What To Expect From The Canadiens’ Captain This Season
Nick Suzuki has been and will remain the Montreal Canadiens’ best player this season, and it really wouldn’t be surprising to see him break the 100-point barrier once again.
Video Transcript
Mike, how important do you think this is gonna be for them to actually get going against the Sabres?
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And, and in your opinion, why do you think they’re struggling so much?
I think it’s vital, and we’ve talked about it all year that they didn’t have a second line center, at least a consistent second line center, and they didn’t go out at the deadline and find one.
They’ve been plugging holes with guys like Alex Newhook and now Philip Deneau, who’s more of a defensive center.
And, you know, full marks to them and them beating Tampa Bay, but like I said, I think Buffalo was popping champagne corks when they were playing, and then they found out they were going to play the Canadiens because Tampa Bay is a veteran, experienced Stanley Cup-winning team, and Montreal is a young team with a lot of talent, but they’re a one-line offensive team.
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And it’s, like I said in my article for Hockey News today, that will Marty St. Louis maybe shake up the lines and maybe split up Slavkovsky, Suzuki, and Caulfield, you know, get a second line going because if you go into a series of the one-line offensive attack and they can shut them down, which Buffalo did in game one, it’s going to be tough for them.
Plus, if Jakub Dobish continues to, you know, he had a great series against Tampa Bay, but it was four goals on 16 shots.
If he plays like that, it could be a sweep.
