And swirl they did the last few days with the revelation that Habs All-Star defenseman, Andrei Markov, was not ready for play and would need another operation on his twice surgically repaired knee.
That's all anyone has been talking about since the Habs win over the Kings. That and the return of Max Pacioretty from his three game suspension.
But these stories just distract from the real issue at hand:the Montreal Canadiens are struggling with inconsistency this season.
Montreal's problems continued against the Columbus Blue Jackets, where a bad line change and absent defensive zone coverage allowed Vaclav Prospal to score only 2:03 into the game.
Keep in mind that the Habs were playing the worst team in the NHL, in the Blue Jackets, and Montreal looked disorganized and disinterested most of the night. That they got one point out of the match is a stroke of pure luck, with Brian Gionta tying the game on a fluky goal with less than two minutes to play.
But make no mistake, this was a game the Blue Jackets deserved to win as the Canadiens were completely dominated, managing seven shots in the first, four in the second and 20 overall.
Final score: Jackets 3 - Habs 2 (SO)
Game Notes
The Carey Price Cup - Prior to the game Canadiens goaltender, Carey Price, was awarded the Molson Cup as the top three-star getter for the month of November.
That's the second time Price has won the award this season—it has only been awarded twice this year. He did the same thing last season too, winning on a consistent basis and taking the Molson Cup for the year.
It's pretty clear that Price is the Habs MVP and, on most nights, the only reason they bank any points.
As several users mentioned on Twitter, perhaps it's time to just rename the trophy the Carey Price Cup.
It's all wrong - Louis Leblanc on the fourth line. Michael Cammalleri on the penalty kill.
What is Jacques Martin doing?
I've written about the wise old coaches propensity for using Cammalleri on the PK before. This despite being Cammalleri being one of the weaker defensive players on the team and having a career minus-25.
That aside, why was Louis Leblanc—playing his first home game in front of friends and family—playing on the fourth line with Mathieu Darche and Petteri Nokelainen?
Leblanc has looked excellent on the third line with Lars Eller and Andrei Kostitsyn the last few games. That he was pushed to the fourth line in favour of Travis Moen is criminal.
I know, I know, Moen has eight goals so far this season. But let's be honest here, he is a bottom-six plugger who hasn't ever scored more than 11 goals in any one season.
Leblanc, on the other hand, is an offensive prospect who was recently brought up from Hamilton. If Montreal is going to keep him with the big club they must put him in a position to succeed. Otherwise just send him back down and let him keep progressing in Hamilton.
Leblanc's skills are wasted on the fourth line and his time there will not further his development.
Yannick Weber, oh how you've fallen - What exactly has happened to Yannick Weber?
He started off the season on good footing and looked like he had finally found a spot in the Canadiens lineup. But in recent games, especially the Habs three-game stretch out West, Weber's defensive play has been abysmal.
So much so that, including the game against the Jackets, the once plus-7 player now sits at minus-5 for the season. Also, his ice time, which has been averaging 18:09 per match, dropped to 13:40, 11:59 and 3:33 over the previous three games respectively.
Against the Jackets, Weber got 8:31 of ice time, was a minus-1 and saw 1:31 on the powerplay.
He is looking more and more like he has played himself off the team but, unfortunately for the Canadiens they have no choice but to play him. Injuries continue to force their hand.
Chris Campoli and Jaroslav Spacek can't come back soon enough!
House of cards - So how much longer can this continue?
Montreal has already fired one coach, their best defenseman is out for at least another 4-6 weeks, they highest paid player is injured and makes the Habs a worse team when he's in the lineup, they've lost a ton of players to injury, they have a sputtering power play, a coach whose rigidity often hamstrings the team, a philosophy that fails to put players in positions to succeed and, ultimately, this team shows far too often that they can't win unless Price let's in one goal or less.
Yet Habs general manager, Pierre Gauthier does nothing.
No trades. No demotions of key players to the minors. No drastic moves. Nothing.
The fans are sick of the mediocrity but no one in head office seems to be listening. Actually, I'm sure that's not the case, but it's certainly the impression Montreal's brass gives off.
While nothing has been said, you get the impression that this management team, coaching staff included, is hanging by a thread—as is the Habs season. Their fate goes as the Canadiens go and so far, Montreal has struggled to maintain a .500 record.
You'd figure that, at some point, either a major shakeup of the lineup or the management team will/has to take place. I'm just wondering if that move will come when it's too late for the Canadiens to salvage their season.
Stat of the night - Nine. That is the number of body checks Alexei Emelin had against the Jackets. And most of them were of the bone jarring variety.
To be honest, Emelin proved the only real entertainment and was the only reason for Habs fans to cheer.
He now leads the Habs with 75 hits for the year, placing him 15th league-wide.
Question of the night - As I wrote above, how long can this continue? It's a simple question with an overly complicated answer. I truly think that nothing short of a complete housecleaning will change the direction this team and franchise are headed in.
But, as much as Habs fans want it, I'm not sure that's actually in the cards.
Up Next - The Habs have the day off before taking on the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday at the Bell Centre.
The way this season has gone so far, the Habs will probably play their best game of the season against the 'Nucks. If not, and they lose again, you have to figure that the noose will tighten that much more around Martin, Gauthier et al.
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Kamal is a freelance writer, Senior Writer/Editor-in-Chief of HabsAddict.com and Montreal Canadiens Blogger on Hockeybuzz.com. Kamal is also a weekly contributor to the Sunday Shinny on TSN Radio 990 (AM 990) every Sunday from 9 - 10 AM. Listen live at http://www.tsn.ca/montreal/
Follow Kamal on Facebook and Twitter
(Photo by John Grieshop/Getty Images North America)
8 comments:
Would coulda shoulda. Consider this: Habs rank 5th in the league in shots against per game, 9th in goals against per game, second in penalty killing, 8th in 5/5, but 27th in PP and 1-4 in shoutout. If two of those shootout losses had been wins, and IF their powerplay had been middle-of-the-pack, they could have had 36 points by now and be right at the top. So although things seem dismal, if they could fix their power play they could bounce right back. But this cannot happen without Markov and without a coaching change. We tend to overlook the fact that both Geoff Molson and Jacques Martin attended St. Lawrence University--so there is a bond of solidarity there that is difficult to break. But it seems so clear that the team has been mirroring the coach's lack of passion, and that his prolonged chemistry experiments with line shuffling and powerplay have failed dismally, so his departure seems imminent. Combine this with a trade with Washington, which also needs to shake things up. Tough to predict at this point who will be traded for whom, but I think that something is brewing. Thanks for your efforts, Kamal. I always enjoy reading what you have to say. We know each other--someday I'll reveal my true identity!
I forgot to mention this: sportsclubstats.com has a brilliant set of algorithms to determine odds of each team making the playoffs. These are updated daily. As of today, they have Washington, Montreal and Winnipeg in a dead heat for the 8th spot. 91 points will probably make it,which would require the Habs to go .583 for the balance.This is about the same as Toronto's record to date, so this will be a tall order for Habs to fill.
@anon: Thanks for the support and the excellent comments!
You SHOULD reveal yourself one day...your identity I mean.
I have a sneaking suspicion that your initials are FZ, but I could be wrong. :-)
As for Montreal, you're right in that as bad as they've been they are JUST outside the playoff picture. But that is a reflection of the reality of the "new" NHL....
Except for a few at the top and few at the bottom, most teams are within a few points of each other (all season).
You're also right that the PP could have given them a few more wins. The problem is that I think the Canadiens strong powerplay has masked serious weaknesses in their lineup for far too many seasons.
The PP helps teams make the playoffs but is much less of a factor once you're there. Defense wins championships and goaltending and PK become MUCH more important in the post-season.
Just look at Boston last year...their PP was pitiful throughout the playoffs yet they won the cup.
I think all Montreal's PP has allowed them to do (since the days of Sheldon Souray) is to avoid a proper rebuild. That's all.
Now, all that said, the Habs still could (and probably will) make the playoffs because things are so close. And yes, IF they get their PP going it will likely give them the push they need.
But, to the point I made in the article, when will PG act? How long does this team continue floundering before he does something to right the ship?
That, imo, is a HUGE failing by the GM.
Kamal, in your opinion, what realistically can be done? If it is a band aid solution at the expense of our youth and prospects then that borders on insane. If we can move contracts like Cammi's or Gomez's in some creative kind of way then as we say in the Maritimes - let 'er rip.
@Jeff_hfx: What CAN be done? Any number of things! Personally, I think PG needs to go so I'm not really a fan of HIM specifically presiding over trades and such.
That said, If I'm sitting in the GM's chair, I'm sending Gomez to the minors (if I can't trade him) plus also trying to move Gionta and Cammalleri. They have two of the more moveable contracts considering their skill levels and capabilities.
I'm also talking to Carolina to find out what it would take to get Staal out of there and doing the same with Nashville and Weber (Shea).
That's not to say that you would end up getting either of those players, but the Habs have wallowed with second tier talent for far too long.
Aside from Price and maybe P.K./Max Pacioretty, the Habs are a team made up of support players.
In order for Montreal to move in a different direction they need to make some bold moves. The problem is that neither Gauthier nor Martin are people who make bold moves. It's always about the safe move.
Gainey too, who still pulls a lot of strings behind the scenes, doesn't think the game the way it is in 2011. Gainey, Gauthier and Martin's heads are probably closer to 1991 than 2011.
And that's why, ultimately, I think the whole lot of them need to be swept out. Anything short of that will just be another bandaid.
Alexei Emelin was just about the only reason to watch last nights game. I almost felt sorry for some of the guys he hit. Now if only he would flatten Milan Lucic... That would be a nice Christmas gift!
@KP......why point fingers at Gauthier?
He keeps providing the elemets but the coach outright refuses to use them.
1) Woywitka has made a nice home for himself in NYR yet Martin refused to playe him. He's good enough for one of the op teams in the east but not good enough for us?
2) Cole at the beginning of the season with limited ice time
3) Insistence of Darche on the PP
4) Selecting to go with Engqvist, Palushaj, Weber on he 4th line instead of goiing some players with size like Blunden.
5) Emelin in a reduced ice time ultimately going with Weber and Diaz?
I mean Gauthier knew that we needed size up front and on D and brought in Cole, Emelin, Woywitka, Blunden, Mitera yet he coach won't use them.
Even if we were to go out and acquire a bruising 4th line winger, then chances are they wouldn't be used because Martin prefers small speedy and supposedly skilled players.
Kamal I agree the whole management team is stuck in the 90's they need to go!!
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