It’s been a rough start to the season from the NHL scheduling computer for the Montreal Canadiens.
Three games in four nights for the Canadiens, and the toughest test was the end of the back-to-back, a game at the Bell Center and then traveling to Boston to play the heavily favored Bruins.
The Canadiens looked tired as the Bruins dominated them and registered a 6-4 win.
Wild horses
Lynn Hutson. On a night that lit up the club overall, Hutson somehow had an 88 expected goals percentage after two periods. He was one of only two players over the age of 50 with the other being Kayden Guehle. Mike Matheson was at 10 expected goals percentage. It was pretty bad for the housing crew, but somehow Hutson wasn’t exposed like the rest of the team.
Hutson also had two assists to lead the offense. He took the puck to the boards in the right half wall to open up the ice for Guhle to feed Cole Caufield for a goal. Hutson was then the player to win the zone on the power play when Joel Armia fed Brendan Gallagher for the score. Two goals, and in both of them, the leader was the rookie.
The Canadiens added a third goal midway through the final frame. Guhle with a second straight strong game. He notched two assists, throwing the ball back into the net in a way that could impact attackers on the flight path. Josh Anderson with deflection.
Anderson didn’t score a goal until mid-December last year, so this is great news for him. Anderson also had solid kill penalties as his role in the NHL continues to change.
Brendan Gallagher was also strong with two goals on the night. Gallagher finished with the second-best analytics numbers in the competition behind only Hutson.
It was a tough night, but credit to the Canadiens for fighting to the end of the issue. They showed their pride by playing the game until the final whistle.
Wild Goat
It is very easy to communicate with the weak of the night. All you have to do is look at the score line below the word Boston. Montreal had a terrible time on defense. The Bruins’ senior team managed to win all of the puck battles.
Defensive coverage was very poor. The entire team was easily overpowered. It wasn’t like Len Hutson was too young, or Cole Coffield too young. All the supposedly stronger players were unable to contain their checks.
The Bruins in front of the crease were standing strong, looking for deflections and screens all night.
However, here’s the positive: It wasn’t as if the club was as confused with the schemes Boston was doing, or that the passing was too good, or that Montreal was too slow. Boston was simply good, old-fashioned and more committed to a physical battle than Montreal.
Head coach Martin St. Louis’ plan must be to preach the need for blocking, and to preach the need for higher athleticism – a war that must be won. Young players must learn that war is painful, and that they fight every match.
Being overwhelmed by classically beautiful passes or superior skating skills can be concerning, but Montreal was not superior in skill areas. They just didn’t fight.
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This problem can be corrected. If Hutson had been the one without the power, that would have been worrying. He’ll never reach 230 and is six-foot-three, but when the bigs on the blue line excel at their good size and strength, all that’s needed is hungry work.
But the fifth goal was an example of a worrying error. Justin Barron was hit from the outside and shut down by Bruins forward. It was just basic hockey – outside the box. Barron couldn’t pull off that key moment, and it has to be said, it’s worrying.
It also didn’t help that Kayden Primo appeared to be fighting the puck. You can’t really suggest that any of the goals were easy, but he didn’t have the composure you see when a goalkeeper is in the box. His rebound control was a bit poor as well.
What exacerbates the defense problems is that the club does not have a strong man in the confrontation. Confrontations are often exaggerated. Losing a position on a face-off in the neutral zone, or offensive zone, although suboptimal, is not a game changer. However, the Canadiens’ linemen were poor in the defensive zone, and the Bruins benefited from significant pressure from those wins. No Canadian player had more than 50 per cent in the game.
It was especially evident when Montreal had the opportunity to liquidate and was unable to do so with any organization. They were trying to not just throw snow onto the ice, but instead, find an outlet. They were unable to achieve this, which created more pressure on them.
It’s only the second game, but the club needs to spend more time in the attacking zone. They are better than this.
Wild cards
In the first Call of the Wilde, Kirby Dutch has emerged as the club’s workhorse this season. His return to the lineup and his ability to strengthen a weak second line could make a big difference in the Canadiens’ fortunes in 2024-25.
After Dach, the second most significant roster change is found on the blue line in Lane Hutson. That’s a lot to ask of a rookie who only had two NHL games last season. But if Montreal wants to qualify for the playoffs in March, it needs a positive upset.
That surprise is Hutson.
Only the Canadiens and their fans seem to have any hope that Hutson is that guy. Elsewhere in the league, experts are all seeing a young kid with barely any muscle in his bones who was drafted 62nd overall.
But if one just looks at the numbers and doesn’t connect the downside bias associated with volume, Hutson has all the qualifications for an upside surprise.
He set records in both of his seasons at Boston University. He then centered the blue line for the USA World Junior Team to win the gold medal. He led the Americans with 25 minutes of ice time per game. With the USA needing to hold on to the lead late, Hutson was on the ice to protect the lead. It wasn’t just an offensive weapon. He was also a stabilizing force on defense.
The Canadian power play has languished for a decade without a replacement for Andrei Markov. They have never found that unique vision and ability to penetrate lanes since the Russian’s departure at the end of his brilliant career.
Hutson has the ability to disrupt defensive schemes. First unit defenseman Mike Matheson is solid, but cut from the classic mold. He simply shoots from the point and distributes it to the players on the half wall. Hutson leaves defenders in his wake creating bigger odd man situations.
If Hitson can lead the Canadiens out of their decades-long wilderness on the power play, he is also the backbone of the Canadiens’ success. He will eventually be the unit’s first choice.
If the club is to emerge from a 76-point deficit, it doesn’t just need a better situation or a little luck. They need better players. These players are Dutch and Hutson.
If both teams have strong seasons, they will drag the rest up the standings perhaps up to 90 points. In the following years, look for Ivan Demidov and Michael Haj to keep the train running. The first stop on this long journey is at the corner of Dutch and Hutson.
Get on board. Better days ahead.
Montreal-based sports writer Brian Wilde brings you the Call of the Wilde on globalnews.ca after every Canadiens game.
