Biggest difference maker in this 2014-15 season !?

[Cole Caulifield]

We are off to our best start in over 50 years. There were quite a few changes this summer. What is the biggest difference for us so far this season and what do you expect it will be by season's end ?

-Complete revamping of the defense

-Murray -> Tinordi
-Bouillon -> Beaulieu
-Diaz -> Weaver
-Gorges -> Gilbert
​

-LD+RD scheme for each pairings
-Gallant -> Lacroix
-Replacing our goon with Malhotra allowing Plekanec to play a more offensive role
-Acquiring the missing top 6 winger we needed while getting rid of the 6th C we didn't with the Brière->PAP swap.
-Maturity of our young players (Subban with a steadier game defensively, Galchenyuk blossoming into a star)
-Our depth (never seen this many good players sitting with Bournival, Sekac, Beaulieu, Tinordi)
-Something else?
-All of the above ?

I personally like how the team has been improving over the past few games. Rangers are struggling a little and with some time to practice we keep looking better. Is it possible that Lacroix is making a big difference ? We don't hear too many things about him.

Click to read more...

 

[Milhouse40]

Health (last year many player with injuries to start the season)
Galchenyuk + Plekanec (Without them, forget it)
Price is now in game shape stealing goals after goals

We have an incredible start.......let's keep it up.
Couple tweak here and there and we might become a favorite in the PO

 

[Born in 1909]

We are off to our best start in over 50 years. There were quite a few changes this summer. What is the biggest difference for us so far this season and what do you expect it will be by season's end ?

-Complete revamping of the defense

-Murray -> Tinordi
-Bouillon -> Beaulieu
-Diaz -> Weaver
-Gorges -> Gilbert
​

-LD+RD scheme for each pairings
-Gallant -> Lacroix
-Replacing our goon with Malhotra allowing Plekanec to play a more offensive role
-Acquiring the missing top 6 winger we needed while getting rid of the 6th C we didn't with the Brière->PAP swap.
-Maturity of our young players (Subban with a steadier game defensively, Galchenyuk blossoming into a star)
-Our depth (never seen this many good players sitting with Bournival, Sekac, Beaulieu, Tinordi)
-Something else?
-All of the above ?

I personally like how the team has been improving over the past few games. Rangers are struggling a little and with some time to practice we keep looking better. Is it possible that Lacroix is making a big difference ? We don't hear too many things about him.

This team is not 7-1 without Pleks offense.

Therefore, Malhotra has been key #1 in my books.

After that its 'all of the above'

 

[1UP]

All of the above, unquestionnably.

You know, seeing it listed that way, it's the first time I notice how insanely good a summer our management team had. We successfully set up a solid youth movement while improving the team.

Damn Bergevin did good work not only doing good moves, but being a man and fixing his own mistakes instead of compounding upon them Leafs style.

Granted, if we look at statistics, possession numbers and blablabla, we're most likely not going to remain so hot. The bounces will start going the other way. But we'll remain a top contender for the east, of that there is no doubt.

About Lacroix, I guess time will tell. Not hearing about him is probably good news, I'd say.

 

[Deluded Puck]

Malhotra just because of the knock on effect it's had on the usage of others.

Galchenyuk has obviously improved, but I'm not sure if we could exploit that as well as we have been had Plekanec still been at 38% O-zone start rate.

 

[habdynasty]

We are off to our best start in over 50 years. There were quite a few changes this summer. What is the biggest difference for us so far this season and what do you expect it will be by season's end ?

-Complete revamping of the defense

-Murray -> Tinordi
-Bouillon -> Beaulieu
-Diaz -> Weaver
-Gorges -> Gilbert
​

-LD+RD scheme for each pairings
-Gallant -> Lacroix
-Replacing our goon with Malhotra allowing Plekanec to play a more offensive role
-Acquiring the missing top 6 winger we needed while getting rid of the 6th C we didn't with the Brière->PAP swap.
-Maturity of our young players (Subban with a steadier game defensively, Galchenyuk blossoming into a star)
-Our depth (never seen this many good players sitting with Bournival, Sekac, Beaulieu, Tinordi)
-Something else?
-All of the above ?

I personally like how the team has been improving over the past few games. Rangers are struggling a little and with some time to practice we keep looking better. Is it possible that Lacroix is making a big difference ? We don't hear too many things about him.

I agree with you , the mobile d that can move the puck is huge . Having a great face off man is a luxury the Habs havnt had in a long time. All the young guns maturing ! Awesome.

 

[Mike8]

Biggest so far is Galchenyuk/Plekanec; the former taking several leaps forward, and the latter being given an offensive role. The combination of these to factors has led to a solid offensive line. Meaning that the club now has two lines geared to drive offense -- a rarity in recent versions of the Canadiens team.

 

[Natey]

Possession...

If we're down a goal, we're never out of the game because we can gain possession and move the puck up the ice in the snap of a finger.

Two key factors;

Bottom 3 defenseman who can move the puck;
Tinordi, Beaulieu, a healthy Emelin, Gilbert... even Weaver is much better than the guys we previously had (Bouillon, Murray, Gorges).

And faceoffs...

Malhotra: 67.5%
Desharnais: 57.2%
Eller: 56.2%

What the serious **** is going on there?!

 

[Lshap]

The System: It starts with a different system. Much more aggressive forechecking. Higher-risk passes with forwards positioned further out, waiting to gain the neutral zone. Move, move, move.

The D-Horses: The offensive system works because we have defensemen who can pull this off. Bigger, more mobile and stronger on the puck, the addition of Beaulieu, Tinordi and Gilbert, along with a healthier Emelin, give the Habs the skill to move the puck forward, and the power to back it up when pressured. Unlike the last two years, our D isn't folding when the opposition is deep in our zone. We're forcing teams to respect our defence, which means they're anticipating our breakout pass, which means they can't commit as deep in our zone, which opens up space/time to pass. No endless squibby passes between our dmen in our zone. We get the puck, we move the puck out. Higher risk, yes, but a big positional gain.

The Lines: Pacioretty on the PK? Plekanec with Galchenyuk? Is MT showing a molecule of flexibility or imagination? Looks like the lines are adapting to fit the high-risk system.

The Depth: Sekac and Bournival would've been great 3rd or 4th-line players two years ago. Today they're healthy scratches. Beaulieu and Tinordi could both be playing, not just one at a time. Habs can afford to rotate rookies and vets with no drop-off of talent. With few exceptions, no one is irreplaceable, which will be crucial during the inevitable injuries.

The Faceoffs: Montreal is best in the league at faceoffs right now. No coincidence our shots/shot attempts are way up from last year. No coincidence we're not trapped in a defensive shell in our zone for five minutes. Possession starts with possessing.

The Sticks: I don't know what it is, but the Habs look stronger and much more effective with their sticks. Watch the stick battles -- suddenly we're poking pucks away and stealing them off opposition's sticks. Our passing and pass-reception are crisper. Is it strategy? Strength? New lumber?

The Confidence Kids: Potential transforming into results. We knew it was coming. Finally, it's here, and it's winning games. We've been waiting for Galchenyuk to look like a star. We've been waiting for Tinordi to become comfortable in his big body. We've been waiting for Beaulieu to look like our future top-pairing D. Our top draft picks are arriving, and they're transforming the Habs into a younger, fresher team.

The Luck: You've gotta be a bit lucky to win, or to lose. We've won... so far. Can we handle it when luck turns against us? We talk about the Habs' depth, but what about our own depth of confidence in our team when we slump? Will we remain calm in the knowledge that we'll turn it around next week, or will the talk of trades/firings/blame start the moment we lose two in a row? Unfortunately we already know the answer...

 

[Et le But]

No Murray and Parros.

 

[Lshap]

Possession...

If we're down a goal, we're never out of the game because we can gain possession and move the puck up the ice in the snap of a finger.

Two key factors;

Bottom 3 defenseman who can move the puck;
Tinordi, Beaulieu, a healthy Emelin, Gilbert... even Weaver is much better than the guys we previously had (Bouillon, Murray, Gorges).

And faceoffs...

Malhotra: 67.5%
Desharnais: 57.2%
Eller: 56.2%

What the serious **** is going on there?!

I heard that Malhotra was giving faceoff clinics to Eller. Pretty cool, if true. But you'd have to assume he's done that with previous teammates on every team he's played for. It'd be interesting to see if faceoff % of previous centres on 'Canes, Canucks, Blue Jackets, etc. have gone up thanks to his mentoring.

 

[CanadienShark]

Galchenyuk stepping up.

 

[PricePkPatch*]

No more deadweight in Parros and Gionta is certainly a big factor

 

[Natey]

No more deadweight in Parros and Gionta is certainly a big factor

The only forwards we have now that don't like hanging on the puck are Pacioretty (for obvious reasons) and Gallagher. I guess maybe Bourque, but he can never keep the puck on his stick anyway.

Gionta was awful for that. Half of the time on the rush, his linemates wouldn't even make it into the zone before the puck was already fired around the net, around the boards, and passed up for a 3 on 2 against.

 

[poetryinmotion]

The only forwards we have now that don't like hanging on the puck are Pacioretty (for obvious reasons) and Gallagher. I guess maybe Bourque, but he can never keep the puck on his stick anyway.

Gionta was awful for that. Half of the time on the rush, his linemates wouldn't even make it into the zone before the puck was already fired around the net, around the boards, and passed up for a 3 on 2 against.

Or he would just skate it into the zone and shoot a weak one in the goalie's chest.
Gio's a cool guy but I'm glad we got rid of him.. too small and pretty useless without Gomez.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The biggest single difference so far is Galchenyuk. I expect that to continue going forward. We've always talked about how we're "one player away"... I think that "one player" we've been looking for has arrived.

If Galchenyuk is for real this season, then this is a really, really good team. I just wish we could put in Bealieu too.

 

[Rapala]

We have learned how to win as a team.
MB and MT do get credit for that.

 

[Ezpz]

No Gorges on the top pairing. There's a reason he leads the league in shotblocking nearly every year.

 

[DenverHabsFan]

Outstanding summer by management, well summarized by OP.

However, I'm not getting excited until we show we can compete against Western teams.

Can't wait for the Habs to come here in December. They never seem in the game every time they visit.

 

[Rapala]

Outstanding summer by management, well summarized by OP.

However, I'm not getting excited until we show we can compete against Western teams.

Can't wait for the Habs to come here in December. They never seem in the game every time they visit.

Maybe if you guys would stop leaving "little stashes" under the pillows...

 

[capebretoncanadien]

The Malholtra signing has had a great effect.

I love seeing Pleks in a more offensive role again.

He's the consummate pro.

Gilbert signing has been great.

Galchenyuk, Tinordi and Beaulieu starting to really find their stride.

What an awesome season so far.

 

[Andy]

The biggest difference is probably not having Bouillon and Murray in the lineup as well as the lines clicking right now. The latter really helped win the first handful of games where Price and the defense were bad.

Let's not forget the fact that the team has a 4th line that can actually play in its own end, opening up offensive zone situations for offensive players.

It also helps that the East is arguably worse than last season.

 

[Natey]

The biggest single difference so far is Galchenyuk. I expect that to continue going forward. We've always talked about how we're "one player away"... I think that "one player" we've been looking for has arrived.

If Galchenyuk is for real this season, then this is a really, really good team. I just wish we could put in Bealieu too.

Really... that's the biggest difference? Galchenyuk is amazing, but that's not the biggest difference. Our entire style has changed (with the exception of the PP), I'd say that is the biggest difference.

Galchenyuk's development is playing a huge role, no doubt... but it's a team game.

 

[phoque taupe]

to me its confidence & % on face offs

 

[Lebowski]

Galchenyuk brings a dimension to this team that we haven't had in years. The way the Plekanec line controls the flow of the game is eerily reminiscent of the AK-Pleky-AK line from a couple years back.