The Almost Habs

Clearly the main-stream sports media expected this to be a disastrous season for the habs. I thought they would have a slim shot at the playoffs more because teams tend to rebound after an extremely poor season and athletes do have some pride and relish the underdog role.

 

 

The reality is the habs almost made the playoffs and the habs also have a pretty decent record. The leafs, who were and are considered cup contenders, will finish with less than a double digit lead on the habs. The games between these clubs were close, the habs outshot the leafs in all their games and the outcome could have gone either way. If the habs had won them they would be in the playoffs.

 

The important things Bergevin did last off-season were more who he subtracted from the habs than who he added. Galchenyuk was clearly not working out both with his defensive liabilities and his off-ice antics. His offensive capabilities were minimized by these liabilities. Pacioretty who had been very productive in the past did not seem to have the leadership qualities needed in a captain. He had an understated perimeter style of game that did not inspire confidence. Turning thirty and about to become a UFA, Bergevin had to decide if Pacioretty was worth the risk of a long term lucrative contract. Finally, the removal of Markov the previous year and Plekanec this year forced Bergevin and the conservative Julien to rely on the younger players.

 

This is not to say the habs will be as competitive next year. The devils and the flyers  made  the playoffs last year and now are not very good and were never in the playoff picture. As Bob Dylan wrote things change.

The issues of contention for the habs looking to next year is mainly at a structural  level. One structural issue is the fact Shea Weber and Carey Price the two highest paid players on the habs should be winning stanley cups this year not two or three years down the road. The other issue is the woeful anemic powerplay. Clearly, the habs need a sniper to get them a goal when needed. The Bruins have Pastrnak and Marchand, the Leafs have Matthews and Tavares, Tampa has three 40 goal scorers, Washington has Ovie, etc. There may be some free agents available this year including Jeff Skinner and Jordan Eberle. As is the case for most free agents. nothing is certain they will be as productive in a new team environment. In other words it is always a gamble. As we are also aware, few free agents are attracted to the playing environment in Montreal anymore. Taxes, language, media, and snow are detriments.

 

On an individual basis many players shone and others not so much. For the newcomers, Max Domi made many quickly forget  Tomas Plekanec and Alex Galchenyuk. He should be ensconced as the second line center for many years to come. His take no prisoners attitude fits in well with the likes of the tenacious Gallagher and the edgy Andrew Shaw. Even though small in stature, Domi has hockey skills his dad could only dream of. As well, the habs next great center hope, Kotkaniemi, played way above expectations in the first half of the season. He has excellent hockey instincts. He wore down in the second half and will, when fully developed physically,  wreak havoc on the ones that pushed him around as a teenager. One note of concern is his skating and if he improves this area, he will be a number one center for a long time. Tatar clearly has mucker and dirty spots in his vocabulary, something Pacioretty never cared or bothered to learn. Kulak has been a surprise as well  and seems to be the steady hand to settle the maverick playing style of Jeff Petry. Noah Juulsen looked really good before his injury and if he recovers will become an important defenceman. Victor Mete has made Weber’s comeback seem better than it might. Mete’s main weakness is his physical stature. In the new NHL his speed compensates for this deficiency. Yes he will score. Finally there are a number of prospects in the organization that could become regulars in the near future.

Some of the regulars from the previous year improved their game.  Phil Danault had an above average year but still should be the third line center on a well structured team. Andrea Shaw, as well, had a very good year and should also be playing on the third line. Gallagher remains a steady producer and leader of the muckers. Jeff Petry reminds one of a Navy Seal who plays a high risk game to get results and was a vast improvement from the previous year. 

 

The expected keys to the habs team this year were the highest paid players Price, Weber, and Drouin. Carey Price, the world's most expensive goalie, had a  panicky start and began to slowly make the climb back to respectability around December and finally started playing above average in the second half of the season. However, is he the difference maker in games that count? He does not consistently play at a high level in these games and in many of them the opposing goalie did better. The Calgary Flames with average goaltending finished first in the western conference. Thus this begs the question how important is goaltending? Price has won nothing with the habs.

 

 

Shea Weber did perform better than expected after his injury return. He seems to inspire his teammates to play at a high level including his buddy Carey Price. There are obvious issues with his mobility and these are somewhat mitigated by Mete’s quickness. His legendary cannon of a shot is still lethal. He does not play physical any more even though he is a physical presence. It is difficult to forecast how he will play in the future. His lengthy injury absence could mean what you see is what you get he will never be the same player he once was. It could also mean he will be better next year after half a season under his belt.

Jonathan Drouin had his moments this year. The problem was they were the exception rather than the rule. He has hockey skills few have, can make passes few can,  but he does not seem to show up when it counts. Unfortunately, he appears to fall in the same defensive liability rut that Galchenyuk found himself for many years. As well, he seems to be the antithesis of the mucker type of player that Domi and Gallagher are. He has body language that exudes a lackadaisical demeanor.  He is a perimeter player. Going down the stretch in a  playoff race he simply was invisible most nights. In Drouin’s case,  patience could be a virtue and maybe he will reach the heights many thought he could aspire for. However, patience has its limitations as Galchenyuk found out.

  

The final part of my blog deals with the coaching staff. Who was responsible for the putrid powerplay? Who was responsible for the inconsistent penalty killing? Who was responsible for oddly installing Lehkonen with Domi and Shaw, Drouin with Weal and Armia, and Thompson with Kotkaniemi and Byron? Let us just say the players played above expectations in spite of the coaching. Julien has a tendency to jettison productivity in order to go back to his defensive instincts. It does not work in the new NHL and as Quenneville found out either adapt or be gone. Trotz has it figured out.