GAME NIGHT: Canadiens Rise SCARING Panthers, SHOCKING Sidney Crosby TRADE Rumor Making Them LEGIT?

GAME NIGHT: Canadiens Rise SCARING Panthers, SHOCKING Sidney Crosby TRADE Rumor Making Them LEGIT?

The off seasonason is well underway and we here at Locked on NHL game night are tackling the toughest questions with our favorite local experts. Tonight we cross the border and check in on the Montreal Canadians. Expectations skyhigh for these Habs, but will they be able to match the expectations? We’ll answer that question and so much more as we welcome Habs experts Ian Bu and Laura Saba on this summer edition of Lockdown NHL Game Night. When that final horn sounds, you know it’s time for Locked On NHL Game Night. All the postgame reactions to every game across the league every single night with insights only the hosts at Locked On can provide. Prepare to experience game day reactions like never before. Only on Locked On NHL Game Night. Your team every day. Hello there hockey fans and welcome to another episode of Locked on NHL game night. I’m Kim Stewart, a sad Boston Bruins fan who’s going to be professional and say nice flattering things on this episode. And I’m Tyler Feldman, a lifelong Penguins fan, born and raised in Pittsburgh, currently loving life in Austin, Texas. This episode is brought to you by Monarch Money. Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code lockdown NHL at monarchmoney.com for 50% off your first year. Cam, look who’s joining us tonight. We’re crossing cultures. We’re crossing language barriers. Laura Ian Buff coming on from Locked on Canadians. This is going to be a fun kind of summer for you guys getting ready for this team. Yeah, it’s been a blast already. I mean, going from the playoffs to immediately making the biggest splash of the, you know, the NHL draft sort of beginning of the off seasonason, it’s it’s a pretty great time to be a Canadians fan, especially after many years of that not being the case. Um, so we’re we’re we’re we’re living pretty good right now. Laura, we are going through the Atlantic division. Everyone we’re talking with, they are so high on the Montreal Canadians. Do you think that’s warranted? Mute it. Mute it. Mute it. She’s so high on the Habs that she’s muting herself. She doesn’t want anyone else her speech. She doesn’t She doesn’t want anyone else to hear how high she is on the Habs. You think that I haven’t been doing this for This is my sixth season coming up. Um, I honestly I I I think that it is warranted, but I think people need to have a little bit of patience because I do think that this team has a super bright future, but I don’t necessarily know that this particular year has to be that year that they take that huge step forward. Obviously, you want to see them take those steps forward, but I’m thinking more two to three years. That’s when people should be scared of the Halves. Like that that’s the timeline I have in mind. I feel like that’s fair, balanced, and super realistic, Cam. Don’t you? That’s almost too realistic. It’s almost We need some more flare to it. But and I think I think a lot of people obviously are high on this team because that young core, which we’ll talk about in a second, but then you add the Noah Dobson deal, which which Ian was talking about, and that does probably accelerate things for some fans on the outside looking end. Do you think that’s fair in terms of them being like, “Well, maybe this team is ready. They just made the playoffs. they made a big move like this and they’re young and cheap. I think it raises external expectations more so than internal. I think the one of the the hallmarks of this current front office with Kent Hughes and and Jeff Gorton is that they are very patient. Um they are not willing to sacrifice the future to uh you know for very shortterm gain. It’s why, you know, yes, they just traded two first round picks, both 16 and 17 in the first round of this year’s draft to the Islanders for Noah Adoptson, but they get a young right shot puck moving defenseman under contract for eight years at a deal that now is paying him nine and a half and you go, it’s kind of a lot right now, but in a few years when that cap has gone way, way, way, way up, that’s going to be a sweet contract for them. So like that’s the sort of thing that right now the Canadians would, you know, they would love to do at every position they possibly can is sell a little bit of those futures for a young player. Now the problem is isn’t every team in the NHL trying to do that right now? You know, it’s it’s kind of difficult to be in that in that field. Yeah. Well, yeah. I I don’t know. You look Nick Suzuki, Lane Hudson. Those are two guys that stick out to me. Suzuki was unbelievable. 89 points last year. And then Hudson as a rookie defenseman, 66 points, CER Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, special guys that you can really build around and and Laura, to your point, I I feel like having those centerpieces is critical. Yeah, absolutely. I think that there a lot of the core is established and I know we’re going to get into a position that Canadians really need to work on uh not just this off season but you know they need to sort it out within the next year let’s say but I think the core pieces are there and and everyone took a step forward this year. Nick Suzuki had never been had never attained this point total in in a you know or this or this rate, right? Um Lane Hudson, this is his first season. He was able to break records. He was able to really really make his mark. Uh but, you know, there’s nowhere to go but up from here for him. But you also have to think about Cole Caulfield, right? Almost getting to that 40 goal mark. You want to think about Slavowski, right? He he also had a slow start to the season. He had one last year as well. But, you know, there’s nothing that says that he’s not just going to get more and more established as a topline talent. And we haven’t even begun to talk about Ivan Deidov and and that’s just, you know, that’s just I think icing on the cake at this point, like at this point in their rebuild. There’s it’s just so much to smile about. And I mean, you mentioned it. That’s kind of the buzz name to beat off, right? And and it obviously this team got better as the season went on. You see that a lot with young teams and the momentum at the end of that when they’re into a playoff spot those last couple of games to me off comes in big debut and then suddenly a week later you’re not only in the playoffs you’re having your first Bell Center playoff crowd for the first time in years and years and years. So having that where it was such a tight race at the end to get into the postseason and then having a round and learning some tough lessons in that first round of the playoffs. What does that do for this core? I mean, it’s got to be immeasurable. I’m getting goosebumps just listening to Yeah. I mean, it was the when we went into the season, our expectation for a positive season was that they’re playing meaningful games after the calendar turns to the next year, right? And and that was a pretty low bar considering what they had been doing where, you know, their meaningful games ended by American Thanksgiving, right? That’s just the the the to the sort of team that they were. Um now, you know, they they got to play a ton of those meaningful games. And a lot of this goes to Nick Suzuki. He apparently had a meeting with Kent Hughes, the general manager, um before the trade deadline, before Four Nations, I think. Um and he said, “Don’t trade away. Don’t sell at the deadline. We want to be good.” And Kent Hughes said, “Okay, go win games.” And Nick Suzuki started at a torid pace coming out of that. coming into the trade deadline, they didn’t trade anybody. They held they resigned Jake Evans. Like the I think the fact that Nick Suzuki played as well as he did down the stretch is the only reason we had any of that stuff. The only reason we got game three at the Bell Center, which was, you know, I think a pivotal moment in this team’s rebuild. So you you can put a lot of this directly on the captain’s shoulders. I don’t think there’s a player in the league who is more suited to wear that C on his jersey like that that Suzuki is that guy in Montreal. So, you think that he can handle the pressure of these expectations coming into next season? No question. I don’t think there’s a guy better suited for it. And we’ve seen, you know, like I I I live in Connecticut. I was pretty stoked when Max Perretti was the captain because he was, you know, he’s from my backyard, right? But he was uniquely unqualified for that. He could not handle what was happening, right? It’s it’s unfair. It’s unfair what happened. But with with Suzuki, you see this guy who, you know, water just rolls off of him, you know? It just nothing really seems to bother him. This is the reason we got any of this good stuff down the stretch is because 14 put the team on his back. Yeah. And he’s only 26. He just turned 26 yesterday. So, the future is bright. And he’s got ice in his veins. I think like one thing that I love about him is that he’s just stone cold, right? Criticism doesn’t get to him. He will he will admit accountability. He will take you know he’ll be accountable but nothing gets to him and you know nothing honestly I gives me more joy than to watch him put naysayers away. Right. I think that’s to me like Nick Suzuki is that guy and he’s learning French. He’s doing all the right things. You know he had his wedding in Montreal. He’s embracing the city. He really understands the assignment. And I think Nick Suzuki is you know the talent. We haven’t seen that kind of talent. We might have seen that kind of personality and that kind of drive, but we haven’t seen that kind of talent um matched with that with that personality suited to be the Montreal Canadians captain, I think, in a while. I will say Laura followed the Suzuki wedding like it was a royal wedding because in a sense it almost felt I think it is in Quebec, isn’t it? Laura, give us We need some more details. What What was the coolest detail? Well, they actually surprised their whole family because they got married privately in Turks and Caos, just the two of them. Um, and then when everybody showed up for their wedding, they were like, “Surprise, we’re already married. Let’s party.” Turk Turks and Caos, the Montreal of of the Caribbean. So I’ve heard. So I’ve heard. I think that’s the hockey way to do it. Surprise everyone. Just say, “Hey, let’s party.” So anyway, that’s how Nick Suzuki’s doing it. He’s trying to be the first one to lift the cup for Montreal in, let’s just call it a long time, and start an even bigger party out there on St. Catherine Street. But what do the Canadians need to do to make that next step? What holes do they need to fill when everything is going just peachy up in Montreal? We’ll talk about that next on Locked on NHL Game Night. But first, you know, we’ve all been there. You had your business. You needed to hire somebody like yesterday and time is running out. That’s where Indeed gets in here. That’s how you find amazing candidates fast. That’s how Montreal found Martan St. Louisie. I’m convinced of it. When it comes to hiring, Indeed is all you need. Stop struggling to get your job post seen on other site. Indeed sponsored jobs puts your post at the top of the page and helps you reach the right candidates faster. Okay, we’ve all been in that situation. Every day that you’re not getting the right hire is a huge setback. That’s why these sponsored jobs come in handy to make sure that post is seen by the right candidates right now. Now you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 sponsored job credit. Just go to indeed.com/lockedon. Loc right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on Locked on NHL game night. Terms and conditions do apply. Hiring Indeed is all you need. here on locked on NHL game night season preview edition. We’ve got the Habs in the house. So, if you’ve got high expectations for this Montreal Canadians team, or you think we’re blowing it way out of proportion, let us know in the comments section below. Be sure to like and subscribe so you don’t miss anything coming out from Lockdown NHL and all 32 of our team previews as we build it up to puck drop in October. Let’s get back to Montreal, shall we? Everything’s been going so well in BA and Laura Saba. Everything’s going so great. Like it’s all going to be coming together right now except for the fact that there is one or two holes in this Canadians team. We’ve heard it about it throughout this off season. Now it’s the focus goes to the trade market to how Montreal could fill it. What is the biggest hole for this Canadians team and how do they look to fill it? So I I was uh I was at a driving range in Connecticut and I met a Canadians fan. They in the wild just just ran into one and we you know they look just like you and me. Yeah. classic classic Connecticut exchanged pleasantries. And as he walked out the door, he turned around and he goes, “They need to get that two seat.” And I think nothing sums up the fact that that that need is so glaring than that that that exchange I had with a complete stranger in in a completely different place was that the Canadians have a a a gigantic hole at second line center. Um and you know, possibly even third depending on how the rest of the lineup shakes out. They lost Christian D’vorak over the summer. um they weren’t going to pay him over $5 million to be their third line center. So go get that money in in uh Philadelphia, but the the big need is the two seed because it’s going to be the guy who’s who’s set up to play with Ivan Deidov, which is a massive massively important role for this this team because not only do they need that to be competitive, but they need that to to insulate this 19-year-old kid who’s coming over to North America for the first time to play hockey. So, it’s it’s a massive need for them. We talk about it, I don’t know, on our show daily. I think it’s been a daily thing since the season ended was, “All right, who’s going to play Second Line Center next year?” And we’ve cycled through about every candidate you can imagine. Um, we have some favorites. We have some that maybe not. So, let’s let’s go through the favorites for for for this audience. Let’s let’s go through some of the favorites to be that user. Um, well, Tyler’s gonna kick me off the show, but Oh, I know. I know exactly what she’s gonna say. I know exact I’m gonna tell you it’s not gonna happen, but go ahead. You can say it. Um, I’m going to say the words Sydney and Crosby, but you know, listeners can draw their own conclusions. Um, I you know, there’s there’s nothing more ideal than having somebody who is um a superstar but on the decline because that’s a person who’s been through it all, obviously. And he’s not declining though. He He’s just not declining. That’s my biggest thing. You got to let me get to that point. Okay. Sorry. Sorry. Continue. Uh because everyone like nobody else is going to come close to Sydney Crosby. I think Sydney Crosby the last year that he’s playing, he’s still going to be one of the top three players in the league, right? I think that a lot of people think just because of his age, you they kind of underestimate him and they they don’t have a lot of expectations, but every single year he proves us wrong. And I think the idea of Sydney Crosby coming to Montreal is born out of just simply there’s like an image of him as a child in a Havves jersey. He talks about having been a Canadians fan when he was a kid. And I think everybody’s just kind of hung on to that and nobody ever thought that he would leave uh Pittsburgh except for the fact that the Penguins right now are in full rebuild mode. Um whether they want to talk about it or not. And I think I think it’s going to be a while before they’re cup contenders. And if I’m Sydney Crosby, I want to go out with another cup under my belt. So there’s there’s a few destinations for him and I just think Montreal should be one of them. Laura, excellent points in all honesty. One, yes, Sydney Crosby, what a great mentor he could be. Kind of like how Mary Lemieux was Sydney Crosby’s mentor when he came to Pittsburgh. Additionally, yeah, to your point, the Penguins are rebuilding and Cydney Crosby, if he doesn’t if he does want to leave on that high note, it likely won’t happen in Pittsburgh. Now, having said all that, and we’ve talked about this, Cam has heard this before, but Mariel Lemieux, ironically enough, given his connection to Montreal, it is it is hard to fathom Sydney Crosby playing anywhere else. No question. It just is. Weird. It just is. It’s just one of those situations where I feel like Cydney Crosby has been carrying the legacy of Mary Lemieux and then some given what he’s been able to bring to the city of Pittsburgh, but on a consistent basis, he’s just married to the game. And I said this to Cam, but if Kenny Malcin, I thought he was going to go elsewhere. He ended up resigning because he wanted to play with Sid. And you have Chris Leang connections to the city as well who’s not going to go anywhere. I I just I really see it unrealistic. Obviously, yes, the Penguins are in this odd rebuild where they have these aging stars, but Sydney Crosby’s still bringing it. What would the return have to be to get Sydney Crosby? Astronomical. So, so and everything else that he brings the I just I see it very unrealistic. Even though the points you made, Laura, sound great and make a lot of sense. I I just I don’t see it happening. Yeah. I think Crosby only goes somewhere if Crosby wants to go there. And we have no in inclination at this point that that’s true. We’re all just kind of reading the tea leaves. And I guess the other one last point is yes, the Canadians are definitely cup contenders and adding Sydney Crosby would add to that contention for Montreal. What would you have to give up? Yeah, it would it would it would probably empty the farm. The city of Pittsburgh would burn. It would they would look at that Lemieux statue outside of the arena and they’d be like, “Sydney, this is what you could have had.” And Sydney would be like, “Well, I can still have this, right?” And probably and probably they retired Yoger’s number finally after all those years. I just don’t see Tom Brady a statue at Foxboro. Exactly. Bobby O’s got a statue. noted Chicago Blackhawk Bobby Yore has a statue. Anything Anything is possible and it’s certainly worth the discussion. I just don’t see it happening. I’m obviously a little biased, too. So, let’s throw that in there as well. Well, that’s where I was coming from, too. I’m very biased, right? We’re going to talk realistic choices. I feel like there’s a couple more names and I think Cam, you might have had one you wanted to throw out. Well, yeah. I was gonna piggyback off this last point. Obviously, the return for Sydney Crosby would be huge, and I’m not going to compare this next player directly to Sydney Crosby, but but would it be worth it more to if you’re going to send the Hall out for someone like Mason McTavish, a 23year-old center whom, yeah, he’s not Sydney Crosby, but that could be a part of your core with the Suzukis and the Demids and the Cole Caulfields for years to come. So he doesn’t bring some of that insulation you were talking about Laura of playing alongside Dito off but would it make more sense to go for a younger guy like McTavish or at you know I know there’s been Jordan Kyro rumors he obviously plays on the wing not at center but uh would it be more worth it to go for something like that? Yeah I I think there’s two schools of thought here. One is we need a stop gap second line center until Michael H is ready. Michael Hage was a first round pick a few years ago. um he’s shaping up to be an an excellent NHL forward when his time comes. He’s still a few years away from that. So, you know, are you going with one of the guys that we’ve thrown around is like Nasam Kadri, right? Like that would be a perfect fillin on that line on that second line. He also, for what it’s worth, grew up a Habs fan, so that’s kind of what what kicked off that discussion. Or it was part of some great collapses, which is awesome, too. Yeah, for sure. I mean, it would make three fan bases kind of just sick to their stomach at all times. So, it’s maximum chaos at all times. But the other option here is a McTavish type, a younger guy. Maybe you say, you know what, Michael Hayes, we don’t know what he’s going to be. We know Mason McTavish is that now. Do we take that? Are we ready to commit to this core? I think the decision at Second Line Center is going to show the Canadians hand in a way. It’s going to show us if they think it’s go time for this core or if they want to wait and see a little bit more before they pull the trigger on something that big. I think that that’s sort of the canary in the coal mine for me that I’m watching and if they decide to make a big move, it’s okay. This is the this is the team. They’re going to roll with this core. If not, it’s sort of let’s wait and see and and sort of bite our time until we can get something going. Canary in the coal mine. This show has brought every every show there’s some new phrase that I’m learning. That’s crazy. That’s crazy. Well, we hook her by hooker by all the time. Yeah. Everybody write these down. Tyler, uh, what was it? La, what was it last last night? By hook or by crook? By hook or by crook? Yeah, I thought people knew that one. Tyler was like opening up a present on Christmas morning. He couldn’t believe it. Oh. Anyway, before we get into more of these, before we just start listing them all off, Laura said I had a I had another person to bring up because I do. We’re going to do it after the break when we also talk about how the Cavs fit into this tough Atlantic division. Which one of their bitter rivals are they about to leapfrog in the division standings? We’ll do it next on Locked on NHL game night. But first, let’s do an ad read. Most people can’t make and can’t name all their financial accounts or even what they’re worth. Whether it’s 401ks, properties, or investments. And when you don’t have the full picture, you can end up leaving money on the table. That’s why there is Monarch Money. It’s an all-in-one personal finance tool that brings you entire financial life into one clean, easy to use interface on your laptop or even on your phone. Monarch does the heavy lifting for you. 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Laura Saba, Ian Bll joining myself, Cam Stewart, and Tyler Feldman. Uh, let’s look at this Atlantic division a little bit in just a second because Laura, you teed me up, and I have to still hit the ball off the tea here. So, we’re talking about those two C’s and I’m watching the Canadians in that first round playoff series against Washington and obviously the Tom Wilson hit. however you want to parse through it, it changes the kind of the look of the series uh from that point on. And I’m sitting there in the next round and I’m like, Sam Bennett’s going to be a free agent. Sam Bennett can be a number two center. Like Sam Bennett’s got that edge about him that could really tip the scales in a playoff series. I know it’s it’s a moot point now. He ressigns with Florida. Is that someone was was Sam Bennett someone that was on at least Canadians fans radar in this off season? Absolutely. It I think the biggest problem was the price, right? We didn’t think that he was going to come in at this price. And honestly, if he wasn’t signing in Florida, he would have come in at a much higher uh w come in with a much higher price tag. So that was really the conversation we were having because we did think that Florida was going to have a little bit of trouble uh kind of managing their situation, managing all the all the players they had to resign, but they managed to attract keep um you know, you really want to be Florida right now. Um and and I think it has nothing to do with all the stuff that people say about the sunshine, the palm trees, the the taxes, anything like that. If you’re a winning team, if you have the potential to bring cups and multiple cups, I think everybody’s going to want to play on your team, right? So, the Montreal Canadians might not have been the one now, but um hopefully in a couple years, whoever that that that big free agent is going to be, like Montreal is looking Montreal is their is is top of their list. Sorry, I’m just like running out of um you think that I I I don’t talk about the Habs every day. So, really, I think Sam Bennett was somebody that people were looking at particularly for that toughness uh toughness element. Uh, I think that the the Montreal Canadians can work on team toughness a little bit more without needing to bring in that guy. I just think that they really need to figure out what they’re doing at at 2C and then kind of build around that. Uh, because I’m not too worried about them being pushed around after that experience they had with the Washington Capitals. I’m not too worried about that. I am a little bit worried that they go too hard the other way and and and just pick up toughness with no skill. Uh but fortunately this front office seems to be a little bit smarter than that. But man, adding Bennett, added Bennett to that. Oh man, you think Nazim Codry being added would have pissed some people off? My lord, what would have happened if Sam Bennett was there? Anyway, I digress. Tyler, this is the toughest division in hockey. Arguably, probably. Probably. I’d say so. Probably. I mean, that’s all we’ve been talking about with this division so far on these summer. Good selling point for NHL game night. Well, I think the I I think the Maple Leafs regress and it’s it’s Ottawa and Montreal kind of fighting at the top this season and that’s exciting for the National Hockey League with Florida with Florida. Okay, I’m not forgetting about Florida. Doesn’t really care about winning the division too. That’s no like that’s worth at all. Tampa Bay Florida last year. But but the two teams that are basically I see as inline waiting to make a move, it’s Montreal and Ottawa. So, who’s it going to be? But I see both I see both of those squads as playoff teams. Yeah. And I think both of those teams also see themselves as playoff teams. It becomes a uh it’s a numbers game, right? So, the Canadians and the Senators made it this year in large part due to the Rangers completely falling off the face of the earth. And the same for Cam’s Boston Bruins, right? They just did not they did not keep that everyone going into the season thought that they would have been a playoff team and it’s just a it’s I don’t know if you can count on them being that bad again. Like I know that I know that they’re not going to be great but they’re going I think they’ll stay, you know, to use a a Marty St. Louisism in the mix. They’re going to they’re not going to fall apart like they did last year. I don’t think remember they they sold everybody at the deadline. They were they were the Providence Bruins by February. So it, you know, it’s it’s not something that Hey, don’t don’t dis don’t disrespect the Providence Bruins like that. They deserve better. They almost won a series against Charlotte. They almost did that. Uh but man, that quick aside to bring my bias in here. Wouldn’t that be awesome if these two teams were battling for a playoff spot? I I I’m not as uh as confident as the Bruins as it sounds like Yen might be, but um and they should have a bounce back. It shouldn’t be 15th in the Eastern Conference, but I don’t think they’re that much better. But if those two teams are battling it out like April, beginning of April, and put some put some vinegar back in this pot here, I’m in. Yeah. I just made that look at at Detroit. Is Detroit finally going to take that step and Buffalo who continues to have the horses and then we watch them and they don’t have the horses. It’s just don’t Yeah. They’re five years away from being five years away at all times is what it feels like. The team of the future and they always will be. Yeah. Yeah. So, look, I like Montreal’s chances in that division as tough as it is, but it’s it’s a gauntlet and I do see the Leafs regressing a little bit. Um, but I almost wonder how much of that’s going to be addition by subtraction without that, you know, contract dispute hanging over that roster all year. So, it’s it it is the I would say it’s the most fun division in the sport to watch right now. You know, it’s it there’s the the the matchups are incredible. The just how it how it’s all going to shake out. They sent five teams to the playoffs last year, you know, like it’s that’s that’s not something that most team most divisions do every year. Yeah. And it’s entirely possible they send five teams to the playoffs this year. And I think one thing that you kind of have to look at this division and look at most of the teams in it, not the Buffaloos, but uh a team like Ottawa, a team like Boston, a team like Tampa, they just won’t die, right? So there’s nothing there’s no reason to believe that that that the Toronto Maple Leafs will die, right? We we know Florida’s going to be the pedigree. We know that. But I think like there’s just so much in this division that’s annoying and I think it’s going to be um it’s going to be really frustrating. But if if I had to choose between Ottawa making it this year and Montreal, I think Montreal does have the slight edge partially because Ottawa kind of has this unofficial internal cap now and Montreal’s willing to spend. So I think that’s really going to be the difference maker. Laura, what annoys you the most about this division. I’ve got to know. Uh it’s got to be the Ottawa Senators. Just just their existence. Just every game against them. Just you know, all of their their false toughness, all of their, you know, they’re grinding you into submission, but really not. Everything’s they’re like Florida but like with less talent, right? Let it out. Let it out. Florida gets away with with all kinds of dirty plays, but but Ottawa’s just that with less talent. They couldn’t grind out the Leafs in a playoff series, which should show which should really prove Laura’s point here. Um have led the league in power play opportunities for like the last three years and then they those go away in the playoffs. So, it’s not all that surprising. Let it out. Let it out. Let it out. No, we are we are locked on hating the Ottawa Senators as well. This is a safe space. This is a safe space. I hope you guys don’t do crossovers. It’s really tough to hate those guys. Um I hope you do your hating from outside the club in terms of We don’t hate any of the hosts between us. It is It is the sweaters. It is not the people. Gotcha. Because it seemed personal right there. It seemed I had a tough time separating right there. All right, guys. I got I got one last question for each of you to answer. Um because I I’m a huge history nerd. Uh both Tai and I we can get we can get in the digs for for hockey history. Cam Cam more than me, but sure. Yeah. But like when you look at Montreal, obviously there’s always the context of of what they’ve been in the past. A lot of Stanley Cups. I won’t name them how many, but a lot of Stanley Cups. Obviously probably the best hockey city in the world. So when we look at this and the excitement around this team, finish this sentence, please for me. This is the best Montreal Canadians team since. Oh, that’s a great question. I’m gonna say I’ll say 2014. That was the year they went to the the conference final. Um, they lost after Price got taken out in that in that Rangers series. Um, the Cup Run team is great, but they were great because of how magical they were. Because we we did not expect any of that. If you watched that team that season down the stretch they were a mess and then they made the playoffs and everything was fine. So I that 2014 team was like we expected them to be great and they were. It was the most uh rewarding version of that team that we watched. So I’ll say 2014 beat the President’s Trophy winners. And that it’s a shame is a shame that that was the last time both of these teams were good at the same time. It’s it’s not fair. It is. Yeah. And and and by the way, cuz sorry, Laura, real quick, uh because it that was the end of like a decade plus of them meeting a lot in the playoffs. Like for people like me coming of age with those Bruins teams, it was kind of expected you would face Montreal. There was a real hatred there. The pot was boiling. All right, it was really boiling and then it kind of just tapered off after this lame duck game seven home loss. But anyway, Laura, best Montreal Canadians team since I am inclined to agree with Ian because I think that the the the the 93 team that won was another one where it was like it was less expected, right? Yeah. It was a lot of things went right for that team to win. So, I think if Carrie Price had not gotten injured, I think, you know, I don’t know that they would have beat LA, but I think they would have really been like a legitimate contender to be in that Stanley Cup final. Shout out to the 93 Islanders. took out Tyler’s boys or else they would have cruised to three in a row if I’m not mistaken at that. So, this is the best Canadians team in a long time. And where they haven’t been a great team necessarily the last couple years, they’ve had a great team doing Locked On with Laura and I believe so appreciative of you guys coming on and previewing this Habs team. Um, get involved in the comment section, everyone. Let me know what you think about this Canadians team. Best team since blank. Fill it in yourself. Like, subscribe. It helps us keep our jobs and helps us on the path towards four 5,000 subscribers on this channel. Remember, we will be previewing all 32 teams, myself and Tyler, the Atlantic and the Pacific. We will get you ready for puck drop. But for Tyler Feldman, I’m Gibb Stewart. We will see you on the next one on Locked on NHL game night.

Are the Montreal Canadiens poised for a breakthrough season? The Atlantic Division’s landscape is shifting, and the Habs’ young core could be ready to make waves.

Experts Laura Saba and Ian Boisvert join to dissect the Canadiens’ outlook, focusing on rising stars Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield. They analyze the team’s glaring need at second-line center and debate potential solutions, from pipe dreams like Sidney Crosby to more realistic targets. The conversation explores how Montreal stacks up against division rivals, with particular attention to the Ottawa Senators’ trajectory.

Discover why this might be the most promising Canadiens squad since their 2014 conference finals run. Tune in for insider perspectives on the Habs’ path back to contention and the patience required for their rebuild to bear fruit.

0:00 Intro: Montreal Canadiens offseason preview

5:53 Canadiens’ playoff experience and young core

11:16 Filling the second-line center hole

16:52 Realistic trade targets for Montreal

26:31 Canadiens’ playoff chances in tough division

30:55 Best Canadiens team since 2014?

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