Manny Malhotra

[Habsfan2731]

Manny Malhotra was brought in for 3 reasons;

1. Defensive responsibilities.
2. Faceoffs, we're what, 1st in faceoffs with the addition of Malhotra now? (Such an underrated/looked over stat)
3. To lessen the defensive responsibilities off Plekanec to allow him to produce more.

Malhotra's done all 3 & been fantastic in doing them, those *****ing about him not scoring, get real.
You need balance, you have to keep the puck out of your net in order to put it in the other net.

 

[walsy37]

Yeah, done. 90%+ of the responses don't really support the old thread title, so let's just make it neutral, anyway, and then the pros and cons can come as they may.

Thanks - the title did kind of scare me saying he was done. 90%+ is an understatement more like 98%+ and the thread should be locked.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Hockey sense, speed, skills, there are tons of bottom line players in the NHL and in the AHL. Manny Malhotra can't skate anymore, neither can he pass or shoot. I don't understand the fixation we all have on a guy who's only quality is to take faceoffs. And we act like he's the one playing against the opposing top line, come on ! Do you really want to go to war with a poor man Josh Gorges. He blocks shots and sucks at everything else, he wins faceoffs and he sucks at everything else ? I'd rather our team be fluid.

Malhotra is a very good skater, both speed and agility.

FF is from Mars on this one.

 

[Tyson]

Malhotra is a very good skater, both speed and agility.

FF is from Mars on this one.

Agreed, he is a very good skater.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Lack of scoring ability is not correlated with speed or lack thereof. Malhotra is arguably faster than Gallagher or Desharnais and certainly isn't burned by forwards like truly slow players like Hal Gill.

 

[Bryson]

Is it really out of left to call out the production ( or lack there of ) of one of our players? Habs are a team that have always relied on our depth to score goals. Halpern, Smolinski, Dominic Moore, Lapierre etc..

It might not be as much of an issue now that we have more offense on our top lines but 1 point midway through the season is terrible no matter how you slice it. Not saying we should burn him at the stake or anything, he's good at what he does, just wish we had him in his prime.

I didn't watch the game but I see that Bournival had a pair of goals! How are people finding our team with Malhotra out of the lineup? Are we a better team? Are people ready to eat crow yet?

 

[Schwang]

I've always said, you don't get rid of a guy who is the best in the league at something.

 

[Habs100]

I didn't watch the game but I see that Bournival had a pair of goals! How are people finding our team with Malhotra out of the lineup? Are we a better team? Are people ready to eat crow yet?

It remains to be seen but so far we do look better. The 4th line had no offensive zone presence with Malhotra. A fourth line of Prust-Malhotra-Weise will hardly ever have the puck in the offensive zone.

I've liked the way Therrien has used Weise and Prust recently. He's kept them in the bottom 6 and brought thnem up if we're struggling to win battles on the boards or need defensive responsibility to protect a lead.

Having said that, I don't think Prust has been good on his off side (RW) with Eller and Sekac and think he should be replaced by Ghetto, Bournival, or Hudon.

 

[JLP]

Malhotra was wasting Weise's skilz.

I've always said, you don't get rid of a guy who is the best in the league at something.

Gorges?

 

[Schwang]

I think that had more to do with his contract than anything. Beyond that, it would've been good to keep him

Georges I mean

 

[habfaninvictoria]

Manny has done everything I expected. He doesn't deserve to sit. I'm ok with him sitting a couple games for rest, but I can think of at least 2 other forwards I'd like to see sit out a couple games.

 

[zzoo]

In early season, I used to like Malhotra very much, and I kept saying he's unsung hero.
However, my perception changes now. I think he doesn't contribute enough. One assist is very far from enough. His lack of offensive hurts the whole 4th line. Anyone plays with him becomes useless offensively. He cripples the whole line.
I really don't expect him to score 10 goals a season, but at least he should contribute a bit more than 0 goal and 1 assist. One assist in 38 games is not acceptable even you're good at other aspects. I prefer to have a player that contributes a bit more offensively at the expense of losing few faceoffs, someone like Metropolit or Moore. Do you remember how Brière and Weise contributed in playoffs ?

By the way, Malhotra is only good at face-off, and really nothing else. He's not a good checker, neither an agitator, nor a fighter, not a great defensive awareness.

 

[rockjngo]

Manny Malhotra doesn't hurt the team, he's a 4th line center who's 1st in the league in wining faceoffs. He also is a underrated penalty killer and most important does not hurt the team when he's on ice. Oh and he's less than 1 mil.

 

[PuckSeparator]

Why does hockey employ 4 lines anyway?

Right, because each line has a role. Manny is elite at certain aspects of a 4th liner's job and we've been lucky enough to get good balanced scoring from our top 9 that we haven't had to rely on our 4th for it. Is it possible that Manny being the FO beast and taking a heavy load off the shoulders of Plekanec & co has actually done wonders for this team?

Sure looks that way to me.

 

[Universe]

In early season, I used to like Malhotra very much, and I kept saying he's unsung hero.
However, my perception changes now. I think he doesn't contribute enough. One assist is very far from enough. His lack of offensive hurts the whole 4th line. Anyone plays with him becomes useless offensively. He cripples the whole line.
I really don't expect him to score 10 goals a season, but at least he should contribute a bit more than 0 goal and 1 assist. One assist in 38 games is not acceptable even you're good at other aspects. I prefer to have a player that contributes a bit more offensively at the expense of losing few faceoffs, someone like Metropolit or Moore. Do you remember how Brière and Weise contributed in playoffs ?

By the way, Malhotra is only good at face-off, and really nothing else. He's not a good checker, neither an agitator, nor a fighter, not a great defensive awareness.

Losing "a few" face-offs in the playoffs is the difference between winning and losing. Like others said, he does what he came here to do.

 

[Kachino]

I'm curious to know what you guys think about having him on the ice for a defensive faceoff and then going to the bench when the puck is out of the zone.

 

[Andrei79]

He's not an NHL caliber player anymore. His decent defensive skills don't make up for the fact he's in the bottom 5% of the league with the puck, averaging about the same amount of offensive chances as a goon. Winning faceoffs and getting scores in are pretty much his impact in games.

 

[Habs100]

If Hudon were to get a shot, I think we'd see that


Hudon>Parenteau>Malhotra

The two old guys are too slow for us to beat Tampa or the Rangers in the playoffs.

 

[SlappyHabby]

If Hudon were to get a shot, I think we'd see that


Hudon>Parenteau>Malhotra

The two old guys are too slow for us to beat Tampa or the Rangers in the playoffs.

Spot on, my thoughts exactly. I do hope that we will get a chance to see Hudon called up and play at least a few games to see if he can make any kind of impact and to give him a taste of the NHL. Same goes for Tinordi, hopefully they'll both get a chance to get some time in the line-up in the near future.

 

[Analyzer*]

He's not an NHL caliber player anymore. His decent defensive skills don't make up for the fact he's in the bottom 5% of the league with the puck, averaging about the same amount of offensive chances as a goon. Winning faceoffs and getting scores in are pretty much his impact in games.

His job is to win defensive zone faceoffs because he's great at it and when he losses it, he knows how to play defense.

He starts on the pk.

He takes late game faceoffs when we're barely winning and likely being massively outplayed like we always do.

His job is to make sure the 4th line goes out and doesn't **** it up. He keeps the puck out of the net. That's his job first and foremost. His lack of goal scoring/point production doesn't bother me.

 

[Tyson]

If Hudon were to get a shot, I think we'd see that


Hudon>Parenteau>Malhotra

The two old guys are too slow for us to beat Tampa or the Rangers in the playoffs.

Malhotra is a much better skater than Hudon will ever be. If Hudon skated like Manny he would be in the NHL. Hudon has some qualities, skating is not one of them. He is also a smurf!

 

[groovejuice]

His job is to win defensive zone faceoffs because he's great at it and when he losses it, he knows how to play defense.

He starts on the pk.

He takes late game faceoffs when we're barely winning and likely being massively outplayed like we always do.

His job is to make sure the 4th line goes out and doesn't **** it up. He keeps the puck out of the net. That's his job first and foremost. His lack of goal scoring/point production doesn't bother me.

Totally agree. Malholtra is the prototypical 4th line centre.

He actually has some finishing skills, but like half the players on the team, is underperforming offensively. In his case, it's hard to counteract the snakebite, with very few minutes.

He'll be a beast in the POs. Guaranteed.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Totally agree. Malholtra is the prototypical 4th line centre.

He actually has some finishing skills, but like half the players on the team, is underperforming offensively. In his case, it's hard to counteract the snakebite, with very few minutes.

He'll be a beast in the POs. Guaranteed.

Actually I think he'll be easily exposed in the playoffs if he plays more than 6ish minutes. He spends entire shifts in the defensive zone and basically puts the team at a disadvantage every time he's on the ice. Sure he wins faceoffs, but his line generally loses possession quickly after the faceoff.

 

[groovejuice]

Actually I think he'll be easily exposed in the playoffs if he plays more than 6ish minutes. He spends entire shifts in the defensive zone and basically puts the team at a disadvantage every time he's on the ice. Sure he wins faceoffs, but his line generally loses possession quickly after the faceoff.

He's a very intelligent player. I'm not sure how much you've watched him with other teams. He's very effective and I feel he'll be quite valuable in the second season.

 

[hf27]

Malhotra is the weak link to our team. I love him as much as you do, but the guy should be hired as a coach. I'm greateful he helped our centers to win faceoffs, but he's sterile, he's an eunuch, he should be part of management. I just wish we had harder, faster, stronger, better 4th line players.

you are out to lunch on this one. malhotra has been good doing what he is assigned to do.