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

[Odie Cleghorn]

Imagine an 8 game losing streak haha

Very good chance for it to happen unless they play Vancouver before then. If it meant the end of Julien at least there would be some benefit in it.

 

[Yoor]

There has been improvement, but its concerning that there's been a lack of scoring all of a sudden and the PP is dropping rapidly. Thats on the coaching staff.

I am inclined to agree with this. Yes we have some kids taking on bigger roles this year and some players not off to the best start BUT how do you go from the type of game we were playing to this al of a sudden? Are the players all of a sudden deciding not to execute the game plan or have other teams adjusted to our game plan and we haven't responded to that? I am going with the latter because I have seen it before with CJ.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I am inclined to agree with this. Yes we have some kids taking on bigger roles this year and some players not off to the best start BUT how do you go from the type of game we were playing to this al of a sudden? Are the players all of a sudden deciding not to execute the game plan or have other teams adjusted to our game plan and we haven't responded to that? I am going with the latter because I have seen it before with CJ.

Teams have stopped giving us rush chances. Why do you think the PP sucks? Because we set up and cant get a rush chance, and theres no set plays off the cycle and set up.

So when you make the Habs try to score off the cycle, you see the PP problems on the ice. Theres no play. Theres no weapon or attack we want to manufacture. Its aimless shooting at the net with no synchronicity.

 

[JianYang]

The reason why we dont fare well against Oilers and Toronto is our young center line... Suzuki and KK cant play against Mcdavid, Draisaitl or Matthews Tavares yet and Danault cant play against anyone so far this season... KK looks quite lost and tentative and we need Suzuki to play at a higher pace like he was doing earlier this season...

I think overall, there are alot of players struggling at the same time, and that includes Suzuki and KK, but with these two, it's to be expected more often considering their age, and thats one of the drawbacks when you make these really young guys a focal point to your success.

There will be times they look great, but there will also be times like these as they mature into this league.

 

[Yoor]

I mean why are we not skating? The whole year last year we were losing but we were still skating hard and a bounce or two away from winning most games. 4 games ago we stopped skating. Not really sure why.

other teams adjusted and are clogging the neutral zone. We just haven't adjust to that for some reason

 

[azcanuck]

Oilers looked like we do on many nights. They were skating all over the place making passes playing HARD.

I didnt think any player had a good game for us. Just meh all the way around. Boring to watch. Josh Anderson tried to spark the team on multiple occasions but nothing else. We dont have the one guy who can grab the bull by the horns and provide a spark

 

[Deebs]

 

[Odie Cleghorn]

If you watch tomorrows game have a few beers first. Not recommended viewing if sober.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

other teams adjusted and are clogging the neutral zone. We just haven't adjust to that for some reason

Cause our coach can’t make in game decisions. Roll 4 lines and try not to lose is his only strategy.

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

They better f***ing practice all week long during that 7 days off.

 

[azcanuck]

It would be nice if we had an elite superstar type player making ten million a year who could stop a losing streak.
Imagine if we had that player.........(price)

 

[The Real Timo]

It would be nice if we had an elite superstar type player making ten million a year who could stop a losing streak.
Imagine if we had that player.........(price)

Hmmm. You thinking of anyone in particular?

 

[The Real Timo]

If you watch tomorrows game have a few beers first. Not recommended viewing if sober.

My plan exactly. Start the game half drunk and get to full drunk by mid first.

 

[Megaforce]

I fail to comprehend the sudden turnaround. Other teams have suddenly become a lot faster, or else the Habs got a lot slower overnight. Not just skating but also faster sticks and blocking passing lanes.

Byron was flying last night. He could be put up onto a higher line.

I'd like to see Mete in for Chariot. Mete wasn't great but he was trying to showcase his speed during his brief stint. I have confidence he can be effective.

Danault is clearly injured. I'm guessing it's upper body (not concussion) because his skating isn't terrible but the rest of his game is a disaster.

Even in the best of times I was skeptical of Gallagher/Danault/Tatar and thought that the coach was giving them way too much ice time and eventually it would catch up on their bodies. I feel that this is what has happened to them.

I love how Drouin has been playing with some dazzling passing and stickhandling but he's not shooting enough. There was a 2-on-1 with Suzuki where he had a clear shot but those to make a low percentage pass last night. He's got to aim at the net and good things will happen.

 

[MasterDecoy]

This teams success is a mirage.
Remove all Vancouver games and this team is 4-4-1 in 9 GP
22 GF
22 GA

those aren’t playoff team numbers.

Then let’s remove all the Toronto games and hurr durr we’re suddenly 3 points better

that’s a spurious argument

 

[HabsWhiteKnightLOL]

I fail to comprehend the sudden turnaround. Other teams have suddenly become a lot faster, or else the Habs got a lot slower overnight. Not just skating but also faster sticks and blocking passing lanes.

Byron was flying last night. He could be put up onto a higher line.

I'd like to see Mete in for Chariot. Mete wasn't great but he was trying to showcase his speed during his brief stint. I have confidence he can be effective.

Danault is clearly injured. I'm guessing it's upper body (not concussion) because his skating isn't terrible but the rest of his game is a disaster.

Even in the best of times I was skeptical of Gallagher/Danault/Tatar and thought that the coach was giving them way too much ice time and eventually it would catch up on their bodies. I feel that this is what has happened to them.

I love how Drouin has been playing with some dazzling passing and stickhandling but he's not shooting enough. There was a 2-on-1 with Suzuki where he had a clear shot but those to make a low percentage pass last night. He's got to aim at the net and good things will happen.

Byron had like his only good game of the year and you already wanna put him in another line? jesus.
Id put Mete or Romanov with Weber we need a puck moving d-man with him.
Danault is not injured , he just f***ing sucks. Stop with the ''he has to be injured'' he's been playing awful since the bubbles.

 

[Goldenhands]

I think overall, there are alot of players struggling at the same time, and that includes Suzuki and KK, but with these two, it's to be expected more often considering their age, and thats one of the drawbacks when you make these really young guys a focal point to your success.

There will be times they look great, but there will also be times like these as they mature into this league.

Of course, I was only pointing out that the center line is extremmely important and that our kids are struggling against the best centers of this league... Thats part of the learning process, but this team needs to win now, KK and Suzuki will have to elevate their game so this team reaches the next level...

 

[OldCraig71]

Teams have stopped giving us rush chances. Why do you think the PP sucks? Because we set up and cant get a rush chance, and theres no set plays off the cycle and set up.

So when you make the Habs try to score off the cycle, you see the PP problems on the ice. Theres no play. Theres no weapon or attack we want to manufacture. Its aimless shooting at the net with no synchronicity.

Very well said. That is exactly what is happening but, we have some size now, why can't we adapt and play more of a cycle game?

 

[Miller Time]

Then let’s remove all the Toronto games and hurr durr we’re suddenly 3 points better

that’s a spurious argument

hmmm not really.

Vancouver is one of the worst teams in the league (only detroit/ottawa have worse win%). If we're tlaking about an evaluation of how "good" our team is, relative to playoff potential, then pointing out that our current results are heavily inflated by the benefit of multiple successful games against a team clearly not playing at or near a playoff level, is very apt.

Removing the results against a playoff lock, like the leafs, to the contrary, would be irrelevant.

bottom line. Team isn't nearly as good as the early "success" and current point & GF/GA differentials might otherwise point to.

 

[frapp10]

Drouin - Suzuki - Anderson
Toffoli - Kotkaniemi - Gallagher
Tatar - Danault - Armia
Lehkonen - Evans - Byron

Mete - Weber
Edmundson - Petry
Chariot - Romanov

this is what I’d like to see

 

[peate]

Byron had like his only good game of the year and you already wanna put him in another line? jesus.
Id put Mete or Sergachev with Weber we need a puck moving d-man with him.
Danault is not injured , he just f***ing sucks. Stop with the ''he has to be injured'' he's been playing awful since the bubbles.

That's just cruel.

 

[JianYang]

Of course, I was only pointing out that the center line is extremmely important and that our kids are struggling against the best centers of this league... Thats part of the learning process, but this team needs to win now, KK and Suzuki will have to elevate their game so this team reaches the next level...

I think when they're on on, they're on. Of course, the elite centers will always be tough matchups, but they've shown in the bubble, and during the hot start that they can go up against them and at least look like they belong on the same rink.


The bigger factor to me is just their own inevitable volatility, and where they are on that spectrum of peaks and valleys on a given day.

I did a center ranking on the division after the jets traded for dubois, when the habs were still hot. I still had them ranked 6th for a couple reasons. First, they don't have that elite center, although one of them could fill out to be that guy one day, and secondly, they are incredibly young 1 through 4.

 

[AlexGretzchenvid]

Imagine an 8 game losing streak haha

Fond memories

 

[HabsForHire]

It would be nice if we had an elite superstar type player making ten million a year who could stop a losing streak.
Imagine if we had that player.........(price)

Il take a superstar foward, if we lose at least they should for the most part be entertaining games lol

 

[sandviper]

I guess if I want to be somewhat optimistic, maybe it’s good we are facing adversity and being pushed back now. How we overcome this will mean a great deal come playoff time. Better to go through this now than to steamroll teams without fight back all season and suddenly hit a wall in the playoffs.

Of course, I say this assuming we can figure it out.

 

[Habssince89]

We have a diverse group of styles and talents, I think different lines should be instructed to play a bit different than one another.

Suzuki line should be all about movement and speed.

Danault and Kotkaniemi'sline need to cycle along the boards

Evans line is all about pressure.

Defense should pinch more and help move in the zone.

No one should be standing still