Tag Archives: Tomas Plekanec

Hand Cuffed

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With the trade deadline fast approaching, we are all wondering, and predicting what Pierre Gauthier can and should do to help his team’s chances to not only qualify for the post-season, but to have another deep run.

Everyone and their dog has identified the lack of a bruising winger with scoring touch as a need to be addressed, and indeed it is a real need. It’s all well and good to look around the league and find guys who may fit the bill. It’s another thing entirely to fit him in to the current roster. As the roster stands, Plekanec is now centering Gionta and Pacioretty, and after 2 games, it’s been a godsend. On the second line, Gomez is centering Kostitsyn and Eller. After 2 games, they’ve been a whole of nothing at all. It should be evident by this point that any wingers paired with Gomez instantly struggles to remain productive. Gomez has played with virtually every winger on the roster and none have been a consistent threat to produce. Gomez looks great carrying the puck up the ice. He’s a smooth, speedy skater and is one of the best at gaining the offensive zone which is wonderful since you can’t score goals if you don’t enter enemy territory. The problem is what happens once he gets there. With Gomez, it’s a bit like saying that you can cook up a fantastic gourmet meal, but drop the plate on the floor before you get to eat it. Gomez, for all the speed vision, and agility that he brings, has not been the guy that he’s required to be. His faceoff win percentage is poor, he doesn’t shoot nearly often enough (his recent trend of firing more shots has led to 0 goals and 3 assists in his last 5 games), and he’s been making questionable plays with the puck once he gains the zone all season long. Couple these traits with his penchant to take silly untimely retaliatory penalties, and you start to get the idea. Or at least you should. With just 26 points, and a -10 +/- rating in 50 games, to say he’s been disappointing is an understatement. But this isn’t about Gomez. It’s clear he’s struggling to produce, but we can only hope that he elevates his game once the playoffs start, assuming his lacklustre regular season isn’t the torpedo that sinks the good ship Canadien.

The third line of Darche, Pouliot and Desharnais looks solid, and the fourth line of Moen, Pyatt and Halpern doesn’t need to do much else. If the fourth line is where you are focusing, you’re likely a well-oiled cup contender looking for the final piece to the puzzle; a faceoff specialist, a penalty killer, or some added character, leadership and grit.

Returning to the whole “let’s get a scoring winger” debate, where will this new acquisition play? Remember that Cammalleri is due to return sooner rather than later and will be slotted in among the top 6. Your top wingers would then be Gionta, Pacioretty, Kostitsyn and Cammalleri, centered of course by Plekanec and Gomez. Eller would be moved down to either the third or fourth line at the expense of Tom Pyatt. Before you go dreaming of acquiring a big scoring winger, you have to decide which of the top 4 wingers are going to be moved to another line (at the expense of somebody else) or to another team (bloody difficult given the contracts to some, and borderline unthinkable in the case of Pacioretty…though let’s recall that Bob Gainey pulled the trigger on the deal that sent a young Jarome Iginla to the Flames for an aging, but still useful Joe Niewendyk and it paid off). There’s no point in fantasizing about a big trade if you can’t make room for new acquisitions. It makes even less sense if you are not confident that the new acquisition will actually be as advertised. Sadly, not everybody gets to play with Tomas Plekanec. While Plekanec remains by far the Canadiens best forward, and the centerman by which everyone seems to thrive, not everyone can play with him. The way Gionta and Pacioretty are playing right now, they aren’t going to leave his side any time soon – except if Cammalleri bumps one of them once his shoulder is strong enough.

So you’re left with a decision to make if you want that winger. And it’s not as easy as you think. First you have to free up one of the top 4 winger slots. I expect that the common answer is to move Andrei Kostitsyn pronto. He’s a RFA at season’s end, and at times appears to not be one of Coach Martin’s favorites. Naturally, he’s the guy that should be sent packing. But should he really? Habs fans are notorious for over valuing what they have, and have long been known to want to trade row boats for battleships. Trading Kostitsyn now, while his value is low may not be the swiftest move. Moving the other wingers is more challenging given their contracts. Let’s just assume that there’s interest out there for Kostitsyn. Will moving Andrei Kostitsyn, while his value is low actually bring back what the Canadiens need in return, or if more pot sweetening needs to happen. In that case, is the trade worth it? And before you jump all over me, I’m not saying that Gauthier SHOULD move Kostitsyn, though I suspect he may.

My personal preference is that Gauthier address the forwards during the off season. The return of Mike Cammalleri, hopefully reinvigorated and looking to make up for an underwhelming first half could be the best deadline acquisition the Canadiens could hope for. The size issue will remain a red herring for this team and in my mind there isn’t much that can be done about it right now.

So go ahead, Habs fans, have at it! Yes, I intentionally left out talk about upgrading on the blue line. One thing at a time, kiddies.

Does Talent Buy Immunity?

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Following the Canadiens can be an exhilarating, yet sometimes exhausting experience. Over the past several seasons, the Canadiens have been up and down like a elevator. Players, coaches and management come and go on a yearly basis, yet the runaway roller coaster continues unabated. Throughout the change, we as fans always find things we like about the team, and players to latch on to.
 
Last spring, this group of players took fans on a dizzying run to the conference finals, deepening the bond between fan and player. When times get tough, however, the spotlight focuses on certain players with scorn. Usually the talented guys bear the brunt of criticism, and that’s the way it should be since they earn the majority of praise during the good times, and consume the majority of the salary cap at all times. But once the criticism is levied, some fans resort to defending their favorite players as if they were a part of their immediate family. Mama and Papa bear gnash their teeth.
 
No two players embody this phenomena more than Carey Price and Andrei Kostitsyn. Talented? Check. Important to the team’s success? Check. Contributors to the Habs early season success? Check. Nobody would argue that not only has Carey Price been the Canadiens best player, he’s been one of the best goalies in the league until recently. As the Canadiens player of the month for 3 consecutive months, it goes to show how terrific Price was during October and November, and how he was the best of the worst in December. For his part, Andrei Kostitsyn has had an up and down year, but I don’t know if we’ve ever seen him play as well as he did for the first 10 games of the year. 10 points in 11 games during the month of October, and he too had begun to quiet his naysayers.
 
But over the past month, Price has had weak goals slip past him, bringing on shades of last season when he was at times unfocused, and couldn’t catch a break. Is it fair to feel a bit of concern that his play has not been as sharp as we’ve been accustomed to? Questionable wraparounds and shots through the legs are not what the doctor ordered. Similarly, Kostitsyn has had his share of struggles. A modest 8 points in 13 games in November was largely swept under the rug, because he was bounced around from line to line. December saw his slumber worsen, with only 1 goal and 4 assists in 14 games, with his lone goal coming after he had been made a healthy scratch. He also only had 27 shots on goal in those 14 games, for an average of about 2 per night. For a sniper with a lethal shot, that’s not good enough. Excuses? Don’t want to hear them.
 
Newsflash: Instead of trying to blame somebody else for a blown assignment or inability to handle somebody bigger & stronger than them EVERY SINGLE TIME, if Price gives up a soft goal, it’s OK to say so. If he plays a poor game, it’s FINE to say so. If he has a bad month, quit trying to pin it on the team and coach if you were one of the people that tossed laurels at his feet when he singlehandedly won games! If he gets the glory when he’s the hero, he deserves criticism when he’s less than what the Canadiens need. Similarly, if Kostitsyn is soft on the puck, or laisser-faire, it doesn’t make you less of a fan to say so, and it won’t help you to become pals with the player to try and defend them at each and every turn. Unless the criticism is mean spirited, cruel or bigoted (which unfortunately still exists), thicker skin is needed and lording over these guys as if they were our children needs to stop. They’re adults with a job to do. While young, talented players are crucial to any organization, talent alone doesn’t score goals and make saves. Work ethic and execution do. Anyone who follows me know how critical I am of the coach and his tactics and strategies. He’s not blameless in this, but he’s not entirely to blame, either. At the end of the day, every player is solely responsible for the quality and consistency of his own performance.
 
Look, I cheer for anyone who wears the bleu, blanc, rouge, even if they’re not my favorite player (hello there, Benoit!). I want them to produce, and I want them to share in the accolades. What I can’t stand is when we constantly drum up excuses to cover up mistakes, exonerate poor decisions and pretend that there aren’t any issues with consistency. It’s a lot easier to completely blame the coach’s decisions and his strategy rather than the players…which would make sense if the player hadn’t had any previous success. On the eve of the season, I posted a blog entitled “Prove It“. In this second year of the major overhaul, there are no more excuses for this team or the players. Everybody has a role and everybody has experience save for Eller and Subban. Max Lapierre paid the price for his poor play and his inconsistency. His ice time was reduced, and he was eventually sent packing to Anaheim. Players are to be held responsible for their performances, and cheered for their achievements. Kostitsyn and Price got off to sizzling starts and got the hero worship that goes along with those kinds of performances. Price sustained his great start for a couple months, while Kostitsyn tapered off. Fair criticism is deserved, and both have earned their fair share lately. There’s nothing wrong with that.
 
I suppose some of you will see where I’m coming from, but I suspect that there are others who will insist that I’m just another hater and not a real fan for questioning results. The sad truth is that what was accomplished months ago means very little if the results don’t continue coming. The real question at the heart of this blog is ‘how long do you make excuses for questionable play before the crosshairs zero in on the player himself?’ It has somehow become taboo to voice concern over the play of Price and Kostitsyn. Some fans are shell-shocked because there’s been a lot of unfair criticism, but this doesn’t mean that fair criticism is suddenly unwarranted. Many will read this blog as a bashing, and interpret it as me being a hater. If you’re one of those people, congratulations, you’ve missed the point entirely, and helped prove my point.
For everyone else, what’s your take?

Habs Aren’t an Elite Team. Yet

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Is it possible for the Canadiens to go nearly wire-to-wire in first place in their division? They finished October in first. They finished November in first. We’re less than a week before Christmas and they’re still in first. Does winning your division really make you an elite team? I’ll bet many rabid Habs fans are ready to jump up  and say “YES!”, of course it does. The answer, in fact, is no, winning your division does automatically make you an elite team. One need only look at the NFL and MLB to see that teams that struggle to win more than they lose make the playoffs every year. Within the Canadiens relatively weak division, the Bruins are the only team that can overtake the Canadiens at this point, being only two points back with two games in hand. The Senators, Leafs and Sabres are all in various states of disrepair and pose little risk to the Northeast Division crown.

The Canadiens, at worst, are a good team. On some nights they’re a very good team. But we’d be getting ahead of ourselves to call them an elite team today. Yes, they may be in that conversation when it comes to points earned, but realistically the Canadiens can’t be held in the same regard as the Detroits, and Philadelphias of the league. Not just yet, anyway. Despite their relatively similar records, teams like the Wings and Flyers have competence, experience and moxy that the Canadiens do not.

The Habs have yet to come from behind this season when trailing after the first or second period. That was ok, since they hadn’t lost when scoring first, either, until recently when they’ve lost a handful a games wherein they did score that all-important first goal.

I know what many of you are going to say. The Canadiens have beaten Philly once already this year – shut them out even, as well as beaten the Penguins, Sharks, Bruins (twice) and shut out the Canucks. Verifiable facts, all of them. But I also submit that they’ve lost games to the Leafs (twice), Devils (by shutout), Nashville (at home, also by shutout), and Blue Jackets (surprise – by shutout!). Elite teams don’t make such blunders as often as the Canadiens do. I’m not suggesting that those teams are all doormats, but you can’t tell me that dropping decisions in the manner that the Canadiens did is normal for an elite team. The Canadiens have also lost games in which they looked utterly unprepared and disinterested: a 3-0 loss in Atlanta tops that list, followed closely by a lacklustre 3-1 loss at home to Florida. Sure, every team goofs now and then during an 82-game schedule, but our Habs seem to relish in making lives harder than they need to.

To be sure, the Canadiens ought to be thankful that they play in the softest division in the league. Taking a quick look around the NHL, we see that the Habs home – the Northeast division has 3 teams that are currently below .500, even with the charity point for failure in effect. The Atlantic division has 2 dismal teams, and the Southeast has one team below the .500, and even they (the Panthers) were able to march in to the Bell Center and walk out with a 3-1 win. In stark contrast, the entire Western conference has just two teams below .500, and both reside in Alberta (and, perhaps not shockingly, the Oilers also waltzed out of Montreal with an overtime victory).

But the news is positive: the Canadiens are still playing better hockey this season than they were at any point last season. Scoring has been balanced, even strength play is better, the power play is improving, even without Markov, the penalty kill remains strong and most of all, Carey Price is keeping himself in the conversation of the league’s best goalies to date. The components to being among the elite teams in the league are nearly in place. With the addition of Max “the Patch” Pacioretty to the second line, the Canadiens finally appear to have two dangerous scoring lines, albeit a long term injury to any of the forwards, especially Plekanec would be crippling, not only because of all the great things Plekanec does, but because losing him means losing Andrei Kostitsyn as well. (Sidebar: If you’ve spent any time at all on twitter during a Habs game, you’ve no doubt seen the dozens of tweets demanding that Andrei Kostitsyn NEVER be separated from Plekanec. If that’s the case, then no doubt the loss of Plekanec essentially destroys the Habs’ top scoring line because we’ve all but admitted that Kostitsyn becomes useless when not paired with Plekanec.)

There is depth among the bottom-six forwards along with a dash of talent. Jeff Halpern, Mathieu Darche, Benoit Pouliot, Tom Pyatt, Travis Moen, Max Lapierre and Lars Eller have brought some grit and offense to the lineup. Should one or two of them fall, there are replacements in Hamilton that can step in; Ryan White, Dustin Boyd, and Ben Maxwell come to mind and are all available for spot duty in Montreal if needed.

On the blue line is where the trouble lies, especially under Jacques Martin’s defensive system. With no hope of seeing Markov back any time soon, his workload has been dished out among those who can no longer offer those services for prolonged periods (Hamrlik & Spacek), those who never could offer it (Gill, Gorges & Picard) and those who are simply unprepared to shoulder the load, and overwhelmed by the spotlight (Subban). We should admire the work this group has done thus far, for we all know the Canadiens record sans Markov. That the team hasn’t bottomed out already should be seen as a small victory!

But this is where Pierre Gauthier needs to act. He now has cap room a plenty thanks to Markov’s injury, and it’s becoming more and more obvious where his team’s needs are. He needs another defenseman that can eat 20+ minutes per game and bring physicality to the rink. A stabilizing presence for Subban should also be among the criteria for a new defenseman.

Whatever acquisition Gauthier has his eyes on, it will cost him and he will need to be prudent not to give up too much. The better his team does, the better position they place him in to negotiate a trade because rival GMs will not view Gauthier as a desperate man in need of aid. He’s in the tenuous position of having to decide whether he thinks his team is one piece away from true Cup contention, or if he’s a couple of ingredients shy of the mark. This being Montreal, and expectations being what they always are, Gauthier will probably do something.

Though the Canadiens are close to being among the league’s best teams, they aren’t there yet. As Subban hopefully improves and plays more reliably over the next 50 games (note to Jacques Martin: please separate Picard and Subban!), and if Pacioretty can really be the missing ingredient that produces two stable scoring lines, then the guesswork is all but finished. The roadmap to success becomes clear for the team’s brass, and that’s surely a sign of an elite team.

What’s your take?

If the Habs Were Cars

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I figured it was time for another fun blog post. I’ve been waaaaaay off my game lately and wanted to throw something together based on nothing but total pointlessness. Oddly enough, it’s these types of posts that generate the most amount of discussion because it gives everyone the chance to also let down their hair and throw things at the wall. I decided to use a bit of discipline and restraint with this, because as Habs fans, we are notorious for over-valuing the players we have. So I’ve intentionally avoided exotic cars like Porsche, and Ferrari and supercars, like the Audi R8 and Lamborghini Gallardo. It would be too tempting, and ultimately too boring to assign everyone on the team we love such a distinguished ride.
So here goes nothing….your Habs, if they were your cars:
 
Tomas Plekanec – 2011 Hyundai Sonata 2.0T I know what you’re thinking, “You’re starting this thing off with a Hyunday? Eff this, I’m out!” Hang on, it gets better! The new Sonata rates up there with BMW 5-series and looks like a Mercedes, but it flies under the radar of recognition because it’s a Hyundai. That’s wrong, but for Habs fans, it’s so SO right!
 
Andrei Kostitsyn – Jeep Rubicon. Tough like a tank and elegant in its simple, boxy design, the Jeep Rubicon is unstoppable with a motivated driver behind the wheel. In other words, when AK46 is on, nothing can stop him.
 
Mike Cammalleri – Nissan 370Z. This car cooks! A top of the line roadster that’s speedy, sharp looking and everyone wants one.
 
Scott Gomez – Chrysler 300M. It’s a nice looking car, is really comfortable and cruises very nicely. But ultimately, this thing is overpriced.
 
Brian Gionta – Mini Clubman. It’s essentially a miniature BMW. What else do you want?
 
Lars Eller – Chevy Volt. This electric/hybrid’s best days are still ahead of it. Its role is not quite defined, just as Eller is victim to Martin’s confounding ways. It’s the future, Jacques – get used to it!
 
Benoit Pouliot – Base model Chevy Camaro. I’m speaking from experience on this one. Lots of blind spots, takes a ton of energy to get it up to speed, but it looks and feels great once it’s moving. Pouliot should have been an SS model by now, but it appears as though we’ll never see that upgrade. Still, this is a vast step up from the Jimmy Olsen ranking he got in my “If Habs Were Superheroes” post from May.
 
Mathieu Darche – Toyota Camry. Useful but unremarkable car. Those that have one love it, but always longing for another Cammalleri.
 
Jeff Halpern – Honda Ridgeline. Surprisingly versatile and underappreciated.
 
Maxim Lapierre – Honda Civic SI. One that’s been modified by a 20 year old that wears Ed Hardy clothes and wears his hat sideways.
 
Travis Moen – Ford F150 King Ranch Edition – solid, solid, solid.
 
Tom Pyatt – The newly relaunched Ford Fiesta. Terrific reviews, spunky, quick and peppy…but ultimately not the car you want when you need performance.
 
Andrei Markov - Cadillac CTS Coupe. This is a sweet, sweet ride that does everything well. Made by one of the classic automakers, it fits Markov’s prestigious role within the Habs organization well.
 
Josh Gorges – Jeep Grand Cherokee. A classy, yet tough as nails ride that suits this Habs iron man to a tee. He never misses a game and was probably on the short list for the captaincy. The only place left for him to go is to the SRT8 model. That’ll be tough though.
 
Hal Gill – 18 wheeler. Plods along in a straight line, takes an hour to make a turn and can block entire lanes of traffic. Ask the Capitals. Or the Penguins.
 
PK Subban – Chevy Corvette. Unbridled speed and power. This car just begs to be turned loose, but if you’re not careful, the rear wheel drive will throw you out of control. It’s a thrill to watch when it’s under control. Otherwise you’re just waiting for the inevitable crash. And nobody likes seeing a smashed up Corvette. Or a shackled one either.
 
Roman Hamrlik – A Buick Regal. But an old one, not a new one…because the new ones are actually pretty awesome. Everyone knows that a Buick is a poor man’s Cadillac, and we all remember the admirable job that Hamrlik did filling in for Markov…last year. Once upon a time this car was a luxurious ride with a beefy engine, but that was a long time ago. Age erodes everything.
 
Jaroslav Spacek – Milk truck - delivers the goods once a week for a brief minute or two. That’s it.
Ryan O’Byrne and Alex Picard – Dodge Journey. Strictly utilitarian vehicles despite the attempts to give them style. They’re probably not long for this world. It’s a vehicle that just won’t stand the test of time, likely due to lack of development and poor product positioning.
 
Carey Price – 2011 Ford Taurus SHO. The old Taurus model was tired, boring, underwhelming and had lost its way by the time it was “reinvented” using the same Ford Five Hundred that got nowhere. Reborn and reinvigorated, the new Taurus the is probably the coolest looking sedan on the road and has the guts to back up its new look.
Ok, that’s it. Fun’s over. Now it’s your turn. What car would you have assigned to the Habs players?

Dare We Dream?

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The first month of this young season is already in the books, and look! The Habs are tops in the Northeast Division (although the Bruins have 3 games in hand). Raise your hand if you had them there, because I sure didn’t. The Canadiens have been a very pleasant surprise, as they have looked solid from the goaltending, out through the 4th line…with some problem areas in between that have yet to cause too much pain.

It’s tough not to get excited over the performance the Canadiens put forth in October 2010. They’re playing a more sustainable, solid game than the mirage that had Habs fans reaching dizzying heights this past spring, led by refocused Carey Price, reloaded Tomas Plekanec and reborn Andrei Kostitsyn. In past years, the Canadiens depended on power play success in order to win games, but now it seems that even strength play has become their forté. I for one, will take a team that plays well at even strength and struggles on special teams, than the opposite. But now is the time to start to put it all together. When you look back, it’s actually pretty amazing that the Canadiens did as well as they did in October: the clear-cut #1 defenseman has only played one game, the power play has been putrid, the second line has been virtually non-existant.

The signs are very encouraging for a successful season, but it’s still about 10 games too soon to proclaim this team is “for real”. November will prove to be a much tougher month for the bleu-blanc-rouge with matchups against the Bruins, Flyers (twice), Kings and Canucks. Not to mention teams that they always have trouble with: Maple Leafs, Sabres, and Hurricanes. If the Canadiens can emerge from November still on top of the Northeastern Division, the cold winter months will be a lot more palatable, as a winning Habs bunch makes just about everything better in Montreal.

But if that’s going to happen, some rough spots have to be ironed out, and fast. The power play will need to be much better. Stumbling and bumbling along with a single-digit success percentage is not a recipe for long term success, even if the penalty killing unit is top-notch. Cammalleri, while leading the league in +/- has got to get on something resembling a tear, especially on the power play. Markov’s re-entry to the lineup will only help him find that timing once again. A team like the Canadiens, as we saw in last spring’s playoffs agains the Flyers, can be worn down by bigger, tougher, more intimidating opponents. The Canadiens have made their opponents pay in past years by killing them on the power play. This helped preserve the Canadiens smaller players from physical punishment that adds up over the course of 82 games. If the Canadiens aren’t going to be lethal on the power play, eventually opponents will take liberties with the smaller forwards and wear them out the good ship Habs come April.

It’s clear that the Canadiens got through the first month of the year on the backs of Plekanec, Kostitsyn and the aforementioned Cammalleri. Gionta and Gomez, who combine for nearly 13 million big ones against salary cap have only combined for 2 goals and 4 assists, aka, the same amount of points that Benoit Pouliot has been able to post for nearly 1/10th the cap hit, and 7 minutes less of ice time per game. Hey, I’m just saying. It seems that Habs fans can’t ever be totally happy, and thus somebody has to be designated as the whipping boy. So far, that person has been Pouliot. While he admittedly has not shown much in terms of sustained desire and intensity, he is on a pace for about 50 points this season, which would represent terrific value for his relatively paltry salary. Whether or not he keeps this up is a matter up for discussion. The real issue among the forwards lies with high-priced Gomez and Gionta. Call it snakebitten, or call it lost in a fog, what we can all agree on is that a combined 6 points in 22 games is unacceptable. They need to start putting the puck in the net – immediately. They’ll get it together because history says they will, but the clock is ticking.

On the back end, the defense needs to not only chip in more offensively – both goals from defensemen came on the same night – but they need to get better at hitting the net with their shots from the point. The only two shooters – Subban and Spacek either telegraph their every move, or fire 3 feet wide. The defensive pairings also need to clean up their act in their own zone. While the shots against have come down dramatically from last season, we still see shades of the team that looked more like the keystone cops than a legitimate group of defenders. With 3 defensemen over the age of 35, the headless chicken dance is quite easily invoked once the opposition establishes itself in the Canadiens zone. Carey Price has been forced to make many, many big saves while bailing out his mates. Certainly Price’s .913 save percentage isn’t opening a ton of eyeballs, but rest assured that his modest stat belies how much better he’s been this season. His focus and determination are back to where they need to be, and that’s a huge relief for the Canadiens, and Canadiens fans who thought that the loss of Halak meant the end was nigh.

It would also be nice to see Lars Eller get some prime ice. He’s only been able to muster 1 assist in 11 games, and that’s no good. Don’t get me wrong, he hasn’t played poorly; he’s been strong on the puck, in the corners, and on the body, but he needs to show a little more of a scorer’s touch. Perhaps Coach Martin can help this along by playing Eller with some linemates with hands, and giving him more ice time than Tom “teacher’s pet” Pyatt. Nobody will ever say a bad thing about Tom Pyatt’s honest, hard-working game, but he’s a role player, and always will be. Eller, projected to be a core member of the team’s forwards in the years to come needs more ice time if he’s going to find his game at the NHL level. Let’s just hope that Jacques Martin doesn’t mishandle him like he mishandles virtually every player under the age of 25.

So while things are pretty rosy in Habsland, despite the gag-inducing loss to the Panthers on Saturday night, there are still lots of things to be worked on. A 7-3-1 record is probably better than 95% of fans would have expected after one month, but we can’t overlook the blemishes that still hang around the team’s neck. These issues need to be addressed very quickly because a one-line team cannot continue to win consistently for very long.

What’s your take on the Habs first month of the season?

Prove It

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It’s been one whole year since our now-familiar Habs took to the ice for the first time in a regular season that resembled a roller coaster more than anything.

One year in which we’ve been elated, stressed, overjoyed, horrified, relieved, frustrated – sometimes all on the same day.

With an entirely new roster, new coach, new owner, new system, the excuses, and the jokes wrote themselves. Whether it was a lack of chemistry, the wrong system, the wrong personnel, injuries woes, meddling by a confounding coach, mid-season GM changes, birthday celebrations, incompetent officiating,  overbearing media, and some even suggesting an anti-Habs conspiracy, Canadiens fans had no shortage of excuses to resort to as to why the they were as inconsistent a team as you could find during the 09-10 campaign. Some of the excuses had some validity: injuries and poor strategy. Others are folly: officiating, media, conspiracy, and chemistry (for about 20 games, chemistry was an issue).

One of the things I’m looking forward to is a 2010-2011 season without those excuses, or, at least most of them. Officials will always get some blame, but as CBC’s Elliotte Friedman so perfectly put it last year – blaming the officials is a loser’s lament. That may be the best line I heard last all of last season simply because Canadiens fans made it such a habit to blame the zebras for any troubles.

If the Canadiens are forced to play the same passive, defense-first system this season, Jacques Martin will be roasted some more, and justifiably so. However, as it always has been, it comes down to the guys in the room. They know what to expect and they are the guys who are paid as much as the league allows – to win games.

The reality is that there are no more excuses for this Canadiens group, and I’m sure to a man they would concur. From the owner right through to the healthy scratches, the expectations are benchmarked and the culture is engrained.

The Canadiens pride themselves on how tight-knit this is.

Management is familiar with the team’s strengths and weaknesses.

The refs will often suck. For both teams.

Injuries will happen.

The media will be ever-present, and ever-voracious. We react to them more than the players do.

The coach, for better or worse, is a known quantity. Just hearing two of his press conferences will have you wondering if you’re having a deja-vu. Everyone knows what to expect.

The general manager has put a partial stamp on the team by keeping Price and remodeling the bottom-six forwards with youth, grit and hustle. He’s got very few places to hide if this season goes up in smoke.

Collectively, the players are now set with their locker room leaders. Gionta, Gill and Markov will bear the letters on their jersey, but for each one of them, there’s at least one more without a letter that is just as worthy as them to sport one. A rudderless room was no issue last season (unless you put a ton of stock in the Price – Markov rift). That excuse – if it ever was an issue – is dead and buried.

As for the players individually, Tomas Plekanec is embarking on a six-year odyssey that will pay him 30-million dollars to be the Canadiens best overall forward. After a career season last year, he’ll have to prove that he isn’t one of those guys who will take the money and run.

For Benoit Pouliot, he’ll have to prove that he cares about a career past the age of 25. He somehow managed to squeeze a raise out of GM Gauthier, and for that, he’s under the gun. A soft training camp hasn’t inspired confidence, but I know 1.35 million reasons why he should find some confidence – lickety-split!

For Andrei Kostitsyn, consistency and results are required if he wants to see another contract like the nearly 10 million dollar deal he signed just a few seasons ago.  It took him 20 games last year to realize the season had started, but by the time he did, he was dominant. Then he got hurt and was not the same again. Barring injuries, he’s needed right off the bat. Bring the lunch pail, the wand and the sledgehammer, Andrei. No matter what line or role Jacques Martin puts him with, nothing can, or should stop AK46 from bulldozing opponents with his strength. His lil’ bro is gone, too, which removes that excuse from the minds of fans who thought Sergei was a rotten influence.

For Andrei Markov, a strong showing will be given. This we know. What remains to be seen is whether or not he’s the same guy who, when healthy and on his game, is a threat to contend for the Norris. His contract is expiring this season, and everyone – fans, teammates and management desperately want him to prove that he’s worth another long term deal to serve as the Habs anchor on the blue line.

For Carey Price, the spectre of Halak is gone, replaced by lingering voices of thousands of fans ready to pounce. As stupid and senseless as booing Price is, the job was given to him, and accepted by him to be the top dog in goal. It’s now his ball to run with. He’ll need to win games on his own, and he’ll need to not be the reason why the Canadiens lose games, something certain segments are all too quick to pin on him. Don’t worry, I’ll call it down the middle.

For Lars Eller, he’ll need to prove he was worth the tears and heartache. He may never make some people happy no matter what he does, but he can’t leave anyone with the impression that he won’t be a factor in the future. We don’t need 30 goals, but a dimension of physicality is. Bring it.

For Maxim Lapierre, coming off a majorly disappointing season, it will be vital for him to prove that it was his injured foot’s fault. If preseason prep is any indication, he’s raring to go and will be the guy who was on the verge of being a key component of this team. Oh, and apparently the fists are in the tool box now, too.

For Ryan White, should he make the team, he’ll need to continue playing like his hair is on fire. He’s shown aggressiveness and tenacity that we don’t normally see in the bleu-blanc-rouge. He badly wants to be on the team, and based on preseason play should be. But can he go full-bore for 82 games? Isn’t it false advertising if he doesn’t?

For Jaroslav Spacek, he’s got to put it all together. Last year he was defensively sound, but couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn with his shot. This preseason, he’s been accurate with his shot, but ghastly defensively. Get it together, Jaro.

For PK Subban, push away from the kool-aid. He’s good, and will continue to get better. But he’s not Larry Robinson. Reign in the expectations, and whoa horsey!!

For Roman Hamrlik, if missing the preseason was a Favre-esque ploy, in order to save all energy for the season, then so be it. He’s seen enough preseason to last a lifetime. With one season to go on his deal, he’ll want to give all he’s got to prove he’s not finished. One way or another, he’s going to get a massive paycut next year, but he can mitigate that by mentoring and helping Subban adjust to a full season in the NHL, just as he helped Dion Phaneuf in his rookie year.

For Ryan O’Byrne, just keep it simple. Grind people to dust with the size. Be alert, be responsible. That’s it. Simple.

For the others that I haven’t mentioned, they also have something to prove, but we know what to expect from guys like Gomez, Gorges, Gionta, Gill, and Darche. They’ll bring everything they have to rink, and then some.

Finally, for the fans, it’s time to give our heads a collective shake. The year of excuses is over. Finished. The Habs are in a position to succeed individually, and as a group. If they fail, it’s on them individually, and as a group. If I hear or read one fan mention how if the Canadiens opening night loss to the Leafs (if that happens) is because Cammalleri was unjustifiably suspended, I’m giving up.

The ingredients to success – and failure are located within the confines of the Canadiens dressing room, and nowhere else. There will be hurdles, there will be highs and lows. Can we fans as a group, ride them out and keep the focus where it belongs – on the group that has accepted the task of raising the bar for hockey in Montreal?

Prove it.

Hang on to your Tomas Jagr Jerseys!

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He’s baaaaack!

Ok, so by now it’s old news to all Habs fans, but Pleky is going to ply his trade in Montreal until 2016, at a 5 million dollar cap hit per season. It’s a little bit more than I would have liked to see him signed for (the length is perfect, in my opinion), but given the dearth of competent, legitimate 2-way centermen on the free agent market, the deal he signed has to be viewed as a bargain by the Habs and their fans.

The problem I do see, however, is twofold (and not unexpected):

  1. Gauthier had to expend a lot of cap space in keeping Plekanec, and he had to shed Halak in order to do it. In other words, we are still looking at the same team, albeit a more expensive one that is not in any way improved.
  2. The Canadiens are still very small down the middle. Individually, I like Gomez and Plekanec. Money aside, I really do. But their size is a problem. After the Penguins series, I was all hopped up and told the hockey world to shut it’s fat yapper forever about the “small” Habs. I guess I spoke too soon because the way the Flyers kept the Habs at bay was a rude awakening. Leighton had 3 shutouts, not because he was incredible, but because he was not called upon very often to make big, in-close saves. The Habs were simply unable to penetrate the Flyers big defensive squad. So yeah, as usual, size IS a problem, and has been for well over a decade. Gauthier must address this, but I’m not holding my breath.

Gionta, Gomez, Cammalleri and Plekanec are all under 6 feet tall, which leaves 2 forward spots open on the top lines. Currently, they are occupied by Andrei Kostitsyn, and (most likely) Benoit Pouliot. Both have the size and skill to scratch the itch, but do they have the will to get dirty and provide the muscle and sandpaper the Canadiens desperately need up front? I don’t think so. Trading Kostitsyn will free up cap space and allow Gauthier to find a grittier guy. Trading Pouliot will bring nothing but future considerations. I’m not in love with the idea of trading AK46 because his type of talent doesn’t grow on trees, but if moving him can fill a need and improve the team, then it should be done, right? That’s the whole point isn’t it- to have a better team?

How else can Gauthier improve this team? If he can move either Hamrlik or Spacek, that would also help. They were valiant this year for the Habs in Markov’s absence, and because the latter will be out of action (AGAIN!) for the first couple months of the year, perhaps Gauthier can’t or shouldn’t move them.

In short, I’m not sure that Gauthier has much choice but to ice virtually the same team as last season, but at a higher cost. So before we slam him for failing to improve the team, let’s recall my post from last week, in which I point out that Gainey was the one that put together this good, but expensive team that is laced with costly, lengthy and almost unmoveable contracts. What we see is what we will get for many years.

How would you improve the Habs for next year?

Note: Congratulations to Mathieu Darche, who’s dedication, work ethic, and relatively good play earned him his first ever one-way contract in the NHL. He’ll stick around next season to mentor young kids and play a depth role. He’ll also find time in the press box, but he won’t gripe one bit about it. He’ll be carefully observing and taking mental notes; I’m certain we will see this guy wearing a different title within the Habs organization one day soon.

Note #2: Check out Five Hole For Food, and please consider contributing to the cause next week. Ball hockey, charity, and a stick signed by your Habs up for the most generous food donater…what’s not to like?

What I Will Enjoy Most About Free Agency

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Aside from talking about possible trades and signings, and then endlessly dissecting them when they do or don’t happen, there’s one thing I will have the most fun with concerning free agency:

Habs fans blaming Pierre Gauthier for the head scratching moves that are bound to come.

You see, once the Habs came up roses after the Olympic break, and once they went real deep in the playoffs, everyone was showering former GM Bob Gainey with praise. THIS was the team he intended, and THIS was the team that was going to return the team to glory! He was a genius, the man who built a great and formidable team. I wanted to join the festivities, but couldn’t. Not fully, anyway. Don’t get me wrong: he does deserve some praise for putting this group together. They *are* a pretty good team, but there are still clear and glaring holes, and big questions to be answered in the next year.

I love Gainey as much as anyone, but let’s recognize the bind that he left Pierre Gauthier in. After last summer’s shopping spree, he left the Habs with scant cap flexibility, meaning new GM Pierre Gauthier will probably have to unload some salaries for nothing in return except for the luxury of perhaps resigning guys he already had. Essentially, the same team, for more money and for a long, long time.  Or, he could lose the guys he has, and still pay a lot of money for lesser players. Finally, he could trade assets to replace guys that he had just a couple months earlier. That’s not my idea of improvement, and it’s not the way to build a contender.

If you’re content with this team’s make-up, more power to you. If you like the mix that went a long way this season despite the Head Coach’s ineptness, wonderful. If you believe that the team will only be better with a year under their belt, and less injuries to endure, terrific.

But I think a team has to constantly improve and that includes making tough choices and bold moves. Gainey, for all the good he did in building this team, left Gauthier with little wiggle room for the next several seasons.

So when the Habs take the ice next year with either an overpriced Plekanec (he will get more than he’s worth simply because of the lack of free agent talent available), or someone else who isn’t as good as Plekanec, don’t be so quick to blame Gauthier. And when Gauthier is up against the cap and wondering what to do with pending unrestricted free agent Andrei Markov, get off his case. He’s not going to have wads of money to throw around. And if he does, it’s because he cut anchor with a lot of high priced guys for draft picks and cheap bodies. I’ve made it clear that I don’t like the Habs current management and coaching group (aside from assistant coach Kirk Muller), but if we’re going to bash a guy, we have to be fair about it, and I just don’t see Habs fans doing that simply because it’s easier to criticize Gauthier than it is Gainey, especially now that he’s gone (perhaps Gainey foresaw this storm brewing and simply didn’t want to deal with it?).

Sure, Gauthier gladly accepted the job once the Habs concluded that their exhaustive hiring process proved that he was brightest gem shining from underneath all the thousands of overturned stones, but there’s only so much a guy can do. It’s now his job to improve this team, but he can only work with what he has.