Montreal Canadiens: Overcoming Slow Start, Max Pacioretty’s Legacy
The most recent Habs Fan Vs Leafs Fan podcast featured discussions about the legacy of Montreal Canadiens captain Max Pacioretty, the Habs overcoming their slow start, this season’s surprises, and more.
Puck Prose is proud to announce that we are now an affiliate of the popular Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal Canadiens podcast Habs Fan Vs. Leafs Fan. Our site expert David Stevenson will be a regular guest on their show and each side will promote the other’s work.
One of the best things about the Habs Fan vs. Leafs fan podcast is the banter between the hosts. Toronto and Montreal have one of the oldest rivalries in all of sports, but you can tell the two fan bases have a lot of respect for each other.
The two hosts of the podcast, Ari Shapiro and Kamal Rehman, embody this rivalry and do so in a very comical, yet respectful way. It’s something Puck Prose is proud to be a part of.
Their most recent episode features talk about both the Canadiens and Maple Leafs, surprise teams, how the Habs are overcoming their slow start, and more. You can find the latest episode here. Stevenson, Winnipeg Jets analyst Jamie Thomas (@JamieThomasTV), and A Winning Habit’s Omar White joined Ari and Kamal as guests on the show.
Max Pacioretty’s Legacy and Leafs vs. Canadiens Banter (0:00)
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The show opens with a spot-on parody of a movie trailer about Habs captain Max Pacioretty. It’s hilarious, but a lot of what was said is true. Pacioretty faces a ton of unwarranted criticism in Montreal.
Ask any Canadiens fan what the team’s biggest problem is, and goal scoring would be mentioned pretty quickly. So why does a proven, consistent goal scorer like Pacioretty get so much heat in Montreal? It’s sad to see.
The Leafs have been playing well with Auston Matthews. Also, they seem to have turned the tables on the Boston Bruins.
The Guests (13:55)
Thomas is one of the best analysts in the business. The only reason he doesn’t get more recognition is he does Jets broadcasts. Hopefully, as Winnipeg continues to get more coverage, Thomas’ talents will be more broadly recognized. He discusses the Jets’ playoff chances and how great Connor Hellebuyck has been for them.
Stevenson joins the show. He proved his humility by immediately comparing himself to George Harrison. Stevenson talked about the surprise teams, most notably the New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers. The St. Louis Blues have been another huge surprise, especially given their injuries.
After a slow start, Stevenson is starting to buy what the Canadiens are selling. Their process on the ice is looking good and now they’re getting results. Kudos to them for sticking to their guns even when they couldn’t buy a goal earlier this season. However, to do anything in the postseason, the Canadiens will need Carey Price or someone else to get hot in net.
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Omar White has a unique perspective on the Leafs and Canadiens, as he writes about both teams. He talks about Toronto’s huge sweep of a weekend back to back against the Bruins. White notes that Mitch Marner’s starting to heat up again, and it couldn’t be happening at a better time for the Leafs.
Be sure to check out Habs Fan vs. Leafs Fan. The podcast is extremely creative, funny, and knowledgeable.