Post-Game Talk: Habs shut out by Oilers, first losing streak.

[Bourne Endeavor]

I think you should answer your own question. Therrien wasn't dead last and Habs were playing like they are now when he got canned. It's total hyperbole to say Julien isn't on a leash as he's entering his 5th year, with an upgraded team and a weaker division, Bergevin has already stated he has high expectations. If Julien doesn't get the team out of its funk, he'll be leaving. He is on the hot seat.

I never said he was. What I said is that's what it would take for Julien to be fired because Bergevin has a history of patience. Based off last year's playoffs and our hot start, we'd have to completely implode for Julien to get fired. You're dreaming if you think he's on the hot seat. Look at Vancouver. That's a team whose coach may be looking for a new job. We've had a string of awful games but we're nowhere near firing our coach.

How is the Habs offense/game without the Vancouver games?

You can't just ignore Vancouver because they played like garbage. That same garbage team went on to obliterate Ottawa, who promptly beat us and Toronto. We also decimated Edmonton earlier in the season yet Toronto lost to them both times only to outplay us. Basically, bad stretches are going to happen. If it continues for the long term, then we can begin looking at Julien. Right now, there is zero chance a coaching change is even being considered.

 

[angusyoung]

This is a clear sign of fatigue.

They should not be fatigued. Seems more like they are stressed,nervous,anxious which leads to clumsiness. A little adversity and they buckle.

 

[angusyoung]

How is the Habs offense/game without the Vancouver games?

Feeble.

 

[Belial]

Different system. All around. And this is the week to do it. Our system is wrong. It's been wrong with this new team makeup. Teams have figured out how to play us : drop a winger very high in the neutral zone, quick passes out of the zone (like Toronto did), and pressure their bigger slower Ds (Habs forwards tend to play higher), who have no puck support for quick zone transition. If you dissect our games, this is what it looks like. The Flames started it. With success.

It's just a slump...They are not sharp right now.

Sa que On se calme les tits.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

Anyone got some of those flat footed Vancouver D videos of the Habs transition game looking absolutely amazing. Or how about those breakaways from really poor defensive coverage. I wonder where all our goals went?

Not saying the Habs aren't better this year then in previous years, it really feels like this franchise is just stuck in a rut. They get a little bit of momentum and then hit square in the face by a Weber slapshot. This game was just nasty. 2 weeks of really uninspired hockey. I was so excited at the beginning of the year and then we fall right back to this... Disappointing.

 

[malcb33]

The team looked incredibly flat last night. They were missing basic passes and weren't reading their lines and playing completely out of sync. It happens sometimes, hopefully, it isn't a sign of things to come.

To me, it looked like they took that loss to Toronto hard. I'm sure they were hyped up for that game and a chance to prove that they are the top team in their division but fell flat. Hopefully, they are really motivated on Saturday and turn things around, if not things could get a little ugly for a bit. Still, plenty of time to turn things around this season

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

It's just a slump...They are not sharp right now.

Sa que On se calme les tits.

A slump caused by other teams adjusting and the Habs going back to playing like they have; letting the other team dictate the pace of the game. It's showing more and more that this team looked good early on because they played a weaker Vancouver team that was playing a system that they shouldn't have been playing.

Who are the really Montreal Canadiens? Stay tuned.

 

[peate]

Same old story year after year. Team starts off hot, everyone jumps on the bandwagon until the inevitable crash. Then the tanks come out.

You should all know better.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

The team looked incredibly flat last night. They were missing basic passes and weren't reading their lines and playing completely out of sync. It happens sometimes, hopefully, it isn't a sign of things to come.

To me, it looked like they took that loss to Toronto hard. I'm sure they were hyped up for that game and a chance to prove that they are the top team in their division but fell flat. Hopefully, they are really motivated on Saturday and turn things around, if not things could get a little ugly for a bit. Still, plenty of time to turn things around this season

I also feel the Covid positive played a role. I would not want to get on the ice with another team knowing they have covid in the locker room. If you (not just you, but the general you) have been following the discussions on Covid, you know that a person who tests positive might have been infected 3 days ago and contagious for 1-2 days before testing positive. Therefore if you have no idea what is going on in that locker room, you have no idea if any of the players on the ice are now incubating the virus.

As much as I will shit on the poor performance, it just so happens to have happened after a loss to Toronto so it looks worse then it is. Or maybe I am right and this team and coaching staff just totally over achieved against Vancouver and rode the high for their western road trip. Those games against Vancouver were really sloppy... Hard to gauge.

 

[Ozmodiar]

despite the upgrades on the wing, the team still lacks: a PMD, center depth, a PP sniper. We have young players to address this down the road, but for now, I'd like to see some tweaks.

PMD - The Chiarot / Weber pairing is too slow. They get caught flat footed and don't have the mobility to go low in the offensive zone and get back quickly. Pair Kulak with Weber. He's a decent skater who can fill in until Romanov is ready. He's not afraid to go low in the o-zone, as he's demonstrated. If he doesn't work out, try Mete. Slide Chiarot and Big Ed down the depth chart.

Centers:
1. KK hasn't elevated his game since the bubble. I'd try a little reset and go with what worked in year 1 - Lehkonen and Armia. CJ said he wanted him to simplify his game. The all Finnish line would do it.
2. The Suzuki line could use more consistency ... I'd load it up and replace Drouin with Toffoli. Put the 3 best forwards on one line.
3. I'd try to light a fire under Danault. Give his old line mates to Evans - Tatar and Gally.

PP - get Toffoli out of the slot and put him on the left. They haven't been able to get him the puck in the slot. He has more poise than Drouin when handling the puck and, as a right shot, he can use his one-timer from the left dot.

 

[Belial]

A slump caused by other teams adjusting and the Habs going back to playing like they have; letting the other team dictate the pace of the game. It's showing more and more that this team looked good early on because they played a weaker Vancouver team that was playing a system that they shouldn't have been playing.

Who are the really Montreal Canadiens? Stay tuned.

Nah, when this team is on they're all over the ice applying pressure on the puck relentlessly. We've been pretty flat lately letting teams do what we usually do.

Basically gotta work harder

 

[Kriss E]

Agreed. Heading into this year, I thought we could be a top 5 defensive team and a top 15 (top 10 at best) offensive team. We started the season in reverse of that and I think we fell into that trap thinking we were this offensive juggernaut. Reality is going to set in with both the fans and players and this 2 game losing streak is going to force us to reevaluate.

We are in the Top 4 division mix and it's not going to be easy. We will have to earn it. Other teams started slower and got into panic mode where they upped their games and tighten their D. They also know our system better now too. Habs will have to adjust as the season goes along just like all other teams in our division

We have a good team but we are not a top 5 contender. More like in the top 5-15 mix

I think we'll be what I thought we'd be. Missing high end up front, not good enough down the middle, lacking mobility on the back end with a group that's more built for 90s hockey. Still, there's been improvements so we should be up there battling WPG-EDM-CGY for the second seed with the Leafs sitting atop.

We weren't going to lose 1 game every 10, Toffoli and Anderson aren't going to keep a 50-60 goal pace, etc. It happens every year the Habs start off on fire. Was the exact same two years ago with Domi, Gallagher, Tatar, Petry, etc, and everyone was singing praises to Bergey for his unbelievable summer. After October though, the team came back down to earth and settled into missing the POs.
I think we can very well make the POs this year but a lot of that rests on our center line. We aren't going to make them if Suzuki/KK/Danault don't produce more than their 4g/14gp pace.
We also need Drouin to score, if he doesn't then he needs to be a premiere playmaker which he hasn't been.
It'll be tough to make the POs but it's doable.

 

[angusyoung]

It's just a slump...They are not sharp right now.

Sa que On se calme les tits.

You wanna do what to the what?

 

[dinodebino]

Nah, when this team is on they're all over the ice applying pressure on the puck relentlessly. We've been pretty flat lately letting teams do what we usually do.

Basically gotta work harder

It's unsustainable. Why do you not see what has been evident for the last 5 seasons : we start strong and when teams adjust, we go flat. Nothing new under the sun.

We don't have the skaters for this pressure. The system is flawed.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I think we'll be what I thought we'd be. Missing high end up front, not good enough down the middle, lacking mobility on the back end with a group that's more built for 90s hockey. Still, there's been improvements so we should be up there battling WPG-EDM-CGY for the second seed with the Leafs sitting atop.

We weren't going to lose 1 game every 10, Toffoli and Anderson aren't going to keep a 50-60 goal pace, etc. It happens every year the Habs start off on fire. Was the exact same two years ago with Domi, Gallagher, Tatar, Petry, etc, and everyone was singing praises to Bergey for his unbelievable summer. After October though, the team came back down to earth and settled into missing the POs.
I think we can very well make the POs this year but a lot of that rests on our center line. We aren't going to make them if Suzuki/KK/Danault don't produce more than their 4g/14gp pace.
We also need Drouin to score, if he doesn't then he needs to be a premiere playmaker which he hasn't been.
It'll be tough to make the POs but it's doable.

I'll be happy if we make the top 4 in our division and get to the 2nd round. That's a good acomplisment for this group. If we go deeper than that, it's above my expectations and we have a bit of luck along the way. If we miss the playoffs, it's a huge disappointment and yourlover boy Bergevin don't get extended.

 

[Milhouse40]

You don't see the writing on the wall. Last 4 games, 11 goals allowed, 6 goals scored. There's a definite huge downward trend and if it keeps going, change will be needed. Stop acting like there's zero indication of this.

You don't fire a coach because of 4 bad games either....

 

[Milhouse40]

How is the Habs offense/game without the Vancouver games?

I don't know and I don't think we should discarded games to make a points.
It's like me saying that our numbers gets a lot better if I take the Toronto's games out.

 

[habergeon]

Unpopular opinion here (and haven't read through the posts so maybe others feel the same way), but the Oilers played a near perfect game. It happens.

 

[Milhouse40]

Different system. All around. And this is the week to do it. Our system is wrong. It's been wrong with this new team makeup. Teams have figured out how to play us : drop a winger very high in the neutral zone, quick passes out of the zone (like Toronto did), and pressure their bigger slower Ds (Habs forwards tend to play higher), who have no puck support for quick zone transition. If you dissect our games, this is what it looks like. The Flames started it. With success.

Different system won't hide this team or any team's weaknesses....
We have a slow D, that won't change by changing the system.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

I don't know and I don't think we should discarded games to make a points.
It's like me saying that our numbers gets a lot better if I take the Toronto's games out.

They don't look better without the TO games. However it truly is indicative given how the Habs scored goals against Vancouver. Their D was so poor, breakaways, short handed goals...

No Vancouver --> 5-4-1 with 22 GF and 22 GA @ArtPeur

Feels about right.

 

[Rapala]

There's no way in hell he keeps his job if we fail to make the playoffs in this weak division after going all-in right?

He may be pushing for a re-up as we speak.

 

[angusyoung]

Unpopular opinion here (and haven't read through the posts so maybe others feel the same way), but the Oilers played a near perfect game. It happens.

Yes the Oilers played well and the habs played like clumsy uninspired buffoons with no recourse.

 

[Rapala]

Yes I get that but one goal in twelve games, he has been underwhelming to say the least.

He is one up on Danault.

 

[habergeon]

Yes the Oilers played well and the habs played like clumsy uninspired buffoons with no recourse.

Sometimes I find they are related to one another. We'll get better, I'd rather go through this now. This team has to work, skate, hit, engage every night to be successful. When our forecheck is high intensity, and we move our legs / skate, we give teams fits, including TO and the Flames, we just to need to execute better and do it more consistently.

I'm actually going with Clod on this one, they have to execute and work harder, including Price, but I'm confident they will and we'll make the playoffs and we'll go from there. Maybe the boys got a little caught up in reading their press clippings, I know some posters on main boards did.

 

[Milhouse40]

They don't look better without the TO games. However it truly is indicative given how the Habs scored goals against Vancouver. Their D was so poor, breakaways, short handed goals...

No Vancouver --> 5-4-1 with 22 GF and 22 GA @ArtPeur

Feels about right.

It's actually 4-4-1 without the Vancouver's game......and it's still where this team should be.
You seems to think that we are winning/contending team with a new coach, and you are dead wrong about that. Put the best NHL coach in the NHL and we won't be any better than what we are.