Eyes On The Prize: A Montreal Canadiens podcast

For fans of the Montreal Canadiens.

Habsent Minded 8.29: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 4, Juraj Slafkovský with Matej Deraj of McKeens Hockey.

Timestamps: 01:15 - Falling from 1 to 4, is this a surprise? 03:45 - Is size the big problem, is he being stereotyped? 05:00 - Did the breakthrough happen too fast, and how much runway is left? 06:30 - Media Blackout in Slovakia, what really happened? 10:30 - Peter Sagan comparison. --- Commercial Break --- 11:30 - The role for Slafkovský in the upcoming Olympic Games? 14:45 - Filip Mešár in the Olympics? 17:00 - Was Slafkovský a surprise pick, from a Slovak scouts point of view? 18:45 - His shot in the draft year, but we haven't seen it as much in NHL? 20:30 - Parting thoughts on Slafkovský, Mešár and prospects from Slovakia.

09-09
25:11

Habsent Minded 8.28: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 5, Kaiden Guhle with Arpon Basu of the Athletic.

Top 25 Under 25 – Number 5, Kaiden Guhle with Arpon Basu of the Athletic.

09-08
31:05

Habsent Minded 8.27: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 6, David Reinbacher with Laval Rockets defensive coach Daniel Jacob

Timestamps: 01:30 - Adam Engström credits Daniel Jacob for his season. 02:45 - Visual teaching, video. 04:00 - One-on-One time creates Trust. 07:15 - Managing Reinbacher after the injury. 09:00 - Freak Injuries. 11:15 - Jacob is a Lapidary, Rönnberg a Gardener. --- Commercial Break --- 13:00 - The ice difference; defining physicality. 16:00 - The different journeys for Engström and Reinbacher. 18:00 - Expectations on the Rocket and the defensive corps. 20:00 - Hybrid Defence. 23:45 - Reinbacher's Homework for the Summer.

09-05
29:37

Habsent Minded 8.26: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 7, Jacob Fowler with Dylan Waugh formerly of Eyes on the Prize.

Timestamps: 01:45 - Is Fowler the next Hasek or Price? Maybe the next Montembeault. 04:15 - The foundation of Fowler. (This is technical, but fantastic) 08:45 - The Physique and Build Up. 10:00 - Looking causal at times, but it really is in the right position. 14:00 - Balance, nitpicking. --- Commercial Break --- 16:30 - Video training; "net out vs. ice in." 23:15 - Expectations on a first AHL season.

09-04
32:07

Habsent Minded 8.25: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 8, Zachary Bolduc with Jeff Ponder of Lets Go Blues Radio.

Follow Jeff Ponder HERE  Follow Lets Go Blues Radio HERE For the Mailloux episode - click here Timestamps: 01:00 - Worst cold open ever! 02:45 - Winning the trade and NHL ready. 05:00 - Hutson's and Snuggerud's success pushed the Mailloux-Bolduc trade. 06:15 - Unlocking Bulduc. --- Commercial Break --- 11:30 - a 30 goals scorer? 12:30 - a centre or winger? 14:30 - What does Bolduc needs to flourish? 16:15 - Blues power play didn't work, can he make it onto Montreal's? 18:30 - Realistic expectations for next season? 20:00 - Penalty Kill?

09-03
25:14

Habsent Minded 8.24: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 9, Michael Hage with Mackenzie Mielke of Michigan Daily Sports

Timestamps: 02:30 - Michael Hage a first person view? 04:15 - Coping with College life and being a first round pick. 05:30 - First year and development, and Montreal draft pick? 08:15 - His defensive game? 09:30 - Expectations on Hage and Michigan this year? --- Commercial Break --- 11:45:- WJC, how will it impact his game for Michigan? 13:45 - Ice training in the off-season? 15:00 - Michigan as a challenger this year? 16:45 - Second line centre in Montreal? 17:45 - How many years before he is in Montreal / Laval?

09-02
21:59

Habsent Minded 8.23: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 10, Kirby Dach with Will Shoukri of Eyes on the Prize

Timestamps: 01:15 - The problem isn't skill, drive etc. - It's health. 02:15 - RFA at the end of the season?! 05:00 - Eighty Effective Games. 07:00 - The Fall (season) with Laine and Dach. 08:30 - A Poor Face-Off player, that's his bigest weakness. 40%!!! --- Commercial Break --- 11:15 - Could a move to the wing help rescue Dach? 13:00 - Hand-Eye coordination vs Reaction time. 15:15 - "Habs want to keep Dach" - Will Shoukri. 18:30 - The voting by the pannel. 20:15 - Was he healthy?

09-01
27:29

Habsent Minded: Top 25 Under 25 EXTRA - Arber Xhekaj with Jason Paul from WaveIntel.

Timestamps: 02:00 - No Penalty Kill, and that's a disappointment. 03:00 - Little ice time, and rumours. 05:45 - Arber needs to be smarter, especially with a reputation. 07:45 - One Xhekaj, the other Xhekaj or both Xhekajs? 11:15 - When you compete you don't want development in the line-up. --- Commercial Break --- 14:00 - The Numbers! Luck or Skill? 16:45 - Who do you pair him with in the upcoming season. 18:45 - The Savard - Xhekaj pairing last year? 21:00 - Expectations this season? 23:00 - The Battle with Struble. 24:00 - Matheson going or staying?

08-30
29:20

Habsent Minded 8.22: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 11, Alex Newhook, with Kay Imam of GameOver - Montreal.

Timestamps: 02:30 - Falling stat wise and falling in the rankings. 04:30 - Centre or wing, going forward? 06:30 - The need for speed. 07:30 - Penalty Kill? 10:00 - Smurfs! --- Commercial Break --- 15:15 - Expectations for the upcoming season? 17:45 - Montreal is like Barcelona and Bilbao. 19:30 - He IS a penalty killer and that is the FACT! 21:00 - Who works with Newhook and where.

08-29
29:44

Habsent Minded 8.21: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 12, Arber Xhekaj w. Matt Drake

Timestamps: 01:00 - Two steps up, still not as far as expected. Washington Series or Regular Season? 03:15 - The need for Xhekajs? 04:45 - DIdn't impact the Washington Series enough. 06:00 - Good numbers with Hutson and Struble. 07:00 - Need to take hold of the roster spot. 09:00 - Minor penalties needs to be less. 10:30 - Decision making has become better.  

08-28
16:54

Habsent Minded 8.20: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 13, Oliver Kapanen with Patrik Bexell as a guest.

Timestamps: 01:00 - Patrik hates European Forwards. 04:45 - Kapanen's versatility makes him an NHL candidate this year. 06:45 - The improvement and trend of the last 18 months. 08:00 - PPG in SHL. 10:30 - How much runway is left, probably more than expected. 13:00 - --- Commercial Break --- 14:15 - Oliver Kapanen in AHL, playoffs and this upcoming season. 16:00 - Oliver Kapanen - Lars Eller copy. 17:15 - If Dach isn't ready, Kapanen will be in NHL. 19:15 - Nepo-baby, no more. 23:30 - Strong in the face-offs. 25:00 - Centre or Wing?  

08-27
29:39

Habsent Minded 8.19: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 14, Alexander Zharovsky w. David St.Louis of EliteProspects

01:00 - Priority pick for Montreal. 03:00 - Longer development path than other in same range. 04:30 - Upside is high, floor is low. 06:00 - Russians avoiding AHL, potential development path. 07:45 - Importance of KHL Finals games. 09:45 - KHL East vs KHL West. --- Commercial Break --- 13:15 - Skating, not technically sound or body not strong enough (yet)? 16:00 - Decision making needs to improve, but it will happen naturally. 18:30 - Expectations? A good season? 21:00 - Olympic Ice, Hybrid Ice or NHL ice? 23:00 - English?

08-26
27:37

Habsent Minded 8.18: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 15, Owen Beck with Scott Matla of Eyes on the Prize

Timestamps: 01:00 - Owen Beck dropping! 07:45 - What stood out in Beck's game with Laval? 10:30 - 'German Sedan vs Italian Sports Car' --- Commercial Break --- 13:00 - Hockey IQ 15:00 - The Dark Hole Line, Beck - Kapanen and whom else? 17:00 - Starting this season with Laval? 19:30 - Expectations on the Rocket this year?

08-25
27:43

Habsent Minded 8.17: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 16, Adam Engström with Rögle Assistant coach Max Bohlin.

Timestamps: 01:00 - Impressions of meeting Adam after a year in AHL. 02:30 - What does an AHL player bring to the SHL pre-season? 03:45 - Can you develop skating further as a pro? 05:30 - Daniel Jacobs and Max Bohlin using video, how much development is done that way? 06:00 - Working with players long term. 08:00 - Getting something back from Adam Engström? --- Commercial Break --- 10:00 - What does Rob Ramage and the development want in Engström's development? 10:45 - Gap control, and how to practice it? 12:30 - Growing that leadership? 14:15 - Mailloux, Hutson, Struble, Reinbacher and Engström in the same camp!

08-22
18:23

Habsent Minded 8.16: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 17, Jayden Struble w. Jared Book

Timestamps: 01:00 - Defend yourself, Jared! 02:00 - A player with something to prove. 04:30 - Tough big guys, Struble is one of them. 06:30 - Struble is gone if he hits waivers. 09:00 - Interesting camp coming up! 11:00 - Versatility is key. --- Commercial Break --- (12:27:00) 13:15 - NHLers, Struble is one. 15:00 - Trade veterans to move players up? 16:30 - Can Struble improve his game to play higher up in the line up? 18:00 - Four year development, what made that successful?

08-21
24:01

Habsent Minded 8.15: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 18, Jakub Dobeš w. Matt Drake of Bottom Six Minutes.

Timestamps: 01:15 - Jakub Dobeš rise six spots compared to 2024 03:00 - Development in NHL as a back-up? 04:45 - How important is it to develop your own back-up goalie? 07:00 - Dobeš in the Olympics? 08:30 - Dobeš development from fifth round pick. 11:00 - Better team, more games for Dobeš? --- Commercial Break --- (00:13:40) 14:00 - Bad games, Dobeš back to the AHL? 16:30 - Technically not sound, can that be improved? 18:00 - Can he become a 1B goalie?

08-20
23:40

Habsent Minded 8.14: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 19, Florian Xhekaj w. Sebastian High from EliteProspects.

Timestamps: 01:00 - Bogdan Konyushkov in 30 seconds (as that was Sebastian's entry last year). 02:00 - Florian's ranking. 03:00 - 5-on-5 scoring! 04:15 - What impressed the most this year? 06:30 - Xhekaj's rise in the rankings and prospect pool. 10:00 - Skating as a weakness and the impact at NHL? --- Commercial Break --- 13:15 - Mental game and improving consistency. 15:30 - Nepo-pick no-more. 18:45 - Can one Xhekaj make the other Xhekaj redundant?

08-19
28:08

Habsent Minded 8.13: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 20, Joshua Roy w. Matt Drake

01:00 - What happened last year? 03:30 - To harsh of a vote? Consistency? 05:45 - Crossroads 06:45 - Top six? WJC - does it show anything for his NHL future? 09:00 - This year is important, can he be on a competing team? Trade? 11:30 - Expectations for the season? --- Commercial Break ---  13:20 13:30 - Weaknesses; consistency and skating. 17:30 - an 11 spot fall. 22:15 - Rohrer, Kapanen and Roy fighting for the last spot. 23:30 - Roy's summer training.

08-18
27:34

Habsent Minded 8.12: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 21, LJ Mooney w. Linc Zdancewicz from McKeens Hockey.

Linc Zdancewicz from McKeens Hockey joins the podcast. 02:00 - Skills that stands out? 03:00 - Disappointing USNTDP class. 05:00 - Can there be too many small players, can he make it? Can he grow into it? 07:00 - The size of NCAA, three or four years? 08:30 - Mooney will be a professional hockey player, but where? --- Commercial Break --- 11:00 - Expectations for Mooney's rookie season in the NCAA? 14:00 - Alexander Zetterberg comparison. 15:45 - Not looking at points, TOI; what should we look at to evaluate next season? 18:15 - Hero puck? 20:30 - Some small similarities with Lane Hutson and Ivan Demidov. 21:30 - Patience is key.   

08-15
31:04

Habsent Minded 8.11: Top 25 Under 25 – Number 22, Hayden Paupanekis w. Jérôme Bérubé of HockeyProspects.com

Number 22, Hayden Paupanekis w. Jérôme Bérubé of HockeyProspects.com 03:15 - Consistency is key. 07:00 - Learning to play with his size. 08:00 - Being a BIG guy among juniors? 08:45 - the 19 year old season. --- Commercial Break --- 11:00- Expectations for the upcoming season. 12:30 - Where to improve? 16:45 - Projection to NHL? 19:00 - Raw, Consistency and Patience.

08-14
25:55

Ross

how does ov and Laine do that . put two people on him leave a 10 goal scorer open?

03-16 Reply

Ross

she got you one that she can't hear

03-16 Reply

Ross

tony

01-17 Reply

Ross

our goalie.

01-17 Reply

Ross

he's 100% Tony

01-17 Reply

01-17

01-17

01-11

01-05

12-24

12-14

12-14

12-14

07-11

Recommend Channels