Tyger By The Tail: Habs' Observations After 2 Games

There were an awful lot of early exits projected for the Montreal Canadiens by both fans and panelists alike once the Ottawa Senators drew in as their first post-season opponent. Even though we are only two games into the 2015 NHL Playoffs, it’s worth taking a look at what this series has revealed so far.

I’ll admit to having had my pre-conceptions rearranged now that the Habs are holding a 2-0 series lead and the Sens are facing an uphill battle, needing to win the next 4 out of 5. Here are some reasons why, as well as some random food for thought.

Not A One Man Show

The Habs are a formidable team even without Max Pacioretty, PK Subban and a Not-In-God-Mode-Yet Carey Price. With Pacioretty out the first game, Subban ejected for slashing Mark Stone, and Price looking merely solid instead of invincible, the fourth line somehow managed to morph into a top line, much to my chagrin. Torrey Mitchell AND Brian Flynn both scored goals, with Flynn eventually being made first star. Team chemistry, that special brotherhood that makes players fight constantly to step up for each other, is consistently underrated as a playoff advantage and this team has it. Also the Habs have had a lot of post-season experience the past few years and that shows too. Right now they are looking like the better team, outright dominating for long stretches. Following the Game 2 overtime victory Price stated that he didn’t think anyone in the room had panicked and I believe it.

Hamburglar On The Menu

Andrew Hammond is a very good goaltender and there are times he outright stonewalls the Canadiens' forwards, but he is still wet behind the ears and has long stretches where he looks shaky and not at all confident. This is his first post-season show and that is a lot of weight for him to carry after hauling his team almost single-handedly into the playoffs. Had the Stone / Subban drama not overshadowed everything else perhaps more would admit that up until quite recently he has been little more than a mediocre AHL goalie, a fact quite evident throughout Game 1. Meanwhile there’s little doubt that beyond elevating Price to a new level, Stephane Waite has also been watching endless tape looking for holes for the Habs skaters to exploit, which they have. There’s a reason the Chicago Blackhawks' fans griped when Marc Bergevin took Waite away from Corey Crawford and this is why. A good goaltending coach is necessary, but a great one is a linchpin.

Leave The Drama On Broadway

Prior to Game 2 there was an awful lot of Days of our Lives Soap Opera Drama going on between the two teams, their respective fan bases, and most especially the media. A slash is a slash and deserves a penalty, and I get the rule infraction that necessitated the ejection, but if people are going to suggest that a player get supplemental discipline for an injury then maybe there should be an actual injury. Once warmups ended, Mark Stone didn’t just look fine, he played fine, good enough to lead all forwards in ice time through the first period. He finished the night with two assists and logged 18:40 in ice time. Yes, the Senators tried to get PK Subban suspended. It’s a solid strategy and you can’t blame them for trying. What you CAN blame them for is continuing to milk it right up until puck drop. At least show some dignity when your master plan fails. I have no doubt it hurts. I just have no ability whatsoever to sympathize with bullshit. Just play hockey.

Objectivity Means Nothing Anymore

Speaking of just playing hockey, the Ottawa Sun, Chris Neil, the Hockey Night in Canada panelists, the Senators own coach and GM, and absolutely everyone who had access to a microphone seemed to want the Sens to goon it up in Game 2 to retaliate against PK for the non-broken wrist. Off ice if it gets into Montreal’s head then it’s good strategy and excellent for ratings and website hits. On ice it’s suicide and will buy the Senators an early exit. The Habs don’t play that game anymore. They just don’t. On the occasions during the regular season when Montreal has gotten away from their own strategy and lost, they corrected it quite quickly. This is not the easily rattled team that Ottawa bounced after the injury to Lars Eller two years ago. And props to the Senators who realized that it just wasn’t going to work this time and didn’t become so consumed by thoughts of retaliation that they forgot about just playing hard and trying to win.

Blown WAY Out Of Proportion

While I am touching on the media, I really want to know what the hell HNIC thought it was doing during gameplay last night. I tried to watch an NHL playoff game but it kept getting interrupted by Breaking News in the form of medical updates on Mark Stone’s wrist. At one point Stone was just fixing his glove - HIS GLOVE - and this necessitated a two minute exchange (there had already been at least a half dozen prior to that) about the condition of his wrist and how Paul Romanuk and Jason York had suffered similar injuries in the past and how much it hurt and shouldn’t be overlooked as affecting his play and helping to decide this series and so on ad nauseum. By that point Stone had already earned one of his assists and no one was buying it anymore, not even some of the Senators own fans.

When Don Cherry is the voice of reason — he didn’t think Subban should have been suspended — you know that the show has gone off the rails. Unless Romanuk and York have stock in some sort of miracle micro-fracture treatment maybe they could just go ahead and defer to Dr. Recchi on this one, and thankfully he has not yet felt it necessary to weigh in. This is a national broadcaster — THE national broadcaster — for the Stanley Cup playoffs in a country that eats, breathes, sleeps and obsesses about this sport. In the playoffs you guys need to up your game too, not reduce yourselves to TMZ On Ice during gameplay.

Habs Need To Find The Jugular

While the Habs did go 1 for 6 on the power play, the fact is had they lost in overtime there would be a lot more focus on missed opportunities. During Montreal’s first two power plays in the third period there was a glaring lack of urgency and hunger, especially when contrasted with the second period power play which saw Pacioretty tie the game. Yes they were up a goal, but this is not the regular season and they can’t take their foot off the gas and just assume Price will bail them out. The Canadiens have lacked a killer instinct for far too long. If they keep passing on these golden chances and let up it’s going to cost them dearly in the post-season. After watching them go through this all season, why haven’t they learned this vital lesson yet? Instead the power play became a momentum killer, and this is playing with some serious fire during the playoffs.

History Will Always Matter

Outside of Montreal it is hard to explain how incredibly the team’s history still impacts its present and future. After PK Subban got bounced from Game 1, it was Élise Béliveau who calmed the Habs’ best blueliner. The recent, heartfelt losses of Jean Béliveau and Elmer Lach are also fresh and carry weight with not just the fans, but the players themselves. Teams without that sort of history can and do win the Cup all the time but once again, these are the little things that can and do factor into a post-season performance without ever appearing on any scorecard.

So what do you think of the series so far? Is it what about you expected?

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Saying Farewell to Elmer Lach

In a cloudy hockey rink, one can see two teams battling back and forth for the puck. One is clad in white with red and blue trim and the other in red accented in white and blue. The passing is tape-to-tape perfection as the players glide without missing a step, back and forth along the ice.

A player in red, wearing number nine, charges down the right wing, eyes fixed on the unmasked goaltender for the opposing team. Before he makes his final move to the goal, the opposing center swoops from behind, frees the puck and dashes the opposite way. He flies down the ice, eludes the defensemen and fires the puck past the reach of the red squad's goaltender.

As the two teams reach center ice for the next face-off, the goal scorer chirps his check. "I thought you were The Rocket?," he says jokingly. The opposing winger gives a stare, then with a grin responds,"Well if I am going to be outdone, I'd rather it be by The Stratford Streak."

"Hold up boys!," bellows a voice from the white team's bench. "It looks like we have a new player. We may have to change things up here."

The door to the rink opens, and a grinning  5'10 center, sporting red uniform with a number 16 on it makes his way to the gathering of players at center ice. "I know that nose anywhere," beams The Rocket." I even broke it once. I thought he'd never get here."

"Hello boys, it's nice to see you again, and to meet some of you for the first time," says the newcomer, as he shakes hands with the players at center ice. "Mr. Morenz, I used to read about you in the newspapers. Mr. Lalonde, my dad took me to see you play in Saskatoon once! And Jean, I know you just got here, but the folks down there gave you a great send off. They'll never forget you."

He then looks at the red team's bench, "Hey 'coach,' do you want to join us on the ice?" The man behind the red bench removes his head and nods. "Pat, Claude...will one of you two lads take over for me, while I get dressed? Mr. Irvin, will you give us a few minutes?" The voice from the white team's bench responds, "Of course! I put you three together in the first place!"

After a brief pause, the action resumes with red team lining up 6-16-9, for the first time in ages. The puck drops and the reds take charge, winning the draw and working it back to their defenceman. They begin their offensive charge as Big Butch moves it on the latest arrival, who heads down the ice. He presses the white clad defence before dishing a perfect pass off to his left wing. His teammate fires, but the white team's goaltender makes the save. The rebound winds up on the stick of The Rocket, who knocks it into the net.

"Just like old days, right guys?," says  the newcomer, as the trio skates to the red bench. "So who wants to tell Plante that one of his records is about to be broken?"

We only hope that is how it is playing out right now for Canadiens legend and Hockey Hall of Fame member Elmer Lach, who passed away on April 4th at age 97. Lach had suffered a stroke the week prior.

Lach leaves a legacy as a gritty forward, compared to the likes of Ted Lindsay, and matched up with the best centres in the game during his career, due to his exceptional face-off skills. A more recent comparable might be another Hall of Fame player, Doug Gilmour.

A star in the Saskatchewan Senior leagues, Lach was eyed by many NHL scouts. It appeared he was about to join the Toronto Maple Leafs, having agreed to play for the Leafs sponsored St. Michael's College. Feeling homesick, he returned to Saskatchewan before ever playing a game for St. Mike's. Leafs owner Conn Smythe labeled Lach a deserter. Lach would pass on joining the New York Rangers, after someone on the team told him they were too cheap.

In October of 1940 he packed an overnight bag and hopped on a train (along with future Hab Ken Reardon) to Montreal for a tryout at their training camp. He was offered a contract of $4000, but again opted to return home, only to have his manager in Moose Jaw tell him that he wouldn't make that kind of money in the west. Lach and his girlfriend packed his clothes and shipped off to Montreal. His manager in Saskatchewan offered to take him back, if he decided to change his mind. That offer never needed to be accepted.

In a career that was seen centering Maurice Richard and Toe Blake (The Punch Line)  throughout most of his career, Lach held the league scoring title twice and won the Hart Trophy in the 1944-45 season. He has his name engraved on The Stanley Cup three times, scoring the overtime winner in 1953 (his last Cup).

In his final NHL season (1953-54), Lach groomed his successor at centre, Jean Beliveau. His 623 points was then an NHL career record at the time of his retirement.

One has to wonder how many points Lach could have scored, if not for injuries. He missed 130 NHL games due to seven broken noses, broken jaws (he even came up with a prototype jaw guard for the NHL, but it was turned down.), you name it. For many it would be too much, but not for Lach. "He was virtually impervious to pain," said former Montreal Canadiens teammate Dickie Moore in an interview with CBC.

Elmer Lach was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1966 and entered the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame the following year. His number 16 was retired by the Canadiens on December 4, 2009, during the team's Centennial celebration. Many felt that his sweater retirement was long overdue.

Worth the Read: In the last decade, Dave Stubbs of the Montreal Gazette has built a strong relationship with the Canadiens legend. Here he shares his farewell and last days with "Elegant Elmer" .

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Habs' Fronting Defense All About The Numbers

In the 80's and 90's, when being physical in front of your net was the norm, defensemen were expected to be the last player between their own goaltender and an attacking forward. Since the lockout of 2004-2005 and the elimination of cross-checking and interference in front of the net, coaches have needed to resort to different tactics. Thus, fronting defense was born.

As its name suggests, fronting is all about defensive players positioning themselves in front of the attacking player and simply get into shooting and passing lanes, and applying direct puck pressure in order to facilitate mistakes and create turnovers.

Since the butterfly style of goaltending was brought to the forefront by Patrick Roy and goaltending guru Francois Allaire, coaches have tried to find ways to limit scoring chances by limiting the amount of shots that got through to their net. Blocking shots has always been a huge part of the game, but often required a player to lay out flat on the ice, thus taking themselves out of the play if the offensive player faked a shot and stepped around them.

As long as your defensive zone philosophy is to get in the shooting lanes, blocking shots or pressuring the puck carrier without hesitation, then a fronting defense becomes almost impenetrable. The problem, however, is that without a complete commitment to closing down shooting lanes, your goalie is faced with the challenge of having above average rebound control.

If your goaltender has excellent rebound control on shots that hit him in the chest and can redirect shots off his pads into the corners of the rink, fronting is a very effective defensive system since the opponent is left unchecked in front of the net.

Many fans clamor about the number of players that are pushed into Canadiens' goaltender Carey Price, and that is a direct result of rebounds that fall between the last defenseman and the net-front attacking forward. Defending from the wrong side of the puck is never easy, so defensemen are often forced to take penalties on wayward rebounds.

At the end of the day, fronting is all about the numbers. Not only does it decrease the amount of clear shots that get through to the net, but it can assure the defending team can always play with even numbers in the defensive zone.

For example, when the opposition team is on the power play and decides to leave at the net-front position for a potential screen and/or rebound, the defensing team in a fronting defense can concentrate their effort on the other four players in the attacking zone, limit their options, and oftentimes force turnovers and the ability to clear the zone. It limits the amount of in-zone odd man situations the attacking team can create in order to get quality scoring chances.

At even strength, teams that establish possession in the offensive zone instead of attacking off the rush are at a distinct disadvantage since the defending team can engage all five players in the fronting defense, and give themselves a numbers advantage in their own zone.

The most important number in a fronting defense and gauging a team's effectiveness is the calculation of shots on goal minus blocked shots and shots that miss the net. So long as a team can keep the total of the aforementioned number is +/- 5, then you can reset assured that your team's commitment to fronting is where it should be.

Canadiens' head coach Michel Therrien is all about defense first, so using a fronting defense falls into his philosophy of limiting scoring chances. So long as his team remains relatively mobile in the defensive zone, this system will work fine, but the bigger and less mobile a defense corp becomes, the more ineffective fronting becomes.

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Changing Up The Canadiens' Power Play

Since December 5th, 2013, the Montreal Canadiens power play has been a one-trick pony, and ranked in the bottom third of the National Hockey League.

Many believe the problems starts behind the bench, with a collective lack of offensive prowess among the Canadiens’ brain trust. Some would have you think that analytics dictates who gets to play with the man advantage. While that may be true on teams with a plethora of offensive talent, like Chicago or Pittsburgh, a team like Montreal needs to look at its power play proficiency historically and pinpoint what could work for them.

The Bomb From The Point Is Mandatory

The Habs have always been blessed with some of the best point shots in the league, with the likes of rear guards Vladimir Malakov, Sheldon Souray, Mark Streit,Marc-Andre Bergeron and now P.K. Subban.

Despite the big shot, since the 2000-01 season, there has been one constant on the point. The presence ofAndrei Markov to help distribute the puck. The native of Voskresensk, Russia has shown an incredible ability to read penalty killing formations, finding passing lanes or sneaking in back door when the situation allowed it.

Essentially, a howitzer from the point and a puck distributor is a must for any power play strategy.

Creating Offense Off The Half-Wall

There was no one better than former Habs’ right winger Alex Kovalev as far as offensive productivity from the hash marks in is concerned. His incredible stick handling ability, along with his vision and patented outside-in deke were unparalleled in his stint with the Canadiens.

Prior to Kovalev’s arrival in Montreal, former captain Saku Koivu, as well as right-winger Mark Recchi, had the same ability to see the ice and pick their spots, although their skill level didn’t compare to that of “L’Artiste.”

Movement Is The Key

Whether it was the 80’s, where the power play had Bobby Smith, Mats Naslund and Kjell Dahlin, or the 90’s with Vincent Damphousse and Brian Bellows, or the 2000’s with the aforementioned components, there was one constant. Not a single player was stationary.

Defenseman were given the liberty of moving from the slot to the point and forwards could switch wings ad-nauseaum.

For example, when Bobby Smith would carry the puck deep into the offensive zone on the power play, Naslund would shade over to the right-wing as an option should Smith continue behind the net. If Smith would stop in the corner, “The Little Viking” would cut through the slot, giving Smith a passing option. If that wasn’t available, the puck would come back to the point to Chris Chelios, while Smith would take position in the slot and Naslund would post up at the hash marks on the strong side

Mandatory Power Play Prerequisites

As a hockey coach myself, I always look for two out of three skill components when assessing a player’s potential power play effectiveness. Speed, vision and size are the keys to an effective power play.

Using those factors, players like David Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher would not get a stiff of power play time, despite their effort level or offensive gifts.

The Tools Are There For Success

Using the requirements I’ve laid out, these are the power play units that I would have on the Canadiens:

Alex Galchenyuk – RW, Lars Eller – C, Max Pacioretty – LW, P.K. Subban and Nathan Beaulieu – D

Tomas Plekanec – RW, Jakob De La Rose -C, P-A Parenteau – LW, Andrei Markov and Jeff Petry – D

Some of you may think I’m mentally unstable at this point, but look at the dynamic.

Beaulieu & Markov – Point quaterbacks

Both defenseman have the ability to skate up and down the offensive zone, alternate their positions to find passing lanes and create confusion for the defending team.

Subban & Petry – Point-side shooters

Everyone knows that both these rear guards can hammer a puck on goal without missing the net the majority of the time. Shot accuracy is of key importance for any shots coming from the point, since they oftentimes create second chance opportunities because of their velocity.

Galchenyuk & Plekanec – Half-wall quarterback

Both players have the ability to shuffle up and down the half-wall while looking for options. Galchenyuk more than Plekanec has the skill set that is best suited to replace the power play creativity lost after the departure of Kovalev. Their skill set also lends itself to carrying the puck into the offensive, maintaining possession of the puck, and finding the right outlet for distribution. They would also serves as the second centre on their respective units.

Eller & De La Rose – Net-front & support

These youngsters show the physical attributes that are required to retrieve pucks that are dumped into the zone when the situation dictates it, or come in support to another forward that may get to the puck first. They also have the physical strength to establish position in front of the net to fend off defenders and screen goaltenders, while having hands that are soft enough to finish on rebounds in tight.

Pacioretty & Parenteau – Shooters

These veteran forwards have shown success up until this point in their careers when their sole responsibility is to shoot the puck. While Parenteau can also serve as a puck distributor, Pacioretty’s ability to drive the net and wreak havoc in the mid-ice lane would open up second chance opportunities for anyone that may be trailing the Canadiens’ leading goal scorer as he enters the attacking zone.

Sound thinking? You be the judge.

Special teams aren’t rocket science, but they require strategy and knowledge of the abilities of every player on your roster. I’m sure that Habs’ head coach Michel Therrien knows his wards very well, but his reluctance to use set units for his power play instead of just rolling his lines has even the most knowledgeable hockey mind baffled.

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Who Will Step Up In The Playoffs?

Photo Credit: Montreal Gazette.com

Greetings Habs Addicts!

What a season it has been so far!

The Canadiens cannot seem to score consistently - unless you count Max Pacioretty and his 37 goals. They are also riding one of the greatest statistical seasons by a goaltender in the modern era with what Carey Price is doing. And of course, P.K. Subban could be working his way back into the Norris Trophy conversation with the numbers he has this year (15 goals/57 points). But aside from those three, the supporting cast has been extremely underwhelming offensively this season. Underwhelming enough to wonder just how strong the Canadiens will be entering the playoffs.

The three superstars have had some help. Tomas Plekanec is having another consistent two-way season. The turtle-necked wonder is one of the steadiest performers the Canadiens have had in the last decade and one of the NHL's more under-rated defensive forwards. A nod for the Selke might be in store; however, the competition is always tough with names like Patrice Bergeron, Jonathan Toews, Anze Kopitar and Pavel Datsyuk always carrying larger profiles year in, year out. But with 22 goals, 54 points and a +9 on the year, Plekanec is quietly doing his part.

Brendan Gallagher finally hit the 20-goal mark this year, sitting at 23 goals on the year. He has been a consistent spark plug in the line-up, always going to the dirty areas and getting the job done. Offensively, he has not quite reached his peak. However, expecting more than a 25 goal/60 point ceiling is wishful thinking. Defensively responsible at even-strength, Gallagher is a +20 on the year and only has three power-play goals to his name. In large part due to the ineffectiveness of the relentless "Set up Subban for the one-timer at the point" strategy that Michel Therrien refuses to waver from.

Alex Galchenyuk has taken another step forward in his development. Finally reaching the 20 goal mark, Chucky has 25 assists to go with those goals and spent a brief period of time playing centre on the top line with Pacioretty. Aside from scoring a hat-trick, his time there albeit brief, gave fans a glimpse of the future. Another step forward next year will lead to the big breakout fans are expecting from the former 3rd overall draft pick.

On the blue line, Andrei Markov continues to defy the ageing process. The General continues to provide steady veteran leadership on the blue line and has paired up very well with P.K. Subban. Markov has 9 goals and 46 points, with 23 as the quarterback on the power-play. Markov faded a bit down the stretch last year, however has continued to be a solid contributor as the Canadiens enter the final five games of the regular season.

While these four players have contributed what we expect from them, other veterans have disappointed. These are the players who will need to truly elevate their game come the playoffs if the Canadiens expect to make another run towards the Stanley Cup. There is no Thomas Vanek in the line-up this year to take away the number one pairings on the other teams. Teams will focus on shadowing Max Pacioretty and clogging the high slot to keep Subban from shooting come playoff time. Focus on shutting down those two players will be the game plan.

And then what do we do?

David Desharnais has been incredibly inconsistent this year. After struggling out of the gate again, Therrien removed the tether from Patches and Little Davey was sent to the wing on the third line. And he responded. Desharnais started shooting more, putting the puck in the net and found his game. So naturally, he was moved right back to Pacioretty's side and has since stagnated again offensively. While his 13-goals/46 points in 78 games is respectable, they are mediocre when your title is 'Top Line Centre'.

P.A. Parenteau was brought in from Colorado to provide some scoring punch. After a down year last year in Colorado, fans were expecting him to pair up nicely with Pacioretty and return to the numbers he put up during his time on Long Island playing with John Tavares. Heck, even the numbers he put up during his first year in Colorado would have been sufficient. Instead, Parenteau is suffering through his worst offensive season in the NHL. He battled an injury and missed significant time and has not found his rhythm in Montreal. 7-goals and 20 points in 52 games is not what the Canadiens had in mind when they dealt for PAP. To his credit, he has found some consistency lately and is primed to break out come playoffs. The luck has to change, as his shooting percentage is a paltry 7.9%.

Marc Bergevin made his moves at the trade deadline. He added roster depth from the Buffalo Sabres in Torrey Mitchell and Brian Flynn. He added puck moving defenseman Jeff Petry from the Edmonton Oilers and traded touted KHL signing Jiri Sekac to the Anaheim Ducks for the bowling ball on skates that is Devante Smith-Pelly. While fans were up in arms about trading Sekac, he did not fit the system in Montreal and Bergevin realized it early on. DSP has talent and should break out next season with a full off-season to get comfortable. And in shape. Sekac has talent, but lets not forget how some other highly touted undrafted players turned out. Fabian Brunnstrom anyone? Damien Brunner?

The usual suspects are doing their job. They will need some help. Last year we saw Lars Eller and Dale Weise step up in the playoffs. Can they do it again? Will P.A. Parenteau be that person this year?

The lengthy playoff run rests on the answer to those questions.

Carey Price cannot do it all himself.

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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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Montreal Canadiens: Trades And Rumors

With only a few hours remaining to the NHL trade deadline, Habs fan are eager to see what General Manager Marc Bergevin will do today. I will post below the trades he made as well as all the rumors involving Canadiens players.

Completed Trades:

Prospect and pick from Habs to Buf for Mitchell.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) March 2, 2015

Canadiens acquire d. Jeff Petry from the Oilers, in return for the Club’s 2nd round pick in 2015, and a conditional 5th round pick in 2015.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 2, 2015

Canadiens acquire forward Brian Flynn from the Buffalo Sabres, in return for a 5th round pick in 2016.
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) March 2, 2015

Trade Rumors:

Canadiens still kicking tires on a top-six winger.
— David Pagnotta (@TheFourthPeriod) March 2, 2015

I have a feeling the Flynn move is a precursor to a larger deal for a top six forward involving players on the current roster
— Grant McCagg (@grantmccagg) March 2, 2015

Michaël Bournival ne cadrerait plus dans les plans des #Habs : http://t.co/yj6cDyhRXx pic.twitter.com/kIFRE0Ck8p
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) March 2, 2015

Bournival not in the plans of the team any more.

Kessel to MTL or Eberle to MTL in big package is making rounds among the doyen.
— BrianWilde (@BWildeCTV) March 2, 2015

Il semble que le Canadien tente d'échanger Parenteau. http://t.co/08me1qyJ2R
— Marc Antoine Godin (@MAGodin) March 2, 2015

The Habs are currently trying to trade P-A Parenteau.

Some chatter MON D Jarred Tinordi could be in play today.
— Damien Cox (@DamoSpin) March 2, 2015

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Follow me on Twitter at @FredPoulin98

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PK Subban: Norris Trophy Candidate

When Montreal Canadiens defenseman PK Subban agreed to an eight-year contract extension worth $72 million in early August of 2014, most fans were relieved that General Manager Marc Bergevin had finally locked up his bona-fide blue liner for almost a decade.

The face of the storied franchise along with All-Star netminder Carey Price, Subban is now under contract through the 2021-22 NHL season. The winner of the prestigious Norris Trophy as the league's top defenseman in 2013, Subban notched 10 goals and 43 assists for 53 points in 82 games last season, good for fifth in points among defenders after finishing tied for the NHL lead with 11 goals and 27 helpers for 38 points in 42 games a season earlier during the lockout-shortened season.

HOT FEBRUARY

After a rather slow start this season, scoring three goals and four assists for seven points in eleven October games, Subban has picked up his play as of late for the Eastern Conference leading Habs. With one game left in February, the 25-year-old Subban has already recorded one goal and 13 assists for 14 points in 13 games to go along with +7 differential.

The Toronto native played a season high 35:21 minutes on February 14th against the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is now ranked second in the NHL with 12 goals and 35 assists for 47 points with a +14 rating in 61 contests, trailing Flames defenseman Mark Giordano (who left last night's game with an injury) by a single point.

Among rearguards, Subban is second with four game-winning goals and third with six power play tallies and that despite shooting the puck far less often than last season (1.98 SPG as opposed to 2.49 SPG). As a result of injuries to veterans Alexei Emelin and Sergei Gonchar, his playing time has increased recently and on the season he is now playing 26:05 minutes on average (6th in the NHL), which is slightly more than his defensive partner Andrei Markov (25:04).

With Subban and Markov on the ice, the Canadiens are dominant and dictate the play on most nights as shown by last night's performance in Columbus when the duo combined for two goals and three assists with a +10 differential in a 5-2 win.

PUCK-POSSESSION MASTER

With a CF% of 53.9%  and a FF% of 52.9%, Subban ranks second on a team, which is not known for its puck-possession ability with players like Manny Malhotra having a putrid CF% of 35.5... Starting a little over 50% of the plays in the offensive zone, Subban is used in every situation this season. Playing on average 3.33 minutes on the power play and exactly 2.00 on the penalty kill every game, Pernell Karl has turned into one of the most complete rearguards in the NHL. He is now a game-changer like Shea Weber and Drew Doughty

The electrifying puck-moving defenseman showed everyone he can also perform during the playoffs, potting 5 goals and 9 assists for 14 points in 17 games last Spring. He now has 30 points (10 g, 20 a) in 43 contests during his young career, so he doesn't only produce during the regular season.

The colourful Subban also gives back to the local community by spending time with children and by being a role model off the ice for everyone.

Whether you like him or not, there is no denying that Subban is loaded with talent and pride, even though he was not even selected for the NHL All-Star game this season in Columbus, the league selecting "marquee" names such as Justin Faulk over him to have a representative of each team at the festivities.

The flashy smooth-skating rearguard enjoys the limelight and thrives under pressure, which makes him the perfect leader for a hockey-starving market such as Montreal. Not afraid to speak French in public even though he is still not fluent, Subban is as serious as it gets training-wise, which is why he is so strong with the puck and battles along the board.

His booming slap shot, his amazing stick-handling and his thunderous hits are only some of the skills that make him the complete player he is now... and he will only get better as he matures and stops taking the occasional stupid penalty.

Whether you like him or not, Subban is now a strong candidate for the Norris Trophy again this season.

Do you think the Subbanator will win the prized hardware in 2014-15?

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Follow me on Twitter at @FredPoulin98

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Curtis Glencross In The Montreal Canadiens' Crosshairs?

The Montreal Canadiens are desperately looking to score more goals as the team has only scored more than three goals twice in the past 19 games. With the exception of Max Pacioretty, Tomas Plekanec, Alex Galchenyuk and Brendan Gallagher, goals are hard to come by in Montreal in 2015.

While Carey Price has been holding the fort well in recent games, the Habs desperately need help at forward in prevision for the playoffs. A solid option would be impending UFA, Curtis Glencross, who was officially made available earlier this week, after expressing his displeasure regarding his usage this season.

Curtis Glencross is unhappy with his role with the #Flames and has presented them with a list of teams he would be traded to.
— NHL EXPERT PICKS (@NHLexpertpicks) February 19, 2015

Making only $2.5 million this season, The 32-year-old Glencross has recorded 8 goals and 18 assists for 26 points with a +7 rating in 49 contests with the Calgary Flames. A two-time 20-goal scorer, the Saskatchewan native can play left wing and center, and is a solid two-way forward.

Playing on average 16:51 per game this year, Glencross is a solid second-line player who brings speed and determination to a team. The 6'1'', 200-lb, forward is adept at throwing the body around as shown by his 97 hits which would rank his second on the Habs behind Dale Weise (107).

Because his contract includes a no-trade clause, Glencross has been asked to provide a list of teams where he would be willing to go. You can bet he would most likely waive his NTC to go to a contending team such as the Canadiens. Glencross declared that he wants out because he doesn't get much playing time this season under head coach Bob Hartley, especially on the power play and the penalty kill.

Glencross missed nine games earlier this season with a lower-body injury that hampered him throughout the season. The left-handed forward has not recorded a single point in his last ten games and he has seen his ice-time dwindle to less than 15 minutes on most nights. He also owns a low Corsi For % of 44.4, which is not very good possession-wise.

The Flames need help at centre, so they will most likely ask for a centerman or a prospect/3rd round pick in exchange for Glencross. Will Bergevin pull the trigger and get Curtis in his crosshairs before the March 2nd NHL trade deadline?

Who would you want to acquire if you were Marc Bergevin?


Do you want him to acquire a forward or a defenseman first?


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Follow me on Twitter at @FredPoulin98

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Montreal Canadiens Trade Target: Andrej Sekera

With the latest injuries to Alexei Emelin (broken collarbone or separated shoulder) and Sergei Gonchar (concussion), the Habs' blue line is in turmoil. As result, the team called up prospect defenseman Jarred Tinordi after last night's defeat to the Ottawa Senators. Tinordi will join Bulldog teammate Greg Pateryn, who was called up earlier this week, to man Montreal's blue line.

If Gonchar and Emelin are out long term, it becomes critical for General Manager Marc Bergevin to bolster his blue line in prevision of the playoffs. With about 10 days before the March 2nd, 2015, trade deadline, it becomes important for Bergevin to assess all his options before making a bold move. Also, with Jeff Petry leaving last night's game with an apparent upper-body injury, and Tyler Myers and Zach Bogosian traded for each other, the options on the back end are getting somewhat limited. Oh and let's not forget that Cody Franson was also shipped to Nashville while Marc Methot was extended by Ottawa.

Another coveted option on the blue line, is offensive defenseman Andrej Sekera of the Carolina Hurricanes. Making only $2.75 million this season, the 28-year-old rearguard is having a tough offensive season with the lowly Hurricanes, scoring 2 goals and 17 assists for 19 points and a -7 differential in 54 games. However, Sekera enjoyed the best season of his career in 2013-14 with Carolina, potting 11 goals and 33 helpers for 44 points and +4 rating in 74 contests.

The puck-moving Sekera, who is slated to become a UFA on July 1st, will not come cheap as the asking price is reportedly a first-round pick and a solid prospect. Will Marc Bergevin be willing to pay that hefty price for a rental player? I highly doubt it.

Playing on average 22:50 per game this season, the left-handed blue liner is great on the power play and makes a very solid first pass, helping with the transition. Also, despite playing for a cellar-dwelling team, Sekera's possession numbers are pretty good with a 52.3 CF% and a 52.2 FF%. The problem with Sekera is that he is not physical at all with a mere 43 hits in 54 games.

In sum, if Bergevin wants to acquire an offensive-minded defenseman for the playoffs, Sekera is his man, but if he is looking for a physical and defensive-oriented rearguard, Andrej is really not his man. The team could also call up veterans Bryan Allen and Davis Drewiske if they don't want to mortgage the future by trading away prospects and draft picks.

Who would you want to acquire if you were Marc Bergevin?


Other options on defense include Mike Green, Jeff Petry, Zbynek Michalek and Marek Zidlicky.


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Follow me on Twitter at @FredPoulin98

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Could The Montreal Canadiens Be Interested In Cody Franson?

With one month before the NHL trade deadline, action should pick up on the trade front as we are slowly separating contenders and pretenders. One player that will most likely be traded is Toronto Maple Leafs' defenseman, Cody Franson. The right-handed blue liner has reportedly declined the Leafs' latest contract offer of around $4.5 million annually.

According to Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun, the TLeafs are looking for a second-round pick in exchange for the 27-year-old Franson. This season, the native of Sicamous, BC has recorded 6 goals and 23 assists for 29 points in 49 contests for the slumping Leafs. The offensive-minded defender is also a good shot blocker with 96 this season (he would rank 2nd on the Habs behind Andrei Markov who has 101) and he can also be physical as shown by his 140 hits, which is three more than Montreal's most physical defenseman, Alexei Emelin.

The impending UFA is currently having one of his best seasons so far (he had 33 points in 2013-14) which means he will most likely want to cash in on the open market next July. This means that the team who will trade for him will get a rental player and not a long-term solution on the blue line. Will Habs GM Marc Bergevin be willing to pay the asking price (2nd rounder pick) for Franson, who is earning $3.3 million this season? That remains to be seen.

Can Montreal head into the playoffs with Sergei Gonchar, Tom Gilbert and Mike Weaver as the team's other right-handed options after PK Subban? We know for sure that Bergevin likes Cody Franson as he was the asset that the team would have landed if Josh Gorges had not refused a deal to Toronto prior to heading to Buffalo. Because of the aborted trade, Bergevin scrambled to find another solution on the blue line and was forced to settle for Tom Gilbert, who he signed to a two-year pact worth $2.8 million AAV. 

While Gilbert has been somewhat reliable on the team's blue line, his 2 goals and 7 assists for 9 points in 46 games are a far cry from Franson' offensive production this year and the Canadiens could certainly use Franson's offensive abilities on the second power play unit instead of Sergei Gonchar or Nathan Beaulieu. Used to play on average 20 or more minutes per game, Franson is a big defender at 6'5'' and 215-lb, which is exactly what the Canadiens' back end needs for a long playoff run.

Other options on defnse include Mike Green, Andrej Sekera, Marc Methot, Jeff Petry, Zbynek Michalek and Marek Zidlicky, among others.

Who would you want to acquire if you were Marc Bergevin?

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Follow me on Twitter at @FredPoulin98

 

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Zachary Fucale: Memorial Cup, Gold Medal...Stanley Cup next?

Habs prospect Zachary Fucale was scheduled to start his first game with his new team (Quebec Remparts) last night. After having won the Memorial Cup in 2013 along with the Junior World Championship earlier this year, I thought it would be a good idea to take a look back at Fucale's career and stats to give us an idea of how well he is doing, since many are thinking he is our future in terms of goaltending.

Let's start by looking at his QMJHL regular season stats. Over the past three years (from 2011 to 2014), he managed to keep a record of 113 wins, 32 losses, 12 overtime losses, 8 shootout losses while keeping a 2.59 goal against average and a 0,903 save %. This year, he is going on a 13-9-2 record with a 3.20 GAA and a 0.890%. While he seems to be slumping statistically, we must not forget he was playing for Halifax Mooseheads, who lost their two star players (Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin) over the past two seasons. Let's keep in mind he will now be playing for the Quebec Remparts, who will be the host team for the upcoming Memorial Cup. These Remparts have built up a competitive team in order to win the Canadian championship by getting back forward Anthony Duclair from the New York Rangers and trading for defenseman Matt Murphy, so technically, Fucale should start getting more consecutive wins as well as dropping his GAA and raising his save %.

As for his playoffs stats, he went 35-12, keeping a 2.54 GAA and a 0,903%. What this basically means is that whatever the game or the situation he is in, he will be the same goaltender, pressure or not. By keeping pretty much the same stats throughout the entire season (playoffs included), he is proving that he is a reliable goaltender over the long term. 

Not only that, but Fucale went undefeated during the latest Junior World Championship, being Canada's #1 goaltender. During the gold medal game, he had an opportunity to show everyone how he would do under pressure, and he did very good, protecting a one-goal lead up until the very end of the game for a 5-4 win over Russia, especially considering Canada's defense was invisible after their fifth goal.

Last night marked his first start with the Remparts. Fucale got a pretty quiet, albeit solid night, stopping all 11 shots he faced. However, let's just say his entire team played very well, giving pretty much nothing to the Acadie-Bathurst Titan. To give you an idea of how one-sided this game was, at one point during the game, Quebec had more goals than Acadie-Bathurst had shots on Fucale. With 16 more wins, the Rosemere native will be ranked #1 in terms of all-time wins by a goaltender in the QMJHL. Not a small feat

If you were in Marc Bergevin' shoes, would you trade one of Montreal's current goaltenders? Considering Price is being a top 5 NHL goaltender, Tokarski being very promising and Mike Condon doing pretty good with Hamilton, what would you do ?


Follow me on twitter: @Azgarde54

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Does the Future Look bright for the Habs... or Not?

Trevor Timmins, what has he done for our Habs since taking over as head of scouting in 2003?

As any one who follows hockey will tell you, getting the draft selections right can make you a Stanley Cup contender.

However, if you get them wrong too many times then you will be a perennial bottom-half dweller.
So getting back to Mr. Timmins, how has he done?

His first go around was in 2003, a stacked draft year. In my opinion he real messed it up at his first draft. At the 10th pick overall, he selected Andrei Kostitsyn. At the 40th and 61st picks he selected Cory Urquhart (who you ask) and Maxim Lapierre. Andrei was okay when he played with Kovy and Pleky a few years back, but then disappeared. Lapierre was never more than a fourth liner at best and Urquhart is a no show.

Who could have Timmins selected? Well, it is an impressive list I am about to share, and it makes you cry when you think we could have had even one of these guys instead of what we did get. How about Jeff Carter, Dustin Brown, Brent Seabrook, Zach Parise, Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Keslar, Corey Perry, Patrice Bergeron, Shea Weber, and David Backes. Anyone of those guys would be a huge help to our Habs today. How he could have missed this talent pool and picked what he did I will never understand.

However, I will give him a little bit of a break since it was his first time at the draft table. What about his second sit down at the draft table? In 2004 he selected Kyle Chipchura at the 18th selection. Who could he have selected instead and was still available instead of Chipchura? How would Travis Zajac look with the CH on his chest? What about Andrej Meszaros, Jeff Schultz, Mike Green, or David Krejci. So in my opinion year two was another big bust.

In 2005, we had the 5th pick overall and selected Carey Price. Nicely done Monsieur Timmins. Our next pick at the 45th spot was Guillaume Latendresse. Big G. never did pan out now did he? Who could be in a Habs uniform instead of Big G.? How about Kris Letang, Adam McQuaid, Keith Yandle, or Mason Raymond. Anyone of these guys could have been had instead of Latendresse.  But he did give us Carey Price, so we will forgive him for 2005 misses. Can you imagine Letang and Subban on the power play today, man that would be something special to watch. And throw in McQuaid's mean streak (which we dearly lack in our line-up today), boy would Price drool at having those two defend his crease today instead of what we currently have.

In 2006, Timmins' fourth time at the draft table. What did he do this time? So far the only good thing he has accomplished is Carey Price. Well in 2006 Mr. Timmins did not do well again. He had the 20th pick and he selected David Fischer. Another colossal failure. He followed that selection with Mathieu Carle (not Matt Carle) and Ben Maxwell. Neither of these two are doing anything significant today to warrant any excitement at their future contributions to the Habs. Now who could  have Monsieur Timmins giving us instead? How would Claude Giroux fit our needs today? Or how about Nick Foligno? And here is a real kicker; as much as I despise these two because they play for the Bruins I would have loved to have them join the NHL in a Habs uniform. Picture what a difference a Milan Lucic and a Brad Marchand could have done for us if they were selected instead of Maxwell and Carle. As much as I detest Lucic now, I would have loved him in a Habs uniform from day 1. So 2006 is another bust of a draft year for Mr. Timmins.

In 2007, his fifith draft I would say Mr. Timmins redeemed himself. He had the 12th pick and selected Ryan McDonagh. (Unfortunately Mr. Gainey in his infinite wisdom traded him away for a bag of hockey pucks (Gomez) to the Rangers.) He followed that up with Big Max Pacioretty and PK Subban. So 2007 was a win no matter how you look at it. He gave us two of our present day superstars who should be around for a long time.

For 2008, we did not have any first round picks because we traded those away. In the second round we received from Mr. Timmins, Danny Kristo and Steve Quailer. Neither of these two would make the Habs's current edition. Who could have been selected in this weak draft year? Well Zack Smith was available along with Adam Henrique and T.J. Brodie. I know, no big super stars but again much better than what we received. So 2008 we can say was a white wash since we never had a first round pick.

Mr. Timmins once again had a weak draft in 2009. We had the 18th selection and picked Louis Leblanc. Leblanc as his name may suggest was a huge blank. Never materialized into anything resembling a prospect. The very next pick was a guy named Chris Kreider. Remember him? He totally destroyed our cup dreams last year when he ran over Price and over our defense every time he entered our zone. After Leblanc we received Joonas Nattinen and Mac Bennett. Who could have been selected? How about Marcus Johansson or Ryan O'Reilly. So 2009 a lost draft year for the Habs.

In 2010, Timmins' 8th try was a good one. He gave us Gallagher and Tinordi. So it is safe to say that no matter who else was available we are definitely happy with Gallagher and the big potential of Tinordi.

As we get to the present years of 2011-2014 the jury is still out on the talent selected. Here are the highlights of those draft years. In 2011, we drafted Nathan Beaulieu in the first round and then did not have a pick until the third round. In 2012, that is when we had the third pick overall and selected our future #1 center in Alex Galchenyuk. That same draft we selected some high potential players in Tim Bozon and Charles Hudon. Both are doing very nicely in their present clubs (Kootenay and Hamiton) and should challenge for positions on the big club in the near future.

2013 saw the Habs get bigger with the 25th pick on Michael McCarron who says he wants to be compared to a Milan Lucic type of player). The next selection was Jacob De La Rose followed by Zachary Fucale and Sven Andrighetto with Martin Reway shortly after. Each one of these selections has high potential to make the big club and make an impact soon. Andrighetto already has several points in his short stint with the big club and showed he has NHL calibre speed and the hands to go with it. Reway had an excellent juniors tournament over the Christmas break as did De La Rose. The only knock I have against Reway and Andrighetto is they are both small players, neither stands over six feet. 2014 saw the addition of Nikita Scherbak, a big fast forward that the Habs need. So far he is excelling with the junior team (Everett Silvertips of the WHL) and looks to have huge potential in the next year or two, plus his 6' 2" frame will definitely be welcomed to the Habs line-up.

So the jury is still out on the last few draft years. We will wait and see how these selections mature and if they can contribute to the big club; and not as a fourth liner either. We have an abundance of fourth liners. Our best draft years were 2005 with Price; 2007 with Max Pac and Subban and 2012 with Galchenyuk. Other than that, the selections by Timmins have not really helped our club. Now I know there are some out there who say Timmins has one of the better records on his selections making the NHL. Yes but how many fourth liners does a club need. The draft is where you find your future stars. Other clubs have done a much better job at selecting players who can be a top-six forward or a top-four defenseman. Just review all the missed opportunities we have had with Timmins in charge. I say he needs to re-evaluate his scouting team because they are not up to were they need to be if the Habs are going to win another Stanley Cup.

What do you think? Are you happy as a Habs fan with what Timmins has brought to the table since 2003 or do we need to revamp the scouting department? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

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