Episode 155 of the Hockey Free For All Podcast 05-2=02-2025

Hello Hockey fan’s take a listen to episode 155 of the Hockey Free For Podcast to get your hockey fix, this week’s topics include-

#1. Patrik Laine has been a non-factor since arriving and right the playoff series against the Washington Capitals.

#2. An Offseason move for the Montreal Canadiens is to trade Patrik Laine to the Vancouver Canucks for their 1st round pick in the 2025 NHL entry draft, and if Montreal can unload  Oliver Kapanen for Vancouvers 2nd round pick, and Gustav Lindstrom for Vancouvers 3 round pick in the 2025 NHL entry draft all the better.

#3. Montreal Goaltender Samual Montembeau, Forwards Laine, Gallagher, Anderson and defensemen David Savard and Alexander Carrier are all injured.

#4. They playoff experience is invaluable for the Montreal Canadiens, but they were clearly out matched and out played.

#5. The Montreal Canadiens clearly showed they have no physical presence on their roster, outside of Arber Xhekaj, and it showed from puck drop of game 1.

#6. The Major offseason move is not to pay a ridiculous excessive price for a 2nd line center or 2nd pairing right-handed defenseman, its to add the next layer of prospects that are ready to supply, and provide Physicality, grit and sandpaper to the line up that desperately need it to take the next step, and Montreal has everyone of those players in their existing prospect pool in Florian Xhekaj, Tyler Thorp, Luke Tuch, Jared Davidson, Owen Protz, Lucas Condotta, and Owen Beck, and additionally Owen Beck plays a gritty 200 foot game with a faceoff win percentage above 70%, which is also a significant need to control games, and keep the puck out of the oppositions offensive hands, all of these players are the physicality, grit, sandpaper and glue, and as equally as important as the top 6 are.

#7. The Montreal Canadiens had no answers for Tom Wilson at 6’ 04 230lbs plus, Protas at 6’ 06 and 247 lbs, Alex Alexeyev at 6’ 04 229 lbs, John Carlson at 6’ 03 223 lbs, Jakob Chychrun at 6’ 02 216 lbs, Brandon Duhaime at 6’ 02 210lbs, Dylan McIirath at 6’ 05 240lbs or Alex Ovechkin at 6’ 03 230lbs.

#8. Even current larger Montreal players such as Patrik Laine, Joel Armia or Kirby Dach have been and remain non-physical factors.

#9.  The Montreal Canadiens no doubt have the talent, skills and ability to score and create offense with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Ivan Demidov, Lane Hutson and Juraj Slafkovsky.

#10. But other than Arber Xhekaj, there is zero physicality, sandpaper or grit in the Montreal  lineup, and it glaringly showed and was the difference in the series against the Washington Capitals without question.

#11. The playoff series against the Washington Capitals showed Juraj Slafkovsky exactly what he needs to focus on and accomplish in the offseason and what he needs to be and the game he needs to bring for the Montreal from the second he hits the ice in training camp. Juraj Slafkovsky needs to evolve into a combination of Alexander Ovechkin, Tom Wilson and Jaromir Jagr.

#12. Learning time is over, fun time is over, I’m not sure of my self-time has ended and being surprised, caught off guard time has concluded and the understanding honey moon has come to a conclusion. It’s time for Juraj Slafkovsky to live up to his draft selection.

#13. The starting 6 defensemen for the Montreal Canadiens in the 2025/2026 season must include David Reinbacher, Logan Mailloux and Adam Engstrom.

#14. David Reinbacher is a very calm, smooth fluid defenseman.

#15. Logan Mailloux is a gifted offensive, very smooth skating righthanded defenseman with a nasty mean streak.

#16. Adam Engstrom is a consistent 2-way defenseman who plays a safe and nearly flawless game.