It would be poetic - kind of like Laine scoring in his first game of the season after returning from injury. I'm not sure the Bell Center roof is sturdy enough to contain the pop that would ensue

But he would be the first rookie to score the winner against the blackhawks to send the habs to the playoffs while playing his first NHL game! #niche

LOL didn't know he was an option!

Not to mention that adding, say, a top 6 forward pushes multiple players out of the roles they're filing already. That can be destabilizing to a team that has found a solid equilibrium right now. Better to make those changes in the offseason, IMO.

After the season, no matter what happens, HuGo will have the information they need to know where to add to this group. But for now, let the guys in the room figure it out, for better or worse. They've earned that opportunity with how they've played already.

As always, a great read Brian! I'm going to challenge your Wilde Cards tho - I don't think #gohabsgo should be buyers. HuGo need to learn if this core is capable of any sort of run. Adding someone new to the mix for a late push dilutes the information a little bit.

And I'm not trying to hate on Dobes - he's earned his recent praise. But plenty of goalies have started hot. He's a young kid and he will inevitably have struggles against NHL competition. There's a lot of games to be played before we really know what kind of NHLer he is.

I'm happy for Dobes and very encouraged by his play, but if he wasn't THIS in Laval I think it's likely not THIS at the NHL level. 4 great games with a lot to love, but I think some moderation of expectations is called for

It doesn't get easier over the next 12 games, though they do have more home games. But they have put themselves in a position where they don't have to get points in 8 or 10 for this portion of the schedule to be a success. #nhl #gohabsgo Truly wild stuff coming out of Montreal

Monty is like the anti-Carey Price. Carey made it look easy. Monty makes it looks hard. But he's getting it done so not much to complain about!

I think it would nourish the culture they are trying to build, which according to Kent Hughes is the most sustainable thing they're building this year.

It's also clear that this is a tight knit group, and I imagine the prospect of being able to try to finish what they started would be highly motivating to these players in a very positive way.

This team has proven that they play better when everyone is in the right spot. Trading one or more of the UFAs would be kneecapping this group when they are just starting to build something exciting.

I want guys like Suzuki, Caufield, Hutson, Guhle - all of the players we hope to be leaders when the team is competitive - to experience that pressure in the best position to succeed. Otherwise, are we really learning something meaningful?

Kent Hughes said this week that being #inthemix means their young core experiencing these pressure-rich situations and the management team learning how they react to it.

If by the trade deadline the team has plausible aspirations to compete for a playoff spot, especially after the start they had this year, I would expect that means the team has continued to play more or less as well as they have been.

He plays like he understands being 6'5 220 gives him a considerable physical advantage over most opponents. Not having seen much of Laine before he came to the #canadiens, I've been surprised and delighted by how effective he is at being physical, along with all the oodles of talent he brings