Gomez's New Gig

When you pay a guy league minimum, you can get creative with the ways in which he can find use for your team. (Thanks for the tip Ian Vitro)

The Last Remnant of the Gomez Trade

OK, so we don't need to shed another tear for Scott Gomez, the league and players' association that were stubborn and stupid enough to squander a whole half season, have grasped their rush of common sense to make a very common sense fix to the Gomez problem (and for others like him: Redden).

Instead of having to sit for this season, they have made a scheme whereby a player can be bought out now and released from all the clauses that tie the buyout to health, etc. For the team and the salary cap, the effects are the same. The sole purpose of this new move is to be kinder to players like Gomez.

What To Make of Gomez

My first reaction to the news of Gomez's early morning meeting with the principal was one of slight disgust.

Told to stay home? This was not the way to treat a player under contract. This was not the team that we tout as being class of all known teams.

The Buyout Two:The Case of Scott Gomez

Yesterday's big hoopla from the NHL-NHLPA marathon stare down was the suggestion that each team in the league will now be permitted to buy out two contracts with amnesty against the usual buyout conditions.

Sure, there are lots of questions, and we know not of the strings attached, but let's ignore that for a second and assume this will be as easy as it could be. Which player(s) would/should/could the Canadiens use this privilege to strike from the books in 2013 and beyond?

The Skate Is Not Enough

A full month into an NHL lockout, and nearly 2 months since what was supposed to be the beginning of training camp, it's interesting to see where the players have landed and what they are up to.

Tomas Plekanec is in the process of showing just how much of a short-sighted fool Pierre Gauthier really was as he weaves magic with Jaromir Jagr every step of the way. At the other extreme, a guy like Scott Gomez, content to maintain his own program of training (we know how well that works) after briefly skating with a Tier-4 team in Alaska.

Babies With Bath Water: Habs Page Turning Often Hurts

Today comes the news that Andrei Kostitsyn signs a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL.

Perhaps he's the first of many to sign come tomorrow, but his signing represents a little disappointment for the Habs organization.

Game #82Montreal And Staubitz Too Good For Lacklustre Leafs

Details

Date: 07/04/2012
Opponent: Maple Leafs
Location: Montreal

Win: 4-1

Habs Goalie: Budaj (W)
Opposition Goalie: Scrivens (L)

Habs goalscorers: Plekanec, Pacioretty Cole, Staubitz
Opposition goalscorers: Phaneuf

Play of the game

Price's cowboy hat (people wear those for real?) and Staubitz's first goal of the season at the last possible moment were noteworthy, but the best play was Cole's goal. It reminded me so much of Lafleur, but also of Cole himself. Down the right side with speed and gusto went Erik who made no mistake whatsoever on the career AHL-er. The goal was his 35th of the season.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Max Pacioretty
Maybe it is a good thing there are no playoffs because this sure is getting boring, isn't it. Every game the same players step up, every game they do it in the same way. It makes watching, writing, and I am sure reading very repetitive. Max scored and added an assist and, therefore, ended with a very impressive 65 points. The US will enjoy his play at World's and we'll all look forward to September to see him again.

Tomas Plekanec
When the Leafs had an early 5-on-3 the last thing I expected was a goal by us. I actually thought that an early goal by Toronto would be just what we needed to ensure a loss. What I underestimated, however, was how bad Toronto's players are. Not to take away from Pleks (only the second player to score in that situation that year), but it was two mistakes in our end that led to the breakaway and then horrible goaltending that allowed the uncontrolled puck to trickle in.

Erik Cole
Erik is the player we all dreamed of getting 3 years ago (Gomez, Gionta or Cammelleri) and is way better than the player we thought we got last July (Cole). He played with passion and pride every single game this year and is the perfect player to be leading a young group. I like Gionta, but wonder if his captaincy, like the reign of the coach and gm, should come to an end this year. If so, Erik would be the obvious choice in that regard.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
Josh played another solid game and ended the season as one of only two players to play all 82 games (Cole). It was a good bounce-back year after his injury last year and one can only hope that the same happens for Markov in 12-13. Gorges, along with Markov, Emelin and Subban form a good top-4, or 4 of top-5; it will be interesting to see who sticks come game #1.

PK Subban
One of the best plays by Subban was his hit on Brown. Hitting is such a small part of his game, but he is still so good at it. To me that shows just how good he is as he has so many different tools; offence, defence, skating and passion are a few more of his other skills. It was another good game from PK in what was an up and down season (although, admittedly up of late). The 22 year-old is getting better all the time and hopefully has many good years in Montreal to come. I guess, like us, he'll be watching the lottery and draft with interest.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj - Game Puck
Peter played well again tonight and has actually been quite good of late. In fact, in his last 7 games (the last 4 weeks) he has a save % of .931. Maybe, in the end, he has earned himself an NHL job, back here in Montreal that is. These last few weeks should give management the confidence that he can be a decent back-up, but should also serve as a warning that he should be playing more. The cupboard is bare beyond him for sure, but if Price is healthy and if Budaj gets 25 games (he got 17 this year) I think we'll still be in a good goaltending spot next year.

Comments

So, there it is. 82 games have come and gone. It is a little disappointing that we were written off in October or November by so many and that they were right. We had so many chances and reasons to turn it around all year, but things just didn't work out. Trading Cammelleri and waiting forever for Markov to come back have to rank as the highest of the reasons though. I'm not sure we should have kept Camms, but the return we got (8 points in 38 games - 3 less than Gomez in the same amount of games) was absolutely pathetic. It killed our second line 3 months ago.

Tonight was disappointing in that for once I wanted us to lose a last minute game against Toronto. My guess is that the Leafs didn't want to win, but then again they are horrible, so maybe that was indeed their best. It was fitting that our top-3 forwards scored as they (and Desharnais of course) have carried us all season long. As sad as that seems (carry us to last that is, as we have been atrocious), just imagine where we would have been without the Cole line, without 242/246 games played from that trio. Next year we can't rely on them and them alone again. Our goal this summer has to be to build a real top-line (I would love 3 players better than Cole) or at least a line as good as that one. Pleks can be one piece, but who will the other two be? A draft pick in there would be great and a new acquisition, from a trade or free-agency, seems a must.

That's it then, another long season over and another summer to enjoy other things. Thanks to all the readers and loyal Habs fans out there. There are a ton of fans who jumped ship in the Fall or Winter, but if you are reading this you didn't. The team needs real fans and that, we have enough of. Now all we need is a good GM, a good coach, a good draft pick, a few good new forwards and a whole new winning regime. Sounds like Molson is going to have a pretty busy summer if he is going to keep us happy, as for me, I am now in sit-back and watch (and likely complain, but hopefully rejoice) mode.

Game #71Montreal Can't Stop Getting Points; 9th-12th Here We Come?

Details

Date: 14/03/2012
Opponent: Senators
Location: Montreal

Win: 3-2 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Bishop (L)

Habs goalscorers: Cole Desharnais (1,SO)
Opposition goalscorers: Greening, Karlsson

Play of the game

I have never, ever seen a player do this, in any sport, at any level. Cole took a pass in the neutral zone and went in with his usual speed down the right-side. He put a good shot on net, but it was stopped. A juicy rebound came out just as fast as the shot had gone in and all of a sudden, bang-bang, it was in the net. Yes, I have seen that. But, I have never seen a player high-five the ref after a nice goal, but that is exactly what Erik did, it was hilarious. Nice to see Cole enjoying himself and nice to see that the Habs still seem to enjoy playing. I may try high-fiveing the ref next time I play, but I just have a feeling it will more likely mean 2 minutes for me rather than rapturous applause.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Erik Cole
At this stage it would take something special for the dome to be occupied by three players that aren't on Cole's line. With Ryan White (yes, Ryan White) on our second line and Staubitz on our team it just isn't fair anymore as Cole and company are raking in the domes. 3 more goals to hit 30, 4 more for a career-high. Considering we score 2-3 goals a game and no one else can score I would say this is a lock.

David Desharnais - Game Puck
David scored a goal and was the lone successful shooter in the shootout. He outplayed his opponents most of the game and that is probably why he saw the most ice of any of our forwards. We didn't score on the PP tonight, but I feel that it is improving. Desharnais, in my opinion, is a big reason why we are getting better as he seems more comfortable running a PP and working the half-boards as of late.

Max Pacioretty
The same reason that some people are excited about next year is the same reason that I am worried. We have shown this year that we are not a deep team and that has been painfully obvious over the past few weeks. When you look at our forwards after the top-3 and Plekanec it really is a mess. Eller and Leblanc may have potential, but aren't there yet. Beyond that we are looking at an unflattering group that includes Gionta, Gomez, Bourque, White, Staubitz, Nokelainen, Geoffrion and Palushaj...ouch. Not hard for Max to make the dome tonight as he played like himself and, as predicted, so did the other 9 forwards.

Defencemen

Andrei Markov
Andrei is already at the stage where if he plays alright he will get in the dome. Gorges had an off night and I wasn't that impressed with Campoli. Weber and St. Denis were alright, but I would still take Markov. He looked more comfortable tonight and was a few inches away from winning the game in the shootout. I was happy that the crowd got behind him so much as they seem to echo what we have been saying on here. So, I guess it is just Michel Beregeron that thinks he should go. He does have a good track record, though as he is a big reason that the team and certain fans turned on Koivu, Kovalev and Kostitsyn. Let's hope that Markov is one Eastern European that can escape that joke's wrath.

PK Subban
Subban was our best defender tonight and, for a change, was miles ahead of Gorges in both ends. His shot that got deflected by Desharnais was a perfect point shot and Desh made a great deflection. He played 28 minutes tonight which he can handle and makes sense, but if we really want to finish low and want to see even more progression from some I would share that ice-time around more, in particular with Emelin, Diaz (when they are healthy) and Weber.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey was great tonight and may be the biggest reason that we are 2 points further from our goal and Ottawa is one less from theirs. Can't blame him, though, for playing well and wanting to win, I would be doing the same. I was happy to see him go 3 for 3 in the shootout as he stopped a trio that were 13/21 coming in.

Comments

I get the feeling that with Markov in the line-up in December or even January we would easily have 10 more PP goals, a couple more shootout wins and likely 5-10 more points. So, we would be in the hunt for sure. That, to me, is one of the most encouraging things as we head into a long summer of MLS watching in Montreal. He brings a certain element that helps us and his presence makes every defender better as less is expected of each. You also have to wonder what would have been had Cole, Desharnais and Pacioretty been together from the start. It sure makes a great case against always going with Gionta and Gomez, doesn't it?

Next up is, the Ottawa Senators. It is off to Scotiabank Place where Montreal fans will surely be loud and, maybe regrettably, egging their team on for the win. As much as I would like 85 points at this point (because I enjoy a win more than a loss) I know that that is no-man's land in the NHL. One of the biggest reasons that teams like Toronto never get better is because they never draft high (it probably doesn't help that they draft very poorly and are run by the angriest man in the Western Hemisphere), so I can't stress enough the importance for us to abort on the season. It seems that 9 forwards and 3 D have bought into it, any ideas how we can get the rest of our crew to chill out down the stretch? We get it guys, you are good and this season isn't your fault, but please, take it easy!

March 2012: And, We Still Have Hits From Behind...

Amazingly, the answer is not icing. Though I'm sure a certain broken record and the GMs who apply bandaid solutions twice in any given season wish it were.

Yesterday, Tyler Myers was suspended for 3 games following a blatant hit from behind on Scott Gomez, late in Monday's contest.

This was a good step. But as one example, it also helps to explain why players like Tyler Myers even make these hits in the first place.

Myers, you see was rightly suspended, but inadequately punished during the game itself. The team that suffered the foul was not properly compensated for the dirty play, instead the Sabres next three opponents and playoff rivals will be. His punishment, in case you missed it, was two minutes for boarding. To those of you who missed the beginning of the season and the "crackdown" on dirty hits, this hit would have been punished more harshly back then.

My issue with this is the simple fact that the over-the-top nature of the hit was apparent right from the start. The announcers caught it before the replay, the players all kind of stopped for a moment. Why then did the referees, supposedly trained in the ways and rules of hockey miss assigning the same penalty that was assigned earlier in the season? Why did they make a hit that was a clear suspendable offense (3 more games than the unblemished record of Chara shows) the equivalent of a puck over the glass (or a split second of Pacioretty stick around a waist?

Shanahan was in Florida touting his first year in charge of the discipline ship. Apparently, he showed some statistical analysis of penalty calls and video evidence to show how his "crackdown" has paid dividends.

It's a sham.

If the data is penalties, it gets skewed by this very practice. Want less evidence of dirty hits in the penalty records? Tell them to call less penalties. The Myers hit might have been an example of this were it not for the suspension correcting the error made in the game. To pretend that the league corrects all the legitimate calls it misses in this way would be foolhardy thinking indeed.

It's all smoke and mirrors with the NHL.

Shanahan and his videos, data based on penalized hits (not data on illegal hits penalized or not), twisted messaging on concussion data:

"The league also reported that man-games lost to concussions is up significantly, but the number of concussions are roughly the same as last season.

The number of concussions caused by accidental collisions and fights were down and those caused by legal and illegal hits are up."

Why bother mentioning the other data in the same breath. If the number of concussions from illegal hits are up0, they are up. It matters little that accidental collisions have come down to even out the record in Shanahan's favour. And showing videos of guys stepping out of the way in isolated cases is a nonsense that only serves to distract.

There are more concussions despite the "crackdown"? This should be seen as nothing but an epic failure. Rather than tooting it's own little horn, the NHL should be asking why their methods have failed to produce results that are good enough, indeed, any results at all.

I have a theory on the matter, and it relates very much to the case of Tyler Myers: the consequences for the hits that cause injury are simply too light. What's more they are getting lighter.

Sure, Myers has 3 games to sit, and it may cost the Sabres. But in the game where he could and should have been punished right away, he cost his team 15 seconds of PK and ended up scoring the winning goal. The suspension is apt, but there's no reason to have allowed a GWG in the interim of hit and punishment complete.

At the beginning of the "crackdown", Myers would have been sent to the dressing room. We all know that the rules change over a season as the NHL systematically moves into playoff mode. Sure they kept their numbers up this year with early penalty calls, but the end of season is still the dangerous hitting ground because of the loose refereeing.

So the NHL has to face two facts:

1) Players and teams don't really care enough about 3 game suspensions, 2 minute penalties and $2,500 fines to stop and think the way Shanahan's cherry-picked videos purport they do

2) The NHL's continued insistence on a season of two rulebooks lends itself to plenty of experimetation by the players in the game.


Until the league sets some firm rules with punishments that sting teams (stress teams, because individual players will only care if their teams make them care) and apply those rules consistently through the entire length of a season, these embarrassing problems will survive.

Right now, the league is that lazy patient who takes half his course of antibiotics only to complain to his doctor time after time about the troubles with resistant strains being encountered. Owning up to its own negligence is the only way out of this problem for the NHL.

Less face-saving video displays, more doses Mr. Shanahan. You won't get to what's ailing without a more concerted effort.

Game #70 Habs Fans Unsure Whether to Celebrate Last-Second Point

Details

Date: 3/12/2012
Opponent: Sabers
Location: Buffalo

Loss 2-3 (OT)

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Miller (W)

Habs goalscorers: Cole, Desharnais
Opposition goalscorers: Ennis (2), Myers

Play of the game

Another play of the game brought to you by the Pacioretty/Desharnais/Cole line. In this version, total chaos breaks out in the Buffalo end with Montreal finally finding some offense in the dying seconds of the 3rd. After a couple of shots on Miller and a couple of battles for pucks finally being won, a cross-crease pass found itself heading straight for Desharnais' tape and he made no mistake in putting this one into the wide-open net to tie the game with 5 seconds left on the clock.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Max Pacioretty
I'm sure we all had a bit of a gasp when we saw him go off in the second after taking a puck to the ankle, but Pacioretty not only came back, he also led the team in shots with 5 in only 15:39 of ice time. Didn't really deserve the penalty he took during the power play in the 3rd in my opinion.

Erik Cole
Scored the opening goal to give some vital breathing room. Again filled his role as the offensive—well, maybe not juggernaut, but about the closest thing we have to one.

David Desharnais
Set up Cole's early goal and scored a beauty himself in the dying seconds. Currently on a 0.8 point/game pace. These 3 players accounted for 11 of our 28 shots tonight, and our defencemen another 10. Is it any wonder these are the only 3 forwards we ever see in the dome these days?

Defencemen

PK Subban
Another great game for Subban. I really want to see him continue developing at the pace he has over the past 2-3 seasons, and having a mentor like Markov on the ice will help in that respect. Just having another reliable defenceman might have done the trick, and Markov brings far more than that to the table.

Andrei Markov
Head and shoulders above any of our other defencemen. Markov has great hockey sense and a fantastic sense of timing. Even with a -2 finish, he reminded me tonight of what a great player he really is and how happy we should be to have him back. Here's hoping we actually see him for more than a handful of games next season.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj - Game Puck
Honestly sorry to not see Budaj play more given the game he had. He made some truly amazing stops and showed smart positioning and a fair amount of agility throughout the contest. I don't think Price would have necessarily stopped anything Budaj didn't tonight – the first Ennis goal in particular was spectacular.

Comments

It's feeling a little like a broken record around here these days. But with only one line producing any offense at all and good goaltending, basically 4 of 6 dome spots are already taken in a given game. And with Gomez forgetting what the second half of "give and go" offense means, we're unlikely to see much from him, Eller or anyone on that wing. Plekanec seems to only be interested in special teams goals, and Bourque seems to be still finding his feet.

Buffalo had strong forechecking and we had a very difficult time getting established in their zone. The unbalanced shot total here really does reflect the zone domination of the Sabers. Once again, Ruff showed why he's such a respected coach and came out with a solid game plan that was very effective in shutting us down.

Much as I hate seeing us lose, I don't know how I feel about pulling a point from the fire with 5 seconds left in the game. Makes for an exciting finish, sure. But I wouldn't be quite so unhappy to lose a position or two in the draft if it means finishing ahead of the Leafs, who are only 3 points ahead in the standings...

Game #68Pathetic Oiler Defence Make It Hard For Habs To Lose

Details

Date: 08/03/2012
Opponent: Oilers
Location: Edmonton

Win: 5-3

Habs Goalie: Budaj (W)
Opposition Goalie: Khabibulin (L)

Habs goalscorers: Subban, Pacioretty (2), Kaberle, Eller
Opposition goalscorers: Horcoff, Omark, Hall

Play of the game

A loss probably would have been better here, so in reality, Edmonton actually won this one. But, if I must look for the nicest play that the Habs made, regardless of the fact that it led to a win, then I will. That play, I thought, was Subban's PP goal. The passing that led to the goal was quick and precise and exactly the type of passing that has been lacking on our power-plays. The other thing lacking has been PK's booming shot which was the second reason why he scored his 6th of the season on this play.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Scott Gomez
Scott almost won the game-puck tonight as Edmonton's porous defence was just what he needed. Unfortunately for Gomez, we only play Edmonton twice a year and usually he has to contend with teams that have NHL defencemen and some sort of defensive strategy. When Scott plays like he did tonight he is a good player, but I fear, for his sake, that his chances have long since run out.

Max Pacioretty - Game Puck
For all those who said that Max was a 30-goal socrer, congratulations, you were right. He added another two to his tally tonight and now looks to have 35 in his sights. And, who knows, an extremely hot 14 games could take him dangerously close to 40. We have a good player in Patches going forward, a player who will hopefully be a 30/70 type player for the next few seasons.

Tomas Plekanec
I don't know if my linemates are as bad as Plekanec's and I play in about the lowest division of men's hockey possible. So, to see Tom go about his business and still be one of our better players says a lot. We'll probably get a centre, somehow, this summer, so where will Pleks fit in? Will he finally be a #2 behind a proper #1 (still liking that Gomez for Koivu swap? anyone?) or has Desharnais supplanted him? What about Gomez and Eller, do we have to play them on top-3 lines? At centre? In Montreal? Regardless, I respect Plekanec for playing out the season with heart and class.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
Josh was maybe the only defenceman out there tonight, on either team, that a good team may employ to play defence for them; at least in the way everyone played tonight. Kudos then to Gorges for playing NHL D in a very open game. Tonight highlighted the very reason why Edmonton continue to be bad and why they have no need for any highly skilled Russian forwards.

PK Subban
PK picked up 3 points tonight and now, kind of quietly, has 30 on the season. He'll likely end up with 35-40 points which isn't bad considering the fact that a lot of people were looking to his lack of production as a reason for our troubles this year. Next year I would like to find a way to make him more a #2/3 for defensive responsibilities so that we can tap his offence even more.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj
This wasn't Peter's best game, but in the end he got the win and made a lot of good saves along the way. I am sure that management wouldn't have minded a loss tonight, and that may have been the reason for seeing Budaj in there, but I am sure that he had no interest in taking another loss and worsening his already unflattering stats. He may as well get some more playing time down the stretch, especially if we are serious about the draft.

Comments

We needed a loss, Edmonton needed a loss and we each needed the other team to win. Watching this game, however, you wouldn't have known that. Presumably, if we really wanted to lose we could (I mean, we have lost an awful lot of games that we were trying to win) and the same could be said for Edmonton. Both teams, however, went hard for the win as the players, not the management, were the ones out there, the ones that controlled the result. What we saw then, standings aside, was an 80's style Oilers game that had little to do with anything but speed, counter-attacks and scoring chances. It was actually a fairly exciting game to watch which made staying up late to watch and write a little more bearable than it could have been.

It is now on to Vancouver. Of more interest on Saturday, however, may be the Impact's first ever game in the MLS which also happens to be on the same day in the same city. Later on there will be a hockey game. If we lose, we'll probably be happy and if we win, against a very good Canuck team in their arena, we'll start asking ourselves, yet again, why we had to be so bad, for so long, against such equally bad teams. I for one don't want to start thinking that we would have or could have been good enough. I say, let's go through the motions on Saturday and let Vancouver get the 2 points that they need more than us.

Game #59 Habs Use PP And Shootout Luck Store To Down Sabres

Details

Date: 17/02/2012
Opponent: Sabres
Location: Buffalo

Win: 4-3 (SO)

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Miller (L)

Habs goalscorers: Kaberle, Gomez, Campoli, (Pacioretty, Desharnais - SO)
Opposition goalscorers: Regehr, Myers, Ennis

Play of the game

Coaches who believe in the passive box must believe that hockey players' innate impatience will will on odds alone. Tonight, the Canadiens very nearly opened their scoring on the PP. Even if it was technically ES, the goal came because of about a minute of PP possession and probably 20-odd straight passes. The play that ended it was signature Markov. Not from him of course, but from Kaberle who snuck in using the Russian route to finish Desharnais' soft pass.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Scott Gomez
I'm somewhat stunned to read the time on ice stats. To me it seemed like Gomez's line was getting prime time minutes. That's probably in most part due to the fact that they caught the eye more than any other. Gomez himself was sharper at things he hasn't necessarily been sharp at in a while - quick passes, battles on the boards, winning races. And to top it off he scored a massive goal when the wind very much needed to be put back in the Habs' sails.

Andrei Kostitsyn
To me, the most dangerous forward all night. For whatever reason he was the forward who escaped the tenacious Buffalo checking best and popped up at least a half dozen times in very dangerous positions. He ended with 3 shots and no points, but there was quality in his attempts.

Ryan White
Using his exuberance to get the two misfits going is proving a minor stroke of genius. Really, it's probably just hitting on some obvious complementary assets that should be well known by now. White makes room and wins loose pucks - something both Gomez the hot potato passer and Kostitsyn the slippery shot maker like to have taken off their own plates. Tonight White looked like a sure bet to be on the team for a while. Not something I ever thought when he was missing for all those games.

Defencemen

Alexei Emelin
We beat up our management a lot, but getting Emelin to come to North America before lapse of his rights was masterful. From learner to reliable to making Gill expendable in less than 60 games. His mark on the game tonight was in scorecard hits and blocked shots. Un-noted were a few good breakout moves and slick passes.

PK Subban - Game Puck
I'm not surprised that the energy of renewed playoff hope is awakening a player within Subban. Being a pro who can elevate his game, he is prone to this kind of effect from pressure. Tonight, he continued to build on what he has been putting together for a few games. We'll all admit that he's not yet found his PP magic. IN the defensive zone, though, the magic is there. A gorgeous 2-on-1 break-up, numerous takeaways, dives for clearance and lots of other good things. Now that his focus is taken from making the highlight hit to matters of the score, he unsurprisingly returns to Game Puck ownership.

Goaltender

Carey Price
The dome was won with a solid recovery from average start. In fact, by keeping the game 3-2 as long as he did, he did the Canadiens a massive turn. He also saved himself an asterisk by being the goalie I'd have in for the dome shootout. The extra point belongs in part to him as he made his saves cleanly and without sliding into the net.

Comments

This is a stats geek's dream come true. Regression to some mean. Players that were barren bore fruit, a PP created goals it's deserved for all the chances that it's had, and a shootout victory was sealed with 2 shots a piece (goals and saves, respectively). Smartly, they did not test their PK luck too frequently on the first game without the human bollard.

What we may also be seeing is the tale of the schedule. A schedule where the Canadiens played most of the games against the teams that are doing well this year first (hopefully not only because they played the Habs more...) and play some of the down and outs more now. If the Canadiens had played more shootouts against Buffalo, would their record be so bare? Their PP would certainly be better against such an anemic defence.

Whatever the explanation, the Canadiens have again given light to those who refuse to pack up for the season. The Habs by statistical likelihood, now have a higher than 10.6% chance (for some reason on writing, the site tells me it's still tied in OT) of making the playoffs when their light schedule is accounted for. It's not high, but it's better than that of NYI, Buffalo, Carolina and Tampa. Winnipeg beat Boston and keep floating a little higher. The better news perhaps that teams that may not belong in the playoffs are the ones perched precariously there. A win on Sunday with some other half-way decent results (sans OT) will put even some of the more cynical back on Windsor station platform awaiting the bandwagon to pass.

Game #58Montreal Comes Back, Manages To Get A Valuable Point

Details

Date: 15/02/2012
Opponent: Bruins
Location: Montreal

Loss: 3-4

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Thomas (W)

Habs goalscorers: Darche, Pacioretty, Cole
Opposition goalscorers: Ference, Pouliot, Bergeron, (Seguin - SO)

Play of the game

The Bruins had never lost when trailing after two, and we know what we can be like in third periods. So, it was extra special when Cole capitalized on a Chara mistake to walk in alone on Thomas. He made a nice move in close and put one upstairs on the Tea-Partyer. Embarrassing Chara, after Plekanec smacked him in the face with the puck, was certainly a highlight for me.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Erik Cole - Game Puck
Cole refused to give up, that much you could see on his face. Even though we were down to one of the best team's in the league, by two goals, he still played his heart out. He was in on Max's goal and then scored the tying goal on a very nice play. On a night like tonight, when he is that fired-up it was a mistake not to use him in the shoot-out.

Mathieu Darche
Where has this play come from? A month ago I felt that Mat was playing in his final few NHL games and now he is a resident in the dome. Like others, it could be argued that he is playing for himself, for his NHL-survival, but I don't buy that. Here is a proud Montrealer who seems to be willing to do whatever it takes for his home team to succeed. His goal was fantastic and just gives more reason as to why he should be playing as much as he does.

Max Pacioretty
Max, Max, Max, you have to lift the puck in the shoot-out. This is Tim Thomas here, no goal is a given. He had the keeper beat, but didn't bury it like he should have (I hope he looks at the way Cole finished his backhand goal tonight). Aside from the disappointment in the shoot-out Max was good. He scored his 24th and continues to be one of the main reasons that the Habs are sticking around in this race.

Defencemen

Alexei Emelin
This guy is afraid of no one. Guys like Thornton and Marchand make a living acting like idiots and scaring other NHL'ers. Alex, however, can see through these tools and beats them the only way he knows how - with solid, clean hits. With him on our side I think that Boston now has something to worry about and hopefully pre-occupy themselves with. Teams like that don't like to be shown-up in any aspect of the game, so let's hope that Emelin can continue to act as a distraction in future contests.

PK Subban
PK was another player that got under the Bruins' skin. He played a strong game in both ends and was definitely a force going forward. His play and pass on Darche's short-handed marker was superb. With Emelin, these two are forming the base of our Bruin tormenting for years to come.

Goaltender

Carey Price
Carey was fantastic towards the end of the third and in OT. He was OK the rest of the way and was his usual, sieve-like self in the shoot-out. Without him we don't get the point, but I feel that a little work on breakaways would lead to a few more wins rather than OT losses. Other players have figured out how to beat Price, can't our coaches and he himself work that out too and do what it takes to address it?

Comments

We needed a bounce-back game after the Hurricane loss and I felt that a visit from the hated Bruins would suit us. We played a strong game throughout, I thought, but got into trouble with a few careless mistakes. Their first goal was Gill at his worst and their second exposed the AHL talent hidden inside Campoli. Their third goal was a PP-marker scored after Cole, with the puck, ran into Thomas. Calls like that add up and eventually even the best PK will get scored upon. So, it is simple to say that it would have been 3-0 for us without two bad plays and a bad call. But, the reality is that players like Gill and Campoli play every night and they make many more mistakes than two per game. Mistakes will happen and, so will goals. That is why offence and goaltending are the keys to our wins. When Price is on and we score 2+ we are a great team, but when it all doesn't line up we get 2011-2012.

We knew at the All-Star break that we would lose games, we probably even thought that this one against Boston would be a loss, so by no means is anything over yet. A win against the 'Canes would have been nice, but in the end it is still 9 of a possible 12 points in our last 6 games. We have 24 games left and teams like Toronto, Florida and Ottawa that are generally better at being bad than good, also have a lot of games to go. The slope got a little steeper this week, but it is still surmountable. How about two wins this weekend though, just to make things a little easier.

Game #53 Habs Win On Gomer's Anniversary

Details

Date: 05/02/2012
Opponent: Jets
Location: Montreal

Win: 3-0

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Pavelec (L)

Habs goalscorers: Pacioretty, Emelin, Plekanec
Opposition goalscorers: None

Play of the game

The whole drama around the third goal was intriguing. Yes, it was a nice enough play. Subban did what a PP Dman should do and stopped only to lay off a pass. Pleks did what a #1 centre should do and walked in a scored. But the aftermath, the clear demonstration of hope that Gomez may have just tipped it, that he may have scored a goal on the very anniversary of the last time he did that. That was good stuff. Those minutes between the goal and the goal announcement were the best of the game for me.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Tomas Plekanec - Game Puck
I believe this is the second game in a row for Pleks. Yesterday was a bit of a hollow honour, but today he won it from stiff competition. What he is known for doing best, he did best today. That goal he scored was why anyone thought he could play the point in the first place, and that Emelin set-up (sublime pass, btw) is why he's the best PK player in the league.

Max Pacioretty
The guy plays the Corsi game lie that's all there is. Many times to my frustration it's just shots from anywhere. But because Max can actually put some weight behind his shots (unlike today's honouree) he gets goals from it, so I can't hold him at fault. His goal (gamewinner and gamechanger) came from the classic throw the puck on net play. But other than that, he seemed to thrive against a hodge podge Winnipeg D.

David Desharnais
It wasn't as thrilling as his game against Detroit, but David was nonetheless quietly effective. He has stolen his place on the depth chart form a few red-faced players, and continues to cause blushes with his constant dome selections.

Defencemen

PK Subban
I have him in the dome in a game like today's because he managed to use all the tools at his disposal in this one, and he has more than anyone out there. While the HNIC analysts were drooling over Bogosian, it was Subban who scared forwards from entering the zone, it was he who set up a goal, it was he who played on the shutout garnering side. That's not to say he didn't leave anything to be desired. As usual, he did. But that's only a longing for the fan who can see and remember his own potential.

Alexei Emelin
With Desharnais, Alexei must be the most positive story of the season. Coming over from Russia he too some time to adjust. Half a season in, he's nailed his name to a locker room stall and advertised to the league forwards that the Habs zone won't be soft=play land anymore.

Goaltender

Carey Price
He got the win as part of the team effort, but you could tell he wanted this shutout for himself. And rightly. 0.913 doesn't mean what it used to and in a salary negotiating position, he needed more ammo. Well he got it with determined play and full concentration throughout. A thoroughly deserved shutout. I'd love to see a few more.

Comments

I'm not afraid to say I was dreading watching this game. As a rule, I hate losing. I don;t mind supporting a losing team, but not the one of this week that showed how many ways they miss the point of winning hockey. I'm not sure they have found the answer, but they did manage to entertain for long stretches and to be fair, they did everything that was required to win this.

The implications of this win are interesting. Because of the way things have been happening, all but one team in the league has decided the season is not over. So interestingly, the second to last place is in play. Rightly, I feel, the team, however, is talking about winning for the pride of the sweater and the city. A GM can't dispose of an entire young stable, so a culture of pride and winning may probably be as important as a prospect. What's more, the standings are stranger than they've been in years and there are three weak links in playoff positions in the East at the moment. If 85 points can make the playoffs, it wouldn't do to end with 83.

Speaking of pride. Can Gomez have any left? While the fans sort of, kind of, ironically willed him on, his coaches couldn't have cared less about his goal total. He played the least minutes of any player at ES. With all the injuries there have been, only 11 forwards, and some teammates little deserving of ice time as well, it's a matter of shame to this player with his stature and contract to say that the coach's got that dead right.

Game #49 Habs Kill Off Wings As If They Were A Hooking Penalty

Details

Date: 25/01/2012
Opponent: Red Wings
Location: Montreal

Win: 7-2

Habs Goalie: Price (W)
Opposition Goalie: Howard (L)

Habs goalscorers: Bourque, Emelin, Desharnais (2), Plekanec, Pacioretty, Cole
Opposition goalscorers: Hudler (2)

Play of the game

It's rare I'll ever say this, but this game was full of plays worthy of this spot. The Habs completely and utterly dominated when the game was on the line and then forced home the issue after that. The play I ended up selecting was the one I was sure would be the play to describe right from when it happened. The first goal came early and set the tone for what was to come. Gomez got the puck from his all-star teammate (Diaz) and proceeded to take it from goal line to goal line. He was flying by his own blueline and found his way easily around two defenders. Thanks to the wonder of replay, we also got to see what Rene Bourque was doing as this was happening. pacing Gomez to the blueline, he had to put on an amazing burst to make the distance by the time any pass came. He did and ended up scoring a scruffy, but important goal. Why the play of the game? Because the play demonstrates the depth that is there, and how matching players properly makes that depth a factor.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Erik Cole
What can we say that hasn't already been said. He put in a signature effort and game and came out with three points. The all-star of the half season is getting a well-deserved rest instead of making his way to Ottawa. We'll miss his power moves if we watch the game.

David Desharnais - Game Puck
After he dominated the ECHL playoffs to pop up on our radar, I doubt we'd ever consider that the words "commanded the game" would fit his effort against the Red Wings. By his effort, by his vision and by his quick execution he confused the Red Wings leaderless defenders and did indeed command the offensive zone whenever he was in it. I thought the Habs were only continuing the press in the third to get him his goal. That says a lot about how his teammates feel about David.

Andrei Kostitsyn
Speaking of command, was there an ES shift that Eller and Kostitsyn did not hem in their opponents? The pair were outstanding at keeping the momentum going, and of course chipping in on the Emelin goal. I give the edge in the end to Kostitsyn who didn't take the penalty and continues to show determination and discipline this past little while.

Defencemen

Josh Gorges
Like Cole, he doesn't need much introduction. he put in a good Gorges-like effort and quited player like Zetterberg and Datsyuk all night. The forwards ran the show tonight, but they could do so because their defending colleagues showed the way early. Gorges as their leader did very well again.

Alexei Emelin
The guy was on for 7 goals! OK, 2 were against, but let's not dwell on that. Things happen when Alexei is on the ice because he tends to instigate. Tonight was the first career goal and probably the first game where his shots were more memorable than his hits (and more numerous). I think he showed Montreal management a few things. Heck, I think the whole NHL (on break and perhaps watching) saw a lot on display from number 74.

Goaltender

Carey Price
You could tell he wanted to join in the fun up front. At the very least, he wanted to grab some spotlight for himself, perhaps with a shutout. It didn't happen, but he played well. His steadiness early on and on the PK were a big help to setting the stage for an offensive explosion. He made sure we didn't have to watch a very different team -- the Red Wings with a lead.

Comments

I thought the Habs were the most efficient as team killers as I've seen in recent memory. The tone set in the first was that of a diligent penalty kill all over the ice. For once the Canadiens exercised the determination on display in shorthanded situations to control the puck, not just shepherd it. It paid too, because before a period was killed off, so was the game.

Perhaps even more encouraging was that each subsequent goal came as the result of continued pressure as opposed to satisfied puck concession.

Is this Cunneyworth hockey? Maybe. Perhaps the system that is so drastically different from that of Martin's permanent passive box just took a while to be taken up by players, and then executed with any demonstrable success.

One thing we know is that discipline will be important, and priority of team over self. We know this because Cunneyworth and Ladouceur benched PK Subban throughout a period after his errant elbow followed a $2500 fine. This my friends is a simple but effective coaching method. Ice time as reward. Ice time on merit. The opportunity was there in the circumstance. Will the method remain when PK's skills are required more urgently? We'll have to see. I think I like their approach, however, as Subban seems to get these messages. Rather than sulk, he looked more eager than anyone to hit the ice after 40 minutes and played with a renewed commitment to team cause.

So. 5 points in 3 games and here we are at the All-Star break? Not ideal to be carrying less in the Pts column than in the GP at this point. But in a very strange year (teams close at 8th and no one counted out) who knows what may happen. The Habs aren't in the position they imagined they would be in, yet it's not as dire as it could be. The schedule from next week tightens and important games come thick and fast. It should be a very interesting month going into decision points and trade deadlines.

Until then relish a couple of big wins. Enjoy some All-Star fluff. Speak soon.

Go Habs Go.

Game #46Habs Horrible On PP: Considering Taking Coincidentals With Each Future Call

Details

Date: 18/01/2012
Opponent: Capitals
Location: Montreal

Loss: 0-3

Habs Goalie: Price (L)
Opposition Goalie: Neuvirth (W)

Habs goalscorers: None
Opposition goalscorers: Perreault, Johansson, Ovechkin

Play of the game

Bourque showing some great speed in the second and hitting the cross-bar. Wow folks, it has come to this, that, in all honesty, was the best we offered tonight.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Scott Gomez
I'm not even sure if Scott is playing any better than he has over the past 18 months. In the end it was another pointless game to go with a -2 and 22% on face-offs. What was clear, however, was that he was one of our better forwards. He showed good speed and had some good chances.

Erik Cole - Game Puck
He is probably the only player that hasn't bought into the losing/sulking/we can't win attitude. Cammalleri was right, but was wrong about Erik. He played well again tonight, but must be heading home quite disappointed with where his new team is on January 18th.

David Desharnais
Plekanec should be raking in the domes this season. There is really no excuse given his pedigree, but it is not the case. Once again David out-played Pleks and has us all wondering why #14 sees those PP minutes and not Desh's line exclusively.

Defencemen

PK Subban
PK played quite a decent game actually and was heavily involved in the neutral and offensive zones. I particularly liked his speed and puck-carrying. Is he a part of the future or is he someone that could fetch an awful lot in the next few weeks via a trade.

Yannick Weber
Weber did a good job again and is, at the very least, increasing his chances of being in this league come October. For some reason it isn't working for him on the PP despite (as it seems to me) doing a lot right.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj
We need to win games and so I think we need our All-Star, our undisputed best player to be not only the best on this team, but above average, quite a bit above average for the rest of the year. That was not the case tonight. Our team didn't score, so it may be moot, but letting in 2 of 5 in the first and 3 of 16 overall just doesn't sit well with me.

Comments

If only our PP could score. Can you imagine where we would be if we even had 10 more PP goals this year? How about 20? We have proven over the past few years that an average team with a good PP can be a force. This year we are proving that an average team with a horrible PP is nothing for the opposition to worry about. So, what is it? I don't know, probably these and some: can't gain the zone; rush too many passes; always looking for the perfect shot; can't keep the puck in; shoot into traffic; have no real QB; have no confidence...the list could go on, but I am getting tired.

The season has probably been over for a month, but, for some reason, tonight it really feels like the end. It isn't impossible, but when you have watched this team as much as we all have you can't help but wonder how on earth it would be possible. We can't score enough, we can't let in few enough, we can't play from behind and we can't hold a lead. I have always felt that we have over-achieved since the lock-out, since Koivu's return from cancer really. We have been an average team all of those years, but we have rarely missed the playoffs and we often win series. So, I actually think this is the balance, the luck running out. It is nothing to get too upset about really, but it could be a long 9 months till October. My suggestion is to find what positives we can and hope that the team sees those and builds on them.

Game #45 Habs Dominate Conference Leaders

Details

Date: 15/01/2012
Opponent: Rangers
Location: Montreal

Win: 4-1

Habs Goalie: Budaj (W)
Opposition Goalie: Lundqvist (L)

Habs goalscorers: Pacioretty (2), Blunden, Desharnais
Opposition goalscorers: Mitchell

Play of the game

A speedy Erik Cole takes a smart exit pass and starts our most dangerous line on a rush. As the Rangers' defender cuts him off, he dumps it a little forward for Pacioretty to pick up along the boards. While Cole takes most of the attention charging towards the near post, Pacioretty spins and throws the puck right on the tape of Desharnais, who is in full-stride on the other side of the net. Desharnais tucks it easily behind Lundqvist and seals the deal with the prettiest goal of the evening.

Dome hockey team

The 6 players we're playing in a no changes, do or die contest in the dome

Forwards

Max Pacioretty - Game Puck
A goal in each of the first two periods led the contributions of our top line for this outing. Our leading scorer earlier in the season, Max had a rough December but has hopefully broken his drought and regained some confidence for the months to come. We wanted big things from Pacioretty, and 15 goals in 42 games qualifies. He opened the scoring to put some wind in our sails early, and deflected an Erik Cole point shot for the eventual game-winner in the second. Big goals tonight.

Erik Cole
One thing we talked about early this season was the hope that we might finally have 3 lines that have the potential to score. I'd like to think some of that depth was echoed in a bench interview with Tortorella while we were up 3-1, where he said one of the problems was that "Their fourth line has scored twice." I don't know that this is our fourth line (especially considering we only dressed 11 forwards), but whatever line they are, they put 3 pucks in the net and Cole played a central role in all of these.

David Desharnais
Rounded out an extremely dangerous-looking line and used his speed and hockey sense to create problems for the Rangers all night long. Desharnais has amassed over 30 points in 45 games now, and is making a strong argument that he can take top-line offensive duties.

Defencemen

PK Subban
I've had the impression that Subban is being allowed to play a little more offensively the last couple games. He seemed more selective with his shots tonight, and had a lot more go on-target as a result. He showed good vision on his pass to Gomez to set up the Blunden goal. Didn't take part in total meltdown that allowed the first goal.

Josh Gorges
Not an easy night to round out the defenders, especially for defensive play. We weren't challenged too hard in our own end but Gorges was there to take care of it when we were. His physical play in the second and third periods helped to tie up a Rangers squad that knows how to move the puck and put it in the net.

Goaltender

Peter Budaj
Impressive showing, particularly for a guy who's been on the bench all season. Seriously, this is only Budaj's 6th outing, and only his second in the last 6 weeks or so. Budaj made some good stops early, including a very assertive play well-out of his net early in the second. His kick-save on a shot during the Rangers' power play was one of the prettiest of the game and came at an important moment.

Comments

An encouraging game to watch, for sure. Though the line of Cole/Desharnais/Pacioretty stole the show tonight, much of our forward line stood out tonight. Gomez had a really impressive game, and played the neutral ice and transition game as well as I've seen him do this season or last. He won some battles down low and created some great scoring chances, one of which Blunden put home. Blunden was involved in more real chances than I've ever seen before, and I have to wonder if that wasn't because Gomez was keeping him well-fed. Then I saw Gomez "on the back-check" with about 45 seconds left to go in the third: a bad change, and #11 skating out from the offensive zone at walking pace with his hands on his knees as the Rangers put together one of their better chances of the period.

Bourque was also noticeable in his debut beside Plekanec and actually reminds me of Cole if anyone: he has good speed and size, he likes to hit, and he seems to have good offensive senses. People say that maybe this is a new generation of Canadiens that won't be as skilled or as fast as the last couple of seasons, but I defy them to explain to me how the addition of Cole has slowed down our rush or harmed our offense. I think Bourque is of a similar vein, and could have similar success in a power forward role beside Plekanec and Gionta while bringing some size to the trio. Too bad Gionta's out for the rest of the season.

We started strong in the first and scored a beautiful goal only a couple minutes into it. Maybe 6 or 7 minutes later, we started to run into problems winning battles in our end, getting on loose pucks, and clearing it once we did get a stick on it. The Rangers were able to play a possession game in our end of the rink for a fair stretch of the first period, and that's never good. However, we came out strong after the first intermission and never looked back. We seemed to find some real confidence in the dressing room that translated into 3 goals and some pretty serious domination over the Eastern Conference leaders. We won more battles and did the little things right, and they weren't able to contain our rushes or outplay us in the neutral zone. When that happens, we're a tough team to beat and a lot of fun to watch.

How Scott Gomez's Injuries Have Been a Blessing for GM

Scott Gomez looks close to returning to build on his 4 point effort this season. No longer a member of my hockey pool roster, I can watch his play once again with simple appreciation -- without asking for tangible results.

Thinking about his return got me thinking about how his absence has been a blessing in a way, perhaps not for the team, but definitely for the GM.

Here are some reasons I think Gauthier should be thanking Gomez:

1) It has allowed the team to lose
More people have been accepting of the recent losses than we'd have previously thought possible. Another injury and the new salary floor model Canadiens shouldn't have been expected to do anymore. or so the story is evolving. The notion that the team would have made the playoffs without injuries is fully untested now and so the GM's team building will always be considered next to the couplet "considering injuries"

2) Proving some worth
At this stage of his career, it seems Gomez is better at proving his worth by absence than presence. It's hard to ignore how this has affected Tomas Plekanec, usually the Canadiens best player. Whether we like it or not, other teams dedicate effort to guarding against Gomez. Without that distraction, Plekanec is withering und3r the brights.

3) Desharnais is establishing a permanent niche
Without any real competition at centre, Desharnais has been getting plenty of minutes and all the top wingers. During the process, he's proving that he can handle that. Whether this ends up benefiting the Canadiens with a long-term player or a fruitful trade, it's not something that was guaranteed had Desharnais been subject to the reality of a four-way competition for centre minutes.

4) Eller may finally be emerging
When Eller first came, the flashes of offensive confidence were very rare indeed. It probably didn't help he was toiling next to lesser passing options. With Gomez out, Eller has had chances now and again to get top billing and has taken that as a vote of confidence, it seems.

5) Money in Molson pocket
Want to know what pleases owners as much as wins: money. Gomez's injury compensation has probably provided as much revenue for the Molsons as a short playoff run, and without the need to cancel the April trip to the best golf resorts in the Carolinas. An owner in a good mood is an owner more likely to be lenient about that other business objective.


It's been my opinion from the start that this Habs team was on the bubble. In the summer, I noted some very important assumptions that people were making about Price, Subban and Plekanec among others that would have to align for the expectations to really come to fruition.

I wrote this about Gomez, but I could have written it about Markov. The notion is that injuries, whoever has been affected, have affected our ability to judge this team properly. There is sufficient doubt now that what we saw is what we could have seen, and so the evaluation of the GM's work is not realistic.

I don't mean to pass judgment on the GM myself or any of his isolated decisions. I merely wished to highlight how in this case an injury has worked out quite nicely for the guy.

Habs By Half: League-Indexed Shot Metrics

I didn't have the time to do the LIW pie charts for you this time, but thought you'd still all like to see the data. It comes from Behindthenet.ca and shows even strength scoring for and against together with shot metrics (shots, misses, blocks) pooled into attempts on net.

As you'll see, there are colours to indicate where the members of the Canadiens fall amongst the 700+ players that have played 10 or more games this season. It's not a perfect assessment, but it does give some context which is good when looking at single team's worth of numbers.

General notes

Just before the data, some general notes. Behindthenet is best for looking at ES data (and by that I mean only 5-on-5). And the Habs, as bad as they have been in our perception and the unforgiving standings are actually a good even strength (5-on-5) team thus far this season.

The team ranks 10th in goals for at ES/60 and 21st for GA/60, but come out even (with 1 more goal against than for). As a result, the Habs come up in the whole rainbow of colours and seem about an average team -- despite the obvious possibility as suggested by the January 9th standings that they are below average.



Anyway, keep that in mind as you peruse.


Forwards (ranked by ES TOI)



Notes on the forwards:
Who's good? Who's bad? This chart really does contain a lot to both reinforce perception and blow it right out of the water.

Take Scott Gomez. His Corsi number is staggering and it's based on a top-notch offensive generation of attempts, together with a well above average defensive prevention of attempts. It's food for thought for those who still think he's good for nothing. I still contend there's food for thought for those who need to reconcile what we see with this.

The other excellence that shows are Louis Leblanc's and Andreas Engqvist's goals against in only a few games, and Pacioretty and Palushaj's shots for. Of the four stats, I think we should probably only take the Pacioretty attempt generation stat too too seriously. The guy shoots. He didn't use to, but now he does at league leading levels. Unfortunately for Max, he's practically team leader in misses and blocked shots per game too, so his attempts should be viewed with this consideration. Concern perhaps also that for 63 releases of the puck, this goalscorer's line is outside the top 20% of all players in the league for goals per ice time.

ON the negative side of things, Blunden whose low ice time should probably not be questioned despite his recent skill display, and the offensive output of virtually the whole fourth line. Palushaj, either very unlucky or very keen on shooting from the worst possible positions was getting a goal per 100 of his line's league top ten percent chances taken. The word waste might be considered.

The other, and perhaps more surprising, member of the bottom 10% club is Tomas Plekanec at even strength GAA. A relic from the 1980s, his 3.47 must surely be a matter for concern going forward. It takes away attention from the high attempts against number as well, which is practically team worst at this point.

Guys that avail themselves well here: Cole, Leblanc and Engqvist!

Guys that need to pull up their skates (a lot): Plekanec and Nokelainen

And on a team that flutters about the uninspirational average in this area, the rest of the guys display positives, but not too many and negatives, but not too few.


Defencemen (ranked by ES TOI)



Notes on the defence:
St. Denis had an excellent spell. And were it not for just about every other Dman being a rookie on the team, I think he'd get a longer chance. Talk about shielding all you want, one still has to perform under the shield and this AHLer clearly outperformed the lower line NHLers he was put out against.

Gorges has been the best all-rounder, but is painfully average in all but goals for (which if you have to choose one category is probably best).

Campoli is on paper exactly as he is on the ice, a nightmare on the back end, but in the NHL because somehow he involves himself with goalscoring.

Subban deserves credit for his balance sheet, as he plays against the better opponents all the time. His goals are balanced and his shots balance is slightly in favour of offence. He certainly hasn't put on the flash of last playoffs this season, but is becoming a more stable option according to these stats.

The rest are blending a bit. Gill and Kaberle nearly share a profile which is wacky. Showing that Gill is neither as good as he was once was at stopping chances or those that become goals and Kaberle is no longer that great at producing them or the goals.

Emelin, Diaz are learning and have the requisite below average marks, but could be worse. Weber still learning too, perhaps suffering from being at different positions.

The System Is Down - Martin Out, Cunneyworth In

In what is sure to generate a lot of commentary from a lot of places this weekend, Canadiens management has signaled the end of the Jacques Martin era and have given the reins to Randy Cunneyworth for the interim. JM is a peculiar kind of coach, and his particular style of play (AKA "The System") has generated plenty of praise and ire from commenters here and around the web. I, for one, am not sorry to see him go.

I've never made it much of a secret that I'm no fan of JM and his System. I find it's boring and frustrating to watch, and more importantly, it's predictable to opponents and sometimes stifling for talent. I'm not saying that Gomez putting up garbage numbers is somehow Martin's fault, but I feel like Kostitsyn for one might have developed into an even better player had he seen more time on the ice the last two seasons. I also hate Martin talking about puck possession when he will let opponents have it enough to pepper his goalie with 50 shots while seeming to discourage physical play.

My take is that through most of his tenure, Martin has kept 2 scoring lines, a checking line, and another line consisting of people that had pissed him off lately. Obviously, AK46 spent a lot of time on that line. The emergence of a third scoring line this year has been a welcome surprise to us, but may have confused Martin—how is he supposed to punish players like Kostitsyn when he ends up skating with Eller and Desharnais to become one of the stronger threats we've iced this season?

Well, you could always break up the trio. Martin seems opposed to the whole idea of consistent lines and letting players develop chemistry. I'm not a big fan of this idea. I think players are better as they get to know each other and where each other like to be on the ice. I think physical play is an enormous part of hockey, and that the Canadiens are rightly criticized for being soft on their opponents at times. The System discourages things that aren't collapsing into your zone, like making your man pay the price for crossing your blue line or delivering the kinds of punishing hits Emelin is becoming known for. The lack of physicality allows opponents to take certain liberties, like running Price and and coming across our blue line with their heads down.

This is a better team than last season in my opinion. We have more offensive weight and are just as good in the back. Price is playing well and so are key players like Plekanec, Subban, Gorges, and Kostitsyn. We've had a number of players performing well-above my expectations, like Desharnais, Cole, Pacioretty, Weber, Diaz, and even Emelin. I have a hard time believing a coach can't do more with this squad compared to last season's.

We'd like to see more from Gomez, obviously, and Cammalleri and Gionta haven't been performing to their normal standards. Is this a coaching issue? I have no idea. We don't seem to be able to finish adequately around the net, either. We still seem tired and out of shape at times, and have trouble playing 60 full minutes. After several years of being one of the better power play teams in the league, we've suddenly forgotten how to use the extra man. Are these coaching issues? Obviously we can't tell at this point, but I'm inclined to say 'yes'.

With a new coach we'll find out the answer, and here we can let speculation run wild. Will Cunneyworth be left in charge for the long-term, or will Habs management be on the phone with Bob Hartley all year? Will the team get better without JM, or should we have held on to him for just a little while longer? Does Gauthier regret letting Guy Boucher go to Tampa, or is he still laughing over the Philly incident? How bad will the RDS rants be about Cunneyworth's poor French and his Toronto roots?

My take is that the team will improve, but more because things aren't about to get much worse. I've been seeing a team that does a lot of things right but just isn't getting the wins. I think they would have started coming in even if JM stayed on, but maybe they'll start coming a little quicker and more often under Cunneyworth. Let us know your take on the firing and what's next for the CH.