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The Montreal Canadiens didn’t think a month ago that three games in January against the Buffalo Sabres would be a difficult matchup. However, the Sabres are suddenly the hottest team in hockey with 15 wins in their last 17 games.
The Sabres are trying to make the playoffs for the first time since 2011. Imagine in Montreal how a rebuild would feel that is currently in year 15. Buffalo is in a playoff position after shading the Canadiens 5-3.
Wilde Horses
The 62nd pick in the 2022 draft has become the second-fastest defenceman to 100 assists in NHL history.
Lane Hutson assisted on an Ivan Demidov rocket for his 100th assist in his 132nd game. Only Sergei Zubov was faster to 100 assists as he needed 127 games. Even the great Cale Makar took 140 games to hit 100 assists.
Hutson was back on the power play when the Canadiens had a two-man advantage against the Sabres. He slid a sweet pass to Demidov who captured his 40th point of the season. Demidov also made a heads-up play just before the goal, when he gave the puck to the Sabres when there was a delayed penalty, so the Canadiens could have more five-on-three time instead of six-on-four.
It was a small move, but a move that indicated how heady this rookie is already.
The other Canadiens goal in a wild first period was just another typical amazing shot from Cole Caufield. He was on a two-on-one when he elected to shoot. It was essentially a deliberate shot into the pads, so he could capture the rebound. He immediately fired it under the bar for his 21st of the season.
The return to Hutson and Demidov on the first power play unit continued to prove successful in the second period. The key to the tally was simply getting a shot on the net, then hunting for rebounds. Historically, Hutson doesn’t cause fear with his shot, but the rebound to Suzuki sure does.
Suzuki had his 15th goal of the season. Caufield with his second point, and Hutson with his second point as well. The power play that had been struggling so badly was two for three on the night.
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Wilde Goats
The Reverse VH is difficult to watch sometimes. The concept is to take away the bottom half of the net in close or at the sides when it’s extremely difficult to get the puck upstairs from in tight. It’s got percentages on its side, but when it doesn’t work, it looks so bad.
Jacob Fowler was in the Reverse VH when Josh Doan came from the side and flipped it under the bar. Great shot, but a terrible look from the goalie, even though this is the way they are taught to handle the moment. It takes some getting used to, even if you have watched hockey for a long time.
The Canadiens haven’t shown overtly horrible defending much these days, but on the third Buffalo goal the defending was simply abysmal. Tage Thompson took it into the offensive zone, and for some inexplicable reason, Alexandre Carrier and Noah Dobson backed right into Fowler.
Thompson was between the dots when he found Alex Tuch with a lateral pass that Fowler had no chance at all on. Tuch’s one-timer off the lateral pass was so quick that Fowler hadn’t even set yet. Quite a poor moment from a defence that hasn’t shown that level of difficulty in a long time on a rush.
The Sabres’ go-ahead goal in the third was also sloppy. Philip Danault had a chance to clear the blue line, but failed, then he had a chance to feed Hutson, but that failed too. That caused a two-on-one and a quick one-timer for Tage Thompson. That’s the wrong guy to give a clean look.
Their heads weren’t properly in this game. Usually, it’s the legs that feel the fatigue. This one, their brains weren’t engaged.
Another example was the aggressive penalty kill that had been so successful became totally passive. They let the Sabres throw it around without any challenge at all for possession.
There were so many bad decisions on basic plays. It’s an 82-game schedule. It happens. It’s tough for the Canadiens that it happened in such an important divisional game. The coaching staff won’t be happy at how passively they played defensively.
Wilde Cards
The Canadiens signed Alexandre Texier to a two-year extension on Wednesday. It’s a testament to the excellence of Texier that he performed so well, so quickly, that he got a commitment from the organization.
The aspect of Texier’s game that they love is that he excels on the first line, but also that he excels down the roster. He can play anywhere. However, they especially love that Texier with Suzuki and Caufield turned that line around.
With Zachary Bolduc, the line was average with a 52 Expected Goal share. With Texier, the line has an absolutely outstanding 66 share. Those are numbers that favourably compare to when Slafkovsky was on the line. The Canadiens now have two solid lines that match up well against the league’s best.
The signing also gives a hint to how the brass feels about their aging veterans. With this signing, we get an indication that veterans won’t likely be offered new contracts, and even a buyout may be considered.
Here are the players that are Canadiens property for the following three seasons: Suzuki, Texier, Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Demidov, Oliver Kapanen, Kirby Dach, Alex Newhook, Bolduc, and Jake Evans. That’s 10 forwards already who are signed or remain Canadiens property.
The club will eventually need to make room for top-ranked prospects Michael Hage and Alexander Zharovsky. There’s the lineup of 12 forwards.
On expiring contracts after next season are Danault, Josh Anderson and Brendan Gallagher. That is a surplus of three. Unless they are playing extremely well, they may not fit in the plans down the road. It’s a given that Patrik Laine won’t be resigned after this season.
Add to that surplus are the players contributing now like Samuel Blais and Joe Veleno. Also, include a prospect earning a longer look like Owen Beck.
This is a pool of forwards that is 19 players who have bona fide NHL skills. Next season will have difficult decisions that won’t favour veterans. The following season it should be more manageable.
What the Texier signing means is the youngest team in the NHL is one season away from getting even younger.
Brian Wilde, a Montreal-based sports writer, brings you Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after each Canadiens game.
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