 record evidently means nothing heading into the regular season next week, yet there is plenty to take away from the player personnel experiences conducted over the course of the last seven games. For the first time in quite a few years, the Habs finally look like a team that is ready to make some noise in next Spring’s Stanley Cup playoffs.
The offseason additions of defenseman Shea Weber, as well as forwards Alexander Radulov and Andrew Shaw have earned general manager Marc Bergevin all of the recognition and praise that he might not have otherwise received when he initially signed those players.
There’s no doubt that Weber’s presence was on full display last night. The “Man Mountain” scored a goal, almost added an assist while pinching on a passing play with Alex Galchenyuk, fired seven shots on net, and delivered bone-crunching hit after hit in an all-around dominant effort. He makes the big plays look simple, and fans need to accept that an outing such as last night’s accurately represents Weber’s style.
The only time he should be criticized for his outings is when he doesn’t play a steady defensive game while occasionally pinching in. Moreover, comparing him to P.K. Subban needs to stop immediately, as both players are radically different and bring varying elements to their respective teams. As it stands, it’s clear that the Canadiens needed a defenseman capable of moving the puck out of his zone by making crisp, tape-to-tape passes to wingers or centers in full flight. Unfortunately, Subban loved hanging onto the puck, and that killed any momentum on the transition more often than not.
Radulov has been a revelation for fans who were unsure of what he’s truly capable of. Many had doubts regarding his personality, and I believe those have been silenced. A tireless worker, Radulov has an elite set of skills, including playmaking abilities and the kind of vision that has been sorely lacking on this team for years. His passing is exceptional and his shot is something to behold, and he makes everybody around him that much better with his presence alone. While he may never have a lasting chemistry with Tomas Plekanec, he can at the very least find himself moved up and down the top-six forward group without missing a beat.
Finally, Shaw is clicking on a line with David Desharnais. He comes as advertised: a player who constantly crashes the goalie’s crease with a non-stop motor and the occasional goal. He netted two tallies last night, and could have easily added a third had he not been robbed by Maple Leafs’ net minder Frederik Andersen. It’s encouraging to see Desharnais find his niche behind the net, although I worry that he’ll soon become a one-trick pony that remains expendable.
There are notable standouts from the preseason schedule who were looking to join the roster full-time. Artturi Lehkonen seems to have finally found his groove, as he struggled to score on the chances created early on in exhibition play. Fortunately, management is likely convinced that the 21-year-old is a welcomed addition to the group’s top-six. He deserves to stick around in Montreal and will provide much-needed scoring and speed, regardless of who his line mates could be. My belief is that he’ll feature to the left of Plekanec.
Michael McCarron has shown that he has significantly more offensive upside than he’s been credited with. He wristed a beauty past Andersen last night, utilizing defenseman Morgan Rielly as a screen to beat the Leafs’ goaltender top-shelf. He’s also demonstrated that he can use his size and new-found speed to blow past defenders in convincing fashion, and as much as I’d like to think that he could use one more season in the American Hockey League on a first line, his presence would be beneficial.
Daniel Carr also fits within the mold of the team. Bergevin addressed a lack of leadership and character over the course of the summer, and Carr’s tendency to gravitate towards the front of the net and light up the lamp on passing plays from his teammates is certainly going to earn him a spot on the team’s top-9. I don’t see him playing on a fourth, although it’s fair to assume that the Canadiens will have four scoring lines rolling at the start of the season next Thursday.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the preseason is 18-year-old defenseman Mikhail Sergachev. Bergevin was coy in revealing his plans for the young blue-liner, but clarified that if he’s in Montreal it’s for him to play as a regular as opposed to sitting in the pressbox. After last night’s game, it’s obvious that Sergachev deserves a shot at the top-4. Unfortunately, while I felt that he should be paired with Jeff Petry, the latter suffered a knee injury which will be further evaluated early next week. Otherwise, a very mature Sergachev can play on either side, though it will be preferable for him to feature on the left regularly.
In all, there’s no denying that the 2016-2017 edition of the Montreal Canadiens will be extremely difficult to play against. Notable additions to their roster, along with player progress and development will go a long way in erasing last year’s bitter memory.