Claude Julien - What is the plan with our Roster?

[Tyson]

He hasn't been given a single chance. Being slotted with Danault, Shaw, De La Rose, etc, and always slotted at LW isn't giving the kid a chance. He produced best when placed at center. He was mishandled plain and simple, but do enjoy the return we'll get for him, followed by seeing him break out with his new team.

I agree this will be another scenario in which the Habs look like the incompetents that they are

 

[koyvoo]

The plan is just wait until the puck luck reverses. Apparently

 

[ECWHSWI]

Galchenyuk has mishandled himself. He has become a mediocre player and needs to be sent packing

he's doing what's been asked of him IMO, soon you will see him dump pucks left and right like the little 3rd liner they shaped him into.

As for effort and compete, bah! it's not a requirement on the Habs forward group, wich is a good thing as the Habs wouldnt have enough forwards to dress up for games.

 

[NotProkofievian]

- I never did like Gallagher on the 1st line. I think we need to have him on the 2nd or even 3rd line and we still get the same production. He's not winning the puck battles like he use to IMO. Lehkonen, Byron, or Galchenyuk are better fits.

- Byron has done nothing to deserve 4th line. Why we started him there is something that don't make sense to me.

- Galchenyuk needs opportunity with someone like Drouin and Patch or Pleky and Lehkonen. Putting Galchenyuk on the 4th line is only going to devalue him and he's not used to his strengths. Play him with talent or don't play him at all IMO.

- Danault should be on a 3rd line checking role, not a 2nd line offensive role. Last year his stats went up because he was getting playing time with Patch and Radulov. If you want Danault to play top 2 lines, play him with Patch.

- Play Shaw as our 4th line center with DLR and Mitchell.

Galchenyuk / Drouin / Lehkonen
Patch / Danault / Gallagher
Hudon / Pleky / Byron
DLR / Shaw / Mitchell

Not much to disagree with here.

 

[angry pirate]

I understand why the team wants Drouin and Pacioretty together, but Patches has proven not to need an offensive center to produce. Even though he's not a #1, Put Danault back with Pacioretty and let Galchenyuk slide into Radulov's spot.

With all the PP time, Drouin is still the defacto #1 C, but play him with Lehkonen and Gallagher at even strength.

Hudon/Byron - Plekanec - Shaw
Hudon/Bryon - Mitchell/DLR - Hemsky

Round out the roster.

I think we have more than enough info to know that Galchenyuk can't produce on his own hence we continue to be easily shut down as we only have 1 really skilled line. Move him up the lineup and give him Pacioretty. Drop Drouin as he has game breaking ability and skating. He should produce better with somewhat lesser linemates than Galchenyuk can. All of a sudden we go from 1 line to 2 scoring lines and a 3rd that should still be able to chip in.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Claude Julien is still the same bum that deserved to get fired his first go around.

 

[Frozenice]

Lehkonen-Drouin-Galchenyuk
Pacioretty-Plekanec-Gallagher
Byron-Danault-Shaw
Hudon-Mitchell-anyone but Hemsky

I'd change Pleks and Danault. I like Byron and Pleks together and prefer Danault with Patches.

 

[E82]

Creativity from the back end is lacking with this team. We have absolutely no one on D that can occasionally make things happen. Really sad because our forwards aren't really in the upper tier either.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Creativity from the back end is lacking with this team. We have absolutely no one on D that can occasionally make things happen. Really sad because our forwards aren't really in the upper tier either.

Its frustrating because Montreal's D used to be among the league's best in that area only a couple of years ago.

 

[Yoor]

There's no plan. Even he has no idea what he is doing.

Has anyone considered that Galch's knee injuries have possibly done enough damage that he simply cannot execute as he once did? I mean no one here can actually tell me he is skating like he used to...seems so very slow out there in addition to the lack of confidence. Just throwing that out there...

 

[DesmondDekker]

I mean no one here can actually tell me he is skating like he used to...seems so very slow out there in addition to the lack of confidence. Just throwing that out there...

Chucky has always been an average skater. Add that to his East-West type of play and yes, he looks slow as compared to other players.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I'd change Pleks and Danault. I like Byron and Pleks together and prefer Danault with Patches.

Totally agree with Danault and Patch. They are rock solid at both ends of the ice and can be our go to line in all situations. They are hard to match up against too. Throw Gallagher on that line and they will be very good at both ends of the ice.

I want to see Galchenyuk / Drouin / Lehkonen as our 2nd line and used in sheltered game situations.

Then go with Hudon / Pleky / Byron as our 3rd.

DLR / Shaw / Mitchell as our 4th.

How long will it take Julien to make big changes in our line-up. He seems married to the idea of Patch and Drouin but they can and will be shut down. Then what?

 

[Kriss E]

I will give a pass to Julien this year as it is his first full one. He came in late last year.
I don't care what coach we have, nobody is making Benn, Streit, and Schlemko into solid Dmen. We are forced to use a 19yo because everyone else is just bad.
Pacioretty isn't going to become that hard hitting net crashing power forward, Gallagher isn't becoming an elite scorer and Plekanec isn't gonna get back to his prime years.

We ended last year with pretty much unanimous agreement. We need to add to the offense, we need to get legit center(s), and need a top 4D who can move the puck.

So we end up losing Radu. We trade for a winger who we pray to good can be turned into a center (Which I don't believe he will be). We lose Markov and sign a stay at home D, who might even be damaged goods.
So ya, one can argue Galch shouldn't be used as is, but this roster is terrible.

 

[beowulf]

I think he is also hamstrung with what the GM has given him to work with. I do think he will have to move some players around, especially up front, but in the end he cannot make a true #1 center appear out of thin air, same with a good puck moving dman.

 

[durojean]

Julien is a mediocre coach who has much of the analytics community fooled with his high possession system that generates a ton of low quality shots. Better than Therrien, but not by much.

Already on the coach ?

Let's give him time would you ?

 

[Habsawce]

Maybe Julien can get Bargainbin fired and a real GM was get him some players.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Already on the coach ?

Let's give him time would you ?

We've had him before.

It's like getting back with your ex after a couple years and being reminded of everything they did that you hated which lead to you breaking it off the first time around.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Please don't put Galchenyuk on the 4th line Julien! Sit him or play him in the top 6! If you want to send a message, make him a healthy scratch. Playing him on the 4th line don't make sense IMO.

 

[Habs Halifax]

We've had him before.

It's like getting back with your ex after a couple years and being reminded of everything they did that you hated which lead to you breaking it off the first time around.

At least it took a few years with MT eh?

 

[LaP]

The plan is just wait until the puck luck reverses. Apparently

Puck luck in reverse mode

 

[WeThreeKings]

At least it took a few years with MT eh?

No, hiring Therrien was even worst.

That's like getting back with an ex who physically abused you.

 

[Habs Halifax]

No, hiring Therrien was even worst.

That's like getting back with an ex who physically abused you.

I never did like us hiring MT back in 2012 but he did do a decent job for us. He is a system coach and failed to make adjustments in the playoffs. Now Julien has inherited this and I think he has no answers or solutions. It's up to the players to step up and boy oh boy we are in for a wild year! lol

 

[Andrei79]

Therrien is likely the farthest thing from a "system" coach.

 

[vokiel]

I think you're asking the wrong person. That said... The plan seems to be made for tanking.

 

[Tyson]

I understand why the team wants Drouin and Pacioretty together, but Patches has proven not to need an offensive center to produce. Even though he's not a #1, Put Danault back with Pacioretty and let Galchenyuk slide into Radulov's spot.

With all the PP time, Drouin is still the defacto #1 C, but play him with Lehkonen and Gallagher at even strength.

Hudon/Byron - Plekanec - Shaw
Hudon/Bryon - Mitchell/DLR - Hemsky

Round out the roster.

I think we have more than enough info to know that Galchenyuk can't produce on his own hence we continue to be easily shut down as we only have 1 really skilled line. Move him up the lineup and give him Pacioretty. Drop Drouin as he has game breaking ability and skating. He should produce better with somewhat lesser linemates than Galchenyuk can. All of a sudden we go from 1 line to 2 scoring lines and a 3rd that should still be able to chip in.

While Pacioretty is a perennial 30-35 goal scorer I just dislike a lot about his game. I hope they don’t throw the Brinks truck at him. He would be a great trade asset. What could he land that would be a win for this team?