After yet another ugly game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night — and a blown lead against the Canucks on Thursday — I have to admire my online friend's restraint here. He follows a rival team and has no love for the Habs, but he's taken pity on me because he knows I'm tried and true.
But these are not "my" Montreal Canadiens.
I'm not sure where my guys went. I've only caught glimpses of my Montreal Canadiens thus far this season, and the last time I can be positive I clearly saw them hit the ice was last season.
My Habs, the ones I grew to root for and respect, were the underdogs who drove Pittsburgh and Washington crazy. Their shot blocking, commitment and belief in themselves overrode all common sense. My Habs took the Boston Bruins to seven games last year. My Habs forged a team identity based on teamwork and hard work.
I can't give you specifics as to when and where I saw them last, but I can tell you they were nowhere near the Bell Center this week.
Once again, on Tuesday, we got the refrain "We weren't prepared" from Brian Gionta. I suspect we'll hear it many more times over the remainder of the season.
And this is after Geoff Molson has proclaimed to Habs Nation that he has total faith in his management, coach and underachieving, richly paid superstars.
No disrespect to Monsieur Molson, but I find it hard to have faith in a coach that has failed to adequately prepare his team on, by their own account, several occasions now. I find it hard to have faith in a group of players, lauded time and again for their unity and leadership, who cannot ready themselves or their teammates.
I suppose it was inevitable. For the past couple of seasons there has always been a problem with sustained effort levels. There were always nights the Habs barely tried, especially against bottom dwelling teams such as the Blue Jackets.
In all fairness, they are not the only team in the NHL who suffer from this mysterious ailment. But unlike serious Cup contenders, they seem to have no remedy. The coaching staff has certainly not found a solution. Neither has the captain or his assistants. Nor have the veterans on the squad or fans such as myself.
Whenever the Habs do maintain a strong effort, it's usually accepted as clear cut evidence that Jacques Martin still has the room, that the team believes in him and his system. If that is indeed the case, wouldn't logic suggest that the reverse may also be true?
On nights they phone it in and don't look like they give a rat's patootie, doesn't that mean he's lost the room and they don't want him or his system?
It has been my personal experience that the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. And frankly we're past that stage anyway.
Whatever is ailing this team is not going to be easily fixed anytime soon.
There's a line in a song I like, "I can't sell you what you don't want to buy".
If the Habs don't want to skate the full 60 minutes then no amount of screaming or criticism from the fans will change that.
If Martin can't find a way to instill some sense of focus then fans will continue to be treated to more dismal showings.
If the players continue to do what they do best — talking the talk — and not what they are actually capable of — walking the walk — the fans will continue to be treated to more lackluster performances.
My Montreal Canadiens team has better players than their stats would presently suggest. They are a better team than the record currently shows.
But given the way these Montreal Canadiens played this week, I'd never know it.
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Rosalyn used to frequent the old Forum during her early childhood when her father was a corporate season ticket holder, where she fell in love with Larry Robinson, so her lifelong obsession with the Habs is entirely his fault.
Follow Rosalyn on Twitter
(Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images North America)
14 comments:
Isn't it time to sacrifice another assistant? :(
I love hockey. I love the Canadiens' tradition and rich history. I love the team I saw on the ice the last two seasons. I'm willing to forgive the occasional off night -- the NHL has a long season and being not there once in a long while is understandable.
But like you, I don't recognize these guys. Cammy's not doing much and neither is Gionta. Unlike a lot of people, I've never been a _big_ fan of Cammy, but Gio's got the "C" and I do expect more from him.
Sometimes the kids can spice up a room, and I'm not saying they're not trying, but they more often seem to be taking their cues from their seniors and that's depressing, too.
Watching games takes effort for me. I can't just sit home and switch on the tube or a radio. But unless things change in the near future, I don't know as I will, not all the time, anyway.
I hope things improve. I hope M. Molson decides that enough is enough and cleans house, as far up the ladder as is necessary. I'm just not holding my breath until I'm 'bleu'.
Janet, I've never been apathetic about this team before in over 30 years of watching them play. That's what it has come to. I PVR and I watch, but rarely without fast forwarding anymore when it becomes clear that it's the same old show out on the ice. So it takes effort for me too.
I'm going to be blogging more about M. Molson's status quo, but in the meantime, firing another assistant coach or even the head coach and GM will not magically fix this team and elevate it into contention either.
@Roz: Wow, brilliantly put piece!
I think the thing that is amazing right now, is how fans are tuning out. Not of TV or radio stations or their seats at the Bell Centre...but they is a real "I'm fed up I don't care anymore..." refrain.
Hockey Inside/Out Dave Stubbs said so much on Twitter this morn too...when he said he's never seen such apathy from Habs fans...and that, in his estimation, that is dangerous.
Damn right it is!
I truly hope that Molson et al. have a plan and are not just sitting back and watching. As I said in my piece about JM/PG getting fired (yesterday - http://www.habsaddict.com/2011/12/habs-shakeup-are-pierre-gauthier-and.html) if Molson TRULY only cares about the money, then this team has never been on a more certain path to becoming Harold Ballard's Leafs!
@Janet: Well said! You really do notice it...too many players look like their are either sulking or unhappy in some way.
How many times have we seen that grin from Gionta, like we used to last year? Not so much.
Cammalleri looks like he's dogging it more often than not, Subban is subdued and doesn't smile either. Even Hal Gill looks defeated.
I just hope that Mr. Molson has a plan that doesn't involve just riding it out. I also hope that Gauthier is not around long enough to start selling off prospects in an attempt to just squeak into the playoffs!
If not, things will only get worse for this bunch and its fans!
The biggest and long-lasting mistake that Gainey made was to hire Martin. Gomez was the second biggest mistake. Yet he is still the special advisor and Molson seems to value his input. (Note: I like Gainey but....)
Because anything drastic is done we have to be hones here for a second. Injuries have been a crucial component of our mediocrity.
Last season instead of using assets to bolster our line for a playoff run we used prospects and 2nd, 3rd and 5th round picks just to stay afloat.
AGain this season we have a team that has 3 rookies and 1 sophomore playing arguably the hardest position in the NHL to master.
We currently have Markov, Gomez, Spacek, Campoli, White all injured which represents $20 million of our $64 payroll not available.
These are not things that can be easily overcome.
And as I write this Kaberle has been dealt.
I understand the apathy toward the team, particularly in the last few weeks, and I feel the fan transition too. Where I would rush home to turn on the radio and plan my work and studying around games, I've actually just been waiting for the end-game news on Twitter. I think I've spent more time focusing on the Flames and the Wild more than I have the Habs, which has never happened before.
I think a lot of areas of the Habs hierarchy need overhaul, from the dressing room to the top management. Perspective and pride seem to be some of the largest issues, and unfortunately, those things don't win games.
The stark contrast between playoff Habs and current Habs is extremely unsettling, and it's time that everyone on the team wake up and become accountable to that.
Wow. Jaroslav Spacek for Tomas Kaberle.
Tomas Kaberle may be struggling in Carolina, but at the end of the day, he has over 500 career points, has a Stanley Cup ring and is 4 years younger than Spacek.
Horrible deal Louis. Kaberle has struggled for 2 seasons and just signed a 3 year contract at about $500k more than Spacek. Nothing good about this at all except we got younger.
Kamal - thanks so much! Re: apathy. It's not just online. There's a few Habs fans at work who never go online or do the social media thing, and none of them watch anymore. Just catch the highlights. No emotional investment anymore. They are disengaging. Thinking of interviewing a couple of them to better highlight problem actually.
Anonymous - I'm a huge fan of Gainey's but the Gomez thing will never be lived down. As for Martin, career record notwithstanding, I never believed his system ever suited the composition of this team. Thanks for taking the time!
Louis - you sound like you're writing script for PG's presser on the deal! Bryan - even that's not enough to actually make me like it. I hope the fresh start plays in Kaberle's favour, but I'm "cautiously pessimistic" to borrow a phrase from a tweep.
Roz - I think I am one of the only people who had a favorable impression of this trade from the get go. Like I have said elsehwere, I understand the risks, but he had 47 points last year. Kaberle may be slipping, but he is not exactly washed up yet.
As for doing interviews, that sounds like an amazing idea!
4 teams in less than a year......this is troubling.
If, and that's a big IF, but if Kaberle regains his form from Toronto then it is a good deal but.......in Toronto he was dishing the puck to McCabe and then to Phaneuf for that big one timer just like Markov to Schenider, bergeron, Souray, etc....
Who is Kaberle or Markov dishing the puck to now?
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