MT doesn´t like Lars Eller and it´s hurting the team in the process

[Monctonscout]

Management needs to either fire Therrien or tell him it's OK to play our younger players when it counts....and his job is secure if they lose.

Therrien is coaching to keep his job and hedges his bets with veterans in key situations.

I say **** the playoffs, **** the guys who aren't gonna be here in 1,2,3 years etc. and let's see what the kids can do. If they fail, so be it.....move on!

Re-unite the EGG line for the remainder of the season, bring up Beaulieu and Tinordi for good, and let the chips fall where they may.

Trade Markov for youth and try to dump Bourque and Briere(give them away if u can)....and see what you can get for JJ and DD. And , do not re sign Gionta!

The part you don't seem to get is for young players to develop, they start out in the NHL in sheltered minutes, it helps them get adjusted and hopefully thrive. Then once they master that you gradually challenge them a bit more.

Galchenyuk is 19 with under 100 pro games under his belt, not a big shock that he's getting 3rd line type minutes and not counted on to try and carry the team.

Dumping all the veterans and playing all the kids is the Oilers formula and it's not hard to see why it doesn't work.

 

[Scriptor]

At the present moment, Habs offense is completely dead, if i remember correctly, the egg line was the best line at the beginning of the season by far but MT decided to separate this line to help David Desharnais to get out of his slump, deap slump and in fact it worked putting Gallagher to the Pacioretty-Desharnais line but now it´s the only offensive line that is working.

Lars Eller is in a deep slump at the present moment and MT doesn´t give a damn about it. What kills me is that Eller was one of the best offensive players of last year and i think he´s part of our future of this organization. Am i crazy to think that?

Now that small Desharnais is back on track, why not put back the Egg line back?
Why the Egg line back because at this rhythm, Gallagher is going to be injured doing the filthy job in front of the net to give space to Paciorretty, isn´t Gallagher one of our best sniper in this team?

Desharnais played 23min. yesterday ehhhhhhh why?

On 3 on 3 Galchenyuk didn´t play ehhhhhhh why?

Why didn´t Gallagher, Galchenyuk play in OT ehhhhhhh why?

The strange part is that Galchenyuk played 15 seconds shorthanded but 0 seconds in powerplay ehhhhhhh why?

Markov played 27 minutes in this game ehhhhhhh why?

Gionta, is he our future (20 minutes) ehhhhhhh why???

Give the same treatment that Desharnais had at the beginning of the season to Lars eller and you will see that we will have 2 offensive lines working and not only one like at the present moment.

I´m furious …

MT coached the team well last year but this year, he´s coaching like he doesn´t want to lose his job and this is to the expense of the team and young players that we have.

In hindsight, some decisions are admittedly disconcerting, at best.

However, Galchenyuk said himself he didn't have his legs come third period and you wouldn't want to play someone like that with so much open ice.

Goes for the Gallagher-Galchenyuk duo not playing in OT

Gionta, who I am not a big fan of, was playing one of his rare good games (hitting the G logo more consistently than usual

 

[habtastic]

He worked his bag off when he was scratched and demoted. He got his game back and when he got the chance with 97 and 11 he's produced. Part of the reason he got that chance is past success, but also because he had the right attitude and put in the work.

I missed the part when after a benching and a few games of a few shifts on the "4th line" (when Eller notable did NOT replace him ice-time wise) DD roared back while playing on the 3rd line with checking forwards (I'll call them that for flattery).

DD did make a comeback, and I for one think he's playing well. That said, DD didn't have to do much to be put right back into a position where he could easily redeem himself. What did Desharnais do, apart from the SO to deserve the mins he got RIGHT AWAY? Eller will need to be a ppg player for over 20 games before they even think of promoting him and even then it's contingent upon DD struggling.

For sure, Eller needs to be better. I don't, however thing the situation is analagous to DD's who had 1st line centre waiting for him for the first game when he didn't play like crap. HUGE difference. FWIW, I'm totally fine with the EGG line being reunited and played as a "3rd line". We'll see how amazing the other two are (DD and Patches). Pacioretty for one is starting to look slumpy again.

He gets the raw end of the stick (Eller) and it won't change until his line, whatever that is, gets more minutes a game, even if they don't produce immediately. THAT is what happened to DD, and tbf, it did work.

 

[Kriss E]

One loss after a three game winning streak: THE WHOLE TEAM IS REGRESSING

What are you talking about?? Have you even followed the team this year??
Our point percentage has dropped.
We have major issues scoring goals, a huge drop from last year.
Every single player on our roster is producing at a lower rate than last year.

Wake da fak up.

 

[pepperMonkey]

Worked his bag off? Right. Given 20 minutes a game - 80 per cent of the PP time and Patch and Gally as your wingers while he was in still in his his slump..isn't working your bag off...it's getting opportunity handed to you undeservedly. He eventually took advantage of it..but to claim he earned it is completely false.

Your Desharnais defending is starting to border on an obsession. i make a comment on Desharnais on twitter and within 30 seconds you are responding..make a comment on DD on here and whoosh...you ride in on your white horse ready to swoop your hero away from the vultures. Do you sit on twitter with Desharanis permanently in your search button, reading each and every comment about him?

Umm....not that I'm disagreeing with you, in that DD did or did not deserve to get his line-mates, minutes, offensive opportunities, etc. etc...but whether it was effective or not, DD has pretty much always worked his 'A$$' off. He may have done a crap load of dumb mistakes, missed a whole lot of defensive cues, etc. etc. but effort has never been a problem of his.

 

[Kriss E]

He worked his bag off when he was scratched and demoted. He got his game back and when he got the chance with 97 and 11 he's produced. Part of the reason he got that chance is past success, but also because he had the right attitude and put in the work.

That's just not true. He looked liked crap all year until he was given Max and Galla.

 

[Sorinth]

Aside from a blowout against the Islanders, Eller was stone cold while Galchenyuk and Gallagher were still playing well.

He also only originally moved Gallagher off. And Galchenyuk still played well. So Galchenyuk eventually got top six minutes with Plek and Gio instead.

Eller has been cold. Simply put. He put DD and Patches together for two games and they clicked again. It wasn't some demotion. It was line playing. Had Eller played great with his two games with Pacioretty, it never would have happened.

If Eller was stone cold what was Desharnais at the time?

But it's besides the point, he had 6pts in 3 games and his line is broken up. Was that because he was cold? His line was broken up 3-4 times in the next 17 games, his production with both Gally's was good, his production without them wasn't.

It was clear as day that Therrien didn't want Eller in an offensive role but had to play him in one because DD was so bad. But he did everything in his power to find a replacement.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

We have 1 good offensive centerman on this team who can play with anyone. Plekanec.

DD can ONLY play with one guy and gets every opportunity to play with that guy. Why is Eller getting flogged? He has played well when given the opportunities. Let him play with some talent. He's not going to elevate the bums around him. But the solution for some is to give up on him and trade him and stick with DD. Only in Habs land.

 

[JLP]

Maybe Eller should be traded because he's being wasted under MT, whose number one priority is the Mysterious Undrafted Midget, our number one offensive weapon (132nd in points in the NHL).

But don't worry, given the team's top wingers, top power play duties and 23 minutes of icetime DD can register one assist every two games lol. Look out Pittsburgh he's due!

If I were Eller I'd want out of this carnival show.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

The funniest thing of all is we have another 2 years at the least of MT's crap. The players don't fit into his "system" and it's so clear. So we start trading away players that don't fit his system and when he's finally canned, people will finally realize that the coach is the biggest problem. When all your players are regressing, that is on the coach. MT should give half his paycheque to Price and Budaj because their play is covering a LOT of holes.

 

[PhysicX]

Maybe Eller should be traded because he's being wasted under MT, whose number one priority is the Mysterious Undrafted Midget, our number one offensive weapon (132nd in points in the NHL).

But don't worry, given the team's top wingers, top power play duties and 23 minutes of icetime DD can register one assist every two games lol. Look out Pittsburgh he's due!

If I were Eller I'd want out of this carnival show.

And this could very well be the case. I'd understand him.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Maybe Eller should be traded because he's being wasted under MT, whose number one priority is the Mysterious Undrafted Midget, our number one offensive weapon (132nd in points in the NHL).

But don't worry, given the team's top wingers, top power play duties and 23 minutes of icetime DD can register one assist every two games lol. Look out Pittsburgh he's due!

If I were Eller I'd want out of this carnival show.

That's why he had his best season under him last year? He is what he is, just like Kostitsyn. The sooner we figure it out, the better for this team

 

[Sorinth]

All this talk about Eller must get skilled players to get him going because otherwise this team is bad is rather ridiculous...
People, and their pet dogs have been fuming because MT dismantled and rebuilt the team around DD...but it's now okay to do the same for Eller? If it was dumb to do it then, it's certainly dumb to do it now.
Why would MT break up DD's line to give back Gally to Eller? So if DD's line then goes down the drain to Eller's level but Eller's line plays better, it's all good?
As much as MT needs to go (or coach better), Eller does need to do better himself because as of now he has done nothing to warrant better minutes, lines, wingers, etc. etc.

No one has ever suggested that Eller should be played the way Desharnais is now.

We could put Pacioretty with Plekanec and Gionta, and reunite the EGG line and have two scoring lines that share the PP and offensive opportunities. The issue is we are putting our two best goal scorers on one line. Pacioretty and Gallagher should not be on the same line. If DD's play goes to the crapper if he loses just one, then get rid of him because we'll never amount to anything if we are anchored to a player that needs everything.

If it was just Eller that was struggling it would be one thing but Plekanec is having a career worst season, Gionta scoring is way down, Galchenyuk hasn't improved at all, Eller's regressed massively, Briere/Bourque are having terrible years. Subban & Markov have stopped producing on the PP. Even Pacioretty and Gallagher are having down years. The issue is with how the coach uses his players.

 

[Scriptor]

I missed the part when after a benching and a few games of a few shifts on the "4th line" (when Eller notable did NOT replace him ice-time wise) DD roared back while playing on the 3rd line with checking forwards (I'll call them that for flattery).

DD did make a comeback, and I for one think he's playing well. That said, DD didn't have to do much to be put right back into a position where he could easily redeem himself. What did Desharnais do, apart from the SO to deserve the mins he got RIGHT AWAY? Eller will need to be a ppg player for over 20 games before they even think of promoting him and even then it's contingent upon DD struggling.

For sure, Eller needs to be better. I don't, however thing the situation is analagous to DD's who had 1st line centre waiting for him for the first game when he didn't play like crap. HUGE difference. FWIW, I'm totally fine with the EGG line being reunited and played as a "3rd line". We'll see how amazing the other two are (DD and Patches). Pacioretty for one is starting to look slumpy again.

He gets the raw end of the stick (Eller) and it won't change until his line, whatever that is, gets more minutes a game, even if they don't produce immediately. THAT is what happened to DD, and tbf, it did work.

Think whatever you want. hate DD as much as you want. Let,s concentrate on Eller for a minute, though. Whatever you think of him, by claiming he needs to play with superior line mates, we are just stipulating ONE fact:

Eller doesn't appear capable of making his line mates better. That makes him a complementary player, not one which you build around. There,s nothing wrong with that -- every team needs complementary players -- but, let's not look for more out of Eller than he appears able to bring to the table.

Bottom line, Eller will benefit from playing with Gallagher for example, not the other way around…

Without getting into a heavy comparison, IMO, wingers would, however, benefit from Desharnais' playmaking skills. Eller, IMO, doesn't have those skills honed. Not yet, at least, as he seems a fraction of a second behind on most plays.

I also think playing Eller with Galchenyuk is a disservice to Galchenyuk as Eller doesn't seem to be in any kind of symbiosis with Galchenyuk, for whatever reason.

When the EGG line was producing, Eller was playing as a duo with Gallagher and Galchenyuk was just creating room by beelining for the net. Eller still wasn't using Galchenyuk properly. Once Gallagher left that line, Eller and Galchenyuk, together, just didn't work at all.

If you're going to shake things up, why not try something weird:

Pacioretty-DD-Galchenyuk
Brière-Plekanec-Gionta
Prust/Weise-Eller-Gallagher
Prust/weise-white-Moen/Bournival

Eller will benefit rom Gallagher on his line. Prust or Weise can create room in the offensive zone.

Brière-Plekanec-Gionta would be a veteran line in a primarily shutdown role with more offensive upside with Brière and, in certain situations, more defensive upside while switching out Brière for Moen or, even, Bournival (Defensive zone F/Os, for example)

If Galchenyuk plays less of a perimeter game, he would be fine alongside Desharnais and Pacioretty, provided Desharnais keeps getting his nose dirty as he had during his best shifts. FGalchenyuk can also find pacioretty for one-timers and, if he uses his shot more often, can be a good target for DD.

 

[Monctonscout]

We have 1 good offensive centerman on this team who can play with anyone. Plekanec.

DD can ONLY play with one guy and gets every opportunity to play with that guy. Why is Eller getting flogged? He has played well when given the opportunities. Let him play with some talent. He's not going to elevate the bums around him. But the solution for some is to give up on him and trade him and stick with DD. Only in Habs land.

Didn't he have 2 goals the game before playing with Bourque(the guy who according to some is killing Eller)?

Of course he plays great with Pacioretty, but Pacioretty also plays great with DD.

I don't agree that he's played well. Have his linemates been less than great? Sure. but if you are a legit top 6 NHL center you should at least be able to put up 0.5-0.6 PPGM even with Prust Briere Bourque etc. Eller's been around 0.2 PPGM the last 3 months.

 

[sheed36]

I'm gonna enjoy reading all the *****ing and whining from the same people who want Eller traded about how it was a mistake to trade him when he succeeds elsewhere.

 

[Wats]

Desharnais worked his bag off to get out of the slump. Spent a couple games in the press box and a few on the 4th line. Eller just keep struggling along...

Desharnais was getting PP time and producing less during his 2 game demotion to the 13min/game line. See for yourself: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8471976&season=20132014&view=log

Heck he was averaging ~16 minutes a game in the 7 games leading up to his promotion. This included a run of 5 straight games where he didn't even record a shot on goal. The way the Habs coaching staff handled Desharnais is what I wish the Habs were willing to do for guys like Galchenyuk, Bournival, and Eller.

Is Eller likely playing his way out the door? Sure, he's regressed to the point he doesn't even look like a NHLer at times. Surprise surprise, common theme among the youth for the supposed development management. But let's not pretend like Desharnais battled his way to his promotion. From Day 1 of preseason 11/12 Desharnais was gifted his spot on the team. This is an undeniable fact since the icetime is there as proof.

It's funny how Winnipeg can develop Scheifele by giving him good icetime and PP time: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8476460&season=20132014&view=log
While the Habs can't do the same to the already much ahead in development Galchenyuk despite showing the flashes early this season: http://www.nhl.com/ice/player.htm?id=8476851&season=20132014&view=log

Interesting to see the player that was given opportunity more consistently and a chance to work through struggles on ice is current producing while the one who's opportunity was taken away is now in a state of not being able to find that touch again.

 

[JayKing]

I don't think it's Therrien hating Eller but instead having a strict defined role for him. Eller is basically a defensive specialist in Therrien eyes. Just like Subban is the go to offensive guy and can't get PK time, same reason why DD gets a **** ton of PP time and no time in the d-zone/penalty kill, same reason why Moen gets bumped up to the 2nd line when defending a lead. Therrien just fails to adapt or change some player roles sometimes ... and the system sucks with the current roster. Pretty much every player has regressed.

 

[HCH]

Did you watch Eller last night? He's consistently a second behind the play which makes him a turnover machine. I was hoping the break would help him out, but clearly it didn't.

Either he just doesn't want to play for Therrien anymore or its a lack of hockey sense.

The question is, "why is he playing that way?" He showed plenty of hockey sense last year and early this year... it isn't something that you lose over night. So there has to be another reason.

The you step back and take a look at the entire team and not just Eller. It is then that you realize this team has been a complete mess for some time now. They have ridden on the back of strong goaltending and lots of blocked shots to disguise what has been absolutely brutal and uninspired team play.

It's fine to isolate certain players and certain plays but that is the smaller part of the problem. The Canadiens are playing a brand of hockey that is almost unwatchable.

If you think Eller is lost, look at Subban. He doesn't know whether he should be trying to do it all by himself or if he should use his team mates. Emelin looks lost, too. Plekanec works hard but has been ineffective for long stretches.

I don't think the team has quit but they aren't playing as a cohesive unit. The media especially needs to stop trying to dissect the play of individuals at the sub-atomic level and begin to realize that the players have the ability... they need someone who will instill the concept of team play and inspire confidence in those abilities.

 

[habitue*]

Reading all those comments about the team would give the impression that the Habs are dead last in the Conference....


Forget last season. It was a fantasy-48 games season. Therrien is trying to get his team thru a regular 82 games schedule.

 

[habitue*]

The question is, "why is he playing that way?" He showed plenty of hockey sense last year and early this year... it isn't something that you lose over night. So there has to be another reason.

The you step back and take a look at the entire team and not just Eller. It is then that you realize this team has been a complete mess for some time now. They have ridden on the back of strong goaltending and lots of blocked shots to disguise what has been absolutely brutal and uninspired team play.

It's fine to isolate certain players and certain plays but that is the smaller part of the problem. The Canadiens are playing a brand of hockey that is almost unwatchable.

If you think Eller is lost, look at Subban. He doesn't know whether he should be trying to do it all by himself or if he should use his team mates. Emelin looks lost, too. Plekanec works hard but has been ineffective for long stretches.

I don't think the team has quit but they aren't playing as a cohesive unit. The media especially needs to stop trying to dissect the play of individuals at the sub-atomic level and begin to realize that the players have the ability... they need someone who will instill the concept of team play and inspire confidence in those abilities.

Did Plekanec played that good with Jagr during the Olympics ?

 

[Sorinth]

Think whatever you want. hate DD as much as you want. Let,s concentrate on Eller for a minute, though. Whatever you think of him, by claiming he needs to play with superior line mates, we are just stipulating ONE fact:

Eller doesn't appear capable of making his line mates better. That makes him a complementary player, not one which you build around. There,s nothing wrong with that -- every team needs complementary players -- but, let's not look for more out of Eller than he appears able to bring to the table.

Not at all, you are completely ignoring the mental aspect of the game. Eller isn't making his linemates better at this moment in time, but he has in the past shown he is capable of doing so. If he regains his confidence/motivation which could easily happen with either better linemates/more opportunities or a coaching change then he'd go back to making his linemates better.

Bottom line, Eller will benefit from playing with Gallagher for example, not the other way around…

Without getting into a heavy comparison, IMO, wingers would, however, benefit from Desharnais' playmaking skills. Eller, IMO, doesn't have those skills honed. Not yet, at least, as he seems a fraction of a second behind on most plays.

Gallagher's goal scoring was much higher while he was with Eller than when he's with Desharnais. So if we are looking at the bottom line, Gallagher benefits more from Eller than he does Desharnais.

I also think playing Eller with Galchenyuk is a disservice to Galchenyuk as Eller doesn't seem to be in any kind of symbiosis with Galchenyuk, for whatever reason.

When the EGG line was producing, Eller was playing as a duo with Gallagher and Galchenyuk was just creating room by beelining for the net. Eller still wasn't using Galchenyuk properly. Once Gallagher left that line, Eller and Galchenyuk, together, just didn't work at all.

If you're going to shake things up, why not try something weird:

Pacioretty-DD-Galchenyuk
Brière-Plekanec-Gionta
Prust/Weise-Eller-Gallagher
Prust/weise-white-Moen/Bournival

Both Gionta and Pacioretty were able to get off lots of shots/scoring chances when centered by Eller, so it's pretty clear Eller works well with a shoot first player so it's no surprise that Gallagher is a better fit than Galchenyuk.

I actually think Galchenyuk/Desharnais duo could work. But I'd rather it be as a sheltered 3rd line where Galchenyuk is the main offensive threat to score. If DD is still centering Pacioretty I'm not sure it helps Galchenyuk shot wise. Gallagher rarely gets setup by DD, and I suspect the same would happen with Galchenyuk there.[/QUOTE]

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

Didn't he have 2 goals the game before playing with Bourque(the guy who according to some is killing Eller)?

Of course he plays great with Pacioretty, but Pacioretty also plays great with DD.

I don't agree that he's played well. Have his linemates been less than great? Sure. but if you are a legit top 6 NHL center you should at least be able to put up 0.5-0.6 PPGM even with Prust Briere Bourque etc. Eller's been around 0.2 PPGM the last 3 months.

One game. Eller has been disappointing and so has damn near everyone on this team. That's a coaching problem.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

I'm gonna enjoy reading all the *****ing and whining from the same people who want Eller traded about how it was a mistake to trade him when he succeeds elsewhere.

Oh that's what I'm waiting on. I can't wait to read the butthurt.

 

[uiCk]

So Eller went from most sought out habs player to being a talentless bum within a 4 month window. Ok