Marc Bergevin : Attitude > Skill

[echeck]

When Bergevin spoke about "... attitude>skill", to me it was reminiscent of the team transition strategy he announced two years ago. All the trades so far have been made to adjust to this new offensive strategy. Ultimately, this is what I believe is what is meant by this new "team attitude".

 

[Roke]

What's been positive about Bergy this year is he's tried to make up for his past mistakes. It doesn't erase past mistakes, but maybe it shows growth as a GM. He's made some great moves this offseason that seem to be paying off. It's early, so time will tell.

There was a fair amount of "Bergevin's grown as a GM" chatter in 2014-15. It didn't turn out to be the case.

 

[Deebs]

There was a fair amount of "Bergevin's grown as a GM" chatter in 2014-15. It didn't turn out to be the case.

Not sure and really if there was, it doesn't really matter now.

 

[Doc McKenna]

Dude, TWO games...

See you in February.

The worst part is they won't be around when we are 10 in the east because we won meaningless games early in the season to appear to not be horrible. Then we miss out on top talent and have to work harder with what we have.

The very reason we won these games is because we had to have everyone firing on all cylinders, while the other teams took us lightly. That will not happen for 80 more games. Teams will adapt and you burn out over that length of time.

There is a big rock waiting for those that think we are good because of a few early games. We are still mostly terrible and this season will be a major flop to me if we draft 14th. I don't want a losing mentality but we need loses to get the best players we can. The illusion of greatness will fall away soon. And Weber coming back won't be some panacea when we are sucking in december.

The lessons of therrien have already been forgotten with our couple of hot starts that still had us out of the playoffs.

 

[groovejuice]

Until then, enjoy the high tempo hockey.....everyone knows we’ll be a lottery team again, even Bergevin. We’ve accumulated high end talent through the draft, at C position no less, we have an abundance of good wingers and are lining up to pick top 8 this year with multiple picks in the 2nd and 3rd round.....the future has never looked so bright!!

There indeed have been some excrement additions. I'd only adjust your closing statement to the future has never looked this bright under Bergevin.

 

[jaffy27]

There indeed have been some excrement additions. I'd only adjust your closing statement to the future has never looked this bright under Bergevin.

Touché

 

[BaseballCoach]

The worst part is they won't be around when we are 10 in the east because we won meaningless games early in the season to appear to not be horrible. Then we miss out on top talent and have to work harder with what we have.

The very reason we won these games is because we had to have everyone firing on all cylinders, while the other teams took us lightly. That will not happen for 80 more games. Teams will adapt and you burn out over that length of time.

There is a big rock waiting for those that think we are good because of a few early games. We are still mostly terrible and this season will be a major flop to me if we draft 14th. I don't want a losing mentality but we need loses to get the best players we can. The illusion of greatness will fall away soon. And Weber coming back won't be some panacea when we are sucking in december.

The lessons of therrien have already been forgotten with our couple of hot starts that still had us out of the playoffs.

Therrien only missed the playoffs once in his second stint here. The second time we had a hot start, he got fired late in the season, but we still finished first in the division, before Chu Rien oversaw us crapping the bed in the playoffs.

But don't worry. If the team is truly terrible, it won't draft 14th.

 

[Kriss E]

Excuse me ? Where in the heck did Cup talk come into my post ? I said it’s exciting to see guys like Plekaencs and Alzner sitting and giving the kids a chance. Oh and by the way, i dont agree with your assessment on NHL players. So you have an opinion and so do i.

Well, you referred to the LVK who went to the cup finals last year...
So as I said, win two games in Montreal and we're like cup contenders. Lame.

 

[40Armia]

Well, you referred to the LVK who went to the cup finals last year...
So as I said, win two games in Montreal and we're like cup contenders. Lame.

Lol ok ! What a well thought out intelligent post! I enjoy watching this high tempo team for while it lasts. You, can do and say whatever the flip you would like haha

 

[ECWHSWI]

When Bergevin spoke about "... attitude>skill", to me it was reminiscent of the team transition strategy he announced two years ago. All the trades so far have been made to adjust to this new offensive strategy. Ultimately, this is what I believe is what is meant by this new "team attitude".

he made ONE significant trade (Domi).

the good start is helped by the fact two of MB acquisition are NOT playing on D (Schlemko and Alzner) and another is injured (Weber)


character - attitude, different words meaning the exact same thing for Bergevin
just like when he goes from transition to retool to reset, same f***ing thing

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Honestly did not expect this One Win = Bergevin Vindication thing lol enjoy October guys.

The October Vindication Cup

 

[26Mats]

he made ONE significant trade (Domi).

the good start is helped by the fact two of MB acquisition are NOT playing on D (Schlemko and Alzner) and another is injured (Weber)


character - attitude, different words meaning the exact same thing for Bergevin
just like when he goes from transition to retool to reset, same ****ing thing

Bergevin changed. The new Bergevin needs to be evaluated separately from the old. I still despise him for his past mistakes. But I'm going to evaluate him from this year on.

When Bergevin brought in alzner, Benn, dwight king, Steve otto, Martinsen, etc.. he was clearly looking for a different type of player than recently when he's brought in Reilly, Peca, etc... he's looking for speed and character, whereas before he was looking for physicality and character. The change is real. I just hope he doesn't disregard skill too much as he did in the past. Imo that will determine his success

 

[Roke]

When Bergevin brought in alzner, Benn, dwight king, Steve otto, Martinsen, etc.. he was clearly looking for a different type of player than recently when he's brought in Reilly, Peca, etc... he's looking for speed and character, whereas before he was looking for physicality and character. The change is real. I just hope he doesn't disregard skill too much as he did in the past. Imo that will determine his success

The thing is, you can easily say:

When Bergevin brought in Briere, Murray, Parros, etc. he was clearly looking for a different type of player. Now that he's brought in Vanek and Petry in consecutive trade deadlines he's clearly looking for skill and character instead of grit and character.

The illiquid NHL player market means there's a bit of a random walk to the moves NHL GMs make - good GMs (if there are any) will miss a few in a row and bad GMs will get on a good streak once in a while. You need to take a longer view of things.

But I also don't believe GMs actually improve unless they're fortunate enough to have a period of self-reflection after getting fired.

 

[26Mats]

The thing is, you can easily say:

When Bergevin brought in Briere, Murray, Parros, etc. he was clearly looking for a different type of player. Now that he's brought in Vanek and Petry in consecutive trade deadlines he's clearly looking for skill and character instead of grit and character.

The illiquid NHL player market means there's a bit of a random walk to the moves NHL GMs make - good GMs (if there are any) will miss a few in a row and bad GMs will get on a good streak once in a while. You need to take a longer view of things.

But I also don't believe GMs actually improve unless they're fortunate enough to have a period of self-reflection after getting fired.

my belief that he's changed isn't based only on a couple different player acquisitions, it's based on the team he's iced this year. It's a very different team than what he had on the ice last year. I think he realized his vision was a disaster and changed. That doesn't mean I have confidence in him to build a winner, but I do think he's made at least one fundamental change in the right direction.

 

[OldCraig71]

When Bergevin spoke about "... attitude>skill", to me it was reminiscent of the team transition strategy he announced two years ago. All the trades so far have been made to adjust to this new offensive strategy. Ultimately, this is what I believe is what is meant by this new "team attitude".

Bergevin only spoke about attitude after he gave away all of our talent. Spade is a spade.

 

[OldCraig71]

my belief that he's changed isn't based only on a couple different player acquisitions, it's based on the team he's iced this year. It's a very different team than what he had on the ice last year. I think he realized his vision was a disaster and changed. That doesn't mean I have confidence in him to build a winner, but I do think he's made at least one fundamental change in the right direction.

Let's not forget Milan Lucic
Bergevin made a big pitch to him during free agency in the summer of 2016 and it was rumoured that he offered Lucic 45 million for 7 years, Edmonton offer 42 for 7 and thankfully he chose the Oilers. Where would we be today with Alzner, Lucic, Weber and Price on our payroll for close to 30 million a season? Bergevin never realised anything, he also tried to get Tavares and Stastny and that also failed and what you see before you is the result of him having nowhere to turn. The Pacioretty trade is one that I will give him credit for but if he truly got his way we would be much worse off, he does not deserve credit here.

 

[Spring in Fialta]

Until then, enjoy the high tempo hockey.....everyone knows we’ll be a lottery team again, even Bergevin. We’ve accumulated high end talent through the draft, at C position no less, we have an abundance of good wingers and are lining up to pick top 8 this year with multiple picks in the 2nd and 3rd round.....the future has never looked so bright!!

The future looked a lot brighter in 2014.

 

[1909]

he made ONE significant trade (Domi).

the good start is helped by the fact two of MB acquisition are NOT playing on D (Schlemko and Alzner) and another is injured (Weber)


character - attitude, different words meaning the exact same thing for Bergevin
just like when he goes from transition to retool to reset, same ****ing thing

so Patches trade is aminor trade ?

 

[GHJimmy]

The day bergevin had become a General Manager for the Canadiens, he had a very talented team in front of him, he chosed to completely trade those Skills and Talented players away for scraps. I still don't understand how Molson never saw that through out 6 years! It's ludacris to have such a stupid Owner that doesn't even have the Hockey knowledge! One day there will be a parade once Bergevin is done and fuk outta habs organization!

And it sounds like it won't be soon :/

 

[Runner77]

i would offer that the ability to be flexible and adjust plans once you see they aren't working is a hallmark of great leadership... but that requires a well thought out plan to begin with, and a methodical approach to evaluating your decisions.

MB is a pure reactionary. No plan or direction. He's like a pinball machine bouncing from one platitude to the next... which explains why he latches on to and sticks with nepotistic hires for so long. In the absence of confidence in a strategy, personal loyalty and mutually dependent relationships are the only thing of value.

the end of his tenure in Montreal can't come soon enough.

But .. but ... the Habs have no regular time losses in the new season.

Bergevin was seen taking a 2-game victory lap.

 

[BLONG7]

Bergevin changed. The new Bergevin needs to be evaluated separately from the old. I still despise him for his past mistakes. But I'm going to evaluate him from this year on.

When Bergevin brought in alzner, Benn, dwight king, Steve otto, Martinsen, etc.. he was clearly looking for a different type of player than recently when he's brought in Reilly, Peca, etc... he's looking for speed and character, whereas before he was looking for physicality and character. The change is real. I just hope he doesn't disregard skill too much as he did in the past. Imo that will determine his success

So, his first SIX years, were a mulligan? You can't be serious?

 

[Bring Bak Damphousse]

This team is ready IMO it misses a forward star! Kotka it's all in your hands!

But it's one game... Relax ffs!

Agreed, lets dial it back a bit. The team has been surprisingly fun to watch but before we start heaping praise on Bergevin lets see how the team looks in a few weeks. The likes of KK, Domi, Byron, Drouin, Tatar and Gallagher isnt going to take us to the promised land.

 

[Runner77]

Can't copy Vegas without a Marchessault and William Karlsson. It suffices to say that we have neither. Nor a Colin Miller, Nate Schmidt, or Shea Theodore, much less all three.

Plus a clean slate, not having future moves dictated by anchor contracts and a slew of draft picks and skilled players incoming on account of an expansion team's ability to pluck out every team's best talents.

This VGK thing is such a fallacy and yet it keeps getting repeated like gospel.

 

[26Mats]

So, his first SIX years, were a mulligan? You can't be serious?

Not sure what you're talking about.

His first 6 years were largely trash.

 

[26Mats]

Let's not forget Milan Lucic
Bergevin made a big pitch to him during free agency in the summer of 2016 and it was rumoured that he offered Lucic 45 million for 7 years, Edmonton offer 42 for 7 and thankfully he chose the Oilers. Where would we be today with Alzner, Lucic, Weber and Price on our payroll for close to 30 million a season? Bergevin never realised anything, he also tried to get Tavares and Stastny and that also failed and what you see before you is the result of him having nowhere to turn. The Pacioretty trade is one that I will give him credit for but if he truly got his way we would be much worse off, he does not deserve credit here.

Yes, the previous six years were horrendous. I wanted, and still want him fired...I think Tavares and Statsny are in much different catetories than Lucic, Alzner, Shaw, etc...

He destroyed this team. But he's here and instead of going for size/thoughness and character he's now going for speed and character. It's a start and it is a change. Whereas his previous acquisitions were too often slow, now they're all fast and mobile (Reilly, Peca, Ouellet, Domi, Tatar).