Go back and watch a game from Pacioretty period 2010-11, or early 2011-12 ( i suggest the match they lost against the Sabres). The puck possession principles aren't that far off.
The key difference is that Martin era teams relied more on breaking up the oppositon's own breakout to produce fast counter strikes while this group depends more on an aggressive defensive zone system coupled with their own fast breakouts. Therrien's system looks more aggressive, but it actually one more geared at preventing opposition offense rather than creating it for the Habs. Habs are just as dependant on a lower minute line that gets used in managed situations to make up the gap in 5 on 5 scoring this year as they were back then, just now its based on Galchenyuk rather than Desharnais.
Markov is the straw that stirs the drink.
Embarrassing thread on the main board started by a Habs fan. This is why we can't have nice things, people!
Markov has been mostly quiet and not as sharp recently, and he isn't playing the full 60 minutes. We still doing these things with Subban and Diaz's pair on the ice. Plus, Markov can't control and dictate how the forwards are supposed to play the way the coach can.
Just a random thought on last night's game
I find the Leafs much improved, much like the Habs...but Dion Phaneuf is arguably (close call between he and Rick Nash) the most overrated player in the NHL.
What happened to the Dion Phaneuf of his early days in Calgary? Was I focusing too much on TSN highlights and not watching enough Flames games?
That dude fell off big time
I was yelling offside at that play.
Tough guy/Bruins wanna-bes. Someone needs to remind them that you win games by putting the puck in the net. Something the Bruins can do that the Leafs can't. Happy with the W and a solid 60 min effort from the TEAM.
My highlight of the night, the price-grabo stare down after the penalty shot.
After reading stubbs article this morning about the girl who traveled from Austrailia to see some habs games, and because the nature of my mind, I just have to post this quote.
Just a random thought on last night's game
I find the Leafs much improved, much like the Habs...but Dion Phaneuf is arguably (close call between he and Rick Nash) the most overrated player in the NHL.
What happened to the Dion Phaneuf of his early days in Calgary? Was I focusing too much on TSN highlights and not watching enough Flames games?
That dude fell off big time
You know Phaneuf sucks when some Leafs fans want Grabovski to take over his "C".
Some Leafs fans also think Kadri is a bust and that the Habs are a terrible team. I wouldn't consider the opinion of a few loudmoth fans on an anonymous message board as anything substantive.
Phaneuf is an excellent defenceman (advanced statistics back this up, as do basic statistics, or just watching hockey), and is a huge part of any success the Leafs have had. Not saying he is a true #1 guy or anything, but he certainly doesn't suck.
Was just stopping by to say good game, but I wanted to clarify that what some Leafs fans think doesn't indicate anything about reality, unless you're suggesting we are all that smart and realistic?
Habs played a really solid game. I disagree with the 5 minute call, but the Leafs didn't deserve to win so I can't be too upset (and the officiating was pretty messy overall, don't think it was tilted). I have to say I like the way Gallagher and Galchenyuk played. Hopefully the Leafs can respond to this loss to the Habs like your Habs responed to the last loss to the Leafs, Toronto could really use a run (and I know you're all pulling for us ).
Cheers, and congratulations on the success so far!
Tough guy/Bruins wanna-bes. Someone needs to remind them that you win games by putting the puck in the net. Something the Bruins can do that the Leafs can't. Happy with the W and a solid 60 min effort from the TEAM.
Habs were the better team tonight, no doubt. Congrats. But you seem to have a short memory about putting pucks in the net. lol
Watching the highlights tell me that Phaneuf loves having a defensive brain fart rather frequently.
Just a random thought on last night's game
I find the Leafs much improved, much like the Habs...but Dion Phaneuf is arguably (close call between he and Rick Nash) the most overrated player in the NHL.
What happened to the Dion Phaneuf of his early days in Calgary? Was I focusing too much on TSN highlights and not watching enough Flames games?
That dude fell off big time
Some Leafs fans also think Kadri is a bust and that the Habs are a terrible team. I wouldn't consider the opinion of a few loudmoth fans on an anonymous message board as anything substantive.
Phaneuf is an excellent defenceman (advanced statistics back this up, as do basic statistics, or just watching hockey), and is a huge part of any success the Leafs have had. Not saying he is a true #1 guy or anything, but he certainly doesn't suck.
Was just stopping by to say good game, but I wanted to clarify that what some Leafs fans think doesn't indicate anything about reality, unless you're suggesting we are all that smart and realistic?
Habs played a really solid game. I disagree with the 5 minute call, but the Leafs didn't deserve to win so I can't be too upset (and the officiating was pretty messy overall, don't think it was tilted). I have to say I like the way Gallagher and Galchenyuk played. Hopefully the Leafs can respond to this loss to the Habs like your Habs responed to the last loss to the Leafs, Toronto could really use a run (and I know you're all pulling for us ).
Cheers, and congratulations on the success so far!
What? That the Leafs seemed completely disinterested in doing it in the first half of the game; preferring to take charges at our players?
Montreal was clearly the hungrier team and dominated the play pretty much the whole game, however I didn't see anyone going out of there way to run anyone.Either way, it's your board and I'll head out rather than risk being called a troll. Good win.
Not sure that I agree he's excellent...he's a good defensman, but has no business being on a top pairing IMO.
... And a good one at that.
Anyways, for whatever reason hf seems to consistently disrespect Phaneuf, saying he isn't a #1 defensemen and even going so far as to say that he sucks defensively. This just plain isn't true. I can't help but feel like the extent to which a lot of people here have analysed his game is watching him miss a hit on Sportcentre or something. The guy can do more than hit and slap pucks into the boards.
I know '#1 defensemen' is a term often debated here, but really what it boils down to is being able to be depended upon by your team to play at a high level defensively and offensively. I believe Phaneuf more than fits the criteria, especially after his excellent (yes, excellent) 2011-2012 campaign.
Dion Phaneuf had the 3rd highest quality of competition in the league among defensemen (behind Gorges and Seabrook) this season, and he was top 10 in the league among defensemen in Corsi Rel QoC. He had more points than anyone else in the top 10 (the two other than Phaneuf with the most points, Seabrook and Lidstrom, had 10 less points than Phaneuf).
Source
On top of all this, he was also 12th among all defensemen in points this season and tied for 6th in goals.
Now, I'm not saying Corsi Rel QoC is the be-all-end-all stat for determining defensive ability, I'm not saying he's better defensively than Chara or Weber just because he had them beat in this particular statistic this season, what I am saying is that it's time for Phaneuf to start getting some respect for his defensive game.
You can't blame Phaneuf for the Leafs bad goaltending, you could've replaced Phaneuf with any other defensemen in the league and the Leafs would've still been in the bottom 3rd in the league in goals against.
The Leafs looked to Phaneuf to be the go-to guy offensively and defensively from the blueline, and he succeeded in all situations, if that's not a #1 defensemen I don't know what is. If Phaneuf really isn't a #1 defensemen, than I think the list of them must be pretty damned short.