What Will: Improve/Regress/Stay the Same

[Lshap]

So here we are, almost 1/4 through the season, with the best record in the NHL, on pace for a ridiculous 125-point season... if nothing changes. But obviously things will change. Some elements will get worse, some will get better, and some may stay the same. How do you see it?

This Should Improve:

- Well, the PP, obviously. We're due for some of those shots to start bouncing in. Habs PP looks fine on the surface, and Gonchar's presence will help add some skill to the luck we've been missing.

- Penalties. Ridiculous how many minor penalties we get. We'll remain a highly-penalized team (Montreal typical) but I'm hoping we reduce the stupid ones a bit.

- Turnovers. Habs have the most in the league. They'll remain high because of the fast-pass, movement game we play, but hopefully our dmen -- new vets and rookies -- will connect better with the forwards over time.

This Should Regress:

- 5-on-5 scoring, but slightly. The Habs have been scoring very well 5-on-5, and their SH% is among the best in the league (Calgary and Tampa's SH% are highest). Plus, after a six-game win streak, our stats look as good as they're likely to be. Our SH% and 5-on-5 scoring are due to slip a little. Hopefully the more-aggressive style keeps this year's 5-on-5 scoring better than last year.

- Health. This is big. Habs have had no key injuries. Yet. This will change, unfortunately.

This Should Stay the Same:

- Price. As long as he stays healthy, Habs stay in the game.

- Rookies. I really want to see more of Beaulieu and any of Tinordi. I'd also love a couple of Hamilton callups, just to get their feet wet. But right now Therrien is playing the same cautious "Win-Now" game that burns out his vets by April. Plus there's the inevitable trade-deadline addition. Beaulieu will at least see the playoffs, but I'm losing hope that Tinordi will get the chance.

Click to read more...

 

[ZARTONK]

You obviously don't know anything about hockey... NOTHING WILL CHANGE!! WE WILL FINISH WITH 125 POINTS!!!

Stanley Cup here we come!!!!!!


OK, I'll stop now... Snap back to reality.

 

[Lshap]

You obviously don't know anything about hockey... NOTHING WILL CHANGE!! WE WILL FINISH WITH 125 POINTS!!!

Stanley Cup here we come!!!!!!


OK, I'll stop now... Snap back to reality.

Well, if this thread doesn't work with hockey, I'll just go ask the same questions about my marriage.

 

[ZARTONK]

Well, if this thread doesn't work with hockey, I'll just go ask the same questions about my marriage.

Do you expect the 5 on 5 to regress in your marriage?

And the price to stay the same?

 

[Deluded Puck]

Improve: The Desharnais thread post count.

 

[Lshap]

Do you expect the 5 on 5 to regress in your marriage?

And the price to stay the same?

Yeah, no matter what the game-plan, it all comes down to scoring slumps...

 

[Davebo*]

The big question I have is: How will the team respond to injuries to key players - will they step up, or fall apart?

We've a ton of depth - more than any time in recent memory. We should be OK but who knows how the team will react. I hope we never have to find out!

 

[Tarasenko]

Do you expect the 5 on 5 to regress in your marriage?

And the price to stay the same?

I see what you did there

 

[Habskrieg]

PP will slightly improve. For the last couple seasons, we've been in the bottom half most of the time. I like Gonchar so far, but I strongly doubt he'll make our PP a threat, or even decent. The problem is the players we were putting there before he arrived and the system the coach put for the PP.

Offense will regress. I'm glad we have three balanced lines. Eller is known to have long droughts after short big bursts. Maybe Sekac will be able to get him to be consistent. But I think it's asking a lot. I'm enjoying the hype right now, but I don't think it'll last. Habs are also known to have long dips in scoring after the kind of hot stretches we're having now. I'm hoping that Galchenyuk is having a break out season and that he'll ride it all season long with Pleks and Gallagher. I'm also waiting on DD to be more consistent, he's a slow starter. I'm not disapointed with PAP, but I'm not impressed all that much either. We'll see. I'm curious to see how we'll keep on going. But historically, we'll regress.

Defense will regress. Most of our D had been palying poorly for the beginning of the season. Gilbert and Emelin seem to have picked it up. Markov and Subban are playing better. Our top 2 have done plenty of boneheaded turnovers, there's a lot less of these. Subban seemed like he lacked confidence at some point. Seemed to have kept it simple for a little while, and looks like he's picking it up. I really wish we could have more of Tinner and Beaulieu. They didn't seem out of place to me, just lacked experience. Gonchar has been helpful so far. The only reason why I think it'll regress is because how old our defense is. They aren't as mobile and strong. This will most likely bite us in the ass. And we'll very likely lose some players to injuries.

PK will stay the same.

Our goalies will keep being as good as usual.

I love how are team is in the top. I hated how we were playing like **** for a long time. But we still managed to grab some very important wins in that bad stretch. I think we have a good team. But historically, we have these same periods in the season when we have major issues in many parts of our game, mainly offensively. Plus, I know we've gone far in last year's playoffs, but I don't trust our coaching staff apart from Waite. Each year, we have the same exact issues and we can't seem to correct those (PP, scoring, player treatment, etc...).

I want us to be the best team. I'm just managing my expectations and I see us going down in the standings.

 

[BLONG7]

Injuries/Depth are the keys to having a good season...obviously as stated our PP will keep getting better....never a big fan of sample sizes on anything this early...look at the Leafs last year, they went 3-13 in the last month...

 

[Takeru]

Improve: The Desharnais thread post count.

Nice one sir!

 

[Rapala]

Well, if this thread doesn't work with hockey, I'll just go ask the same questions about my marriage.

I don't know about you but my marriage is always better when the Habs are winning!

 

[Takeru]

Improve:
-hopefully, Galchenyuk will keep improving his decision making (really impressed by it recently, like his pass to Subban last Saturday)

-Beaulieu will start producing at a reasonnable pace, after struggling at the beginning of the season

-Injuries. Now I don't mean injuries are all positive, but to quote JFK, they also represent an opportunity. If it takes an injury to see guys like Beaulieu/Tinordi play on a more regular basis, then I don't think it would be all that bad. I'd be curious to see how we'd fare without DD, lot of people want him gone ASAP, this could tell us if we are already able to replace him.

Stay the same:
-Sekac will keep playing well and hopefully proves he isn't a bust (remember Fabian Brunnstrom)

Regress:
-If we continue riding our vets the way we've done so far, we'll pay for it sooner or later with undevelopped young players and overexerted vets.
Our recent good streak and spot in standings should give us the luxury of giving young players precious ice time, and I hope we will.

 

[Lshap]

Improve:
-hopefully, Galchenyuk will keep improving his decision making (really impressed by it recently, like his pass to Subban last Saturday)

-Beaulieu will start producing at a reasonnable pace, after struggling at the beginning of the season

-Injuries. Now I don't mean injuries are all positive, but to quote JFK, they also represent an opportunity. If it takes an injury to see guys like Beaulieu/Tinordi play on a more regular basis, then I don't think it would be all that bad. I'd be curious to see how we'd fare without DD, lot of people want him gone ASAP, this could tell us if we are already able to replace him.

Stay the same:
-Sekac will keep playing well and hopefully proves he isn't a bust (remember Fabian Brunnstrom)

Regress:
-If we continue riding our vets the way we've done so far, we'll pay for it sooner or later with undevelopped young players and overexerted vets.
Our recent good streak and spot in standings should give us the luxury of giving young players precious ice time, and I hope we will.

I agree with you about the kids and the vets heading in opposite directions over the course of the season. It all comes down to ice-time -- if the rookies get it, they'll improve; if the vets get too much, they'll wear out.

Whether that counts as an Improvement or Regression depends, of course, on Therrien.

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Improve - Subban, Sekac the PP, 1st period scoring, GAA

Regress - Winning %, Faceoff winning %, 3rd period scoring, OT/SO record

Injuries - Prust will be on the shelf soon if he doesn't stop fighting hacks and I hate to say it but Chucky seems to be unlucky - puck to the head from Pleks the other night and dropped by PKs blast the game before for example, but hope he doesn't miss anytime this year

Stay the same - Penalty Kill, DD & Pacs together, Beauieu fighting for ice time behind vets, leading the league in blocked shots

 

[Lshap]

Improve - Subban, Sekac the PP, 1st period scoring, GAA

Regress - Winning %, Faceoff winning %, 3rd period scoring, OT/SO record

Injuries - Prust will be on the shelf soon if he doesn't stop fighting hacks and I hate to say it but Chucky seems to be unlucky - puck to the head from Pleks the other night and dropped by PKs blast the game before for example, but hope he doesn't miss anytime this year

Stay the same - Penalty Kill, DD & Pacs together, Beauieu fighting for ice time behind vets, leading the league in blocked shots

Oh yeah... the quietly important Faceoff %. We're #1 in the league. If faceoffs do regress it won't be by much, since Malhotra has been among the NHL's very best over his career, and his mentoring has clearly helped DD and Eller. I don't think the Habs are on an unsustainable FO streak -- it seems to be a legit strength since Manny's joined the team.

 

[BLONG7]

Oh yeah... the quietly important Faceoff %. We're #1 in the league. If faceoffs do regress it won't be by much, since Malhotra has been among the NHL's very best over his career, and his mentoring has clearly helped DD and Eller. I don't think the Habs are on an unsustainable FO streak -- it seems to be a legit strength since Manny's joined the team.

Faceoffs, have been wow, to say the least...Malholtra has rubbed off big time!! Great to see!!!

 

[dutchy29]

I think it will all come down to work ethic, focus on getting better every day, never being satisfied with mediocrity, staying healthy.
If the Habs start to believe the hype about being great at only 1/4 way thru the season, they might lose sight of how to win.