Grant McCagg Profile
Grant McCagg

@grantmccagg

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Senior editor of @sickpodnews covering the Canadiens and NHL draft. . Former NHL scout, and author of Valley Snapshots.

Canada
Joined January 2011
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Bold 2022 NHL draft predictions: 1/ Wright will not go top two. 2/ Ostlund goes much higher than expected.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
5 years
@mcfatback99 @samlymatters My mom used to smell burning rubber. We never did find ot who was squealing tires in the basement.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Imagine starting your NHL career as a rookie defenceman, and in three of your first four games, being tasked with keeping Matthews, Crosby and Ovechkin in check, and holding the trio to one measly assist while picking up two yourself. Welcome to the NHL, Kaiden Guhle.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
NHL centers' playoff goals before age 21: Kotkaniemi - 7 (and counting) McDavid - 5 Matthews - 5 Yzerman - 5 Messier - 3 Beliveau - 0 Mario - 0 Dionne - 0 Espo - 0 Sakic - 0 Malkin - 0 Francis - 0 Sundin - 0
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
5 years
@BreitbartNation @TomFitton @RudyGiuliani @realDonaldTrump I hear ya....they never even investigated Benghazi. So unfair!!
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
It cheapens a Canadian NHL playoff broadcast so much to dedicate several minutes to a "betting expert" at the end of the intermission. I change the channel instantly.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
6 months
The whole BU team showed up for Hutson's first game at the Bell Centre. Pretty neat.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
@simmonssteve Thankfully...none of your questions or comments are ever translated into French. I envy the Quebecois in that regard.😉
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
It looks like the Habs are going to end this season with the 2nd-best hockey team in the world, 2nd-best goalie in the world, the best 21-year-old center on the planet today, two of the best 20-year-olds in the NHL and 8 picks in the first 4 rounds of the 2021 draft. Not bad.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
BREAKING - 6-3, 210 pound NHLer courageously proclaims he's willing to fight 5-11, 185 pound NHLer with one career fight because concussing him with a cheap shot last playoff wasn't sufficient.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
5 months
In his 15-year NHL career, John Tavares has won two playoff series. He has been paid $51M for every series win. Sleep well, Li'l Johnny. Sleep well.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
10 months
Here was the hit on 17-year-old, 152-pound defenceman Adam Jiricek in the Czechia Extraliga by 27-year-old, 201-pound Jan Scotka yesterday. Exhibit A for why you shouldn't rush kids into men's leagues. This wasn't easy to watch.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
6 months
Slaf picked up Hutson and drove him to the game. Lane repays him by setting him up for his 20th....giving him a 250k bonus. The circle of hockey life.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
None of the last six Cup winners had a 100-point scorer. VGK's top scorer this season had 66 points. MTL isn't trying to win an Art Ross Trophy...they want to win Cups. Maybe Michkov becomes a 100-pt scorer. Maybe Reinbacher helps MTL win Cups. Who knows? We will see.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
10 months
Slafkovsky played 19:44 tonight the most of his young career, including a shift in the last 2 mins, two in OT, and a chance in the shootout. He showed off those soft mitts but hit the post. Four pts in his last five games... he's coming on.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
4 years
CAN - $8000 in relief money over 4 months US - One $1200 payment CAN - free health care for infected US - $40-$60,000 in health care costs for uninsured CAN - Premiers & PM cooperating/leading US - Trump partisan divisive shitshow Glad I'm Canadian.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
11 days
Find a roster spot for Kapanen, please.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
You bench the third overall pick for the two most important games of his young life. You penny pinch with him all summer on a new contract. You say nothing reassuring in a PC when asked if he'll be the 2nd-line center. Can you blame KK for signing the offer sheet? I don't.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
10 months
This particular shift from Juraj Slafkovsky stood out last night. Once again, he came back hard on the backcheck and then drew the penalty on the rush, which led to the Monahan game-winner on the power play. His size/speed combo is formidable.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
11 months
Shane Pinto suspended for participating in an activity the NHL has shoved down our throats for the past two years.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
4 years
Congratulations to Nick Suzuki. The first Montreal Canadiens center to EVER make the NHL All Rookie Team. It only took 37 years. 🙂
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
An NHL scout had a good response when I mentioned to him that according to polls, 75 percent of Habs fans think the Habs should let KK go. He said: "It's the same 75% who will complain about having no 2nd-line center." I cannot disagree.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
I met Logan Mailloux last night. He was pumped about the Slafkovsky pick. He was very polite and pleasant. He is looking forward to development camp. His first chance to train with the Habs.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
People who complain that the coverage of Guy Lafleur's passing has been over the top have simply never had a true hockey hero. The sadness that so many of us have felt is very real and genuine. We need this, and Guy earned every bit of it. RIP Guy.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
4 years
Montreal gets stuck with the worst NHL schedule to start the season by far? No problem. Pick up ten out of a possible 12 points, no regulation losses, and score 29 goals in six games. The next highest-scoring team in the entire league has 19. No, this is not a dream.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 months
Bobrov told me last year that Demidov was "the real one". He loves the kid. No surprise whatsoever that the Habs took him.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
The Habs have been outscored 11-2 in games where Arber Xhekaj has been a healthy scratch. Perhaps Arber Xhekaj shouldn't be a healthy scratch.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Petry was not better than Matheson last season (he was worse). MM is six years younger and almost $1.5M AAV cheaper. Matheson played 23+ per night vs. the Rangers in the playoffs and had 6 points, tied with Malkin for 4th best on Pens. Not sure why folks are bitching.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
20 days
This Hutson kid any good?
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Kirby Dach is on pace for 54 points. His career high is 26. He is 21 years old, and the best is yet to come. Why do I get the feeling that Chicago is going to regret that hasty decision?
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
5 years
@jeffmason1 Rake the riverbeds and ocean floors like they do in Norway. Stir up water pressure.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Kirby Dach has loads of potential and size at at center. Habs dealt from a position of strength. Love the deal.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
9 months
Slaf has been Montreal's best defensive forward the last 20 games. But Sportsnet analysts find two minor defensive plays to focus on and say he's got to work on his defensive game based on those two plays. Someday, Sportsnet may get an analyst who actually watches them regularly.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
Trading Ryan Poehling, Rem Pitlick and Mike Hoffman for Matheson, Legare, Desmith, a 2023 fourth and a 2025 second-round pick seems like fairly good asset management.😉
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
A coach that tries to win in OT instead of not lose. A refreshing change in Montreal
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 months
Here is what I heard from one very tied-in NHL source today concerning how the top six picks may go. Chicago - "Levshunov locked in" Anaheim - "Silayev from everything I'm hearing " Columbus - "Scouts think Lindstrom is going 4th" MTL - "Everyone thinks MTL is taking Demidov
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Does this team have swag or what? From the rookies to the captain. Something special is developing in Montreal, perhaps even a lot sooner than everyone expected.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
10 months
The Slaf we've seen in the past ten games is the one I saw in Liiga post Olympics...physically dominating men at 17 years of age. He didn't get a ton of points but his combo of size, speed, skill and strength was evident..and highly tantalizing. We're seeing why MTL took him #1 .
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Toews saying how unfair it is that Bowman would "lose his livelihood" infuriates me. And how he made it a great place to play hockey. Was it great for Beach? Bowman got to keep his job for 11 years after the incident and make another $20M..and Toews is worried about livelihood.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Jonathan Toews better not be wearing a letter on his sweater at the Olympics. Unacceptable. I wouldn't invite him at all, but we all know that's not how the NHL works.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Suzuki is on pace for 54 goals and 101 points. He is tied for 4th in both goals and points among all NHL centers, and is at least two years younger than all of those ahead of him. He is Montreal's top penalty-killer as well. But he's not an elite #1 center? I strongly disagree.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
It took Stutzle about 18 months to find his footing. Sens fans were patient as they saw flashes. Habs fans with Slafkovsky? Seems like about half of them are writing him off 2 weeks into his first camp. For a fan base lauded for its intelligence, sometimes you really wonder..😄
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
This shift from Slafkovsky was his best so far as a rookie. He also threw in a between-the-legs pass that demonstrates his new-found confidence. It was shifts like this I saw last year that made him the clear-cut #1 for me.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Carey Price defeats Vasilevkiy for the first time in a dozen games. The monkey is off of his back. Terrific effort from him. He and the Habs didn't deserve to be swept in the finals after their playoff.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Simpson criticizes Caufield's shooting a minute before he threads the needle. The reason why so many of his shots are "high and wide" is because he doesn't shoot pucks into the goalie's chest...he's going for an open spot. Sometimes he misses...often he doesn't.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
Leafs' captain Tavares is 21-33 lifetime in the playoffs with two series wins in 14 seasons. Two more years at $11M and he turns 33 before next season. His decision to not even talk to Montreal as a UFA turned out to be a blessing for les Canadiens.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 months
Hage is a great skater. Very skilled. Good size. I ranked him 18th overall. A great pick at 21 for Montreal.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
6 days
Great officiating boys. What is Pare doing playing in an exhibition game this late into preseason? And no penalty for the blatant knee? Leafs and league are a farce.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
First 44 NHL games: Caufield - 9g 8a Shutt - 8g 8a Pacioretty - 4g 9a Cole will be fine.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
I don't understand folks being shocked that Carey Price is pro gun. A rodeo and country music-loving westerner with an outspoken, anti-masking American wife. I'd have been shocked if he was the opposite.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
The only 18-year-old I can recall with comparable strength/puck-protection skills to Slafkovsky was Lindros. Even Jagr wasn't this physically dominant until his 20s. Slaf is going to be the ideal linemate for CC and Suzuki IMO when he's ready.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
Reaves said today that Xhekaj "knows where to find me", but he didn't appear to be too anxious to "find" Arber when he left the penalty box, as noted by @TonyMarinaro in our conversations on @thesickpodcasts on Wednesday night.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
8 months
Last 22 games:
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
6 years
Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, Simon Bourque and a fifth round pick for Armia, Domi, Reilly, Suzuki, Tatar, a second, fourth, seventh and Mason. It may be time to start giving Bergevin some props.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
10 months
No points for Slaf tonight but all over the scoresheet. Two shots, two blocked shots, a hit, his first NHL fight, his first shootout goal and game winner.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
7 months
Reinbacher covers a lot of ice. Players aren't getting around him at this level to the outside. Very mobile and rangy, uses his stick well. Dishes the puck smartly on the rush. Very solid first period of AHL hockey. NHL scout I'm beside said "He didn't look out of place." Agreed
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
10 months
Those who have questioned Slaf's skill level got a big dose of it on that goal. His hands and feet are plenty silky.
@CanadiensMTL
Canadiens Montréal
10 months
🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️🤷🏻‍♂️ #GoHabsGo
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
6 days
Reinbacher AND Laine knee blowouts four minutes into a preseason game? You've got to be f'ng kidding me. This team is cursed.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
If Suzuki keeps this up he's going to crack 70 points by season's end. He has ten points in his last five...21 points in his last 19. It's been a long time waiting for a legitimate first-line center in MTL - He has arriveth.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Imagine retiring from hockey for almost four years in your mid 30's, coming back to the NHL, and at the age of 38 being on pace for 70 points over 82 games? It gives you an idea of the innate talent of Guy Damien Lafleur. My most formative hockey hero by a country mile.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
10 months
Pierre Luc Dubois is averaging 1.56 points per 60. Gabe Vilardi is averaging 3.66 points per 60. Alex Iafallo is averaging 1.75 points per 60. The Jets also have LA's 2024 second-round pick. Best trade the Canadiens never made.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
How does Slafkovsky's start to his career stack up against other 18-year-old first-overall picks in their rookie seasons? Pretty, pretty good.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Slafkofky is second on the Habs behind Caufield (and top 40 in the NHL) in goals per 60 minutes (1.8), yet he is consistently last on the team in ice time. Suzuki and CC are the only players with more goals. It is time to move him up in the lineup.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
6 months
Reaves tough for the first time this season versus the Habs conveniently in the game that Xhekaj misses. Has been.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Where four Habs players rank this season in NHL scoring among all players in their draft classes: 2022: Slafkovsky 1st 2019: Caufield 1st Dach 3rd 2017: Suzuki 2nd I would suggest this bodes well for the future.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
I hate to bring up Ducharme but he'd have had Savard, Lagesson and Wideman in the lineup and on the ice in OT. MSL? Harris, Barron and Schueneman. I love it.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
6 months
Kucherov slams Guhle head first into the glass. No penalty. Cirelli spears Struble - no penalty. Struble wrestles with Cirelli though...power play...and a goal. Horseshit officiating.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Nick Suzuki had some games in junior that were among the most dominant I've ever seen at that level. Last night's contest reminded me of some of those games. A lot of folks were suggesting a month ago that he's not going to be a #1 center. He already is.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Matheson has 21 points in his last 23 games. One of the best skating defencemen in the league, and just keeps getting wiser with the puck as he's matured. A lot of defencemen's best years are 28-34...Mike looks like one of them. Terrific acquisition.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
5 months
Steven Stamkos's career in Tampa Bay may be coming to a close. Given his close ties with Lecavalier and St. Louis, I keep picturing him on a line with Dach, and a PP with Hutson, Slaf, Suzuki and Caufield.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
7 months
@Talon_Jenkins94 Twenty-four-year-old Suzuki has more NHL playoff series wins than Matthews, Marner, Nylander and their 79 years on this planet combined. I think Habs fans are feeling just fine.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
In 9.5 years of work...Bergevin never traded for/signed a defenceman that could walk the line like THIS. Barron is definitely not a dman in his image:
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
11 months
Alexis Lafreniere is on pace for 41 goals in his fourth NHL season. Exhibit A for why you wait a minimum of five years before trotting out the "Bust" tag. Not convinced? Please examine Exhibit B (Kotkaniemi).
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
9 months
If the Slovaks had Slafkovsky and Nemec in the lineup...they may have been unstoppable. Right now is the golden age of Slovakian hockey - the U20 class is superb. My WJC darkhorses.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
7 months
Nice to see Suzuki on an 80-point pace 60 games into a season. Hopefully the "Can he be a legit #1C ?" discussions are a thing of the past. Wears the C, kills penalties, plays 20+ a night, scores 80 or so points? That's a #1C , and a damn fine one at that.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
Favourite Habs moment last season? No contest for me.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
It looks like Drouin and Dadonov will sit out opening night. Among the many concepts Marty St. Louis has brought to the organization, the concept that the players who performed best in camp get to play is the best one, and a refreshing change.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
8 months
Slafkovsky is the first teenager in club history to play a regular role on Montreal's first line. Not Boom Boom. Not Richer or John Quilty. Not Henri Richard, Tremblay, Latendresse, Mark Hunter, KK, Wickenheiser or Galchenyuk. Not Beliveau, Flower, Rocket, or Morenz. Slaf.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Okay Bergevin...your experiment to see if a team with six non-puck-moving 6-3 defencemen could average a goal every two playoff games has a proven conclusion. Can you try a different experiment next season? Signed - Habs fans.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
Dach, Reinbacher and Slafkovsky have mega potential. You see it. Two top-three picks...three top-five picks, all under the age of 23. The Habs haven't had that "pedigree" since Tardif, Lafleur, and Shutt. Add in 4 top-16 picks under 24 in CC, Suzi, Newhook, Guhle...bright future.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 months
Tampa will start the season with a 30-year-old Jake Guentzel and 36-year-old Ryan McDonagh instead of 34-year-old Steven Stamkos and 26-year-old Mikhail Sergachev. Stamkos is still scoring 80+ per season. Progress?
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
Sean Monahan signs with the team that had faith in him for $4.4M less than he was making even though he's still in his 20s and played very well (when healthy) last season. I love Sean Monahan. Class personified.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
A comment from an NHL scout on Logan Mailloux. "He looks like a young Brent Burns". I like that comp.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
If Habs GMs listened to the majority of fans for decisions, the core roster today would be Zadina, Jost. Wright, PLD, Palmieri, Duchene, Galchenyuk, the ghost of Subban, Gostibehere and Halak.😉
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
No cap room. No first round pick. No top 25 picks in the entire system. No goalie (perhaps). All but two core players at least 30 next season. And no playoff berth. Vegas gambled....and lost.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Why is Drouin still not around the team in any capacity? I am really concerned about him. I really hope all is well with him.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
5 months
The key to a successful NHL playoff team isn't to surround your stars with grit. It is to have stars who play with grit.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
What I would ask Habs fans now is to not "turn" on Wright because he was clearly upset about not going first overall. He had been told for 4 years that he was the cream of the 2004 crop, and he's a teenager who just felt extreme disappointment. I wish all of them the best.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
5 months
Slaf is a beast. Not sure that I've seen a 20-year-old with his combination of skill and physicality at the international level since Lindros. Lots of manhandling going on.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Bedard not Canada's Player of the Game? He had 11 shots on goal and was the best player on the ice by a fair margin.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
1 year
U-24 fwds going into draft: CC Suzuki Dach Slaf Newhook RHP Mesar Heineman Roy Beck Kapanen Farrell Ylonen Tuch Pitlick U24 RDs Mailloux Barron Trudeau I did not understand the hue and cry about MTL needing a scoring forward over a RD with the top pick.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Nick Suzuki has been in on 43.7% of his team's goals. McDavid has been in on 46% of Edmonton's goals. He is tied for 16th overall in league scoring. All but one of the top 15 scorers is older than Suzuki. Yeah..maybe he is a number one center after all.😉
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
John Tavares signed a seven-year, $77M contract four summers ago. He has averaged $8.5M per playoff point so far. Seems pricey.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
So the NHL is telling the world that the Arizona Coyotes would have been penalized far less if they had molested prospects instead of just testing them. The NHL is broken.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
For Habs fans who are stressing out over the possibility of losing Chiarot or Edmundson in the expansion draft...I have two words of comfort: Kaiden Guhle.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
It's beginning to feel like selecting Cole Caufield at 15th overall was good drafting.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
11 months
Slafkovsky's relative expected goals % is 83rd in the NHL. His CORSI is above 50%. He is 65th overall in hits, and he has had only two defensive zone giveaways. Not only is he not hurting his team, he is one of the most effective forwards on the Habs. Great to see him adjusting.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
8 months
The top 50 picks from the 2022 NHL draft have combined for 28 career NHL goals. Slaf has half of them.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
2 years
Dubois's career ppg ave. at 23 was 0.64, w/ 7 playoff goals, 2 series wins in 33g/5 seasons Suzuki's ppg average is 0.68, w/ 11 playoff goals, 4 series wins in 32g/3 seasons Trade requests - PLD 2 Suzi 0. Suzi long-term contract, PLD UFA in two years. PLD for Suzuki? Pass.
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
3 years
Did Perry....like...steal Lee's girl in high school or something?
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@grantmccagg
Grant McCagg
6 months
Slaf was in beast mode along the boards from the second period onward last night. I'm not certain that there has been a prospect since Jagr that has better puck-protection skills, and I alluded to that in his draft year. Wait until he is 23.
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