Georges Laraque was dismissed from the Canadiens yesterday in one of the strangest fashions I can recall of any player. Not even Sergei Samsonov, nor Mikhail Grabovski, you recall, was asked to simply be scarce.
But make no mistake, this can't have been a recent call from the boss. Yesterday's move was the culmination of months and months of having Georges on the books, while seeking possible avenues for his use.
In the end, what came to a head was Gainey's need to get some wins out of this team, and Jacques Martin's ties to the GM that hired him. Both men must have puzzled regularly about what to do with the big player who just didn't play big and wasn't really willing to toe a new party line. You could see it in the games where he dressed and played nary a minute beyond the first 8 shifts. When things were important, Georges did not have the mandate.
Gainey must have also tried to trade his winger, but a contract that was always an embarrassment to free agent fishers everywhere and Georges' own near-constant insistence on not fighting did not give the brand much allure. Hamilton not strictly an option because of the clause, was also probably out for wont of unleashing this strong personality on minds he wished formed by new thoughts on the game, not some dizzyingly nonsensical mantras on conduct.
So, Canadiens or bust, it seemed. It seemed because we didn't know of this new option.
Georges ran out of reasons for being a Hab
Commenters rightly look to Georges' inability to muster the will to fight, and also to win any fight he is in as central to this decision. And I say all of that is right. However, we knew all that after 15 games last season. I would suggest that all of those things were big factors, but that the tipping point in this whole affair came back in December, when Gainey's newest signing, Marc-Andre Bergeron, started making his clear place on this team.
Luxury items
Big Georges was and always has been a luxury item. A team that has a fighter nowadays counts itself among 15 teams that hold to the Don-Cherry-honoured tradition of the first 75 years of this league. Fighters never played much, many (most) never did more than Georges did this season – play a few minutes and have a punch up for the fans.
The thing is, teams can only carry so many luxuries. The Canadiens were carrying a few. A defenceman who's really only useful on the PP, another whose abilities don't extend far beyond the PK, a fighter who plays 5 minutes, etc.
Marc-Andre Bergeron came on board as a stop-gap for Andrei Markov. He did a nice job trying. But the day Markov came back, Bergeron had won himself a place by a) results, and b) a willingness to do whatever was asked. That day, when Bergeron could have been sent to Hamilton as we'd predicted, but wasn't – he became a luxury piece for Jacques Martin.
As luxury items go, Bergeron had made himself into a much more valuable one than Laraque. On a winning team, perhaps both are kept on board. On a struggling team, no such luxury.
Scaring them into fair play
Reporters like Norman Flynn, still confused about whether he should show full allegiance to Laraque or not, question whether a team can succeed without an enforcer. This despite seeing the Red Wings in 2 consecutive Cup finals, the Penguins winning after they jettisoned their own dead weight and the team he covers perform at their recent pinnacle in 2007-08 without a "dur a cuire".
Their theory is built on the sand foundation that you should dress a fighter to scare the opposition into behaving. If they haven't learned anything in 2 years, I can't help them, but we could all see the holes in this theory with the experiment that began 18 months ago.
What those same reporters need to understand is this: many players around the league, many who do take liberties aren't afraid to take a punch – not if it means winning a game. I can tell you what players are afraid of: losing their wins, losing their shifts and losing their jobs.
If teams do take liberties, there will be penalties (at least some of the time). And I can tell you, those opposing coaches may be intimidation enough between periods once they've seen Markov passing freely to Gomez and Plekanec. In fact, apart from teams that are poorly run and coached (so I guess I concede Flynn's point about Toronto), I can't see many taking great liberties in illegal play. As for legal pushing around, what was Big Georges ever going to do? Ask Gaustad and Peters not to? He is long past his days of usefulness as a rough player.
The number one PP in the league is the best enforcer there is nowadays. Marc-Andre Bergeron is fully complicit in making this intimidatory force into what it currently is. His shot is almost indefensible and unpredictable enough to give great rebounds as well.
When the Canadiens PP was ticking at 11%, there may have been an argument to instigate a fight following a crosscheck. Not when thanks to MAB, it's clicking near a quarter.
Friend of the media
It sounds silly to say, but one of the things that must have kept Georges Laraque from this end earlier in the year when his unbelievably wonky back kept him from playing hockey (but not finding cameras) is that he was one of a perilously small group of Quebecois players on the team. While it clearly doesn't matter to most real fans (though we'd be happy with more home-town stars, talent permitting), RDS broadcasts these games, RDS does better content when Renaud Lavoie doesn't have to translate, RDS want French speaking players for their audience.
As one of three, and the talkative one, he had value to the broadcasters and with such power, value to the team by consequence. When Bergeron came in, he tipped the balances a bit. 4 local players, and what was clearly starting to be a diminishing number of reporters who would ignore hockey to take up that sideshow. Immediately Georges value was reduced. Half a season of interviews with a "player" commenting on his view from the bench, his value bottomed out, even here.
Marc-Andre isn't the most off-the-wall guy, but as hockey players go, he's more interesting than most. He speaks his mind, and he doesn't rattle cliches. Over time, here too, he began to take Georges mandate and keep it for himself.
Salut Georges
Today we play a hockey game, and the games of off days are back to the sidelines. Bergeron will start on Georges 4th line, a better 4th line maybe.
I want to wish Laraque well. He seems like a nice guy, and I respect his incessant energy for children, justice and charity. I don't see a hockey career in his future, nor do I think his talents are suited to hockey anymore. The guy has charisma, energy and passion in other arenas now that will serve him very well in new fields, I'm sure. It won't hurt to have a $3 million starter fund to find his feet with, either.
Salut Georges, I'd say we'll miss you, but i have a sneaking feeling you'll be around to make sure we won't.
Showing posts with label Marc-Andre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marc-Andre. Show all posts
Friday, January 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Low Marks No More: A New Start For The PP
Remember last season when it took Gainey 4 infuriating months to admit he made a mistake in running a PP without a good shot from the point? It appears he may have learned something.
Tonight will mark the debut of the new Matt Schneider/Mark Streit/Sheldon Souray: Marc-Andre Bergeron, and thanks to a bit of luck he'll be starting in a game that should suit him quite nicely – the Atlanta Thrashers. A team that allows league high shots against, a team that is due for punishment for their thus far lucky balance in save and shot percentage.
In an earlier post, I made it quite clear that Marc-Andre Bergeron is not an adequate replacement when facing 4 months without Markov. Heck, he said it himself:
However, like MA himself, I do think he can help.
The first area he can help is obviously the PP. Provided we aren't playing in Western Canada, we should count on getting a few of these, and having Bergeron set up on the right point for a shot will help with our options. And while he certainly isn't as muti-talented as markov to come in and run a PP, he does have shot and sense enough to do an adequate imitation of Matt Schneider and Mark Streit.
Begeron
Streit
The second, more underrated impact Marc Andre will bring after his shot will be his ability to play adequate NHL defence against lower line forwards. No, it won't really help lessen the loads of Gorges, Spacek and Hamrlik, but he should at least ensure that Mara and Gill are kept in check. At the very least it means we won't be seeing Gill/Weber or Belle/Mara for tonight.
While I'm not quite as convinced as the player himself that he's not got one dimension to outweigh his others (i.e., offense >> defence) by a long way, I can't argue with his +/- over a career on some, let's face it, pretty awful teams. It stands him in good stead to be a neutral player on this currently awful team.
Finally, Bergeron adds the Marc with a "C" this team needs in the face of that book published by Robert Sirois this week. In fact, Marc-Andre is just about the type of player that good old Bobby Sirois was hoping to see more of the NHL – a more fringe-type player without elite level skill. The type of player, he'd argue would come from English Canada about 98% of the time.
I think this is a good bit of timing for the Habs, because it does help to diffuse the bomb that was their roster make-up in a week that will surely be full of talk about the tables and stats from the hardcover. After all, Gainey has increased his Quebecois francophone quotient by 33% this week, all while demoting an Ontarian and holding another English Canadian with similar skills (Subban) back.
Let's not expect miracles
In adding a 4th/5th defenceman with a good shot like MA Bergeron, the Habs are taking a small step forward. But let's not go into tonight's game expecting any miracles. Marc-Andre wasn't signed by 30 different GMs this summer, and that was not their accidental oversight. And I have to diverge from Bob Sirois here too in thinking that it was purely discrimination based on upbringing.
Those GMs preferred to fill the positions that Bergeron fills just fine with rookies with upside, with veterans that can out-muscle a star or two, with more intriguing options. But like Bouillon and Dandenault before him, he is a player that can ably perform the brief of a lesser used defender, and he also has that shot.
I sort of expect a goal from him tonight, just because it would ignite an interesting debate, and that's what tends to happen in Montreal. but if I had done a preview fr Bergeron coming into the season, I can tell you I'd have put him at 10 goals and 14 assists (mostly rebound creating shots).
Tonight will mark the debut of the new Matt Schneider/Mark Streit/Sheldon Souray: Marc-Andre Bergeron, and thanks to a bit of luck he'll be starting in a game that should suit him quite nicely – the Atlanta Thrashers. A team that allows league high shots against, a team that is due for punishment for their thus far lucky balance in save and shot percentage.
In an earlier post, I made it quite clear that Marc-Andre Bergeron is not an adequate replacement when facing 4 months without Markov. Heck, he said it himself:
“I’m sure people know that Andrei Markov is a top defenceman in the NHL and he’s irreplaceable,” Bergeron said Monday after his first practice with the Canadiens. “I’m not here to replace Andrei Markov. I want to be myself and do my best to help the team win.”
However, like MA himself, I do think he can help.
The first area he can help is obviously the PP. Provided we aren't playing in Western Canada, we should count on getting a few of these, and having Bergeron set up on the right point for a shot will help with our options. And while he certainly isn't as muti-talented as markov to come in and run a PP, he does have shot and sense enough to do an adequate imitation of Matt Schneider and Mark Streit.
Begeron
Streit
The second, more underrated impact Marc Andre will bring after his shot will be his ability to play adequate NHL defence against lower line forwards. No, it won't really help lessen the loads of Gorges, Spacek and Hamrlik, but he should at least ensure that Mara and Gill are kept in check. At the very least it means we won't be seeing Gill/Weber or Belle/Mara for tonight.
While I'm not quite as convinced as the player himself that he's not got one dimension to outweigh his others (i.e., offense >> defence) by a long way, I can't argue with his +/- over a career on some, let's face it, pretty awful teams. It stands him in good stead to be a neutral player on this currently awful team.
Finally, Bergeron adds the Marc with a "C" this team needs in the face of that book published by Robert Sirois this week. In fact, Marc-Andre is just about the type of player that good old Bobby Sirois was hoping to see more of the NHL – a more fringe-type player without elite level skill. The type of player, he'd argue would come from English Canada about 98% of the time.
I think this is a good bit of timing for the Habs, because it does help to diffuse the bomb that was their roster make-up in a week that will surely be full of talk about the tables and stats from the hardcover. After all, Gainey has increased his Quebecois francophone quotient by 33% this week, all while demoting an Ontarian and holding another English Canadian with similar skills (Subban) back.
Let's not expect miracles
In adding a 4th/5th defenceman with a good shot like MA Bergeron, the Habs are taking a small step forward. But let's not go into tonight's game expecting any miracles. Marc-Andre wasn't signed by 30 different GMs this summer, and that was not their accidental oversight. And I have to diverge from Bob Sirois here too in thinking that it was purely discrimination based on upbringing.
Those GMs preferred to fill the positions that Bergeron fills just fine with rookies with upside, with veterans that can out-muscle a star or two, with more intriguing options. But like Bouillon and Dandenault before him, he is a player that can ably perform the brief of a lesser used defender, and he also has that shot.
I sort of expect a goal from him tonight, just because it would ignite an interesting debate, and that's what tends to happen in Montreal. but if I had done a preview fr Bergeron coming into the season, I can tell you I'd have put him at 10 goals and 14 assists (mostly rebound creating shots).
Friday, October 09, 2009
Doing It On The Cheap
Is Bergeron An Acceptable Solution?
It's unfortunate that Andrei Markov went down with injury. It's going to cost us some wins. But unlike my hockey pool, where the guy with Markov has to hope for days spent in the hyperbaric chamber, a hockey team can adapt. Signing, call-up, trade, there are ways and means to fill the hole.
Bob Gainey has moved. At first, it seemed like Ryan O'Byrne (the call-up option) was going to be the solution. After he got injured, Bob went down the signing route: Marc-Andre Bergeron.
My question is this: On the Montreal Canadiens, with an expectant fan-base and a suddenly very accommodating salary cap hole, is it good enough?
To say nothing of Marc-Andre Bergeron himself, my suggestion is that it is not. not even close.
What has been lost
What is puzzling from Gainey here is that we know from history what is lost when Markov goes down. Only PP efficiency, defensive cohesion and effective shadowing. In other words, the hole he leaves is a big one.
But aside from that what also has been lost is the luxury of playing a 2nd defender as a 2nd, a 3rd as a 3rd, and so on. His loss means everyone gets bumped to a level where they might manage for a game, or in some cases (like Gorges) where they make an improvement in what they can deliver.
Losing the clear first defenceman on a squad with no question marks would be bad enough. Losing one on a team with Hal Gill, Paul Mara, Ryan O'Byrne and Weber as the question marks there already is extra distressing.
The salary cap
The Montreal Canadiens make money, they make a lot. For a team like the Habs, the salary cap has given cost certainty, and a guarantee on the operating profits they will make.
So when a $5.75 million player goes down for 4 months on this team, this (unlike in Nashville perhaps) is money in the pockets of the owners. In fact, if the current situation stands (with Bergie as the stand in), we're talking multiple millions in beer money.
The replacement
As I said before, I don't wish to speak ill of Marc-Andre Bergeron, but I am not aware of him being a 1st defender, are you? I think a generous assessment of the guy who just made it through the whole summer without a contract would be a 4th defender with some very very nice skills on the PP. To go higher than that would be to bring into question the judgment of a lot of managers leaguewide.
In effect then, what gainey is floating here is the idea that Hamrlik replaces Markov, while Spacek replaces Hamrlik and Gorges replaces Jaroslav. Marc-Andre then replaces Josh and the guys beneath are in holding pattern. It's a better sell than Beregeron for Markov, but there's a couple of stretches in there, aren't there? Haven't we tested Hamrlik's stamina in that role? Haven't we experimented with Gorges abilities out of his depth before? Spacek's a nice insurance policy to have, but isn't he still an unknown?
The net effect: Vastly worse teams, vaster profits
Personally, as a fan I don't think I can accept all of this, not again. It's one thing to vaunt the development of Yannick Weber as he steps in to replace Hal Gill some time, it's quite another to sing the praises of bringing in a youngster like that when there's a lay-off of known length to the top player on the team.
For me, nothing less than Gainey putting in some hard work and organizing a suitable replacement will suffice. I think we were patient with him when he tossed Streit without replacement, when he did nothing to replace key injured parts for large portions of last winter. I think this time we deserve a better plan, a medium-, not short-term, solution.
Looking at the prospects and then at the free agents (not even all available anymore), I've alighted on the fact that creativity must play a part here. I think we have to make a trade.
If only there were a team dying to get rid of a top offensive defender so they undergo a face lift and possibly restock their cupboard; if only there were a GM harebrained enough to crave players just like Gregory Stewart, and those forwards we have in abundance.
Are you with me? What do you think? Try Bergeron and see how many games we have to make up by February?
Even forgetting our defence for a minute, it would be criminal for the Molsons to walk off with Markov's cap room in insurance payments, wouldn't it?
Bob Gainey has moved. At first, it seemed like Ryan O'Byrne (the call-up option) was going to be the solution. After he got injured, Bob went down the signing route: Marc-Andre Bergeron.
My question is this: On the Montreal Canadiens, with an expectant fan-base and a suddenly very accommodating salary cap hole, is it good enough?
To say nothing of Marc-Andre Bergeron himself, my suggestion is that it is not. not even close.
What has been lost
What is puzzling from Gainey here is that we know from history what is lost when Markov goes down. Only PP efficiency, defensive cohesion and effective shadowing. In other words, the hole he leaves is a big one.
But aside from that what also has been lost is the luxury of playing a 2nd defender as a 2nd, a 3rd as a 3rd, and so on. His loss means everyone gets bumped to a level where they might manage for a game, or in some cases (like Gorges) where they make an improvement in what they can deliver.
Losing the clear first defenceman on a squad with no question marks would be bad enough. Losing one on a team with Hal Gill, Paul Mara, Ryan O'Byrne and Weber as the question marks there already is extra distressing.
The salary cap
The Montreal Canadiens make money, they make a lot. For a team like the Habs, the salary cap has given cost certainty, and a guarantee on the operating profits they will make.
So when a $5.75 million player goes down for 4 months on this team, this (unlike in Nashville perhaps) is money in the pockets of the owners. In fact, if the current situation stands (with Bergie as the stand in), we're talking multiple millions in beer money.
The replacement
As I said before, I don't wish to speak ill of Marc-Andre Bergeron, but I am not aware of him being a 1st defender, are you? I think a generous assessment of the guy who just made it through the whole summer without a contract would be a 4th defender with some very very nice skills on the PP. To go higher than that would be to bring into question the judgment of a lot of managers leaguewide.
In effect then, what gainey is floating here is the idea that Hamrlik replaces Markov, while Spacek replaces Hamrlik and Gorges replaces Jaroslav. Marc-Andre then replaces Josh and the guys beneath are in holding pattern. It's a better sell than Beregeron for Markov, but there's a couple of stretches in there, aren't there? Haven't we tested Hamrlik's stamina in that role? Haven't we experimented with Gorges abilities out of his depth before? Spacek's a nice insurance policy to have, but isn't he still an unknown?
The net effect: Vastly worse teams, vaster profits
Personally, as a fan I don't think I can accept all of this, not again. It's one thing to vaunt the development of Yannick Weber as he steps in to replace Hal Gill some time, it's quite another to sing the praises of bringing in a youngster like that when there's a lay-off of known length to the top player on the team.
For me, nothing less than Gainey putting in some hard work and organizing a suitable replacement will suffice. I think we were patient with him when he tossed Streit without replacement, when he did nothing to replace key injured parts for large portions of last winter. I think this time we deserve a better plan, a medium-, not short-term, solution.
Looking at the prospects and then at the free agents (not even all available anymore), I've alighted on the fact that creativity must play a part here. I think we have to make a trade.
If only there were a team dying to get rid of a top offensive defender so they undergo a face lift and possibly restock their cupboard; if only there were a GM harebrained enough to crave players just like Gregory Stewart, and those forwards we have in abundance.
Are you with me? What do you think? Try Bergeron and see how many games we have to make up by February?
Even forgetting our defence for a minute, it would be criminal for the Molsons to walk off with Markov's cap room in insurance payments, wouldn't it?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)