Line Combos: New PP & ES lines at practice. Bourque Benched?

[WeThreeKings]

The defence is too slow. No reason to not call up Beaulieu. His skating and puck moving make him a better dman than Bou/Weaver because he can get the puck out quicker and spend less time defending. I'd have no fear having both Tinordi/Beaulieu considering the alternatives at this point. Seriously, how does Bouillon go from being scratched for weeks on end and then paired with PK? I don't know how anyone can defend this coaching staff. DD gets Max/Vanek on the PP? Plekanec is a better offensive player than DD. He should be on the 1st unit that plays over a minute out there and not DD. It's enough already. 13th ranked PP with Markov/Subban on the point is as disappointing as where this team ranks in GF/G.

The team conveniently forgot that our team finally got back on track when Beaulieu got into the line-up and helped the D move the puck.

 

[Fazkovsky]

The lines are okay. I mean we have to be better 5vs5 and Plek and Vanek will provide us this solution. As for the PP, we will have a very solid PP line with Pac, Vanek and DD.

I like it stop complaining guys. I know Gionta doesn't have to be there but gosh, defensively it's important to be responsible and Gally defensively isn't the best. He will be tried with V soon.

 

[yianik]

John Lu:

#Habs Vanek joking about playing on a shutdown line: "I'm a defensive specialist so that's why they put me on (Plekanec's) line." 1/2

This is good. Maybe MB sees this, has a light bulb go off, and decide its not that funny having the offensive big fish he caught playing on a checking line and goes and asks MT what the hell he is thinking already.

 

[Fazkovsky]

This is good. Maybe MB sees this, has a light bulb go off, and decide its not that funny having the offensive big fish he caught playing on a checking line and goes and asks MT what the hell he is thinking already.

Plekanec is far from being only a defensive specialist, I think there was a little bit of sarcasm there.

 

[Suzuki x 14]

Vanek - Plekanec - Galchenyuk

PLEASE!!

Enough of Brian Gionta for **** sake!!

 

[elsubz]

Is it that hard to keep our offensive players together?

Vanek-Desharnais-Pacioretty
Galchenyuk-Eller-Gallagher
Moen-Pleks-Gionta
Weise-White-Prust

I wish.

 

[MathMan]

I'm not sure why there's so much dislike for Brian Gionta, who's the team's 4th goal-scorer despite playing tough minutes as Plekanec's sidekick and shooting well below his career average. Well, I guess he's 5th with Vanek now, but still.

 

[JAVO16]

Yea, Terrible. Only tyin 3rd with Pleky on PP-points in forwards . You know that you dont need to be that effective along the boards in PP, the point in PP is to keep the puck and keep movin the puck until you score .

Considering that Therrien likes the dump and chase zone entry, forwards need to be able to win puck battles to pass it to the point or something and establish a good PP presence. Galchenyuk sucks at pretty much every aspect of winning puck battles. He's not good at protecting the puck or using his body when he's the main guy battling for the puck and he sucks at positioning himself to help get the puck when he gravitates around a scrum because he's too static. He's not all that good either at evaluating the distances and keeping himself outside of poke checking/ turnover distance from PKers although he's getting better at it and that should become one of his strengths at some point. He's excellent when it comes to take advantage of defensive breakdowns during the PP though. But we have other guys that are pretty good at that aspect too while being less incompetent in puck battles.

The team conveniently forgot that our team finally got back on track when Beaulieu got into the line-up and helped the D move the puck.

He really helped our transition. The last two games were painful to watch with Emelin/Murray/Tinordi/Weaver in the lineup.

 

[Habskrieg]

If we can't put another D on the second pairing for the PP, I'd rather put 4 forwards and 1 D. Bouillon on the PP is not the solution.

Therrien's a joke. The team is in this position in spite of him and we could be performing better. How can Therrien supporters defend putting Bouillon on the PP?

If the situation is that bad, can't we call up Beaulieu? He did well last time...

 

[Smokey Thompson]

I'm not gonna defend it but if it means PK gets a bit more rope on offense while Bouillon camps in the central zone, there is SOME logic to it.

You just sort of which the stay-at-home guy was better than Bouillon is nowadays.

Also, I'd expect Murray to play instead of Weaver.

Thing is, Bouillon thinks he is an offensive defenseman. He sees PK skate the puck up the ice and thinks to himself "I'm going to show the world that I can do the same thing".

He then skates the puck up the ice, loses it at the blue line and causes a 2 on 1.

I'll never forget the game earlier this season when we were down by 1 with a minute left. Therrien pulls Carey and sends out Bouillon. Bouillon unleashes his inner Bobby Orr and rushes the puck up the ice, ignoring the 2-3 passing options at his disposal. He shoots it right on an opposing forward. Said forward then scores an empty netter.

 

[yianik]

Plekanec is far from being only a defensive specialist, I think there was a little bit of sarcasm there.

I agree with you that Pleks isn't just a defensive specialist, but to get his offence going me and many others think Gio needs to be off the line with a more offensive guy along with Vanek. Pleks is a great two way guy.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Every play Vanek has made has died when its gone in Giontas general direction.

I don't need 4-5 more games to realize there will be no chemistry between these 2.

 

[yianik]

Every play Vanek has made has died when its gone in Giontas general direction.

I don't need 4-5 more games to realize there will be no chemistry between these 2.

Unfortunately given the practice lines, MT thinks they just need to practice together so this experiment may continue for a few more games, anyway.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Every play Vanek has made has died when its gone in Giontas general direction.

I don't need 4-5 more games to realize there will be no chemistry between these 2.

Therrien does. What he'll probably do is leave the line the way it is until it finally starts producing. He'll then proceed to breaking up the line, as he has done many times before.

Therrien's motto: "If it ain't broke, fix it"

 

[goforit]

Is it that hard to keep our offensive players together?

Vanek-Desharnais-Pacioretty
Galchenyuk-Eller-Gallagher
Moen-Pleks-Gionta
Weise-White-Prust

I wish.

Pacioretty just scored 30 goals on the left wing for the second time in 3 years. Him on the left of DD is the only thing that has worked consistantly since the beginning of the year and you put him on the right? Plus, I seriously think that it is a bad idea to put Vanek with him since they are always looking to find the other on the ice and Vanek needs to have the puck on his stick to work his magic. He's not there to wait for rebounds and do the dirty job... like Gallagher (not that I wouldn't like to see it).

IMO MT's 5vs5 lines are fine.... But on the PP I'm all with some others

PP1: Vanek-DD-Pacioretty (yes on the right... but it's PP)
Markov-Subban

PP2: Brière-Galchenyuk-Gallagher
Emelin-Plekanec

Plekanec as a D has never worked well before, but still better than Bouillon on the PP.

 

[Finnhabs]

Considering that Therrien likes the dump and chase zone entry, forwards need to be able to win puck battles to pass it to the point or something and establish a good PP presence. Galchenyuk sucks at pretty much every aspect of winning puck battles. He's not good at protecting the puck or using his body when he's the main guy battling for the puck and he sucks at positioning himself to help get the puck when he gravitates around a scrum because he's too static. He's not all that good either at evaluating the distances and keeping himself outside of poke checking/ turnover distance from PKers although he's getting better at it and that should become one of his strengths at some point. He's excellent when it comes to take advantage of defensive breakdowns during the PP though. But we have other guys that are pretty good at that aspect too while being less incompetent in puck battles.

Thats a damn good tactic considerin our PP forwards arent that big/strong apart from Patches(who imo doesnt usually use his body like he could/should) . I Think we would have lot better chances with the possession and settling it down in the PP if we would bring the puck to the offensive zone instead.

 

[Hannibal]

So playing Bouillon over Murray against Boston and put Gionta with Vanek?

Sounds logic....

 

[lamp9post]

Is it that hard to keep our offensive players together?

Vanek-Desharnais-Pacioretty
Galchenyuk-Eller-Gallagher
Moen-Pleks-Gionta
Weise-White-Prust

I wish.

Your solution is to move Pleks out of the top-6 in favour of Eller?

 

[Analyzer*]

Every play Vanek has made has died when its gone in Giontas general direction.

I don't need 4-5 more games to realize there will be no chemistry between these 2.

Almost every ****ing play dies when it goes to Gionta.

 

[CGG]

Therrien said both Bouillon and Weaver are in against the Bruins, and Bouillon has known since Saturday that he would play - it was MT's plan all along to bring him in for size against the B's.

 

[Finnhabs]

Therrien said both Bouillon and Weaver are in against the Bruins, and Bouillon has known since Saturday that he would play - it was MT's plan all along to bring him in for size against the B's.

"bring him in for size"? Boullion?? Something im missing???

 

[SakuSauce]

Therrien said both Bouillon and Weaver are in against the Bruins, and Bouillon has known since Saturday that he would play - it was MT's plan all along to bring him in for size against the B's.

Habs have 24 healthy players (15F, 7D, 2G)...shouldnt they be sending someone down? Maybe sent down Tinordi (cauz of his 2way contract) and be even smaller at the blue line tomorrow vs the Bruins. Unless I'm mistaken and they can carry 24 players.

 

[yianik]

Therrien said both Bouillon and Weaver are in against the Bruins, and Bouillon has known since Saturday that he would play - it was MT's plan all along to bring him in for size against the B's.

See, this is the kind of stuff that makes what some so called MT haters crazy. Of all the games not to have Murray and be replaced with Cubes, the Bruins aint it. Seriously, how does this make any sense ?

 

[MathMan]

So playing Bouillon over Murray against Boston and put Gionta with Vanek?

With Boston's forward depth, playing the better D-man (Bouillon) ought to be a no-brainer. Well, in reality, playing Bouillon over Murray at any time ought to be a no-brainer, but especially against the better clubs in the league who have more forward depth to exploit a vulnerable D-man. Bouillon is hardly great, but he's a better defenseman than Murray.

Vanek with Plekanec is the natural thing to try first, but he might be better used on a line that has more of an offensive push. I'd advocate swapping him and MaxPac, but that might be a bit too radical. And putting him with Eller, while it makes sense lineup-wise, might a bit controversial.

 

[MathMan]

Habs have 24 healthy players (15F, 7D, 2G)...shouldnt they be sending someone down? Maybe sent down Tinordi (cauz of his 2way contract) and be even smaller at the blue line tomorrow vs the Bruins. Unless I'm mistaken and they can carry 24 players.

They can carry any number of players after the trade deadline, so long as they respect the cap, and are limited to four player movements, so nobody's getting sent down.