HF Habs: Off-Season Discussion Part III: Ain't Got No #1 Centre Edition

[jwrocks1]

do you think the following 7 players are better suited to play a grinding style game vs a possession/passing style game?


Patches
Plekanec
Galch
Gallagher
Desharnais
Eller
Parenteau


and what about :

PK
Markov
Petry
Beaulieu



not exactly a core that screams "grind".

It must be screaming that out of MT's MP3 player

 

[GoodKiwi]

do you think the following 7 players are better suited to play a grinding style game vs a possession/passing style game?


Patches
Plekanec
Galch
Gallagher
Desharnais
Eller
Parenteau


and what about :

PK
Markov
Petry
Beaulieu



not exactly a core that screams "grind".

No, not grind for sure. But not run and gun either (or an uptempo offensive team if you will). I don't see much skill in that forward lineup.

 

[Nynja*]

No, not grind for sure. But not run and gun either (or an uptempo offensive team if you will). I don't see much skill in that forward lineup.

They did just fine in 2013 though?

 

[HabsDieHard*]

4 20 goal scorers (including one who has had more than 35 the last 2 years)

A guy who before this year averaged close to 50 points per 82 games played over his previous 4 seasons.

Eller who hit 15 goals with little to no power play time.

Desharnais who has been around a 50 point guy the last 4 years.

Not to mention 2 of the better puck moving d-men in the whole league, and waht made up one of the best pairings in the league last year.

But hey, not much talent right?

Or...something?

 

[la25ecoupe]

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=53&id=824648&lang=en&navid=nhl:topheads

Man.. I wish our coach was like this..

"I didn't came here to make the playoff.. I came here to being involved in a cup process."

While MT: "Our first goal is to make the playoff, then anything can happen."

Like getting eliminated in the 2nd round.

 

[Scuba-Steve]

http://video.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=53&id=824648&lang=en&navid=nhl:topheads

Man.. I wish our coach was like this..

"I didn't came here to make the playoff.. I came here to being involved in a cup process."

While MT: "Our first goal is to make the playoff, then anything can happen."

Like getting eliminated in the 2nd round.

Still better than getting eliminated in the 1st round.... like Babcock this year!

No joke, that coach is soooo good that we beat them 4 times out of 4 this year. I wish we had a coach like this it would be amazing!

 

[FireBurningBin]

Still better than getting eliminated in the 1st round.... like Babcock this year!

No joke, that coach is soooo good that we beat them 4 times out of 4 this year. I wish we had a coach like this it would be amazing!

His success is irrelevant to his point, and to be honest he didn't have a lot of help in that regard.

I think it's valid to point out that Therrien and Bergevin's expectations for the club seem awfully low for the kind of talent we have on the club.

 

[417]

His success is irrelevant to his point, and to be honest he didn't have a lot of help in that regard.

I think it's valid to point out that Therrien and Bergevin's expectations for the club seem awfully low for the kind of talent we have on the club.

I doubt the internal expectations vs. the one's they portray to the media are always the same.

 

[la25ecoupe]

I doubt the internal expectations vs. the one's they portray to the media are always the same.

Could be true. But why an organization like the Maple Leafs can come out and say "we're aiming for the Cup, and making the playoff is not enough".

 

[FireBurningBin]

I doubt the internal expectations vs. the one's they portray to the media are always the same.

Well, I guess we'll see based on how Bergevin approaches this offseason and reacts to the play of the team going forward. It certainly seemed like the goal was just the playoffs, I'd suggest he'd rather not put more pressure on the squad.

 

[la25ecoupe]

Well, I guess we'll see based on how Bergevin approaches this offseason and reacts to the play of the team going forward. It certainly seemed like the goal was just the playoffs, I'd suggest he'd rather not put more pressure on the squad.

The thing is, Subban and Price don't care about playoff. They care about The Cup. I doubt these guys are pressured to win the cup.

 

[417]

Could be true. But why an organization like the Maple Leafs can come out and say "we're aiming for the Cup, and making the playoff is not enough".

Easy to aim high, when you've been at the bottom for so long

what else are they supposed to say

Either way...who really cares what's said at Press Conferences, doesn't really affect anything. It's all for the media

 

[Nynja*]

Easy to aim high, when you've been at the bottom for so long

what else are they supposed to say

Either way...who really cares what's said at Press Conferences, doesn't really affect anything. It's all for the media

For a team that has made the playoffs once in the past 10 years, you'd think the first goal would be to make the playoffs.

For a team that finished first in the division, then went to the ECF, then finished second in the league, the goal isnt "to make the playoffs", the goal should be to win the playoffs.

 

[smirob]

Easy to aim high, when you've been at the bottom for so long

what else are they supposed to say

Either way...who really cares what's said at Press Conferences, doesn't really affect anything. It's all for the media

The difference was, Babcock said "I don't want to just make the playoffs, I want to win the cup" whereas Bergevin said "At the beginning of each year our goal is to make the playoffs"

PCs are for real fans as well, not just the media. I look forward to seeing what Bergevin says, and wasn't thrilled with how he came off tbh.

 

[417]

Well, I guess we'll see based on how Bergevin approaches this offseason and reacts to the play of the team going forward. It certainly seemed like the goal was just the playoffs, I'd suggest he'd rather not put more pressure on the squad.

It's important to manage expectations in a market like Montreal...I think they've done a great job of that.

But the grace period is over. This team HAS to take the next step next year.

 

[417]

The difference was, Babcock said "I don't want to just make the playoffs, I want to win the cup" whereas Bergevin said "At the beginning of each year our goal is to make the playoffs"

PCs are for real fans as well, not just the media. I look forward to seeing what Bergevin says, and wasn't thrilled with how he came off tbh.

I don't think press conferences have any consequence on a teams fortune's whatsoever.

 

[417]

For a team that has made the playoffs once in the past 10 years, you'd think the first goal would be to make the playoffs.

For a team that finished first in the division, then went to the ECF, then finished second in the league, the goal isnt "to make the playoffs", the goal should be to win the playoffs.

So you really think that when the Habs made the playoffs this year...Marc Bergevin and his staff popped champagne bottles in celebration?

As I said, I don't really care about press conference..they rarely reveal anything of importance, furthermore, I find that Bergevin a weak public speaker. All I care about is his work as a GM and IMO, so far, so good.

HOWEVER, this is a key offseason for him and the Habs.

 

[Monctonscout]

They're hard to find because they bust more than they succeed.

The ones that don't bust are very valuable, so trading a guy like that way until you give him a chance to develop would be dumb.

TB would not play that style if they had MT. He's never coached that way in the NHL even when he had Crosby and Malkin.

Go check the GF GA when he was in Pittsburgh. Check his 1st year here with Kaberle/Diaz Gionta Ryder for a more skilled team.

Hard to play a high skill game when you only have 5 top 6 forwards.

You're not comparing the rosters.

What you did here was to take the offensive output of the Habs roster and assume it is the best possible outcome for that roster.


And since the Habs output is lower than TB output your conclusion is we don't have the team to play that style.

Our roster would score more playing wide open, but it would give up a boatload more goals and barely make the playoffs.

do you think the following 7 players are better suited to play a grinding style game vs a possession/passing style game?


Patches
Plekanec
Galch
Gallagher
Desharnais
Eller
Parenteau


and what about :

PK
Markov
Petry
Beaulieu



not exactly a core that screams "grind".

Parenteau belongs on a non playoff roster, he suits neither style. Not a good enough skater or hard working enough.

Eller is a lot more grinder than skill player.

Gallagher scores points WITH grinding, not a finesse guy.

Desharnais is similar to Gallagher, has to outwork guys more than "outskill them".

Galchenyuk has a lot of skill, but he plays a more individual game, he would need to mature to play that style game. TB guys move the puck quickly, not trying to deke everybody out 1 on 1

In order to play that style you need smaller, faster skilled forwards top 9...dump Eller Parenteau Weise Prust out of there.

The Defense is good at moving the puck and joining the rush, the forwards could not succeed at that style.

 

[Monctonscout]

Looks like NYR is realizing they can't beat Tb at their own game...

Renaud Lavoie ‏@renlavoietva · 3m3 minutes ago
#rangers Derick Brassard: "we won the President trophy by playing well defensively. We're try to play like them in the last 2 games."

Renaud Lavoie ‏@renlavoietva · 5m5 minutes ago
View translation
#rangers Derick Brassard: "on a gagné le trophée des Présidents en jouant bien défensivement. On tente trop de jouer comme eux présentement.

 

[CHwest]

It's important to manage expectations in a market like Montreal...I think they've done a great job of that.

But the grace period is over. This team HAS to take the next step next year.

I would bet on a step of regression. Hard to believe Carey can have another unworldly season, and hard to believe we will go another season with so few injury games lost. A lot aligned just right this past season, and this always seem to even out.

 

[Monctonscout]

So you really think that when the Habs made the playoffs this year...Marc Bergevin and his staff popped champagne bottles in celebration?

As I said, I don't really care about press conference..they rarely reveal anything of importance, furthermore, I find that Bergevin a weak public speaker. All I care about is his work as a GM and IMO, so far, so good.

HOWEVER, this is a key offseason for him and the Habs.

The press conference is 95% PR. Trying to get the media off his and MT's case.

 

[smirob]

I don't think press conferences have any consequence on a teams fortune's whatsoever.

I agree. But I think most fans would rather hear that our goal is the Stanley cup, even if it's just ear service.

The general feeling I got from that PC is that Bergevin is content with how we did, and has given up on developing Galchenyuk at centre.

 

[417]

I would bet on a step of regression. Hard to believe Carey can have another unworldly season, and hard to believe we will go another season with so few injury games lost. A lot aligned just right this past season, and this always seem to even out.

I'm ok with taking one step back to take two forward...the Habs are going to have to be very creative to find what they need to get them over the top. I don't think what ails the Habs can be cured in one offseason.

 

[Capitano]

I don't think press conferences have any consequence on a teams fortune's whatsoever.

You're right, but bottom line I wasn't happy with our playoff performance. The majority of us were screaming for a top 6 guy to help up front...MB said the prices were too high - ok I'll believe him.

But our conservative and PREDICTABLE offense made me want to puke in the playoffs. And the way he just made a joke about our PP and never really addressed the criticism about it really really made me angry.

Bottom line we weren't good enough and he should have taken ownership of that. This transition talk is getting annoying.

We just put too much pressure on Price to win...PK said it best...but MB didn't even mention how ANEMIC and PATHETIC our offense looked.

It boils my blood how he just made jokes. Last year I didn't feel this way...our guys were much more emotionally invested in the games...this year we just looked really flat imo.

I didn't like it, and if MB liked what he saw then by default I disagree with MB that this is the right coach for this team.

 

[OnTheRun]

I agree. But I think most fans would rather hear that our goal is the Stanley cup, even if it's just ear service.

The general feeling I got from that PC is that Bergevin is content with how we did, and has given up on developing Galchenyuk at centre.

Management won't be able to present themselves as the perpetual overachieving underdog if they start talking about the Stanley Cup.