News Article: NHL.COM>New role for Vanek

[Habaneros]

This is EVERYTHING that is wrong with this team .....



http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=709026

Since the start of the 2006-07 season, three players have scored more goals in the NHL than Vanek's 246: Alex Ovechkin, Jarome Iginla and Ilya Kovalchuk.

Through Vanek's first two games with the Canadiens, he has played on the left side with center Tomas Plekanec and captain Brian Gionta, two of coach Michel Therrien's most trusted two-way forwards who are often given the mandate of shutting down the opposing team's top line.

It is a role Vanek never played in his time with the Buffalo Sabres and the Islanders, but he said he sees nothing wrong with being asked to do so at this stage of his 10-season career.

Click to read more...

 

[OpenIceHit]

I have Vanek in my pool. I'm glad he's now part of this team but I knew it wasn't good for my pool tho. He won't achieve much with Gionta...

 

[ForsbergForever]

Just saw this on TSN, Vanek seemed rather sarcastic in the interview saying he's known as a defensive specialist so that's probably why he's on the team's 'shutdown' line. Seriously though, this is why the team gets one of the league's top scorers at the deadline? To have him play on a checking line? WTF is wrong with Terrien???

 

[Fazkovsky]

Funny thing is, we make fun of Gionta's playmaking ability but vs the coyotes he made a sick no look pass that made to Vanek for a good scoring chance, probably his best since a hab.

Whatever stay positive guys, I expect a big game for Mr. V tommorow

 

[Milhouse40]

This is EVERYTHING that is wrong with this team .....



http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=709026

Yep.....

Desharnais isn't a first line center, that's the job he's getting
Bouillon isn't a Offensive/PP player, that's the job he's getting
Galchenyuk isn't a Winger or a 3th line grinder, that's the job he's getting
Gallagher isn't a 6'4", physical presence in front of the net, that's the job he's getting
Subban isn't a defensive defenceman, that's the job he's getting
Bournival isn't a 4th line player, that's the job he's getting
Briere isn't a winger or a 4th line player, that's the job he's getting

Vanek isn't a defensive minded forward, that's the job he's getting.

 

[ForsbergForever]

Yep.....

Desharnais isn't a first line center, that's the job he's getting
Bouillon isn't a Offensive/PP player, that's the job he's getting
Galchenyuk isn't a Winger or a 3th line grinder, that's the job he's getting
Gallagher isn't a 6'4", physical presence in front of the net, that's the job he's getting
Subban isn't a defensive defenceman, that's the job he's getting
Bournival isn't a 4th line player, that's the job he's getting
Briere isn't a winger or a 4th line player, that's the job he's getting

Vanek isn't a defensive minded forward, that's the job he's getting.

Amen, way to manage a team's assets...

 

[Kriss E]

There's nothing wrong with playing with Plekanec and Gionta, the problem is the way Therrien has his roles split up.

But maybe that will shed some lights for fans that are critical of Plekanec's production.
If even one of the best most prolific scorers over the past 7 years has a hard time producing in the same role as Plekanec, it shouldn't be a surprise Plek isn't scoring in bunches either.

In any event, Vanek didn't even get to play 2 full games on Plek's line and he didn't even have a handful of practices with the team yet.

But Therrien seems to understand very little about how to use his players.

 

[Beaker]

He's paired with Pacioretty and Desharnais against Boston. Book it

 

[Habaneros]

He's paired with Pacioretty and Desharnais

Therrien said he believes in the line he's created for Vanek and won't be too quick on the trigger to change it.

"I want to be patient with [Plekanec], I think that combination can work," Therrien said. "I have a lot of trust in Plekanec's game, I think he's good defensivelyand he's a guy that's good offensively as well. We'll give time to those two working together."

The one area where this might be a difficult assignment for Vanek is where on the ice he starts his shifts. While with the Islanders, Vanek began 41.7 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone compared to 23.6 percent in the defensive zone, according to Extraskater.com. Plekanec has started 24.5 percent of his shifts in the offensive zone and 36.1 percent in the defensive zone.

........

 

[JLP]

Expecting a possible trickle-down effect: It's a given under MT that DD will have the best wingers. And so Vanek will be eased into the RW position for that line, which starts with the first wave of the power play. That line at 5-on-5 frees Gallagher up for the EGG reunion. As usual Plex gets leftovers and the penalty kill.

 

[roy munson]

Yep.....

Desharnais isn't a first line center, that's the job he's getting
Bouillon isn't a Offensive/PP player, that's the job he's getting
Galchenyuk isn't a Winger or a 3th line grinder, that's the job he's getting
Gallagher isn't a 6'4", physical presence in front of the net, that's the job he's getting
Subban isn't a defensive defenceman, that's the job he's getting
Bournival isn't a 4th line player, that's the job he's getting
Briere isn't a winger or a 4th line player, that's the job he's getting

Vanek isn't a defensive minded forward, that's the job he's getting.

It's scary. I know we're only fans and never played/coached in the NHL, but I don't have to actually fall from Place Ville-Marie to know I'll die if I did jump from it. How is this team managed? I'm seriously afraid they're ruining Subban, Eller, etc... MB WAKE UP!

 

[LaTenderness*]

This'll ensure he re-signs ..... Well done Mich

 

[Wats]

Michel Therrien knows more about hockey than you do Vanek and person that wrote this article.

 

[Habskrieg]

Michel Therrien knows more about hockey than you do Vanek and person that wrote this article.

Bouillon on the PP is a stroke of genius. Only it takes a visionary to see it.

 

[roy munson]

Is it time for a anti-MT billboard ?

 

[Nicko999]

When Vanek scores tomorrow everyone will forget about this.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

"The bulk of the offensive-zone shifts on the Canadiens go to the line of Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher, and Vanek said he sees his role as a challenge to convince Therrien that his line deserves to get some more of those faceoffs in the opposing end of the ice.

"The games I've watched, even when I wasn't here, I think David's line with [Pacioretty] and [Gallagher] has been a force, so if the line is clicking, that's the line you want to go with," Vanek said. "So it's our line's job to make sure we push them and challenge for that."

So basically, Vanek has to prove himself in order to get offensive zone starts instead of DD...

What a joke.

 

[roy munson]

"The bulk of the offensive-zone shifts on the Canadiens go to the line of Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher, and Vanek said he sees his role as a challenge to convince Therrien that his line deserves to get some more of those faceoffs in the opposing end of the ice.

"The games I've watched, even when I wasn't here, I think David's line with [Pacioretty] and [Gallagher] has been a force, so if the line is clicking, that's the line you want to go with," Vanek said. "So it's our line's job to make sure we push them and challenge for that."

So basically, Vanek has to prove himself in order to get offensive zone starts instead of DD...

What a joke.

And to think some posters joked that "Vanek would have to prove himself to Therrien". The joke got real now. What's the use of having good players if the team is mismanaged?

 

[kassian]

Yep.....

Desharnais isn't a first line center, that's the job he's getting
Bouillon isn't a Offensive/PP player, that's the job he's getting
Galchenyuk isn't a Winger or a 3th line grinder, that's the job he's getting
Gallagher isn't a 6'4", physical presence in front of the net, that's the job he's getting
Subban isn't a defensive defenceman, that's the job he's getting
Bournival isn't a 4th line player, that's the job he's getting
Briere isn't a winger or a 4th line player, that's the job he's getting

Vanek isn't a defensive minded forward, that's the job he's getting.

B-.. But MT knows more about hockey than you...

 

[Frozenice]

grind

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

This is all on MB for hiring this clown.

 

[JayKing]

"The bulk of the offensive-zone shifts on the Canadiens go to the line of Max Pacioretty, David Desharnais and Brendan Gallagher, and Vanek said he sees his role as a challenge to convince Therrien that his line deserves to get some more of those faceoffs in the opposing end of the ice.

"The games I've watched, even when I wasn't here, I think David's line with [Pacioretty] and [Gallagher] has been a force, so if the line is clicking, that's the line you want to go with," Vanek said. "So it's our line's job to make sure we push them and challenge for that."

So basically, Vanek has to prove himself in order to get offensive zone starts instead of DD...

What a joke.

Reminds me of when Erik Cole joined the habs and got no PP time for a while.

 

[Genesis76]

look its simple you need to understand something about MT... superstars are not his style.

Now we have 3 superstars (Price (well, not mine), Subban, Vanek) in our alignment and we're still losing (WTF I know).

These playoffs we will lose first round again and the coach will be fired. Promise.

 

[G0bias]

"I want to be patient with [Plekanec], I think that combination can work," Therrien said. "I have a lot of trust in Plekanec's game, I think he's good defensively and he's a guy that's good offensively as well. We'll give time to those two working together."

Well he does put the emphasis on his chemistry with Plekanec rather than Plekanec AND Gionta. When they'll see something needs to be done, Gio's the first one out.

But how long will it take...

 

[JayKing]

wrong thread