Our forward group itself

[Capitaine Subban*]

The forward who can consistently enter the zone with the puck on his stick is actually Eller.
It isn't even close. We know how MT loves him...

I have posted earlier:

Originally Posted by etnicay
Dumping the puck is not a system, it is a way to enter the zone. MT hate creating turnovers at the opponents blue line so he seems to ask his player to be consevative there.But when we have space entering the zone, our forward cant make great individual move to create great chances because most of them dont have the right skillset to play like Tampa.

-Galchenyuk has good deking ability, is a good passer but lack of shooting accuracy and take dumb decision so often with the puck so far in his career. (he will be able to create these play in the future though)
-Gallagher is not a creative player and has weak shot. (still a valuable player though)
-Plekaneck is our best center overall but is not the type of player that create tic-tac-toe type of play
-Pacioretty is our only gifted scorer but is no playmaker, he tries but is not that good at passing the puck to the tape of his teammate.
- DD has great hockey sense but lack of speed, deking ability and shooting range to be consistently a threat at creating great plays.
-Eller is Eller
So who should be creating those tic-tac-toe play in our team ?





I agree with what u said but Eller is an enigma offensively to me, he controls the puck with confidence but he rarely create great plays that results as a tic-tac-toe type of play or a great shot because he lacks vision & have an average hock sense. I wanna see Eller play on the top 6 & on pp consistenly to see if he can be creative with more confidence, but yeah MT & Eller ...

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Impossible to tell since every line is instructed to play the same way, we've reduced our top 6 to the lowest common denominator

4th line grinders

Even tried to make Vanek a 4th line grinder

Price said at the end of the playoffs that the team is very skilled and creative - in practice

You look at the pedigree of our players and the numbers they put up in other leagues and it's easy to see guys they were comparable to that have been given the opportunity producing more, maybe the teams have had less success but the forwards would be rated above average

I'd say our players are above average and coached to play below average

 

[Rapala]

I agree dumping is a means and Should Not be a SYSTEM....
unfortunately we have made it systemic or it is just a bad habit?
The one fundamental that seems to be getting overlooked is the basic pass.
Teams who can gain the Ozone with ease have one thing in common they pass the puck well as a team.
We are taught at the age of 4 that the puck travels faster than any skater.
Someone needs to show MT some of those old Peter Puck animations from the seventies ffs.
This is the one thing plaguing this team for two years running.
We are the worst team in the league converting odd man situations IMO.
There is no wonder why our PP struggled so horribly.
if you can't pass the puck ...

 

[shawdowmaker]

What can you expect from a team that acquires : Malhothra, Allen, Mitchell, Flynn, DSP

 

[Mrb1p]

If used properly, I'd stack Pacioretty, Galchenyuk, Eller, Gallagher and Plekanec are a good bunch of players.

They stack up well against most top 6 in the league... We are only missing one player that can fit in that missing RW role, either 2nd or 1st.

Look around the league, not many teams have a better forward core than we do, they're just used to the best of their ability, not to prop up some players.

 

[Teufelsdreck]

Beyond Gallagher, there's no RW who's average or above.

 

[Wats]

Perron was acquired for a late first. I'm sure young 50-60 offensive wingers are out there. I think people overrate how difficult it is to acquire 2nd line wingers. Its the Subbans and Paciorettys (prime Plekanec too imo) that Habs would need to give up arm and a leg for...decent 2nd liners get moved fairly often.

 

[habsterr]

Voted below average
The top 6 is quite lacking 1 or 2 good scorers, players like Parenteau, Weise and Desharnais should not be in top 6. While the 3rd/4th lines did play to expectation, but the group itself is average.

 

[montreal]

Beyond Gallagher, there's no RW who's average or above.

even Gallagher isn't that much above average. Love the way he plays but not the most skilled guy.

 

[Hackett]

As much as it pains me to say, this group is below average up front.

Going back to last year, I believed that the habs had enough to spread their scoring over three lines. That's not to say that I believed they were an offensive powerhouse, but I thought they could have had a balanced attack.

However, that assessment appears to be way off. Its not a team that employs a creative attack or anything, but even when chances arise, I'm often profoundly frustrated from a lack of finish. And if I'm not frustrated with the finish, I'm pulling my hair out on odd man rushes that disintegrate without a meaningful shot attempt.

A bonafide top 6 winger would be the next item on my wish list now that Petry is signed. Much easier said than done, I know.

 

[Deluded Puck]

It's certainly not great, but the coaching of it only exacerbates the flaws.

He's got enough weapons not to be bottom 3rd. Middle of the pack is enough with Price and the number of puck moving D there is on the roster.

You can't tell me that Galchenyuk and Parenteau aren't top 6 material when the game plan isn't geared towards maximising their strengths.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

It's certainly not great, but the coaching of it only exacerbates the flaws.

He's got enough weapons not to be bottom 3rd. Middle of the pack is enough with Price and the number of puck moving D there is on the roster.

You can't tell me that Galchenyuk and Parenteau aren't top 6 material when the game plan isn't geared towards maximising their strengths.

This in a nutshell

http://thehockeywriters.com/square-pegs-in-round-holes-miscast-montreal-canadiens/

 

[overlords]

even Gallagher isn't that much above average. Love the way he plays but not the most skilled guy.

Gallagher is easily an above average player/forward.

 

[CanadienShark]

Top to bottom, average.

Top 6, below average.
Bottom 6, above average.

 

[OneSharpMarble]

A better system isn't going to turn a bunch of 2nd/3rd liners into top tier talents. Our system sucks but we also don't have the talent/finish to compete.

 

[JLP]

Below average. You can't squeeze blood from a stone and we can't get more goals from our top six. We spend more than any other team on our Goaltender and Defencemen, it seems the top six is not a priority. Desharnais is a catastrophe, it is mind-numbing that a coach would build his offense around a feckless midget.

 

[Hawkeye71980]

They are average. Patches is a top end talent. Eller, Pleks, Gally and Chucky are 2nd line talent at this point. So overall that's average as not every team in the NHL has 3 top end forwards. 1 plus 4 2nd line talent is pretty good in todays NHL. It won't win us a cup, but hard to say it's below average if we consistently win atleast 1 rnd each season and are among the top in the NHL during the reg season.

 

[Lshap]

A better system isn't going to turn a bunch of 2nd/3rd liners into top tier talents. Our system sucks but we also don't have the talent/finish to compete.

Below average. You can't squeeze blood from a stone and we can't get more goals from our top six. We spend more than any other team on our Goaltender and Defencemen, it seems the top six is not a priority. Desharnais is a catastrophe, it is mind-numbing that a coach would build his offense around a feckless midget.

It'll be interesting to see how the offence adapts to the incoming prospects who are mostly small and skilled. Our top-nine is due to have a turnover of personnel with guys like Andrighetto and Hudon getting close, plus whatever trades or UFAs happen. Despite the repetitive jokes, Therrien isn't going to transform smallish skill players into 'grinders'. We drafted small guys who play an offensive game and they've been developing well playing that style. Once they become Habs they'll undoubtedly learn a more two-way style, but that doesn't mean it'll detract from the offensive skills that got them there.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

A better system isn't going to turn a bunch of 2nd/3rd liners into top tier talents. Our system sucks but we also don't have the talent/finish to compete.

It's not just the system though, it's how they're used. Eller is easily a 50 point guy if used properly. Galchenyuk should've been 60+ points this season. Even under bad systems these guys should be doing better than they are. It's not just that we play terrible systems its that we play inferior players. Under no circumstances should Dale Weisse be on the first line.

If you REALLY want Galchenyuk on the wing, then play him on the first line on the right side. Give him an opportunity at least to be on the ice with Max. What's happened with Eller is inexcusable and DD is that tail that wags the dog. It's like we go out of our way to ice the dumbest lineup possible.

 

[Mrb1p]

A better system isn't going to turn a bunch of 2nd/3rd liners into top tier talents. Our system sucks but we also don't have the talent/finish to compete.

Not true.

Look at the 2013 season.

Galchenyuk and Gallagher were able to play at a 50 points pace in their first year, unless you think their developpement has stagnated (Clearly, it didn't the way they both played during the season, no matter the points for Galchenyuk and the end of season.), Eller was able to notch a 50 point pace, Pacioretty was at a 70 point pace, Plekanec at a 60 points pace...

The system is clearly hurting production and creativity. The usage of Galchenyuk is what kills us the most. Galchenyuk's usage can be compared to a soccer mom driving a jeep on 37" inch tires or someone driving a big rig to the grocery store.

 

[SirClintonPortis]

Not true.

Look at the 2013 season.

Galchenyuk and Gallagher were able to play at a 50 points pace in their first year, unless you think their developpement has stagnated (Clearly, it didn't the way they both played during the season, no matter the points for Galchenyuk and the end of season.), Eller was able to notch a 50 point pace, Pacioretty was at a 70 point pace, Plekanec at a 60 points pace...

The system is clearly hurting production and creativity. The usage of Galchenyuk is what kills us the most. Galchenyuk's usage can be compared to a soccer mom driving a jeep on 37" inch tires or someone driving a big rig to the grocery store.

More like trying to transmute a BMW into a Toyota Corolla. Maybe not even a Toyota. A Suzuki.

 

[Mrb1p]

More like trying to transmute a BMW into a Toyota Corolla. Maybe not even a Toyota. A Suzuki.

Well, this can work too