Claude Julien - What is the plan with our Roster?

[The Great Weal]

Why not just try Galchenyuk at center? I mean can they really be THAT much worse? It's just common sense at this point.

 

[MaxDummy]

Why not just try Galchenyuk at center? I mean can they really be THAT much worse? It's just common sense at this point.

Galchenyuk cant be worse than he is now that's For sure

 

[Lozela]

One thing that I just don't get is why he keeps scratching Mitchell ? I've always liked the guy, he brings tons of speed and can play wing or center plus he is a Montreal guy. He cares, I don't know why Claude doesn't like him

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

It sucks that the GM called out Galchenyuk as a center. They would look stupid if they put him back at C now.

If he's not a C according to MB but can help his team to start last season with 9-1 record, how good is Drouin with a 1-7?

 

[OldCraig71]

There was a time last night when Shaw was getting punched by Bieksa when the camera focused on Julien and the players on the bench, they all looked like they had completely lost their collective wills to live. I laughed out loud but was pissed off at the same time. Julien should have waited for a better opportunity but chose the money instead. He is a respected defensive minded coach that is trying to win hockey games with the worst D core in the entire league but he did take the money.

 

[Kraken Jokes]

I was excited when Therrien was finally fired and Julien was hired.

I was wrong. #firejulien

While I certainly have issues with this roster, it's not a last place roster. This system of taking tons of shots from the outside, not defending the front of the net, etc. is not working.

 

[sandviper]

Byron - Galchenyuk - Drouin

We had great success when Chuck was 1C last year to start the season. Drouin can fill Radulov’s role in feeding him the puck. Byron will bring more speed, defense and dig the puck out.

Pacioretty - Danault - Gally

Sniper with two guys who can dig. All three defensively sound and Danault and Gallagher both will get in dirty areas.

Hudon - Plekanec - Lehkonen

In terms of shot suppression and possession, these 3 were doing great. I think goals will come.

DLR - McCarron - Shaw

Our greasy line.

I realize there’s going to be some pain, especially trying to get McCarron going with a defined role. I added him though because our top-9 collectively are soft.

Defense though, I dunno. Can’t make much out of crap, but I’ll go:
Jerebek - Weber
Mete - Petry
Alzner - Davidson

Yes, absurd to put another rookie with Weber but this is more to get Mete to maybe help Petry as crazy as that sounds. I think the Benn experiment should end.

No idea if we’d win right away with this but I think we need to give it time. Either way, current combos are not working, that much is clear.

 

[Captain Mountain]

I was excited when Therrien was finally fired and Julien was hired.

I was wrong. #firejulien

While I certainly have issues with this roster, it's not a last place roster. This system of taking tons of shots from the outside, not defending the front of the net, etc. is not working.

Neither of those things are really an aspect of the system. Montreal takes a ton of shots from the point. They also pour shots on net from the crease area too:

You want to own the slot area that Montreal fails at? You need D that can stretch the ice to create rushes and stronger center depth.

The defending of the front of the net is what happens when you build a D-core that mostly doesn't handle the puck and doesn't skate all that well. You can have the biggest, meanest D-core in the NHL, if you can't keep up with the play, you're toast.

 

[Habs]

There was a time last night when Shaw was getting punched by Bieksa when the camera focused on Julien and the players on the bench, they all looked like they had completely lost their collective wills to live. I laughed out loud but was pissed off at the same time. Julien should have waited for a better opportunity but chose the money instead. He is a respected defensive minded coach that is trying to win hockey games with the worst D core in the entire league but he did take the money.

I saw that, and was also disgusted.

 

[67 others]

Why not just try Galchenyuk at center? I mean can they really be THAT much worse? It's just common sense at this point.

Drouin is french. They will keep propping him up until they both get fired despite the fact that he seems WORSE than Chuk defensively.

Chuk is not good defensively, but at least you could tell he was in his wheelhouse at C. Drouin looks like a fish out of water at C.

But he is a gars de Chez nous, so they will continually try to hammer a square peg into a round hole and avoid using the obvious answer.

 

[Roadhouse]

http://www.tsn.ca/agent-blames-julien-for-less-russians-on-habs-galchenyuk-s-struggles-1.896907

Hmph.

 

[hockeywiz542]

The agent for Alex Galchenyuk blames Claude Julien for less Russians on the Montreal Canadiens and for his client's struggles.

http://www.tsn.ca/agent-blames-julien-for-less-russians-on-habs-galchenyuk-s-struggles-1.896907

With a 2-6-1 record already generating controversy in Montreal, a player agent added some more fuel to the Canadiens' fire on Thursday.

Dan Milstein, who represents several Russian players in the NHL and KHL, took to Twitter to lay blame on head coach Claude Julien for the team’s diminishing Russian presence and forward Alex Galchenyuk's struggles.

"Alex Galchenyuk isn't problem but coach is," he typed at 12:02pm et on Thursday. "Has never successfully coached Russian (sic). Took midseason most Russian club. All but one gone"

Milstein then responded to a user tweet citing his client Alexander Khokhlachev as an example, pointing out his lack of playing time under Julien during his time with the Boston Bruins.

"You can go back to his B's days and see what he did w/ Alexander Khokhlachev," typed @ON3M4N_SHOW. "Solid AHL numbers had 8gp & barley (sic) 10min a night under CJ"

Milstein replied, "I happen to represent Khokhlachev. Please forgive me for being outspoken but say what other agents know but won’t publicly say."

Milstein's tweets have been since removed.

 

[Tighthead]

The agent for Alex Galchenyuk blames Claude Julien for less Russians on the Montreal Canadiens and for his client's struggles.

http://www.tsn.ca/agent-blames-julien-for-less-russians-on-habs-galchenyuk-s-struggles-1.896907

Why would you call him Galchenyuk’s agent? I find that curious.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

Good thing Galchenyuk is American then.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Why would you call him Galchenyuk’s agent? I find that curious.

Sorry about that. I misread the story. Dan Millstein isn't Alex Galchenyuk’s agent. Dan Milstein represents several other Russian players in the NHL and KHL.

 

[ON3M4N]

The agent for Alex Galchenyuk blames Claude Julien for less Russians on the Montreal Canadiens and for his client's struggles.

http://www.tsn.ca/agent-blames-julien-for-less-russians-on-habs-galchenyuk-s-struggles-1.896907

So does this make me a source now? BAHAHA

 

[groovejuice]

Galchenyuk cant be worse than he is now that's For sure

That would be considerably more clever or pertinent if Drouin was performing like a #1C. Which he's not.

 

[Adriatic]

Good thing Galchenyuk is American then.

Sure he is!

 

[dinodebino]

Sorry about that. I misread the story. Dan Millstein isn't Alex Galchenyuk’s agent. Dan Milstein represents several other Russian players in the NHL and KHL.

Pat Brisson told this agent to mind his own business.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Pat Brisson told this agent to mind his own business.

When reached by phone Thursday afternoon, Milstein apologized for commenting on another agent’s player (Galchenyuk is represented by Pat Brisson), but stood by his claim Julien has difficulty with Russian players.

“These are my observations,” Milstein told Sportsnet. “I represent several Russian players, and I know Alex is not one of them and I’m out of line for commenting because I don’t represent him. But I’m just stating the facts.

“I have nothing but respect for [Canadiens general manager] Marc Bergevin. But it seems obvious the coach doesn’t like Russians.”

Milstein represents many Russian-born players including former Canadien Nikita Nesterov, Nikita Zaitsev, Pavel Datsyuk and Artemi Panarin.

Brisson told Sportsnet Milstein should focus on his own clients.

“He should worry about his own business and by the way should stay close to it,” he said.

​

 

[CauZuki]

It sucks that the GM called out Galchenyuk as a center. They would look stupid if they put him back at C now.

If he's not a C according to MB but can help his team to start last season with 9-1 record, how good is Drouin with a 1-7?

Don't worry Bergevin has demonstrated he doesn't care about looking foolish.

 

[hockeywiz542]

Milstein blaming Julien for Galchenyuk’s struggles

In a tweet that has now been deleted, player agent Dan Milstein blamed Montreal Canadiens head coach Claude Julien for the diminishing Russian presence on the team. The tweet read, "Alex Galchenyuk isn't a problem but coach is. Has never successfully coached Russian. Took midseason most Russian club. All but one gone."

Since Julien's return to Montreal as head coach last February, the team has parted ways with Russian defencemen Nikita Nesterov, Alexei Emelin, Mikhail Sergachev and Andrei Markov and winger Alex Radulov via trade or free agency.

Milstein is not Galchenyuk's agent, but represents many Russian-born players including Nesterov, Nikita Kucherov, Pavel Datsyuk, Artemi Panarin and Nikita Zaitsev.

Galchenyuk, who was born in Milwaukee and has represented the U.S. in world hockey tournaments, has struggled early this season with just two goals in nine games while being been shuffled up and down the lineup as Julien tries to kick-start an offence ranked 29th in goals scored and stumbled to a 2-6-1 record to begin the season.

Pierre LeBrun: “Claude Julien and Marc Bergevin absolutely believe the comment is out of line. Number one, they tried to re-sign Alexander Radulov and offered him the same money that he got in Dallas and were really upset that they weren’t able to [re-sign Radulov], they lost Alexei Emelin in the expansion draft and then Marc Bergevin turned around and phoned Vegas and actually tried to re-acquire him, but obviously it didn’t work out. Emelin was traded to Nashville and they didn’t make an offer to Andrei Markov as well, so I don’t think the logic works.”

 

[Habs Halifax]

I was excited when Therrien was finally fired and Julien was hired.

I was wrong. #firejulien

While I certainly have issues with this roster, it's not a last place roster. This system of taking tons of shots from the outside, not defending the front of the net, etc. is not working.

Totally agree with you! I also wanted a coaching change too but it turns out, MT was implementing our best strategy to win. Julien is not coaching this team effectively!!

What drives me nuts is how we can’t maintain puck possession exiting our own end and how we have put Price on a pedestal. Price is one of the best, not the best. He’s letting in way too many soft goals and this started in the playoffs against the Rangers. Totally a momentum killer!

 

[Leafsmann]

Therrien with better PR. That's who he is.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Julien was a means to an end to get rid of Therrien, unfortunately, he's not much different and Bergevin gave him an even weaker roster.

We'll be stuck with Julien for a few more seasons. I don't feel bad when Molson has to be pay millions of dollars for fired losers that he allowed Bergevin to acquire.

Maybe next time they'll take the hiring process of every position in the organization seriously. Maybe don't hire someone because the GM says, "I know they're my close personal friend or they're related to me but...."