2026-08-12-lockedoncanadiens-shifting-power-in-thtxt
Episode Description
Montreal Canadiens enter the new season with high expectations as Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield anchor a youthful, dynamic core. Can Montreal claim the top spot in the Atlantic Division, or will the aging Tampa Bay Lightningbolstered by veteran additions like John Carlsonmaintain their edge? Questions loom about whether the Canadiens quieter offseason and the departure of locker room leader Brendan Gallagher leave enough leadership to fuel another deep playoff push, while Tampa navigates risky roster changes and the challenge of balancing experience with an aging blue line. Laura Saba and Greg Stephen review the Canadiens goalie tandem involving Jakub Dobes and Jacob Fowler, assess Kirby Dachs new deal, and debate the long-term outlook for both teams. Key topics include Montreals evolving defensive strategy, Tampa Bays search for stability, and sleeper threats in the Atlantic like Buffalo, Ottawa, and the ever-formidable Florida Panthers. Who emerges as the Easts true contender? 00:00 Delayed episode release explanation 06:10 Offseason grades and Brendan Gallagher trade 07:05 Leadership Changes and Goalie Situation 11:06 Evaluating goalie prospects' potential 16:32 Predicting Tampa Bay's Playoff Chances 19:31 Assessing Ivan Demidov's future potential 22:48 Team's future competitiveness analysis 26:08 Defensive lineup and player roles 27:30 Potential future Canadiens roster changes 32:11 Discussing Tkachuk's Ottawa departure impact 36:35 Buffalo Sabres' playoff outlook 37:25 Larkin and team locker room issues 40:49 Predicting the Atlantic Division playoffs 44:23 Thanking listeners and social media plugs Photo credit: Morgan Tencza - Imagn Images Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms https://link.chtbl.com/LOCanadiens?sid=YouTube Locked On NHL League-Wide: Every Team, Fantasy, Prospects & More https://linktr.ee/LockedOnNHL Find Locked On Canadiens anywhere:https://lintr.ee/LockedOnCanadiens Also make sure to follow Locked on Canadiens and their hosts on Bluesky! Locked on Canadiens: https://bsky.app/profile/lockedoncanadiens.bsky.social Find Ian on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/maybeitsian.bsky.social Find Laura on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/theactivestick.bsky.social #NHLHockey #MontrealCanadiens #Habs #nhl #nationalhockeyleague #canadiensmtl #canadiens Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And thats why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. FanDuel Today's episode is brought to you by FanDuel. Join all the action at https://FANDUEL.COM to play Daily Dingers and make your free pick on whos hitting a homer this MLB season. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.