The Montreal Canadiens' System

[rockjngo]

I'm a bit confused about our play system. Are we an offensive team? A defensive team? Somewhere in between? We don't score enough to be an offensive team, and we let in 3+ goals per game so not really defensive. Why are we a grinding team?

David Desharnais - 5'6" 160lbs grinder?
Brendan Gallagher - 5'8" 170lbs grinder?
Tomas Plekanec - 5'10" 180lbs grinder?
Brian Gionta - 5'7" 180lbs grinder?
Daniel Briere - 5'8" 170lbs grinder?
Brandon Prust - 5'11" 190lbs grinder? OK he is.
Mike Weaver - 5'10" 180lbs grinder?
Francis Bouillon - 5'7" 180lbs grinder?

We have the most players in the league under 6' and 180lbs and somehow we a grinding team. Are we going to grind our way beating Boston, Ottawa, Chicago, Anahiem, Toronto, St Louis, LA, San Jose? Why do we need to play a defensive system? We are not New Jersey, I remember the old days when we were always to top offensive team in the league.

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[JuicyHam]

Indeed. But, I don't think we need this thread, I am almost certain this is what every thread has turned into.

 

[overlords]

rockjngo is michel therrien

 

[Krnage]

 

[attachetatuque]

rockjngo is michel therrien

actually spilled my cheerios!

MT is looking for advice!

 

[googlymoogly]

Watching games I really can't tell what the system is. Must be why the players are as confused and regressing.

 

[habdynasty]

We may be the shortest team in the history of the nhl.

 

[JusticeBeaver]

Whatever it is, its a part of the problem.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

We may be the shortest team in the history of the nhl.

Who cares if we sign Briere, he's only a 'stop gap'.
Desharnais is a fine contract at 3.5/4yrs - he's earning his keep.
Gallagher is a hardnosed player.
Gionta is a leader, he has bucketfuls of heart.
Plekanec is a solid two way player.
etc.

Apparently team make-up doesn't matter at all to Habs management or coaching or fans.

 

[TRG]

Welcome to the weekly rockjngo useless thread!

 

[Hoople]

Welcome to the weekly rockjngo useless thread!

This is a very valid thread. The Habs are too small to play the type of hockey Therrien has them playing.

 

[AntonCH]

This is a very valid thread. The Habs are too small to play the type of hockey Therrien has them playing.

and we've never ever discussed this before ad nauseum

 

[Hoople]

and we've never ever discussed this before ad nauseum

Therrien is the new DD.

 

[That Habs Fan]

it's almost as if our coach is an idiot

 

[Zilo44]

I'm a bit confused about our play system. Are we an offensive team? A defensive team? Somewhere in between? We don't score enough to be an offensive team, and we let in 3+ goals per game so not really defensive. Why are we a grinding team?

David Desharnais - 5'6" 160lbs grinder?
Brendan Gallagher - 5'8" 170lbs grinder?
Tomas Plekanec - 5'10" 180lbs grinder?
Brian Gionta - 5'7" 180lbs grinder?
Daniel Briere - 5'8" 170lbs grinder?
Brandon Prust - 5'11" 190lbs grinder? OK he is.
Mike Weaver - 5'10" 180lbs grinder?
Francis Bouillon - 5'7" 180lbs grinder?

We have the most players in the league under 6' and 180lbs and somehow we a grinding team. Are we going to grind our way beating Boston, Ottawa, Chicago, Anahiem, Toronto, St Louis, LA, San Jose? Why do we need to play a defensive system? We are not New Jersey, I remember the old days when we were always to top offensive team in the league.

I agree with you, although you definitely used stats in your own interest.

1. Prust at 190 lbs ??? Really, and even if true, he is the perfect grinder
2. Bouillon is more like 200 lbs thab 180.
3. Weaver does not mind physical play
4. I know Desharnais is small but come on ! 5'6 160 can't be serious

Gallagher... He sure can take a hit (well he falls but never seems to get injured!

Other than that I have to agree with you

 

[Plante]

When did Pleks become small? Are we just gonna expand that until we hit anyone under 6'?

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

When did Pleks become small? Are we just gonna expand that until we hit anyone under 6'?

Pleks would fit in fine if it weren't for the rest of this teams' makeup - he doesn't play an expansive game, he has issues with physicality and there is NO way to spin his offensive performance in the playoffs. With 4 small players in the top6, Pleks falls down toward the small side too.

All that said, he's not a big player and he doesn't perform particularly well in the playoffs - so... it's no wonder that some people count him as one of the smurfs.

edit: not that I particularly dislike him, he's clearly the best centre on our team and he's obviously a good defensive player.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

Therrien's System:

 

[Apoplectic Habs Fan]

If we are talking actual system, I have no clue and it appears neither do the players still.

At almost the 70 game mark, players are still lost in the defensive zone, the slot is always open as are the points. To me it's like a 4 man box between the faceoff dots with one high man protecting the points. Clearly doesn't work.

They have no transition game as the forwards are always too far up ice and Mtl defenseman are pretty much told to chip off the boards all the time.

In the neutral zone they get shredded on a nightly basis. It's pathetic watching Boston start a 3 on 1 from their own faceoff circle in less the 3 seconds. Two quick passes and Mtl was done.

So it's either they are playing a crappy flawed system or the coaching staff haven't gotten them to buy into it this far into the season. Either way, it's a coaching issue.

 

[Habaneros]

We been stuck in this crap since we hired Martin

Martin hiring has fans wondering - Canada.com
www.canada.com/story_print.html?id=a393c450-f5e8-4fa1-85b2...‎
Dec 4, 2005 - What would Wayne Gretzky do if Jacques Martin was the coach of the ... with the dump-and-chase in an attempt to create scoring opportunities.

I Think Jacques Martin Should - Florida Panthers Message Boards
fans.panthers.nhl.com › ... › Hockey Talk › General Panthers Talk‎
Jan 2, 2008 - 17 posts - ‎13 authors
I Think Jacques Martin Should - posted in General Panthers Talk: ... I don't like the dump & chase style either, it makes me mad and I want to ...

Montreal Canadiens' Jacques Martin seeks solutions to ... -
Dec 7, 2011 - Montreal Canadiens' Jacques Martin seeks solutions to powerless play ... that's been replaced by the dump and chase, hoping to come out of ...

LetsGoPens.com • View topic - Game Plan decides Therrien abilities...
www.letsgopens.com/scripts/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=25442‎
May 28, 2008 - 3 posts - ‎3 authors
with the series shifting to pittsburgh therrien has to make some ... Obviously, the dump and chase strategy should be discarded immediately.

#FireTherrien | Fire Montreal Canadiens Head Coach Michel Therrien!
www.firetherrien.com/‎
A short list off the top of my head of idiotic coaching moves made by Therrien this .... to a dump and chase team that loses because the players aren't big enough.

Price struggles thanks to coaching schemes - Sportsnet.ca
www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/.../prices-struggles-all-about-coaching-schemes...‎
Jan 30, 2014 - The trend eerily mimics Therrien's misuse of Sidney Crosby and ... looks like he will remain patient with Therrien's dump-and-chase philosophy.

.........

 

[Habs13]

Wait, we have a system??

 

[Habaneros]

Wait, we have a system??

Yes the C.R.A.P system

 

[Hoople]

What a successful dump and chase looks like with forwards crashing toward the net.

What Therriens dump and chase looks like.

 

[Habs13]

You just can't play a successful dump and chase game if your forwards are too small to win puck battles along the boards and in the corners. You simply can not. People used to say "well, you can't hit what you can't catch" and other nonsense but when a small forward is trying to out grind a large defender, with a large center coming back, too... good luck!

 

[Habs13]

Yes the C.R.A.P system

Canadiens Rally Around Politics??