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Attaboy Michel - 10 Updates
offseason thoughts - 6 Updates
I am having a change of heart and using logic. RE: Therrien - 7 Updates
That one extra day off - 1 Update
Pleks looks off - 1 Update
Attaboy Michel
Mike <mike@gmail.com>: May 13 09:42AM -0300
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2015/5/12/8596483/michel-therrien-calls-canadiens-disappointing?_ga=1.240634051.1304931955.1402626127
Not your fault. Gotcha.
TheMadApe <chiefape@gmail.com>: May 13 09:49AM -0300
Mike wrote:
> http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2015/5/12/8596483/michel-therrien-calls-canadiens-disappointing?_ga=1.240634051.1304931955.1402626127
> Not your fault. Gotcha.
There ya go going all Pittsburgh MT. It took until they got eliminated
to go stupid but you couldn't control yourself. I knew that you had it
in you.
IMO this is great news. MB now has a valid face-saving reason to can him.
I take back my change of heart. He just threw all players under the bus.
Do you suppose that they will play hard for you next year? IDIOT!
LOL
TMA
Mike <mike@gmail.com>: May 13 10:35AM -0300
On 15-05-13 09:49 AM, TheMadApe wrote:
> Do you suppose that they will play hard for you next year? IDIOT!
> LOL
> TMA
Meanwhile Price say this:
"I needed to make more saves in games early in the series"
Yep. Probably the only guy in the room who could honestly look himself
in the mirror and say he gave it his all. He falls on his sword. The
coach? The guy who's ass was saved by Carey Price, the guy who preaches
no excuse, who wants to help players be "better people"? He chucks the
whole team under the bus. Great coach we got there.
TheMadApe <chiefape@gmail.com>: May 13 10:53AM -0300
Mike wrote:
> coach? The guy who's ass was saved by Carey Price, the guy who preaches
> no excuse, who wants to help players be "better people"? He chucks the
> whole team under the bus. Great coach we got there.
Yeah Carey didn't do enough. Fucker should have scored more goals!
TMA
Chuck <barberphoto411@gmail.com>: May 13 07:01AM -0700
On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 9:35:54 AM UTC-4, Mike wrote:
> > TMA
> Meanwhile Price say this:
> "I needed to make more saves in games early in the series"
Should be...
"I need my team to make fewer lame clearing clearing attempts that lead to uncontrolled scoring chances"
TheMadApe <chiefape@gmail.com>: May 13 11:43AM -0300
Mike wrote:
> http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2015/5/12/8596483/michel-therrien-calls-canadiens-disappointing?_ga=1.240634051.1304931955.1402626127
> Not your fault. Gotcha.
I just heard the comment and it is sort of wishy-washy if he was
disappointed in the players or the outcome.
He is not the best communicator in English.
TMA
TheMadApe <chiefape@gmail.com>: May 13 04:20PM -0300
Mike wrote:
> http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2015/5/12/8596483/michel-therrien-calls-canadiens-disappointing?_ga=1.240634051.1304931955.1402626127
> Not your fault. Gotcha.
Listened to someone talking this AM on TSN Radio Montreal who said that
Stephane Richer would love to sit down and talk with Galchenyuk.
When he broke into the league Jean Perron was stifling his offense and
wanting him to play defense only.
The senior players on the team requested a meeting with Perron and told
him to cut Richer lose and let him go full offense and they would make
up for his defensive short comings. The reason being at the time they
needed the offense.
Perron agreed and cut him loose and the rest is history. Moral of the
story - it takes team leadership to discuss, what they perceive, wrong
decisions by the coach and it is not happening in Montreal.
Defense does not win championships as you must outscore your opponent to
win. BIG DUH!
TMA
Chuck <barberphoto411@gmail.com>: May 13 12:45PM -0700
On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 8:42:36 AM UTC-4, Mike wrote:
> http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2015/5/12/8596483/michel-therrien-calls-canadiens-disappointing?_ga=1.240634051.1304931955.1402626127
> Not your fault. Gotcha.
Name a player MT has improved the offensive portion of any Hab player's skill set?
TheMadApe <chiefape@gmail.com>: May 13 05:15PM -0300
Chuck wrote:
>> http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2015/5/12/8596483/michel-therrien-calls-canadiens-disappointing?_ga=1.240634051.1304931955.1402626127
>> Not your fault. Gotcha.
> Name a player MT has improved the offensive portion of any Hab player's skill set?
I just listened to about a 1 hour rant on TSN Radio Montreal about how
Therrien has pretty much fucked over Galchenyuk's development.
Looks like Gally may be his own biggest enemy too. One of the announcers
says he knows for a fact that last summer Gally told some teammates that
he does not want to play center. One of those players told the announcer.
The announcers biggest beef with this situation is to name 1 center on
the team that has better upside scoring punch at center.
Also rhetorically asked if Therrien has strongly suggested to a young
mind that he would be better off at wing.
Defense first for all players is killing the talent.
TMA
Chuck <barberphoto411@gmail.com>: May 13 01:49PM -0700
On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 4:15:12 PM UTC-4, The Mad Ape wrote:
> mind that he would be better off at wing.
> Defense first for all players is killing the talent.
> TMA
When Galchenyuk is on the ice he roams like a center, the only difference from being an official center is he doesn`t take face-offs. Fans are pushing him as a center because of the current players they use as centers, do not produce what fans expect of a top line center. DD will not produce at a rate to justify playing him as a 1st or 2nd line center. Eller has no playmaking skills, and his puck skills are best when he is going quickly to the net, he can finish plays, not set them up. DD is a lurker, waiting in the background to jump on gift wrapped turn-overs. Pleks is a good 2nd line center and great Pker. Check his stats, last season was his 3rd best in his career, he is in his early 30's but hasn`t slowed down, but I think his development has peaked, he will not be able to give more just because the fans want him to.
Galchenyuk has been at his best when he was left alone on the EGG line. Look at MT's juggling, all the moves are centered on Max Pac. This season MT seemed fixated on ensuring that Max Pac's line would drive the team, even if that meant no stability on any other of the lines.
When McDavid meets his new coach hopefully he isn`t told, your in the NHL now it is time to simplify your game.
Back to top
offseason thoughts
Gerry <gerry14@hotmail.com>: May 13 08:55AM -0700
Is it too early? No, I don't think so. I think the free agent market is not going to offer us a lot of hope this summer, and I don't see Bergevin having a lot of flexibility to make trades... basically I see our biggest problem as being scoring depth. I don't know how to address it. Here is a sketch of the lineup heading into the summer decision-making process...
Pacioretty ($4.5M) - Galchenyuk (RFA) - Gallagher ($3.75M)
??? - Plekanec ($5M) - ???
Desharnais ($3.5M) - Eller ($3.5M) - Weise ($1.025M)
Prust ($2.5M) - De La Rose($0.925M) - Smith-Pelly ($0.800M)
13th forward
Markov ($5.75M) - Subban ($9M)
Beaulieu (RFA) - Petry (UFA)
Emelin ($4.1M) - Gilbert ($2.8M)
Tinordi (RFA) - Pateryn ($0.5625M)
Price ($6.5M)
Tokarski ($0.5625M)
Sub-total: $54.775M
Considerations:
Galchenyuk - I think a bridge deal is called for here. He shows signs, but just hasn't had the consistent opportunity to break out yet. Something in the $3-4M range for 2 years seems reasonable to me.
---> + $4M
Spare forward - Mitchell/Flynn (UFA/RFA) - one of them, or Bournival, or some other promotion from the minors is all we need for the 13th forward. I would not invest more than $1M in this role. Obviously you let Malhotra walk, his faceoffs were good at the start of the season, but he's not in the picture anymore. Mitchell was adequate... but he's coming off a $2.5M salary, would he take $1M instead? I would not lose any sleep over this issue. Bournival's season was derailed with injuries but I like his jump... he hasn't made anything tangible of it yet, but I haven't given up on him. He would need to clear waivers if he's not on the big team. Flynn didn't get to show much. Qualifying him at around $700k would be a reasonable move as well. I will just put a $1M cap hit on the 13th forward
---> + $1M
Parenteau ($4M) - buy him out. We need scoring, but he didn't score. We can't be so desperate as to keep him around at $4M. The buyout cap hit is $1.333M for 2 years, add it to the total.
---> + $1.333M
Petry - sign him. If we have him in the mix, we are set for defense and goal. When we first got him, I was hoping to put $4M on him... now... $5M is very fine, and... would we have to go even higher? I hope not, but I don't discount the possibility. Let's give him the Hamrlik deal for now.
---> + $5.5M
Defense - all of Pateryn, Tinordi, and Beaulieu are ready to step up, so I think we are rolling into the season with 8D. If a trade opportunity for offense came up, we'd have the young guys, or less cap-efficient guys like Emelin or Gilbert to consider moving. But for now, I will just slot in the 8D. If we can't sign Petry, we still have to spend at least some of his money and roster spot on a veteran D, so not much changes for these guys. A bridge deal for Beaulieu around $1.5M, and just the QO to Tinordi at ~$900k.
---> + $2.4M
For a grand total of... $69M...
The cap could fall as low as that, but the last speculation I heard was more like $71.5M.
But we are a couple wingers short in my tally, however! How do you fill those spots with around $2M? Not ideally by any stretch! I think one spot has to be an internal competition amongst our youngsters. Andrighetto, Hudon are cheapest and already played pro, Scherbak and McCarron are the graduating juniors with some outside chance, perhaps. $600k-$1M depending, there. Then you just use whatever cap space you have left on a "show me" 1-year deal. Who is that? Like a veteran Brad Richards or Havlat or Ryder type, maybe? Some reclamation project who nobody else wants. Better than Parenteau? Very likely not. But at $1M + $1.333M(Parenteau buyout), it's still cheaper, and we need that cap space. And even if that player is _probably_ not any better than Parenteau, at least there is some miniscule hope. With Parenteau, I have zero hope.
It's not a very hopeful result. If you throw, say, Ryder and Andrighetto on the wings in that lineup above, well, has anything really improved? Likely not.
The really proactive thing to do would be to find a way to get rid of a couple additional less-attractive contracts via trade instead, to create more room to make more enticing additions up front. That would be Emelin or Gilbert on D, Desharnais up front. Just remember, moving contracts before July 1st is not usually an easy task. So the idea you dump out $7M say and can suddenly buy a couple more attractive mid-tier wingers (Joel Ward? Matt Beleskey? Drew Stafford?) instead of being stuck with a Ryder/Andrighetto non-solution... while enticing... may not be feasible. Plus, there are only a few of them available anyway, and what are the odds of getting a pair to sign with us? Better odds would just be if Petry doesn't want to sign here and we re-direct his money (or some healthy chunk of it) to the forward issue instead.
Generally speaking, I'm not expecting a lot of change this off-season, and won't blame Bergevin too much if it seems like not a lot is accomplished. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't buy out Parenteau. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't make a good and imminent offer to Petry. But I won't be too disappointed if he otherwise seems to fail to address our needs on the wing... it doesn't look like an easy task in the short-term.
l8r,
Gerry
Mike <mike@gmail.com>: May 13 01:34PM -0300
I think the best option would be to trade DD and Emelin. Pateryn is
every bit as good as Emelin now and DD is Therrien's personal crutch. If
he's on the team next year then we have little hope of any more success
than we saw this year. Its a recurring nightmare. I don't think we need
to see that re-run again. That's almost 8 Mill freed up. That leaves
this D in place
Subban-Petry-Markov-Beaulieu-Pateryn-Tinordi-Gilbert
Not bad, in fact, fairly good. Well above average I would say.
Now Forwards with about $15-17M to spend assuming Petry is in at $6M
Pacioretty ($4.5M) - Galchenyuk (RFA) - Gallagher ($3.75M)
??? - Plekanec ($5M) - ???
??? - Eller ($3.5M) - Weise ($1.025M)
Prust ($2.5M) - De La Rose($0.925M) - Smith-Pelly ($0.800M)
Lots of holes there
You could also go the trade route. Beaulieu and/or Pateryn with drafts
might yield some quick results from a team like Edmonton. They need D.
Anyway, lots of options with a finite amount of money to spend. Tough
being a GM these days.
On 15-05-13 12:55 PM, Gerry wrote:
Gerry <gerry14@hotmail.com>: May 13 09:53AM -0700
Emelin has a full NTC, however, so I think the odds of trading him are very slim. And who wants Desharnais? I mean, miracles aren't completely impossible here, but I have to say I won't be able to fault Bergevin if he can't come up with a miracle.
You can waive Desharnais and see if there is a taker... I don't know if there would be, not before July 1st when it matters, anyway. And then... you are throwing away an offense-only player when you need offense - why... because of the coach being just too enamoured of him. It sounds like more of a coaching issue than a player issue to me.
I would lean towards just throwing our most talented prospects into the spots and crossing my fingers. Less risk of ruining forwards doing that, as opposed to D, perhaps. Hudon is a little on the light side and maybe isn't physically ready. McCarron has looked good in camps and isn't going to be overmatched physically, at least. Scherbak probably lacks the strength and complete game. But Tampa bay faced some of those kinds of drawbacks when they threw Kucherov and Johnson into the lineup.
l8r,
Gerry
Chuck <barberphoto411@gmail.com>: May 13 10:21AM -0700
On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 11:55:58 AM UTC-4, Gerry wrote:
> Generally speaking, I'm not expecting a lot of change this off-season, and won't blame Bergevin too much if it seems like not a lot is accomplished. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't buy out Parenteau. I'll be disappointed if he doesn't make a good and imminent offer to Petry. But I won't be too disappointed if he otherwise seems to fail to address our needs on the wing... it doesn't look like an easy task in the short-term.
> l8r,
> Gerry
They have to revamp all their lines. Max Pac line for example. It would be nice if he could score every game, but that will not happen. They need a 1st line with more balance to their goal production. Too often the line could be best described as Max Pac and two passengers. Too often when Max Pac isn`t on the score sheet neither are his linemates. If Max Pac's linemates were more of a consistent threat they'd create more room for Max Pac to score more. MT wasted too many games waiting for DD to wake up. PAP never fit in either
freeman.jeric@gmail.com: May 13 11:18AM -0700
On Wednesday, 13 May 2015 13:21:11 UTC-4, Chuck wrote:
> > l8r,
> > Gerry
> They have to revamp all their lines. Max Pac line for example. It would be nice if he could score every game, but that will not happen. They need a 1st line with more balance to their goal production. Too often the line could be best described as Max Pac and two passengers. Too often when Max Pac isn`t on the score sheet neither are his linemates. If Max Pac's linemates were more of a consistent threat they'd create more room for Max Pac to score more. MT wasted too many games waiting for DD to wake up. PAP never fit in either
What you want will never happen or never stick with Therrien as coach. Revamping is impossible. The evidence is overwhelming. This year the Habs were one of the worst first period teams in the league. The line juggling went on all year, from game to game and from shift to shift. Despite the winning record many wanted Therrien fired. To summarize:
1. Play 60 minutes
2. Fix the line juggling
3. Fire Therrien
The same three fan complaints appeared in Pittsburgh in 2009, a team that would go on to win the Stanley Cup once Therrien was removed:
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/125050-penguins-fire-therrien-what-took-so-long
The point is, lines mean absolutely nothing to Therrien, never have, never will. I am no coach but clearly, something is very wrong with Therrien.
Chuck <barberphoto411@gmail.com>: May 13 11:56AM -0700
> The same three fan complaints appeared in Pittsburgh in 2009, a team that would go on to win the Stanley Cup once Therrien was removed:
> http://bleacherreport.com/articles/125050-penguins-fire-therrien-what-took-so-long
> The point is, lines mean absolutely nothing to Therrien, never have, never will. I am no coach but clearly, something is very wrong with Therrien.
Therrien's coaching formula - Concentrate all efforts on defence because offence will take care of it's self.
Back to top
I am having a change of heart and using logic. RE: Therrien
The Mad Ape <chiefape@gmail.com>: May 13 03:21AM -0700
I read the article on HIO and as much I do not like Therrien' style of coaching he did manage to milk this team for all that it was worth:
http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/about-last-night-300
There is nothing I can disagree with in this statement:
"Do you really believe Mike Babock could have done more with a team on which:
• David Desharnais and Tomas Plekanec are the top two centres?
• A 36-year-old defenceman with 66-year-old knees plays 25 minutes a game on the first pairing and the power play?
• Dale Weise plays in the Top 6?
• The most dangerous forward in the playoffs is 5'9″ and was drafted in the fifth round?
Mike Babcock could not have coached this roster to a Stanley Cup.
Neither could Scotty Bowman.
Or Toe Blake."
Where I will slam Therrien is his unwillingness to allow the team to freewheel when playing the lesser-than teams in order to get their offense going and be fully prepared for battle.
I do suspect that special team coaching could get turfed, especially the PP coach.
Go get Kirk Muller back please.
FIXES (whether doable or not)
- Get a big number 1 center and trade Deharnais and Plekanecs.
- Move Galchenyuk/Eller to second/third line center. Which ever one is going moves up the depth chart. With Gally, whether he struggles or not give him a very long and extended look. Don't drop the ball on him again.
- Need a scoring right winger with size.
- Sign Petry - go full term @ 6 million. That is a bargain IMO. Go 7 million if they have to. Someone is going to offer him the moon, it may as well be us. Markov is fading and to get the last two years out him the Habs need to diminish his ice time during the regular season. 15-20 minutes per night. MAX!
Now I am going to start the Rumor Mill early - A big scoring center, who is 28 years old, may be on the block for the right price: Malkin. The Pens feel that to move forward they may either have to deal Malkin or Crosby to allow them to improve their Defense. Malkin is the logical choice to move.
This rumour came from local Pittsburgh sports media. Granted, they have been saying that this trade is going to happen for 3 or 4 years now.
To get him the price would be extremely high. He does takes games and shifts off and will frustrate Hab fans a lot but he would be the teams second best player, behind Price.
They will want a package that includes a top d-man. The only one that the Habs have is Subban. Would you do the deal?
There chew on that for awhile.
TMA
Gerry <gerry14@hotmail.com>: May 13 05:11AM -0700
> Mike Babcock could not have coached this roster to a Stanley Cup.
> Neither could Scotty Bowman.
> Or Toe Blake."
I don't think that's the point, at all. It's just a lot of cherry-picking and overlooking the obvious. The team could have had fewer points in the regular season, or gone one more or one fewer round in the playoffs, and _still_ been a better team on a better progression curve. Therrien is a dead end. Not because he didn't win a Stanley Cup, or because some other coach might have in his place. Because he fundamentally lacks the ability to _ever_ bring a team to that level. They simply do not play sound hockey under him, they relied all year on Price to get points, and that's the only thing which keeps him employed. Full stop. Searching for excuses is not really the point here. The team lacks in some player personnel areas for sure, but he did not contribute to compensating for that in any way, he basically just exacerbated those issues.
They won't fire him this summer, however, and I think we will see just how big a mistake that will turn out to be next season. And then past that, the recovery process is key, whether they can get immediately back on track again with the next coach, or whether they take a further misstep that could put us dangerous steps closer to closing the window on this core group. The team has an opportunity that should not be squandered... a top-5 goal scorer, a Norris defenseman, a Vezina goalie... having a lame duck coach in place is needlessly burning years in that window of opportunity.
l8r,
Gerry
Mike <mike@gmail.com>: May 13 09:31AM -0300
Therrien's plan was the Carey Price system and in some respects you
can't blame him for that but he could have made adjustments in areas
that so obviously needed adjustments. The big failure of Therrien in my
eyes is refusing to try Eller on the pp. Game after game, shift after
shift, he trots DD out there and 90% of the time the result was the
same. I knew before the playoffs started, if they didn't get this pp
fixed it would be their undoing. It was indeed their undoing and for
that I blame the coaches.
Of all the things MB has to do in the offseason here's are how I see his
priorities
1, Sign Petry. I agree with you Ape. If it takes $6M then do it.
2. Take Therrien's crutch away - trade DD. Hand the keys to the #1
centre position to Galchenyuk. Eller is #2 and Pleks #3. Pleks still has
value in my eyes as a leader and a solid #3 centre.
3. Dismiss the special team coaches. They were an abject failure in the
regular season and continued to fail in the postseason. There's no
reason to assume it will be different next year. It also serves as a
warning shot to Therrien.
4. Part ways with Emelin. Unless they're playing Boston, he no longer
possess the ability to play with an edge and his speed is gone - he gets
beat to the outside as much as Markov but doesn't posses the skill to
make up for it. He'd be a great addition to a building team.
5. He needs to have a long discussion with Therrien about the general
direction of the team. Therrien needs to understand that there are
several things he needs to accomplish as a coach - no excuses. Markov
should not be playing 25 minutes a game. As GM I tell him he has the D
lineup now that allows you to limit his time - make it happen. Eller is
expected to take on more of a pp role. Galchenyuk is your new #1 centre
and your new pet project. You made Subban a better player now lets see
what you do with Galchenyuk. Lastly, you're the head coach and you're
ultimately responsible for the specialty teams. See that your coaching
staff fixes them. Players are given direction every year as to what is
expected of them come the next season. The coaching staff should
likewise be directed.
As far as your suggestion about trading Subban. I'm not trading him
unless the Oilers are offering up their #1 pick this year. Malkin is no
spring chicken and Norris D'men do not grow on trees. The team is set
defensively especially if they sign Petry. What they need now is a team
that can execute offensively and execute a pp because lets face it - if
they pop 3 or 4 timely pp's against Tampa, they're sitting right now
waiting for the winner of the Rags and Caps or at worse, they're heading
back to Montreal for game 7. Yes an additional scorer would be what the
doctor ordered and perhaps Edmonton is the team to talk to. We do have a
good D and for the right price maybe someone like Eberle or Nugent-H is
available. They need D, we need offence, seems like a proper trading
partner.
There's lots to do for MB but the window he has for PK/Price and Pacs is
about 5 years. If the proper pieces are not added and the right coaching
is not made available to the team in the next 5 years, we run the risk
of wasting 3 prime cuts of beef. MB likes to say they're a young team.
They are but pretty soon things will change. He better get the right
pieces in place very soon or his window will close.
On 15-05-13 07:21 AM, The Mad Ape wrote:
Chuck <barberphoto411@gmail.com>: May 13 06:52AM -0700
On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 8:31:31 AM UTC-4, Mike wrote:
> > They will want a package that includes a top d-man. The only one that the Habs have is Subban. Would you do the deal?
> > There chew on that for awhile.
> > TMA
They need to refocus their player development. They had 82 games to prepare for the play-offs, unfortunately they have a coach who is afraid to push his younger players to keep going forward, instead choosing to keep falling back to relying on inconsistent "comfort" veterans (DD, Gilbert, PAP etc). Do they have anyone who can take a player out in the slot? Or is holding a piece of the slot while lamely poking at the puck as the attacker goes to the net part of MT's system. Emelin delivers great body checks around the blue lines, and the boards, but open ice he is as weak as Gilbert when it comes to separating a player from the puck.
I think having Hamilton mirror the Habs is a mistake, the goal should be to develop talent not a system, especially when they have a coach that is not likely to stick with them when they are called up.
Again I hate play-off rules reffing, where the refs can pocket their whistles for anything other then a homicide, but have no call when it comes to "puck over the glass". I think they have even loosened up on calling too many men on the ice penalties, they seem to be less of them this year
Gerry <gerry14@hotmail.com>: May 13 07:26AM -0700
Development is a critical issue IMHO... a young player like De La Rose got ample favour from the coach, so it's not just that he is anti-youth per se. It's more a question of style. But to me, is De La Rose going to maximize his value to us by being rewarded for playing safe? Or would there be more value in having him learn while taking some chances and creating a little more, be it here or in Hamilton?
Anyway, I think we are going to need to improve our skill and scoring ability, and it is going to be difficult to do that from external sources, so getting it from within is going to be key. Somehow they have to improve at translating skill potential into skill on the roster.
l8r,
Gerry
Chuck <barberphoto411@gmail.com>: May 13 08:41AM -0700
On Wednesday, May 13, 2015 at 10:26:31 AM UTC-4, Gerry wrote:
> Anyway, I think we are going to need to improve our skill and scoring ability, and it is going to be difficult to do that from external sources, so getting it from within is going to be key. Somehow they have to improve at translating skill potential into skill on the roster.
> l8r,
> Gerry
I don`t think MT really knew how to fit De La Rose into the line-up. In his case he'd be better off in Hamilton learning how to work with linemates better. He didn`t fit the system MT wanted him to play. He showed some promise earlier in the season, then he started to go backwards. Did they have an arrangement where he either played in the NHL or back to Europe? As for playing it safe. What did playing it safe really accomplish? Hamstrung the team's offense but little real impact on reducing scoring chances against Price. Without the season Price had, the team would have had nothing to show for having their younger developing offensive talent favour "safe" over "risk/reward" hockey
freeman.jeric@gmail.com: May 13 09:54AM -0700
On Wednesday, 13 May 2015 08:31:31 UTC-4, Mike wrote:
> of wasting 3 prime cuts of beef. MB likes to say they're a young team.
> They are but pretty soon things will change. He better get the right
> pieces in place very soon or his window will close.
I agree. MT is not capable. Deja vu. Statistically the Habs are heading in the same direction as Therrien's 2009 Penguins.
http://www.habseyesontheprize.com/2014/1/23/5338488/canadiens-penguins-recap-the-last-time-michel-therrien-was-fired
Games 1 & 2 on home ice were most disappointing of all. Montreal is not an inferior team, had the assets. The coach has to take responsibility for going down like that.
Back to top
That one extra day off
Gerry <gerry14@hotmail.com>: May 13 04:58AM -0700
I think it will be difficult to do much beyond essentially standing pat, though. A couple small tweaks and promotions from within is about all we've sensibly got.
I'd have my contract offer on the table to Jeff Petry before next Monday, however.
l8r,
Gerry
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Pleks looks off
Gerry <gerry14@hotmail.com>: May 13 04:57AM -0700
He has looked off. Just not making plays with any authority or pizzazz, things like that chance he had early could have really made a big difference. He's "safe" on offense, but not very dynamic, despite having a skillset where I think he could be a bit more dynamic. So anyway, he needs to excel defensively to make up for it, and I didn't feel like he really was up to his own standards there either.
It's his last contract year coming up, though, so we're in a pretty good position with him. We still need a center next season. But if the team is in the tank he becomes a deadline trade chip, or if he has just lost the fire, we're not tied to him beyond next season. So it's just wait and see what happens heading up to February 2016, I say.
l8r,
Gerry
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