Line Combos: Therrien Puts Juggling Lessons into Practice

[FrontierPsyCHiatrist*]

Briere says hello.

Bournival says salut.

 

[PhysicX]

On the bright side guys, we're approaching the end of the Desharnais fiasco. This isn't time to go into panic mode or ***** at the GM or the coach. It's ****ing time to rejoice! The end is near. This is as good as it can get for DD. If it goes well, and I god damn hope so, because I ultimately want this team to succeed, then I'll be somewhat happy and relieved. If there's no change at all, time to say bye to Desharnais and send him down to the Bulldogs.

Two or three games max is what I believe is left to this mess. I just don't see any other choice after this line tweak. Hence, I can't wait to see how this ends, but I just feel like it's almost over.

 

[Habs Icing]

What a gong show this has become. Bergevin needs to take Therrien's toys away from him and get DD off the team.

Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Gallagher would have been a much better line.

Or he can always go back to the two lines that were already successful this season with Bournival with Plekanec and EGG. Briere looked decent with Pacioretty...the habs need to stop catering to Desharnais. He's the only player who gets more opportunities the worse he plays. I've never ever seen a team try so hard to get one player going, to the point where successful lines have been broken up to accommodate him.

Although I agree with everything you guys said, there's an element that we're missing here.

Therrein works for Bergevin. MB is his boss. How many of you in your own jobs deliberately try to embarrass or point out your boss' mistake(s)?

Maybe Therrien is walking a fine line between getting his team to play winning hockey and not embarrassing MB.

MB got excited and prematurely signed DD. Then he went out & signed a UFA who made DD redundant or was redundant because we already had DD. Perhaps there is job etiquette that MT doesn't want to break.

I'm not saying this is 100% the case but Therrein has been let go twice in his career - maybe he has learned job politics along with hockey strategy.

 

[WeThreeKings]

This isn't catering to DD; it's catering to Pacioretty.

MT probably couldn't care less about DD. Him and Briere are interchangeable; and worst case scenario Bournival or Galchenyuk could play C as well.

But Pacioretty is pretty irreplaceable right now. Habs don't have many finishers and they need Patches' scoring back, badly. Right now he has 4 pts in 12 games, on pace for a whopping 24 pts season with 12 goals. Trying him with Galchenyuk, Eller or Plekanec didn't do squat. He looked completely disinterested and lost. So MT gave him his best bud DD back. Now he's giving them a player that will go to the net and draw coverage, so Patches can keep floating around in the high slot picking his ass while waiting for those DD set ups.

Seems that's the kind of player Pacioretty is shaping up to be. A sort of Nathan Horton: big winger who can skate and shoot, but not always "there", prone to getting injured and floating around with his head in the clouds. That's the explanation behind him playing on the PK now. "We have to keep him involved in the game". Meaning: he has troubles staying focused.

Eventually Pacioretty will have to be able to get out of his comfort zone (DD) and be able to produce with whoever he plays and produce his own scoring chance.

Uh, no, this is about DD.. Pacioretty isn't going to develop instant chemistry with any center in one game.. Just like Galchenyuk isn't going to go from wing to center in one game and be exactly everything you want. There's patience with DD but there isn't patience with anything else. Every alternative has to work immediately or its back to DD for 18=20 minutes a game, doing nothing but losing the puck and getting embarrassed in all 3 zones.

 

[Whitesnake]

Not sure how some posters could say that DD use is PR related and is there to not make Bergevin look stupid and then wake up and realize that Brière is on the 4th line...'cause wasn't he also suppose to be a PR move AND is he not a Bergevin move? Therrien is trying to have 3 good lines. As great as the kids are, we will NEVER win with 1 great line, and 3 other lines with the only mandate to not be scored on. There is no market for DD. So the decision is....should we hope he gets it going? Or are we better with Ryan White in the lineup.

Now....Bouillon on the #2 PP...that is awesomly and incredibly stupid. I think I'd even try Desharnais on the point on PP#2 before I even start to think that maybe I could somehow put Bouillon there....

 

[habdynasty]

Doing everything to help Desharnais produce.

Sickening really!

It really is sad, trying to get DD to produce over trying to win.

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

I'm getting tired to see Plekanec and Gionta together.

Pacioretty-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Eller-Bournival
Bourque-Briere-Gionta
Moen-DD-Prust

 

[TT1]

keep giving dd icetime, hes obviously deserved it

 

[WeThreeKings]

Not sure how some posters could say that DD use is PR related and is there to not make Bergevin look stupid and then wake up and realize that Brière is on the 4th line...'cause wasn't he also suppose to be a PR move AND is he not a Bergevin move? Therrien is trying to have 3 good lines. As great as the kids are, we will NEVER win with 1 great line, and 3 other lines with the only mandate to not be scored on. There is no market for DD. So the decision is....should we hope he gets it going? Or are we better with Ryan White in the lineup.

Now....Bouillon on the #2 PP...that is awesomly and incredibly stupid. I think I'd even try Desharnais on the point on PP#2 before I even start to think that maybe I could somehow put Bouillon there....

Well.. Pacioretty and Briere together produced a goal in one game together. However, it only took an additional period of decent, not great offensive hockey together, for Briere to be demoted and DD given every opportunity again to succeed. If it was about getting 3 good lines going, why break them all up so we have 0? We had 2.. with the promise of 3.. but DD was immediately pushed back. EGG line.. BPG line.. and Patches with Briere was totally fine, more production there in 4 periods than an entire season with DD.

Fact is, Therrien sucks, he's horrible at bench management, analysis, adjustments, he can't identify his best players and he can't put them in the best position to succeed. His entire game plan revolves around maximizing ice time and usage for DD and Bouillon. Once those two objectives are met and he gets to yell "STRONG ON PUCK", yell at the official and kick garbage cans.. it's a good night for Therrien.

 

[KoZed]

Not sure how some posters could say that DD use is PR related and is there to not make Bergevin look stupid and then wake up and realize that Brière is on the 4th line...'cause wasn't he also suppose to be a PR move AND is he not a Bergevin move?

Don't you get it? Every franco player on the Habs roster doesn't belong in the NHL and is only there because he's a PR stunt. (Bournival doesn't count because he's under 22 yrs old and isn't a first rounder)

Therrien is trying to have 3 good lines. As great as the kids are, we will NEVER win with 1 great line, and 3 other lines with the only mandate to not be scored on. There is no market for DD. So the decision is....should we hope he gets it going? Or are we better with Ryan White in the lineup.

Healthy roster for the 1st time of the season. Of course MT will try to have 4 lines that can do something offensively. I'd prefer Bournival with Plek instead of Bourque, but Briere lost of couple of gears with age and needs speed on his wings.

Now....Bouillon on the #2 PP...that is awesomly and incredibly stupid. I think I'd even try Desharnais on the point on PP#2 before I even start to think that maybe I could somehow put Bouillon there....

Emelin. There's no one I'd want more than Emelin there. Bouillon & Diaz suck. Neither can shoot or just keep the puck inside the O zone. Emelin + PK at the point for the full 2 mins.

 

[Whitesnake]

Well.. Pacioretty and Briere together produced a goal in one game together. However, it only took an additional period of decent, not great offensive hockey together, for Briere to be demoted and DD given every opportunity again to succeed. If it was about getting 3 good lines going, why break them all up so we have 0? We had 2.. with the promise of 3.. but DD was immediately pushed back. EGG line.. BPG line.. and Patches with Briere was totally fine, more production there in 4 periods than an entire season with DD.

Fact is, Therrien sucks, he's horrible at bench management, analysis, adjustments, he can't identify his best players and he can't put them in the best position to succeed. His entire game plan revolves around maximizing ice time and usage for DD and Bouillon. Once those two objectives are met and he gets to yell "STRONG ON PUCK", yell at the official and kick garbage cans.. it's a good night for Therrien.

Now...Therrien does suck. You know what I think about him. But as of now, based on the lack of results, he has no choice. We had the EGG line for quite some time....it worked....but not always. And when other teams catch up to the fact that we have only 1 line, there,s a freakin limit to what the kids can do. So Therrien tries to equilibrate it and hope that by doing it, you go from 1 great line and 3 medicore ones...to 3 good ones...and 1 mediocre one.

Surely, I would not have demoted Brière that soon. Made no sense, clearly the guy is more at ease at the center position and if we have to choose our poison, I would also choose Brière instead of DD......unless Therrien thinks that DD goal in the shootout got him going. And another thing we have to think about....this is a team. You sincerely think that every freakin player of this team is pulling for DD to add some points. By giving him all the chance in the world, you think that as a team, you are pulling in the same direction.

But I guess what we now need is to see DD not producing again so we'd go to pre-shootout mode and start benching him again.....Somehow though, I'm suspecting that on this board, with what we're seeing now, people will not wish he'd ever score on the shootout ever again....They'd take a lost better than to think that DD is rising in the lineup solely based on his shootout performances....

 

[Whitesnake]

Emelin. There's no one I'd want more than Emelin there. Bouillon & Diaz suck. Neither can shoot or just keep the puck inside the O zone. Emelin + PK at the point for the full 2 mins.

I know. I'd have EMelin there but I'd have any other forward that doesn't make it in the top 6 up front that could play the PP. Bouillon on the PP, frankly, for me makes less sense than anything related to Desharnais even if that doesn't always makes sense, to say the least. Everybody changed, every line changed. Everthing changed except one thing.....Bouillon on PP2. MAKES NO SENSE.

 

[Habs Icing]

Just cut the crap with DD right now.. it's time to cut our losses. There is better options on the team..

Pacioretty-Briere-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Eller-Bourque
Bournival-Plekanec-Gionta
Prust-White-Moen

You can switch Gallagher and Bourque if you want to keep the EGG line together but Galchenyuk and Bourque have had good chemistry the few shifts in the past.

Bouillon should be scratched for Murray.. PP1 should be Pacioretty-Eller-Galchenyuk with Markov-Subban.. PP2 should be Briere-Plekanec-Gallagher with Emelin and Diaz.

I like those lines except I would switch Bourque & Gallagher - simply to balance the size issue and yes I know Gallagher plays bigger than Bourque.

 

[hogtownhabsfan*]

This is what happens when the team isn't scoring. We need Vanek.

 

[Bloumeister]

 

[Gary320]

I'm getting tired to see Plekanec and Gionta together.

Pacioretty-Plekanec-Gallagher
Galchenyuk-Eller-Bournival
Bourque-Briere-Gionta
Moen-DD-Prust

Same here. I think Pleks and Gio have chemistry but it never really produces much. They've been together for way too long.

 

[CanadienShark]

Emelin. There's no one I'd want more than Emelin there. Bouillon & Diaz suck. Neither can shoot or just keep the puck inside the O zone. Emelin + PK at the point for the full 2 mins.

Has Markov retired or something? As well, Diaz is fine on our 2nd unit. I'd want Emelin + Diaz to be our #2 unit.

 

[otto bond]

The only duo still intact is Plekanec and Gionta.
Poor Plekanec, Gionta doesn't like rookies and is to small to play with DD

 

[Whitesnake]

THerrien lines though are just awful. I like WTK lines. Though, I also agree with Rosso that Gio and Pleks might be at the end of their shelf live...give them Bournival again and see how it goes. Yes, you see Brière on top, but choose your poison, and Brière needs a shot at his natural position. If DD can have so many shots at trying to get going, Brière could have at least 5-10 games to see what he could centering top 6 players.

Yes....Brière isn't perfect. Now....that team isn't as well and STILL is just a playoff contending team. As always.

 

[Bloumeister]

Andie Bennett ‏
@AndieCBC

Galchenyuk says we make too big a deal out of line mates. Practicing alongside Prust and Eller today.

Renaud Lavoie ‏
@LavoieRenaud
Michel Therrien sépare le trio des jeunes parce qu'il veut obtenir plus d'offensive.
#canadiens

 

[shamrun]

On the other hand if this does not work whats left to do with dd. Might be a last desperation move on the part of the coaching staff. The next person that will have to handle him is the gm.

 

[Gary320]

Andie Bennett ‏
@AndieCBC

Galchenyuk says we make too big a deal out of line mates. Practicing alongside Prust and Eller today.

Renaud Lavoie ‏
@LavoieRenaud
Michel Therrien sépare le trio des jeunes parce qu'il veut obtenir plus d'offensive.
#canadiens

To some degree, Chuckie is right. If you have good chemistry EVERYWHERE on the team (which it seems they do, judging from 24CH) then line matches won't really matter.

then again, if you have Moen and Prust and Galchenyuk for example.. that might be a bit of a worry.

or breaking up the Kid/Egg line.

 

[Big Lurk]

now.. would you trade...

Desharnais for JM Liles?

Pacioretty Brière Bourque
Bournival Plekanec Gionta
Galchenyuk Eller Gallagher
Prust White Moen

Markov Subban
Gorges Emelin
Liles Murray
Diaz

Bouiilon

Bold can be interchanged

?

 

[Le Barron de HF]

Well I get the move to put Gally with these two. They were good for 15-20 games last season before Gally got concussed. I would put Briere instead of Prust. That Plek line is good for a mistake free game and they proved last year that they can outproduce other team's top lines.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

I don't see why people cry about breaking the EGG line. Eller has the habs 2 best wingers on his side and Plekanec has gionta and bournival. At a certain point, mix it up.

Unfortunately, Gallagher is going to the DD line, not the Plekanec line. I wish I saw what Plekanec can do in a Galchenyuk-Plekanec-Gallagher line.

Also, is Gallagher 100%? I believe he dragged down the EGG line's ice time last game and he's still sick it juggling might even reduce DD's ice time.(Not likely but hey, being positive)

The one positive is Gallagher is really a solid player. He's like Koivu in a way that whoever he plays with can succeed. Maybe last year's line might spark DD again, I really don't know.

Essentially, for me I can see the pros and cons of such moves but if it doesn't work then the con will be emphasized. There's risks with every move and unfortunately when you're trying to spark 1-2-3 players in the line-up there's a chance you might completely ruin offense by splitting your most productive line. Then again, we scored 0 goals last game so can't go lower.