Ryan Dixon, you the real MVP

[Team_Spirit]

Sportsnet writer put to shame all the french media. Calls out MT pretty much weekly.

http://www.sportsnet.ca/author/ryan-dixon/


Do you agree with him?

Click to read more...

 

[Prairie Habs]

He seems like a tool

 

[WeThreeKings]

I'm a fan of his cider.

Dixon Cider. Great stuff.

 

[dukeofjive]

Dudes a closet hab fan

 

[Team_Spirit]

As for solutions, coach Michel Therrien seems prepared to try everything except the one move people in Montreal are increasingly clamouring for: Giving Pacioretty a centre other than David Desharnais.

Another option for having the puck more is calling up Nathan Beaulieu to play on the blueline. The youngster was squeezed out by the in-season acquisitions of Sergei Gonchar and Bryan Allen. While the former has fit in nicely, the latter just has trouble keeping up.

Beaulieu will make some youthful mistakes, but he drives play with his speed and needs time to grow at the NHL level. Bergevin has said time and again that the Canadiens are still very much a team trying to break into the NHL’s upper echelon; if that’s the aim, why not give some rope to a potentially impactful player who might help push you forward by season’s end?

Where are the trouble areas? Pretty much everywhere except the crease. P.A. Parenteau’s three game-deciding shootout goals this year notwithstanding, the Canadiens have demonstrated very little in the way of offensive acumen. Coach Michel Therrien’s lines have been in a constant blender, with plugger Dale Weise even seeing time on the top unit with Max Pacioretty and David Desharnais.

 

[ROSSter]

He's right on point.

 

[Team_Spirit]

They had this guy Bernard(?) on RDS 5a7.

He started saying something is really wrong with the team not showing up for 1/3 of the games. Then he said if the coach was named Randy Cunneyworth people would question him. That's when the 2 host stepped in to cut to the commercial break.


LOL

 

[Bob b smith]

THe media is getting a bit better recently. Damphousse called DD out. So did Carbo and someone else. Marinero has started getting on the case... Baby steps for the Montréal media... But if they dont do it, the rest of the hockey world will get on the case.

You just glance at the team's offensive numbers and you know something is really wrong in Montréal. First reflex for an outsider, why is there not more said about this?

 

[ROSSter]

I don't get the MT protectionism. Is it really just an extension of Quebec protectionism?
RDS always pumps the tires of french players.

 

[JayKing]

They had this guy Bernard(?) on RDS 5a7.

He started saying something is really wrong with the team not showing up for 1/3 of the games. Then he said if the coach was named Randy Cunneyworth people would question him. That's when the 2 host stepped in to cut to the commercial break.


LOL

lmao

I don't get the MT protectionism. Is it really just an extension of Quebec protectionism?
RDS always pumps the tires of french players.

to be fair, the English media hasn't asked the hard questions to Therrien either.

 

[Rapala]

lmao


to be fair, the English media hasn't asked the hard questions to Therrien either.

The good ole boys media club will ensure we get lollipops.
Very few card holding journalists looking to get blacklisted...

 

[DJ Breadman]

This guy really makes some great points, i'm going to read more from him

 

[HABSonaroll]

Agree - HABS Got to score more goals - lot's of them - time to catch up - GO HABS GO - Why no emoticon for a Slap shot

 

[Bob b smith]

I don't get the MT protectionism. Is it really just an extension of Quebec protectionism?
RDS always pumps the tires of french players.

Team 690 have been very soft on MT too. I guess they interact with him on a daily basis, it's sometimes harder to ask the tough questions.

 

[HTTP 400]

Did you guys really read the article?

He basically says splitting DD and Pacioretty isn't the answer to Habs offensive struggles and that he understands Therrien! Read again.

Sure, you can try to get a few more goals out of Pacioretty by putting him beside Plekanec or even Eller, but what happens to the line Desharnais now centres?

The one thing Therrien knows for sure is, for long stretches over the course of the past three-plus seasons, Desharnais and Pacioretty have been able to create some goals. His grip on that notion might be a little too tight, but it’s understandable nonetheless.

In this article, he basically says that the problem is that Pacioretty is the only goal scorer on the team. This is not that much directed toward Desharnais, but toward the other lines that fail to produce.

Plekanec is his topical self. Great first few games (9 points in 8 games), than turns into that 3rd line production for the rest of the year (9 points in 18 games). He's been doing that for years now, and he'll probably once again end the season with about 50 pts.

Eller is a pleasant surprise with Sekac. IMO, an interesting option would be to put Galchenyuk with them and give them PP time.

The Pacioretty-DD line isn't the problem, they are producing, even if it's all on Pacioretty, like that guy said.

EDIT : I'm also all for bringing back Beaulieu. But it's all on Bergevin. Trade away those old freaks you just traded for so that our prospects can develop properly.

 

[ECWHSWI]

Did you guys really read the article?

He basically says splitting DD and Pacioretty isn't the answer to Habs offensive struggles and that he understands Therrien! Read again.



In this article, he basically says that the problem is that Pacioretty is the only goal scorer on the team. This is not that much directed toward Desharnais, but toward the other lines that fail to produce.

Plekanec is his topical self. Great first few games (9 points in 8 games), than turns into that 3rd line production for the rest of the year (9 points in 18 games). He's been doing that for years now, and he'll probably once again end the season with about 50 pts.

Eller is a pleasant surprise with Sekac. IMO, an interesting option would be to put Galchenyuk with them and give them PP time.

The Pacioretty-DD line isn't the problem, they are producing, even if it's all on Pacioretty, like that guy said.

EDIT : I'm also all for bringing back Beaulieu. But it's all on Bergevin. Trade away those old freaks you just traded for so that our prospects can develop properly.

and what is the problem exactly with a 2nd line C producing 50 points ??

I mean, you're aware that not a single team in this league, none, even the best ones, have a top 6 made of 6 50 pts players right ? that even the best teams have to use a 50 points player on their 1st line... you know that right ??


and you go on saying DD-Patches isnt a problem because ONE of them produces ?? IT IS a problem, the C on that line is on pace for 40 or so points (remember, you said 50 pts for Plekanec is a problem ?!)... besides, it's not a duo if only one of the two is doing something...

but yeah I get it, it's a'right to keep DD there, cause well huh... someone else produces

 

[otto bond]

MVP? Not sure if he's saying anything that hasn't been said already, well amoung fans anyways.
For me personally, I have been disappointed most night, but more often then not this year, consoled with the wins but very down in the ways we have lost.
I see a team struggling along the board defensibly leading to more icing then actual zone break out...something that has been a problem since...Carbo's days. At least in those days, our PP was among tops in the league and in the end had decent offensive numbers
Montreal hasn't had a 100pts player since???? a 40g scorer since Damphouse and a 50g scorer since Richer and Kovalev with his 84pts was the only 80pts getter since the 90....also with out a top scoring center since Damphouse. Plekanec and Koivu did their best with 70is point season but that's it.
Has far has calling the coach, well why not. Well deserve.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

Did you guys really read the article?

He basically says splitting DD and Pacioretty isn't the answer to Habs offensive struggles and that he understands Therrien! Read again.



In this article, he basically says that the problem is that Pacioretty is the only goal scorer on the team. This is not that much directed toward Desharnais, but toward the other lines that fail to produce.

Plekanec is his topical self. Great first few games (9 points in 8 games), than turns into that 3rd line production for the rest of the year (9 points in 18 games). He's been doing that for years now, and he'll probably once again end the season with about 50 pts.

Eller is a pleasant surprise with Sekac. IMO, an interesting option would be to put Galchenyuk with them and give them PP time.

The Pacioretty-DD line isn't the problem, they are producing, even if it's all on Pacioretty, like that guy said.

EDIT : I'm also all for bringing back Beaulieu. But it's all on Bergevin. Trade away those old freaks you just traded for so that our prospects can develop properly.

I think he's not as hardcore as many here are regarding the DD-Max duo.

Ryan suggest that the duo has never been broken up but seems unsure on if it would have the positive impact many here believe.

He's fairly objective. Stating that while the DD-Max duo is in need of change, the rest of the team still lacks a scoring punch. He cites our lack of 1st period goals, that the habs only hit top 10 in goal scoring once in last 6 years. He asks whether Galchenyuk will find another gear to add an offensive spike. He brings up the PP slowly coming around. Brings up recall Beaulieu for an offensive punch and that Allen looks lost, etc...

While some here feel "remove DD and all is solved" he's taking a reasonable approach and saying "Remove that duo and we still lack some scoring punch. People need to step up their game and/or guys like beaulieu need to be recalled. The PP needs to improve, Subban needs to do more, Galchenyuk needs to do more, etc..."

Which is fair.

 

[SB164]

The good ole boys media club will ensure we get lollipops.
Very few card holding journalists looking to get blacklisted...

Honestly, the last time I remember any of these cowardly sports journalists having the balls to ask a tough question was the young reporter Jessica Rusnak asking Jacques Martin why Erik Cole wasn't used on the PP. And of course, Jacques Martin more or less mocked her by laughing it off and giving a condescending answer while her yellow-bellied co-workers said nothing.

Also, I still think it's absolutely disgusting how Randy Cunneyworth was treated for being a so-called "unilingual coach."

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Well, finally.

Therrien legit seems to be the only person who can't ****ing see it and will ****ing die with the combo of Pacioretty-Desharnais before splitting them up, it seems.

I remember that pre-season game where Pacioretty-Galchenyuk were buzzing and creating numerous opportunities and it was their first time playing with each other.