Hey, Stu. Just wondering if there may be some insight on where Alex Newhook lines up this year. I think he did well when forced to play centre last year and I like the thought of Joshua Roy with Kirby Dach and Patrik Laine if that’s an option on the second line.
Terry on X @tfish65
Hey, Terry. It’s not a surprise that Newhook has started training camp at left wing on a line with Dach at centre and Laine on right wing. Expect them to be the second line when the season starts.
Dach prefers to play centre and is able to carry the puck through the neutral zone and often gain zone entry by himself, opening up space for his wingers.
As I’ve mentioned in previous Habs Mailbags, Dach and Newhook both struggle on faceoffs. Since Dach shoots right and Newhook shots left, by playing on the same line they can both take faceoffs on their strong sides, which should help. Newhook won 46.5 per cent of his faceoffs last season and has won only 41.4 per cent during his career. Dach has won only 35.3 per cent of his career faceoffs.
For fans wondering about other training-camp lines, it’s not a surprise that Nick Suzuki is at centre between Juraj Slafkovsky and Cole Caufield again on the No. 1 line and it looks like the other two lines to start the season could be Jake Evans between Brendan Gallagher and Joel Armia and Christian Dvorak between Roy and Josh Anderson.
Are the Habs 100 per cent comfortable with their two goalies?
Habs-Hockey-Hub (triple-H) on X@GarsDeChambly
Not 100 per cent.
The goaltending situation will, however, be much more comfortable since the Canadiens aren’t starting with three goalies after dealing Jake Allen to the New Jersey Devils at last season’s NHL trade deadline.
Samuel Montembeault, at age 27, has never played more than 41 games in an NHL season, which he did last season when he posted a 16-15-9 record with a 3.14 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. Primeau, at age 25, has never played more than 23 games, which he did last season when he posted an 8-9-4 record with a 2.99 GAA and a .910 save percentage.
The Canadiens kept Primeau around last season because GM Kent Hughes was convinced he’d lose the goalie on waivers if he tried to send him to the AHL’s Laval Rocket. This season will be a real test for Primeau to prove he’s a legitimate NHL goalie, while Montembeault tries to prove he’s a legitimate No. 1.
What makes Canadiens management feel more comfortable about their goaltending situation is the play of prospect Jacob Fowler as a freshman last season at Boston College, where he posted a 32-6-1 record with a 2.14 GAA and a .926 save percentage.
Any noticeable changes in the atmosphere around the team compared to the last two training camps?
Rod Tatlock
There is definitely a bigger sense of excitement, both with players and fans who have packed the stands at the CN Sports Complex in Brossard for training-camp scrimmages.
Nobody expected the Canadiens to make the playoffs last season and I still don’t think they’re good enough to do it this season. But management’s new catchphrase is “in the mix” and I think fans are excited about the possibility of the Canadiens playing meaningful games much later into the season than they have the last couple of years. The players, led by captain Suzuki, believe they can make the playoffs.
Are the Canadiens content with the defence corps or do you think they’ll move a young player or a prospect to add a little more experience?
Tim Griffin
If they do move a young defenceman, it will probably be in a deal to acquire another offensive-minded forward, like the trade that brought Laine to Montreal in exchange for Jordan Harris. I do expect the Canadiens to move veteran defenceman David Savard before the trade deadline, since the 33-year-old is in the final season of his contract.
Who is the top forward candidate to moved at the NHL trade deadline?
CommissionerCollin on X @CommrColin
That will obviously depend on how the forwards perform and what the Canadiens might get in return.
Having said that, Dvorak, Armia and Evans can become unrestricted free agents next summer, so I would put them at the top of the list in that order.
If you have a question you’d like to ask for our weekly Habs Mailbag, you can email it to [email protected]