Montreal Canadiens sit at 9-3, but which players need to elevate their game to sustain this hot start? Arber Xhekaj faces mounting pressure as Jayden Struble emerges as a legitimate enforcer with strong defensive play, threatening Xhekaj's roster spot once Kaiden Guhle returns healthy.
Laura Saba and Ian Boisvert break down the week ahead against Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, and Utah Mammoth, debating goalie deployment strategies for Sam Montembeault and Jakub Dobes. The hosts analyze Martin St. Louis's surprising line changes that moved Brendan Gallagher up to play with Kirby Dach while demoting Joe Veleno, and defend Jake Evans and Josh Anderson's third-line checking role against social media criticism. Key discussions include Nick Suzuki's leadership, Cole Caufield's scoring touch, Lane Hutson's development, and why Struble's fight with Nick Cousins sends the exact message this young Canadiens roster needs.
Discover why the Evans-Anderson line's real value isn't measured in points and what Xhekaj must do to secure his future in Montreal.

0:00 Intro
1:16 Weekly forecast and upcoming games
2:48 Philadelphia Flyers matchup and goalie decision
4:25 Montembeault vs Dobes debate for Flyers
7:20 New Jersey Devils high-scoring matchup
9:00 Utah Mammoth game preview
10:15 Power play key to success
14:06 Gallagher moves to Dach-Bolduc line
16:16 Valeno's role and replacement level play
19:08 New lines impact on offensive production
23:14 Arber Xhekaj needs to be better
25:45 Struble stealing the spotlight from Xhekaj
28:01 Jake Evans and Josh Anderson's defensive role
30:52 Trivia question and closing remarks

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