Assessing The Habs New Blue Line Addition: Tom Gilbert

There's a new face in town, without much mention however. During the offseason among other changes to our line-up, the blue line lost one of their better defensemen known for the most blocked shots annually in the NHL. That being said, after the Josh Gorges trade can we assume we will be relying on Mike Weaver for our defensive core? After last year's surprising performance, it would appear Marc Bergevin gained enough confidence in Weaver to let go of one of our leading players. Will the same be said for new player Tom Gilbert? After being signed to a two-year deal worth $5.6 million, hopes are Gilbert will use this “trial” to shed light on the offensive force we have been lacking. The Habs are in need of an additional offensive defenseman who can apply pressure in the offensive zone and play 20 to 23 minutes per game.

Tom Gilbert was coming off of one of his better seasons in the NHL playing for the Florida Panthers where he signed only an affordable one-year pact worth $900,000 due in part to having a few under-rated seasons in Minnesota and eventually being bought out. Now it appears Bergevin has welcomed Gilbert to the Montreal Canadiens in hopes he will continue his great run from the season before.

What can be said about Gilbert is his size serves us, along with his ability to cycle the puck. Gilbert who has logged big minutes per game, comes at a small risk to our defensive line, so you would think.

So far Tom Gilbert has played 11 games with the Habs and the fans are already not too happy with the 6' 3'', 206-lb defensemen. Having only two points while logging an average of 22:33 minutes a game thus far, Gilbert is not turning out to be the player Habs fans have hoped for, especially when Gilbert was called for a minor penalty in the last minutes of overtime against the Vancouver Canucks and costed the Habs a loss. Gilbert's recent play shows how much of a flaw defensively he can be on the ice: Gilbert is a non-physical big body defenseman who pinches at the wrong time trying to create offense when he should not; this is not something you look to add to a team. Hab fans were expecting a physical defensive player that can shut down offensive plays in the defensive zone after the loss of Josh Gorges and Douglas Murray, but Tom Gilbert is a puck moving rearguard who is not known for physical style of play. Tom Gilbert has been notoriously known around the league since his NHL debut as a soft oversized defenseman. Habs fans have to be reminded that Bergevin did not sign Tom Gilbert for such a role. So why did Bergevin sign him in the first place?

In my opinion Tom Gilbert was signed by the Habs for his capability of playing long minutes to help lighten the workload of Andrei Markov and PK Subban and for his offensive playing skills so that he can play on the second power play unit. His talent of cycling the puck and setting up plays in the offensive zone will be greatly needed for a power play that is lacking the mobility in moving the defensive players out of position in order to create scoring chances. Tom has played on his previous teams' power play units before averaging nine points on the man advantage per season and averaging 1:21 on the PP per game during his best years in Edmonton. It is not many points but it shows Gilbert has the experience to run an effective power play. We all saw how placing Gilbert on the power play even when only seconds expired after the roughing minor to Giordano ended Gilbert scored his first goal as a Hab which was the tying goal against Calgary and eventually led to a shoot out win for the Habs.

The Montreal Canadiens power play thus far is terrible, the Habs are ranked 24th in the NHL having scored only 3 goals out of 32 power play opportunities which translates to a 9.4% efficiency on the power play. You don't need more statistical facts to show that the Habs are in dire need of improvement. Tom Gilbert may or may not be the solution to the Habs' lack of scoring on the power play but Therrien should consider him at times to try and shake things up, it is not as if Michel has anything to loose on the power play at this point in time.

The Montreal Canadiens can only hope that Tom Gilbert improves over the next couple of games and hopefully he can be a positive addition to the non-existent power play. The fans have to be a bit more patient with Gilbert as there are many more games to come and many more opportunities for Therrien to utilize Gilbert's experience on the power play unit. Being a new player on a team which is highly scrutinized after each play is something that will take time getting used to, it's normal for a new player to play out of sync at first, but hopefully Gilbert can get back to playing his best hockey soon and cut on the turnovers. 

We will all have to adopt a wait-and-see approach.

Written by Jon Saxe

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5 Reasons For The Habs Early Season Success

Greetings Habs Nation,

There was a lot of optimism surrounding the Montreal Canadiens heading into the current NHL season. The Habs were coming off of a playoff run that saw them reach the Eastern Conference finals only to fall to the New York Rangers in six games. The Team became bigger by replacing Francis Bouillon, Josh Gorges and captain Brian Gionta with the likes of Tom Gilbert, Manny Malhotra, P.A. Parenteau and Jiri Sekac and their young stars Alex Galchenyuk, Brendan Gallagher had another year of experience under their belts.

Fast forward to the present, the Habs sit on top of the Eastern Conference with an 8-2 record and share the league lead with the Anaheim Ducks.

Optimistic or not, raise your hands if you saw this kind of start for the Canadiens. Good, now put our hands down because you're lying.

With all of the success, fans around the city are all weighing in on why the team is finding success so early in the season (actually a fair amount are calling for coach Michel Therrien's head because Habs fans will be Habs fans). The following points are why I believe the Canadiens are looking like an early contender in the East.

1. CHaracter

When Marc Bergevin took the reigns as the new GM of the Montreal Canadiens in May of 2012 he right away spoke of the importance of character in the roster. The word "character" came up multiple time whenever a new player was signed or any time a question was directed towards him really. Fans calling in to TSN690 and all over twitter would make their jokes and sarcastically comment on Bergevin's constant talk of character, but there has been a lot less of that mockery in recent days.

The Canadiens are 8-2 despite having a goal differential of +1. Winning eight of ten games while only outscoring their opponents by one goal shows that they are winning those tight games. Every team wins their fair share of close games but to win so many consistently shows character.

If that's not enough, the Canadiens have scored the first goal only twice. Their record after giving up the first goal is 6-2. Winning 75% of the games in which you've been scored on first is unheard of. Jokes aside, it takes character to never give up. Down 3-0 going into the third period IN Philadelphia? no problem, 4-3 win in overtime. Detroit has you scoreless with three minutes remaining in the final frame? Don't worry, Galchenyuk will battle Kyle Quincey to the ice, climb over him and bury the puck past Howard on a nifty wrap around en route to a 2-1 overtime win.

This team doesn't want to lose. This team doesn't give up. This team has character.

2. Carey Price

It doesn't hurt your team's chances of winning when you have arguably the best goalie in the world between the pipes. Price has been good enough to backstop his team to seven out of the eight games he's started and he hasn't even reached his full potential yet. His .923 save % is seventh among goalies who have played five or more games and will likely rise. His GAA of 2.43 puts him 12th among goalies with five or more games played and will no doubt improve. The 7-1 pounding delivered by the Tampa Bay Lightning (four goals were given up by Price, three by back up Dustin Tokarski) dampened his numbers but it's a long season and he'll no doubt lower that average.

Carey Price is a huge part of the Habs success and has yet
to reach his full potential.

The Habs won early on while he looked less than stellar and his recent performances against the Red Wings, Rangers and Flames should provide his team with even more confidence than they've been playing with thus far.

3. Health

The Montreal Canadiens have health on their side. Yes, I knocked on wood so please refrain from any  drastic reactions to me pointing out this element of their success. The Canadiens have missed roughly two man-games to injury so far. The healthier a team, the quicker and stronger each line's confidence and chemistry grows. Tomas "TurtlePlek" Plekanec and Galchenyuk have shown phenomenal chemistry playing together and the longer they play together the more they'll light up the lamp. David Desharnais and Max Pacioretty are finding their groove and should produce consistently if Pacioretty can finally play an 82 game season. Although, to be fair Patches heals at a rate roughly 100 times faster than any normal human being so he should be good to go.

4. Depth

Tomas Plekanec's opportunity to play a more offensive role
has paid off so far as he has nine points in ten games.

While the Habs' health is playing an important role in their success, they have the depth to bail them out in the event that they do deal with an injury or two. Their depth up front has Michael Bournival and newcomer Jiri Sekac watching the games from the press box. Michel Therrien has had the good fortune this year to shuffle the deck mid-game to get his team going if needed. Parenteau replaced Sekac on the Desharnais-Pacioretty line in Philly en route to their comeback from a three goal deficit.

Bringing in Manny Malhotra to take face offs and kill penalties adds depth to their defensive end giving Plekanec more offensive responsibilities. The alternate captain (one of... like... 12) gas responded by putting up a team leading five goals and nine points. More than that, he is noticeably happy. When was the last time you saw the normally straight faced Plekanec smile and celebrate so much after a goal?

On the backend, Nathan Beaulieu has been spending the majority of the games watching from above but he's readily available to jump in if needed, as is Greg Pateryn who's is playing with the Hamilton Bulldogs.

It's worth considering having Beaulieu, Bournival and Sekac play with the Bulldogs rather than be on the sidelines just to get some playing time. Demote them to keep them in game shape? Keep them to watch the game from a different point of view and be ready if called upon? These are problems any GM would want.

Heck, the Habs even started the pre-season with three goalies!

5. Michel Therrien

I feel as though if any of my reasons for the Habs success are going to be slandered it's this one. Therrien is not the most popular man in Montreal. His insistence on playing Rene Bourque despite his production baffles the majority of Habs fans and even media. His decision to bench Lars Eller after only five minutes of ice time in the recent win over the Calgary Flames has lead people to believe that Eller is his whipping boy. Therrien putting both Dale Weise and Travis Moen in the line up on the same nights while sitting more offensive minded players like Michael Bournival and Jiri Sekac has many, including myself, scratching their heads (it could be dry scalp but I'd like to think it's MT's line-up decisions).

Lars Eller has been one to respond on the ice after being benched in the past. It could be that Therrien knows his players better than the fans (crazy, right?!). Each player is sparked differently, it's for that I don't go for Therrien's jugular when hearing about Eller's night off. Plus, as mentioned above the Habs depth provides Therrien the luxury of this approach while giving Michael Bournival a chance to play in his first game this season.

Therrien's decisions will never make all of Habs nation happy. The Canadiens sit atop the standings with an 80% win rate and fans are still complaining about anything they can, most notably the coach. There are a few things I myself question such as Sekac's lack of ice time and at the opposite end of the spectrum, Travis Moen's... well, Travis Moen is getting minutes.

Despite people's minor or major problems with him, Therrien, in his second go as the Canadiens head coach, had his team finish first in the NorthEast in 2012-13, brought them to within six wins from the Stanley Cup in 2013-14 and has an 8-2 record early in the 2014-15 season.

You may not like him, but Michel Therrien is a big reason for the Montreal Canadiens' Success.

What are your thoughts on the Canadiens quick start?
Have I ignored any important factor?
Are any of the above reasons given more credit than deserved?

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Game 11 - Canadiens at Canucks

#MTLHockey Preview

 

Match Up

The Canadiens (8-2-0) wrap up their road trip Thursday night with a visit to Vancouver to face the Canucks (6-3-0). The puck drops at 10:00 and the game airs on RDS and SN360.

This is the first of two meetings between the Habs and Canucks this season, they'll meet again at the Bell Centre in early December to close out the series. Last year, the Canadiens dominated their two games against Vancouver, scoring 4-1 and 5-2 victories. Max Pacioretty had four goals against the Canucks last season, including a hat trick in the 5-2 home win.

What to Watch

Tom Gilbert picked up his first goal as a Canadien Tuesday night in Calgary, helping the team draw even against the Flames. If Pacioretty was looking for an opportunity to step up his game, there's no time like the present. The Canadiens' leading goal scorer last season has lit the lamp just three times in the first ten games, leaving him on a pace well shy of the 39 goals he had last year.

The Sedin twins are back in fine form to start this season, Daniel and Henrik each have 11 points the nine games to start the year. Ryan Miller is off to a strong start as well with a 6-1-0 record through is first seven games as a Canuck. The only goalie with more wins than Miller will be occupying the crease 180 feet away. Carey Price leads the league with seven wins.

What's at Stake

The season keeps moving along and the Habs keep distancing themselves from their competition. Montreal has a three point lead over Tampa and a six point cushion on the Bruins; Long Island, Detroit, Pittsburgh and Ottawa are all four points back or more with varying games on hand. While there is plenty of hockey left to play, the Canadiens have and early edge in the East and can build on their advantage with every point.

Who's Out

The question of who's out keeps popping up keeps popping up for the Habs, but it has nothing to do with injuries. Jiri Sekac has been a healthy scratch for the past four games, Jarred Tinordi and Nathan Beaulieu have split duties occupying the final defensive spot, while Michael Bournival has yet to see action this season, despite suiting up for 60 games last year.

The Canucks have been without defenseman Ryan Stanton (lower body) for much of the season. He is expected to return to action soon, but will likely miss Thursday's game.

What Else

The Canadiens have scored just one goal over the two games they've played in Alberta already this week. They still have yet to score a power play marker on the road, and they've scored just six goals in their last five road games. Three of their four road wins have come by way of shoot out. All that to say, the Habs has had trouble scoring on the road and they'll need to find a way to correct that as a team if they hope to have continued success.

The Question Mark

The Habs have picked up 16 out of a possible 20 points to start the season, but how many points have they deserved?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 9:00 on Thursday to preview the Canadiens and the Canucks.

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Game 10 - Canadiens at Flames

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (7-2-0) are in Calgary Tuesday night to face the Flames (5-4-1) at the Saddledome. The game is set to start at 9:00 and can be seen on RDS2 and City-Montreal.

This is the first of two games between the Habs and Flames this season, they'll meet again this coming Sunday back at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Last season the teams split their two meetings, with Carey Price and the Canadiens earning a 2-0 win on home ice. The Habs got goals from Rene Bourque and David Desharnais to help power them to victory.

What to Watch

For the first time this season, the Habs were shut out Monday night against the Oilers, a 3-0 defeat, despite directing 29 shots at Ben Scrivens. Manny Malhotra had a rare off night at the faceoff dot, winning just 41.7% of his draws. It marked the first game this season that Malhotra ended the game under 50% on the draw.

24-year-old Calgary native Joe Colborne is of to the hottest start of his career with eight assists in ten games. Colbourne is playing on a line with Jiri Hudler and Sean Monahan. Defenseman TJ Brodie, also got off to a strong start this season and parlayed that into a five-year, 4.65 million AAV contract extension.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens are still on top of the NHL, but things can change very quickly in this league. With division rivals like the Lightning and Bruins facing injury trouble early this season, the Habs should be looking to build up their cushion while they have a chance. The team will also want to bounce back after being held goalless the night before.

Who's Out

Czech rookie Jiri Sekac has been a healthy scratch for the past three games, but after the team's poor offensive showing on Monday he could finally draw back into the line-up. Jarred Tinordi was left in the press box on Monday as well in favor of Nathan Beaulieu.

The Flames were without winger David Jones (lower body) for most of this season, but he's expected to make his return on Tuesday. Mason Raymond is day-to-day with an upper body injury and is expected to miss the game against the Habs.

What Else

While the Canadiens had another strong night on the penalty kill Monday, they also continued to struggle on the power play, going 0-for-4. The Habs are now 23rd in the league with the man advantage, scoring just three times on 26 opportunities, including an empty net power play goal against the Bruins. The Canadiens have generated a mere 34 power play shots this season, adding three shots on four PP attempts on Monday.

The Question Mark

What do the Habs need to do to improve their power play?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 8:00 on Tuesday to preview the Flames and Canadiens.

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Game 9 - Canadiens at Oilers

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (7-1-0) head west to open a three-game Western Canada road trip against the Oilers (3-4-1) Monday night. The game starts at 9:30 and can be seen on RDS and Sportsnet.

This is the first of two meetings between the Habs and Oilers, Edmonton will come to Montreal in February to complete the series. Last season the teams split their season series, the Habs scored a 4-1 win in Edmonton, while the Oilers took a 4-3 decision in Montreal less than two weeks later.

What to Watch

The Canadiens' penalty kill was working well during their home-stand. The Canadiens killed off 11 of 12 power plays in the last four games and added a short-handed goal in Saturday's match against the Rangers. Max Pacioretty set up Tomas Plekanec for the short-handed marker and added a goal to give him seven points on the year, six of which came in the last four games.

The Oilers have plenty of scoring threats up front including Taylor Hall (4g, 3a), Jordan Eberle (2g, 4a) and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (3g, 1a), but the team still struggles to keep goals out of their own net. The team is middle of the pack in terms of goals for, but with an average of 3.88 goals against per game, they're dead last in the NHL in that department.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens can have first place in the NHL all to themselves with a win or OT loss on Monday. The Habs were a perfect 4-0-0 at home and will look to extend their four-game win streak with a strong showing against the Oilers, who sit in last place in the Pacific division.

Who's Out

Brendan Gallagher missed some of Saturday's game but returned in time to help the Habs close out a 3-1 win over the Rangers. Aside for that the Canadiens have been healthy, meaning Michel Therrien has had to make some difficult line-up decision. Nathan Beaulieu hasn't seen action since the team's 7-1 loss in Tampa prior to their home-stand, while Jiri Sekac has missed the last two games.

Edmonton is missing winger Luke Gazdic (shoulder) and goalie Viktor Fasth (groin).

What Else

The Canadiens will blow into Western Canada like a whirlwind with three games in four nights, before returning home to host the Flames on Sunday. The Canadiens won three of four games on a similar trip last season, though this year they won't travel to Winnipeg just yet. With such a tight schedule, expect Dustin Tokarski to suit up for his second start of the season at some point this week.

The Question Mark

What aspect of Montreal's game has impressed you the most so far this season, which part could use improvement?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 8:30 to preview the Canadiens and Oilers.

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Eight thoughts after eight games

Hey Habs fans. It's been a while since I lasted posted here and I have a few thoughts on the Habs and NHL I wish to share with you. Please feel free to weigh in and comment.

The Schedule. The schedule makers did Montreal no early favors starting them off with a tough four games in six night road trip. Then, immediately after the first home-stand which ended last night vs. the NY Rangers, the Canadiens pack their bags and head out on a Western Canada road trip through Alberta and BC. In fact, the Habs play virtually either every night or every other night right through December 5th. The following week they play just twice. It will be interesting to see how the fatigue factor comes into effect with so much hockey to be played the next six weeks or so.

Goaltending Just prior to the start of the regular season on October 5th, GM Marc Bergevin traded veteran goaltender Peter Budaj to the Winnipeg Jets for forward Eric Tangradi. The move effectively made rookie Dustin Tokarski the new backup to starter Carey Price. There was some concern heading into the season about the health of Price, whose playoff run ended early on this dirty play by Rangers pest Chris Krieder. Price has proven that he is back and better than ever. Through his first seven starts, he has allowed 18 goals on 190 shots for a .913 save %and a 2.67 goals against average. Those numbers are improving every game and are bound to improve as the season progresses. Meanwhile, Tokarski has made two appearances, starting in Washington and performing mop-up duty in TB. I'm not worried about the goaltending. This tandem of Price and Tokarski will give the Habs a chance to win on most nights.

Canada's Team? Although it is a brief sample, after eight games, Montreal looks like Canada's best hope to win a Stanley Cup. Toronto has its usual goaltending problems, Ottawa is also off to a good start, but they are a young team and will not be able to sustain the effort all season. In the west, the Canucks have a older team and are atrocious in the faceoff circle. Winnipeg's Evander Kane has demanded a trade and anytime you have an unhappy player in the locker room it creates division. Also, the team still very much resembles the one it inherited when Atlanta relocated to Winnipeg three seasons ago. Edmonton has a comical way of defending and Calgary is very much in a rebuilding stage, likely in the running for Connor McDavid. Montreal currently has a great mix of players who are just entering their prime at the same time, from defenseman PK Subban to Price. The Habs resemble the 2011 Vancouver Canucks squad who dominated the league and nearly brought the Stanley Cup back to Canada.

The Refereeing. So far, the refereeing hasn't been stellar. Case in point, opening night Toronto scored a goal that should have been blown dead due to an obvious offside. The following night vs. Washington, the Habs had two goals called back in the 3rd period. This season, the referees are conferencing on controversial calls. I'm still an advocate for increased video review, especially on goals that should or should not be counted. I think penalty calls should continue to be discretionary with the exception of too many men on the ice calls. That penalty is not called often enough in my opinion. I also think coaches challenges are worth trying in the AHL or junior league or a preseason game next year.

Shootouts. The shootout has been a controversial addition to NHL games. Introduced after the 2003-04 lockout in an effort to make sure there are no ties in hockey, many games that have gone beyond 60 minutes have been decided in the shootout. There are many fans who argue that the shootout is not a fair way to decide a game. There are some teams that just aren't good at a shootout. The Vancouver Canucks have been traditionally bad at it. Also, you might have a game where one side plays awful but manages to get to a shootout and because they are good at the skill game they win. In an effort to cut down on the number of games decided by the shootout, the NHL implemented a few changes. First, at the end of regulation there is a dry scrape of the ice. Second teams switch ends, thus making line changes harder when tired. Finally, the spin-o-rama has been eliminated as a legal move in the shootout. Have the changes worked? Of the 27 games that have gone beyond regulation time, 15 of them have required a shootout. I think the switching of sides is a good idea but perhaps the dry scrape has the opposite effect. By dry scraping the ice, the puck sticks  to the surface. Teams need more incentive to win in regulation or OT. I propose that teams get three points for winning in regaulation, two for overtime and just a single point for winning in a shootout. The losing team gets nothing at all.

Expansion/Relocation. There has been much debate of expanding the league by a couple of teams. Las Vegas, Seattle and Quebec City. Before considering expansion, one has to ask whether there is enough viable NHL talent that an expansion team would win consistently? Currently the Carolina Hurricanes are winless and there are several teams that have won just twice in their 7 or 8 games. There is an imbalance of talent between conferences with the West generally dominating and the Eastern conference having a few teams doing well, including your Habs. If the NHL wants to go the relocation route, Florida would be a prime candidate to move. Their attendance has been abysmal the last few seasons, especially this one. Part of the problem is the Panthers aren't winning despite having to spend tons of money on high-end talent just to make the cap floor. Also, the Panthers are having to compete with the MLB (Miami Marlins), NFL (Miami Dolphins), college football, and NBA (Miami Heat). In my opinion, the league should not consider expansion but should definitely consider relocating teams like Florida and Carolina. I highly doubt the league would simply fold a team like Florida due to loss of revenue. Instead, I can see the league relocating to a more viable location.

Ottawa Tragedy I would like to give a shoutout to the fallen Corporal Nathan Cirillo, who was gunned down Wednesday in a terrorist attack that could have ended so much worse if not for the quick action of Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers who killed the lone gunman. Like many of you I was moved by the actions of bystanders who tried in vain to save the fallen Cirillo. Kudos to every NHL team who played the Canadian anthem and honored our fallen soldier, I wish MLB had followed suit instead of simply releasing a statement on behalf of the Toronto Blue Jays. I do not wish to turn this blog into a political debate. However, we must not condone the actions of extremists. In times like this week, we are not Habs fans, we are Canadian citizens who stand together as one united voice that terrorists will not win. Please hug your loved ones tonight and keep in your thoughts and prayers those currently fighting overseas and/or enrolled in the military. #OttawaStrong.

Playoff Rematch. Montreal faced Tampa Bay, Boston and NY Rangers respectively in their lengthy playoff run last season. Already they have had one game against each this season. One has to wonder if the Habs would have beaten Tampa Bay if a healthy Steven Stamakos was available. When the Habs faced the Lightning, Stamakos had only recently returned from a bad break in his leg on this play. Based on the start he has had this season, if he was healthy last season, the Habs would have had a tougher fight on their hands at the very least. The Habs defeated the Bruins in an entertaining battle that featured 10 goals. Finally tonight, they exacted their revenge in a clinical 3-1 victory over the Rangers. Not surprisingly, Chris Kreider was booed mercifully after he took out Carey Price in last year's playoffs. All in all, it's great to see the start Montreal has had to their season

Go Habs Go

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Game 8 - Canadiens vs Rangers

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (6-1-0) play host to the Rangers (4-3-0) Saturday night at the Bell Centre in an Eastern Conference Final rematch. The game starts at 7:00 with a special ceremony in honor of Corporal Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent that will be shown on CBC, Sportsnet ONE, City, and TVA Sports, as well as the NHL Network for U.S viewers.

This is the first of three meetings between the Habs and Blueshirts, and the only one in Montreal. Last year the teams met three times in the regular season with each game ending as a shutout. Cam Talbot, Carey Price and Peter Budaj all posted shutout wins during the series, while Henrik Lundqvist was the only goalie to give up more than a single goal in one of these games, allowing a pair in a 2-0 loss.

These teams me again in the Eastern Conference Final with the Rangers eliminating the Habs in 6 games. Carey Price was forced out of the series after just two periods when Chris Kreider collided with the Habs netminder.

What to Watch

While slow starts continue to be an issue plaguing the Canadiens, the questions about Carey Price's slow start have subsided. Price has 3 straight wins since being pulled in Tampa, and has made 59 saves on 62 shots in his last two starts. Don't look now but Alexei Emelin has quietly put up five assists in five games this season. Emelin logged a season high 24:58 Tuesday night against the Wings.

19-year-old Montreal native Anthony Duclair will be dressed for Saturday's game, the rookie has three assists in five games and is still looking for his first NHL goal. The Habs will need to keep a close watch on Rick Nash whenever he's on the ice, Nash has eight goals in seven games this year.

What's at Stake

The Habs have already faced the two teams they eliminated in last year's playoffs, now they get to try for a bit of revenge of their own. With a win on Saturday, the team will match a franchise record for most wins in their first eight games, although the 1961-62 Canadiens earned 15 of their first 16 points. A win would also help the Habs keep pace with the league leading Anaheim Ducks who sit two points ahead of Montreal after their win on Friday.

Who's Out

Nathan Beaulieu has been sent back down to Hamilton along with Michael Bournival to get at least some game action and both are expecting to be called back up after the weekend. Other than that the Habs are healthy as they look to close out their first home-stand of the season.

The Rangers are missing two big pieces in Dan Boyle (hand) and Derek Stepan (leg). Since joining the Rangers in the off-season, Boyle has played in just one regular season game seeing 14 minutes of action before breaking his hand while blocking a shot.

What Else

The Canadiens, Maple Leafs and Senators will hold a special, coordinated tribute in their home buildings for slain Canadian soldiers Corporal Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent. The event is being described as a show of solidarity and a way to show appreciation for the men and women whose selfless actions stopped the attackers and aided the victims. Senators owner, Eugene Melnyk, had this to say on the event in his statement posted on the Ottawa Senators' Website:

As we continue to reflect on the tragic circumstances surrounding the deaths of two our country’s soldiers on Canadian soil, we do so with heavy hearts. But what doesn’t break us, makes us stronger. Today our country stands more united than ever and so does the entire NHL family. We are very pleased to join forces with the Montreal Canadiens and the Toronto Maple Leafs in coordinating a unique and special tribute prior our game on Saturday in honour and recognition of these two brave soldiers, their families and all members of our Canadian military.

The Question Mark

After having several month to look back, how do you feel about Chris Kreider and his collision with Price last Spring?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 tonight to preview the Canadiens and the Rangers.

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The Underrated Value Of Manny Malhotra

As soon as teams were allowed to sign players on July 1st, 2014, the Montreal Canadiens called veteran Manny Malhotra to offer him a one-year deal worth $850,000. Many Habs fans had no clue who Malhotra was and most only remembered him from his days as a Vancouver Canuck.

Three months later, the underrated impact of this signing is already felt after six games, the Habs being 5-1 and standing atop of the Eastern Conference standings.

Not known for his offensive abilities, the 34-year-old pivot has no point and no penalty minute so far this season, centering the team's fourth line. But we can't assess Malhotra's impact by looking at his offensive numbers, because his value truly likes at the face-off circle and in the dressing room.

[Related: from The Hockey Writers -> Brendan Gallagher: The Heart Of A Lion] 

Malhotra currently leads the ENTIRE NHL with a face-off percentage of 66,3% among qualified players, winning at least 60% of his face-off in all but one game this year. His face-off skills also appear to help David Desharnais and Lars Eller, who have improved considerably at the dot. Desharnais' efficiency is up 5.6% while Eller's efficiency is up 1.9%. Only Tomas Plekanec continues to struggle at 46.1%.

Malhotra really improved at the dot under former Blue Jackets head coach Ken Hitchcock for whom he played between 2006 and 2009. That's where he started to take more draws and he quickly got better, consistently posting face-off percentages about 60%. It also helps a lot to have taken about 11,183 draws against a plethora of centermen during his 16-year career in both the Eastern and Western conference.
As a team, the Canadiens are currently sitting at 54.5% in their match-ups. Only two teams are better, the Carolina Hurricanes and the Columbus Blue Jackets, ironically two of Malhotra's former teams.

Malhotra's arrival has allowed head coach Michel Therrien to start Plekanec's line much more often in the offensive season as he is not the go-to-guy any more when it comes to defensive zone face-offs. Plekanec's offensize zone starts are up 7.6% from 38% last season to 45.6% this season, allowing him to start less often in his own end and get more playing time alongside his linemates, Alex Galchenyuk and Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau, in the offensive zone.

Behind the Lens: Manny Malhotra

The native of Mississauga, Ontario, is also an adept penalty killer spending a quarter of his playing time (12 minutes on average per game) down a man, and we all know how undisciplined the
Canadiens have been so far.

"That's why we wanted to acquire him this summer, said head coach Michel Therrien. We understand the importance of face-offs, but his contribution doesn't stop there. We can use him down a man or to protect a lead late in the game. He has been a very good acquisition for our team."

Playing on 2:55 minutes on the penalty kill this season, Malhotra allows Tomas Plekanec to get more rest and less defensive responsibilities. So far this year, Plekanec is spending 51 less seconds per game on the PK (2:57/game in 2013-14 and 2:06/game in 2014-15) and 49 seconds less overall on the ice per game down from 19:46 to 18:57.

This slight decrease might prove beneficial for the team over the long term as it would mean that Plekanec would play about a game less of taxing minutes over an 82-game calendar. The organization hopes that a rested and more productive Plekanec will help the team go even deeper in the playoffs than last season when the team lost in the Eastern Conference final against the New York Rangers.

So far so good as Plekanec is the team's leading scorer with seven points in six games to go along with a +3 plus/minus differential.

Do you agree that Malhotra's signing has been the best off-season move by GM Marc Bergevin?

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Game 7 - Canadiens vs Red Wings

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (5-1-0) host the Red Wings (3-1-1) at the Bell Centre Tuesday night for an Original Six match up. The game is set to start at 7:30 and is being shown on RDS, City - Montreal, and Fox Sports - Detroit.

This is the first of four meetings between the Habs and Wings this season. Last year the Canadiens went 2-1-1, winning the last two games. Jarred Tinordi played over 15 minutes in the Canadiens 5-3 win in their final game last year, picking up two assists in the process.

What to Watch

When he gets going the way he did Saturday night against the Avalanche, PK Subban can be hard to miss. PK lit the lamp twice Saturday bringing him up to three goals and four points on the season. He also picked up his seventh minor penalty of the season, putting him in a familiar position ahead of the league in that department, tied with Boston's Brad Marchand.

Red Wings fans needed to sit through 64 minutes and 50 seconds of goalless hockey Saturday night when the Wings hosted the Maple Leafs, but were treated to a Henrik Zetterberg one-timed game-winner off a beautiful feed from Niklas Kronwall for their troubles. It was Zetterberg's first goal of the season but he now has a team-best six points. Gustav Nyquist is also off to an impressive start to his season. After posting 28 goals and 48 points in 57 games last season, he already has four goals and five points in five games this year.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens are at the top of the standings and a win against the Red Wings will help them keep it that way. Detroit is off to a strong 3-1-1 start to the season so the Habs will also be doing themselves a favor by beating their division rivals.

Who's Out

The Canadiens are healthy heading in to Tuesday's game. Jarred Tinordi has played the last four games, the last two of which have come at the expense of Nathan Beaulieu. Dale Weise has also been a healthy scratch the last two games.

Johan Franzen (leg), Pavel Datsyuk (shoulder) and Jimmy Howard (groin) all missed Saturday's game against the Leafs, Datsyuk hasn't played yet this season, but all three could be in action on Tuesday. Howard is expected to start in Montreal, the two skaters are a bit more questionable to see action.

What Else

While the Canadiens have been slow out of the gates in their first six games, they've been pretty solid in the final two periods with seven second period and eight third period goals. And although they've allowed five and six goals against in the final two frames, if you discount Montreal's 7-1 loss to the Lightning, they've outscored their opponents 7-3 in the second and 8-3 in the third period.

The Question Mark

How would you like to see Michel Therrien use Jarred Tinordi and Nathan Beaulieu this season?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30 Tuesday to preview the Canadiens and Red Wings. Monica McAlister joins us in the second segment to fill us in on the Wings perspective.

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Should Almost-Bourque Be Almost-Benched?

Greetings Habs Addicts,

After last night, the Montreal Canadiens are sitting pretty with a 5-1 record. Of course the loss was a 7-1 dismantling by the Tampa Bay Lightning, surely hell bent on avenging the playoff sweep of last year. The Habs spoiled the Toronto Maple Leafs home opener with a 4-3 win on opening night and beat Boston 6-4 on Thursday in a sloppy, but very entertaining home opener in Montreal. Overall, it has been a solid start to the season for the Habs.

Thus far, Carey Price has been far from stellar. His 4-1 record is deceiving with a 3.38 goals-against average and a .890 save percentage thus far. Most of the goals have not been weak and it's safe to say that the pre-season Vezina darkhorse will turn things around soon enough.

Photo Credit: LaPresse.com

While Thomas Plekanec (four goals, seven points), Alex Galchenyuk (two goals, six points), Brendan Gallagher (three goals, five points) and P.A. Parenteau (two goals, five points) have started the year off well, two players who struggled mightily are struggling again. Lars Eller and Rene Bourque have combined for two assists (one each) and are each minus players (-6 for Eller; -7 rating for Bourque) through the first six games of the season. They are playing 14:33 and 12:54 per game respectively and have totalled 20 shots on goal combined (12 and 8 respectively).

Both players were catalysts in the playoff run last season after miserable regular season showings. Lars Eller signed a lucrative extension (4-years/$14-million; $3.5 AAV) this summer with expectations that he would produce. Rene Bourque is under contract for another year after this season at a cap hit of $3.33 million. CapGeek.com has his actual salary for this season and next at $2.5-million.

Lars Eller is also a younger player that still has a tremendous amount of upside. He is also a strong defensive player, so his offensive shortcomings can be hidden so far. He sparked P.K. Subban for a gorgeous breakaway goal coming out of the penalty box Saturday night against Colorado while killing a penalty. Bourque is 32 years old and is not going to return to his Calgary glory days unless he receives top-line minutes. That will never happen.

So what is Michel Therrien and Marc Bergevin going to do with the player affectionately known in the Twitter-verse as #AlmostBourque for his ability to "almost" score goals?
Is there a cap-floor team that would be willing to pick up some of that salary in a trade to dump the underwhelming native of Alberta?
Did Marc Bergevin drop the ball by not finding a deal - any deal at all - this summer with Bourque coming off a clutch playoff performance?
After all, professional sports is all about "What have you done for me lately?"

There are a lot of questions being asked and no real answers. It is only six games into the season. This really is not a time to panic. But we have seen plenty of nothing from Bourque since he was acquired from Calgary in the Mike Cammalleri trade back in 2011-12. Since joining the Habs, Bourque has managed only 21 goals and 38 points in 134 regular season games. Cammalleri surpassed that (24 goals) in his first 72 games with Calgary (rest of the 2011-12 season and all of the strike-shortened 2012-13 season). Cammalleri would also have been off the books at this point in time as well (he signed a free-agent deal with the New Jersey Devils this past off-season). Unless Zac Fucale - the draft pick acquired along with Bourque - develops into a stud netminder/great trade bait, it's safe to say the in-game trade made out of anger and panic was one of the worst made by the Habs in a while. It was also not Marc Bergevin's doing, no fault is being dished out.

But rehashing the past aside, should Rene Bourque be spending time in the press box again this year? He was benched frequently towards the end of last season. When he returned to the line-up, he would produce for a small stretch before disappearing again. Is it time for him to return to the spectator role for a few games? Should Michel Therrien separate Eller and Bourque in order to spark each player? Do you mess with the chemistry of the top two lines in order to do so? Is it bad luck and not a lack of hustle that has led to the disappointing numbers so far?

There are many questions to be answered, but it is safe to say that most Habs fans do not expect anything this year from Rene Bourque. He has given us no reason to expect anything other than an ugly cap hit that keeps the Canadiens from adding pieces down the stretch. Most fans are certainly ready to see #AlmostBourque be #AlmostDone in Montreal.

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Nick Malofy is a transplanted Montrealer, currently living in evil LeafLand. He is a contributor here at HabsAddict.com and give him a follow, as he can often be found rambling on Twitter.

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Game 6 - Canadiens vs Avalanche

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

The Canadiens (4-1-0) welcome Patrick Roy and the Avalanche (1-3-1) to town Saturday night. The second home game of the season is set to start at 7:00 and will be broadcast on TVA-Sports, City and Altitude TV.

This is the first of two games between the Habs and Avs this season. Last year each team won the match they hosted handily in the two-game season series. Thomas Vanek scored a hat trick in Montreal's 6-3 victory when the teams last met, and Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais each collected a pair of assists.

What to Watch

After four games without a power play goal, the Habs went 2-for-3 with the man advantage against the Bruins Thursday, although the second was scored into an empty net. Jiri Sekac lit the lamp in the home opener for his first career NHL goal. His parents and girlfriend were in the stands to cheer him on.

Jiri Sekac Sr. reacts to his sons first NHL goal

The Avalanche come to town with Daniel Briere, Gabriel Landeskog, Nathan MacKinnon, Jarome Iginla, Ryan O'Reilly, Matt Duchene, and one of the coldest offenses in the league. Colorado has only managed to put up seven goals in five games and have already given up 17 goals against.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens are off to a hot start and their 4-1-0 record has them on top of their division and in a tie with the New York ...wait for it... Islanders for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Avalanche come to town light on goaltending and the Habs will want to take advantage of that.

Who's Out

Alexei Emelin returned to the line-up Thursday from the upper body injury that forced him to miss two games. Nathan Beaulieu and Dale Weise were the healthy scratches when the Habs played their home opener, it will be interesting to see whether they draw back in for Saturday's game.

Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov (groin) is already on injured reserve and now back-up Reto Berra (neck) is questionable for Saturday's game after leaving early in Colorado's 5-3 to the Senators on Thursday. This means that Calvin Pickard could get his first NHL start Saturday night. Jesse Winchester (concussion) is also missing for the Avs.

What Else

The first period continues to hurt the Canadiens, the team has been out-shot in the first period of each of their first five games. Thursday's home opener was the first game this season the Habs didn't head to the locker room trailing after 20 minutes.

The Question Mark

He's got a year of NHL coaching experience under his belt and a Jack Adams Award to show for it, but would you want Patrick Roy to coach the Canadiens?

Tonight's Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:00 Saturday night to preview the Canadiens and Avalanche.

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Why Travis Moen needs to go

Thursday was a great night to be a Habs fan. Not only have they won against the hated Boston Bruins, we managed to watch a pretty awesome opening game. A great video montage showing all Montreal players and where they came from, as well as presenting them one by one with the now traditional flame holding ceremony. Without any surprise, the crowd has been the loudest for Price, Subban, Galchenyuk, Tokarski, Pacioretty and Desharnais. However, not every player in the team managed to get cheered as loud as their other teammates. The guy who got the worst welcome is without a doubt Travis Moen. In fact, I absolutely understand the fans who did not cheer for him. Here's why:

Travis Moen joined the Montreal Canadiens back in 2009 after winning the Stanley Cup in 2007 with the Anaheim Ducks. At that time, Moen was a pretty solid third line player; he could get some points in as well as being an enforcer. He even scored the series' winning goal in the 2007 Stanley Cup final. He managed to keep a record of four goals and five assists for nine points in 16 games during these playoffs. He also had a pretty good year in 2006-2007 with 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points in 82 games, spending 101 minutes in the penalty box. That definitely was his best season overall. Back in the days, he was a little bit like what Brandon Prust is nowadays. Between 2008 and 2011, he spent most of his time being an enforcer, with a record of 24 goals and 35 assists for 59 points in 319 games, as well as getting 325 penalty minutes. In 2012, that's when things started going downhill for him; 13 goals and 21 assists for 34 points and 124 penalty minutes in 160 games. He basically went from a ratio of 0.18 points/game and 1.02 PIM/game to 0.21 points/game and 0.78 PIM/game. Now, one could say he actually improved in points per game, but Moen hasn't been signed to score goals. The alarming statistics is the straight downward progression of his penalty minutes per game. What it basically means is that whenever the Canadiens signed him, they were expecting a guy who could deliver solid bodychecks as well as dropping the mitts to defend his teammates, and he has been a huge letdown in the last three seasons. Not only is he refusing to scrap, he even starts throwing sucker punches on the back of an opponent's head while keeping his gloves on as we could see earlier this year.

Since that fight against Kevin Miller during which he sustained a concussion and miss some action, Moen has not been the same player.

At the moment, Moen is pretty much taking the spot of a young player who could do better by either bringing speed and points like Michael Bournival, or hitting hard and fighting like Dale Weise. Worst, Moen still has a cap hit of $1.825M for the next two seasons, while Bournival has a salary of only $660,000 and Weise has a cap hit of $1.025M.

The rumors are that Habs GM Marc Bergvin is currently shopping Moen, but that nobody is interested in the grizzled veteran. It is more likely that a contending team comes knocking at the trade deadline to add size and experience to their line-up in prevision of the long playoffs. Still, the best the Canadiens could probably receive in return is a late-round pick.

What would you do with Travis Moen?

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Interview With Habs Defenseman Alexei Emelin

In this interview, originally appearing on the popular Russian portal Sport-Express right before his return on ice, Alexei Emelin talked about playing with P.K. Subban, life in Montreal, and recovering after the Olympic Games debacle.

- Alexei, did you recover from all the old injuries?

- All is good now. The most important thing is that the season started in a good way.

- How did you like the move to the left side? You shoot left, maybe the left side is more natural for you.

- I don’t have any preference, I feel good on either side. I had to part ways with Andrei Markov, with whom I always played on the same pair, but it hasn’t been terrible. Changes happen every time and maybe this one will even go to my advantage.

- More so if we consider that you were moved to the first pair with P.K. Subban.

- You need to earn the coaches’ trust. We don’t have such a thing like a first pair. On a given game, the first pair is Subban and I, then the day after Andrei [Markov] and Gilbert. I don’t read the press and I don’t know what kind of meaning they all give to this.

- Is playing with Subban harder than playing with Markov?

- There are no cardinal differences. The coaches split us for a very simple reason: they wanted to have a right-handed and a left-handed defenseman in each defensive pair.

- Is your reputation of simply a hard-hitting defenseman just a stereotype?

- I think yes. Even more so if we consider that our coaches don’t limit defensemen and are happy if we join the rush.

- In the KHL you did it quite often…

- Yes, but here I’m just starting. The fact is that here [in the NHL] you won’t survive without battling for the puck. The game is much harder due to the small ice surface.

- How do you feel in Montreal?

- All is good, I’m at ease. Of course, in Canada people feel hockey in a different way [than in Russia].

- What do you exactly mean?

- It’s simply much more popular. Even if Kazan is one of the biggest hockey centers in Russia, in Canada there are much more fans. Especially in Montreal. At the start it was hard to get used to the fact that in the locker room we had more journalists, than players. I was also shocked by the fans. Then I got used to it. It was much easier for my family too, once they grasped the language a little bit more.

- Do you talk in French?

- No, for now in English only. But I think that soon my daughter will speak both languages. She attends an English language school, but French language is in the mandatory program.

- Is it easier to play in a non-Olympic season?

- Yes, of course. Last year I felt so much pressure. I was always thinking if I would get a sport on the Olympic roster, also because it was our home Olympics.

- Is that bitter after-taste still there?

- Yes. And it will stay there for my whole life. You don’t have many of those chances in your life. I can only blame myself and I think that everyone should search the reasons of that debacle in himself.

- How did you spend the summer?

- Nothing special, at home. I went to the seaside, I just rested. And I watched the FIFA World Cup.

- And how do you feel yourself?

- I still have to fully recover. This season has been very upsetting.

***************************

Translation by HabsAddict's Russian Correspondent Alessandro Seren Rosso @AlexSerenRosso.

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Game 5 - Canadiens vs Bruins

#MTLHockey Preview

Match Up

After a week on the road, the Canadiens (3-1-0) will finally play their home opener Thursday night when they host the Bruins (2-3-0). The game is set to start at 7:30 and the Habs' home opener will be shown on RDS, Sportsnet 360, NESN and NHLNetwork-US.

This is the first of four matches between the Canadiens and Bruins. They Habs won three of four meetings during the regular season last year and beat the Bruins in the second round of the playoffs, winning Game 7 in Boston. At the end of the series, Milan Lucic had a few choice words for Dale Weise and Alexei Emelin.

Where we left off

 

What to Watch

The Canadiens have yet to score their first power play goal of the season and not that's it been for a lack of opportunity. The team has managed just 13 power play shots while going 0-for-14 with the man advantage.

Carey Price has had a slow start to the year despite a 2-1-0 record. He's given up three goals or more in each of his first three starts, including four in two periods on Monday against the Lightning.

While the Canadiens have struggled to score on the power play, the Bruins have struggled scoring altogether with just six goals in five games. Reilly Smith has two goals playing alongside Patrice Bergeron and Brad Marchand, he's the team's only multiple goal scorer. The Bruins responded to their lethargic start by signing Simon Gagne to a one-year deal worth $600,000.

What's at Stake

The Canadiens were handed their first loss of the season by the team they knocked out of the first round of the Playoffs last spring, they'll be trying to avoid losing their second game to their second round victims.

It feels a bit strange that the Habs have not yet played a home game with the season more than a week old, but the 2014-2015 Montreal Canadiens will be greeting their faithful for the first time on Thursday.

Who's Out

Marc Bergevin sent Michael Bournival down to the Bulldogs prior to the weekend, but indicated he'd be brought back to the team before next week. Alexei Emelin has missed the last two games with an upper body injury, but could be ready for action on Thursday.

The Bruins are missing Gregory Campbell (upper body), he has yet to play a game for the Bruins this season.

What Else

On Monday, Tomas Plekanec was named the NHL's First Star of the week for the first week of the season, it was the first time of his career he was named to the three stars of the week. Last season, Lars Eller was the league's Second Star in the first week of play. Only Carey Price earned First Star of the week honors among Canadiens players last year. Max Pacioretty earned Second and Third Star nods during the season.

The Question Mark

With the way these two teams ended last season, how should Michel Therrien set his line-up for Thursday's game?

Tonight's Show

Join myself, Rob Elbaz, along with Kosta Papoulias and Corey Collard for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30. Jimmy Murphy from Sirius XM and Web Sports Media's Top Shelf Radio will join us to break down the game from the Bruins perspective.

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How To Improve The Habs' Struggling Power Play

Through four games this season, the Montreal Canadiens' record stands at 3-1, but the team could very well be 0-4 as the Habs got a few lucky bounces late in games. While some players have been playing very well (Tomas Plekanec, Alex Galchenyuk, Dustin Tokarski, to name a few), other players have been struggling mightily, as well as some aspects of the team's overall game.

After four contests, the team has yet to light the lamp up on the power play this season, generating practically nothing offensively when up a man, going 0-for-14. The Habs have been very predictable so far and have had problems getting organized in the offensive zone.

The team's first line of Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher have scored three power play goals in their last 107 combined NHL games and yet, head coach Michel Therrien keeps playing them together for the most part of the man advantage without getting good results.

The five-man unit needs to stop looking for PK Subban at the point as the opposing teams now designate a defender to check him carefully and force him to pass the puck to Andrei Markov or a forward instead of using his booming slap shot.

The Canadiens need to move the puck faster down low to open the point and facilitate quality shots from the point. Right now, the players are too still and are easy to put in check because of their lack of overall movement.

The team should use an umbrella formation similar to what the Lightning and the Capitals use on the man advantage.

The Canadiens don't have a lethal weapon such as Steven Stamkos or Alexander Ovechkin, but they have a pretty good player named PK Subban.

The team could use Subban on the left side of the ice where he could use his great one-timer and slide up and down the ice to create scoring chances. Markov would be the general on the point and he would dictate the play by moving the puck around the ice and sliding down low to the back door like he used to do on a more consistent basis.

The team should also split Desharnais and Pacioretty as DD is trying to find Patches too hard and, as a result, he doesn't shoot the puck enough and he gets too predictable. I would mix the lines on the power play and send Tomas Plekanec with Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk on the first wave of the PP. Patches could stay in the slot and wait for the one-timer and go after rebounds while Plekanec would stay on the right side of the ice to feed the best open player. Galchenyuk would play behind the net and keep the opposing defensemen on their heels by constantly moving from one side of the net to the other.

The second unit could be Nathan Beaulieu at the point, PA Parenteau on the left side looking for the one-timer, Rene Bourque screening the goalie, David Desharnais controlling the play on right side and Brendan Gallagher or Lars Eller playing down low.

The Habs need to simplify things and stop looking for the perfect play. Find the open lanes, shoot the puck at the net, screen the opposing netminder and bury the rebounds. The players have to display a bigger sense of urgency, because right now they don't seem to care at all.

Another small detail, but why Markov and Subban start on their even-strength side when they know they will eventually switch sides for the one-timer?

The players also need to improve the zone entry as they have a tendency to make soft passes that are easily intercepted or they dump the puck and are unable to retrieve it first because the opponent is too fast and first on the puck.

Michel Therrien will have to start adapting his strategy or the team will become even more predictable than it is right now. Use a forward at the point, put a left winger on the right side of the ice, mix the lines, use the hot players more, bench the struggling players, etc. Therrien needs to be better at reacting and improvising during games when things don't work out well.

And also, practice, practice and practice!

Follow me on Twitter @FredPoulin98.

No Foolin' Fred Poulin

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Game 4 - Canadiens at Lightning

#MTLHockey Preview

Match-up

The Canadiens (3-0-0) are in Tampa Bay Monday night to face the Lightning (1-0-1) in the last match of their four-game season opening road trip. The game is set to start at 7:30 and will be broadcast by RDS, City-Montreal, and Sun Sports.

This is the first of five meetings between the Habs and Lightning this year. Last season, the Habs went 1-1-2 against the Bolts with their only win coming by way of shootout. The division rivals played four tight games during the regular season last year, with the Lightning taking the only one settled in regulation, a 3-1 win that included an empty net goal to seal the victory. Each of the three other games went to overtime tied 1-1.

What to Watch

The General, Andrei Markov, led the charge (see what I did there?) for the Canadiens Saturday night in their comeback win against the Flyers. Markov got things going with the team’s first goal to break Ray Emery’s shut out bid, and then added two assists to help the Habs draw even. The chemistry between Tomas Plekanec and Alex Galchenyuk continued Saturday night, as Plekanec scored his league best fourth goal of the season and added an assist on Galchenyuk's first marker of the year.

Steven Stamkos is still looking for his first goal of the season. While the Bolts have only played two games, the fact that Stamkos has just 1 assist, is a -1, and has been stopped in his only shootout attempt must be troubling for Lightning fans. On a more positive note, 23-year old defenseman Victor Hedman is off to a strong start, with two goals and an assist already.

What’s at Stake

The Lightning should present the Canadiens with their toughest challenge of the early season. The Bolts will surely be looking to take some revenge on Montreal after the Habs swept Tampa in the first round of last year’s playoffs.

The Canadiens will be also be looking to keep their perfect season alive and return home undefeated after starting the year with four straight road games.

Who’s Out

Alexei Emelin (upper body) was forced to miss Saturday's game against the Flyers. It's unclear whether or not he'll dress for Monday's game.

Rookie-of-the-year favorite Jonathan Drouin has yet to play his first NHL game, he's been sidelined with a thumb injury and doesn't look likely to return in time for Monday's tilt.

What Else

Three times this season the Canadiens have trailed at the end of the first period and three times they’ve battled back to earn wins. Saturday, the Habs overcame their biggest challenge, a 3-0 third period deficit versus the Flyers, but like they had twice already this year, they battled back to draw even and eventually earned their second straight shootout victory.

Last season the Canadiens only won six games in which they trailed after 20 minutes, and just three in which they trailed at the second intermission. This season they've already overcome three first-period and two second-period deficits, and they've only played three games.

The Question Mark

Habs fans, tell us what you are thankful for today.

Tonight’s Show

Join host Steven Hindle along with Kosta Papoulias and Rob Elbaz for the Montreal Hockey Talk Pregame Show as we go live at 6:30 p.m. Monday to preview the Canadiens and Lightning. Danny DiNicolantonio will join us in the second segment to bring you the Lightning perspective.

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