I know we have a good record but our skill depth has not been impressive of late. At the begginning of the year, I thought we were sort of a poor man's Buffalo Sabres in terms of skill depth but now I realize I was wrong. We really lack depth up front when we're playing the likes of Begin, Murray, Downey, and Lats in the same lineup. That's just too many weaknesses.
The 4th line has got to be put out of its misery. Send Murray to the minors. Call up Lapierre and Kostitsyn. Let Downey watch games from the pressbox. I like what somebody else said about moving Perez back to the 3rd line and putting Kostitsyn on the 2nd line.
Also, I can't wait to get Dandenault and Bouillon back so that Streit and Niinimaa can watch the games in their suits.
I know we have a good record but our skill depth has not been impressive of late. At the begginning of the year, I thought we were sort of a poor man's Buffalo Sabres in terms of skill depth but now I realize I was wrong. We really lack depth up front when we're playing the likes of Begin, Murray, Downey, and Lats in the same lineup. That's just too many weaknesses.
The 4th line has got to be put out of its misery. Send Murray to the minors. Call up Lapierre and Kostitsyn. Let Downey watch games from the pressbox. I like what somebody else said about moving Perez back to the 3rd line and putting Kostitsyn on the 2nd line.
Also, I can't wait to get Dandenault and Bouillon back so that Streit and Niinimaa can watch the games in their suits.
While I agree we need some help up front at the moment to shake up some guys, I still think this team has alot of potential but we just arent playing good hockey at the moment... As I said in another post, those guys have to get their *** kicked thats plain simple... Carbo has to make the practices more intensive concentrated on speed and puckmovement.. At the moment we are "outspeeded" and outworked... The main prob at the moment is the work ethic and thats what desapoint me the most considering Gainey had been able to make these guys working hard every games at the end of the last season, I thought the work ethic wouldnt be a prob anymore but I was wrong, some players are just not working hard enough, not winning their battles along the board, not hustling hard and it has to stop... Maurice has been able to introduce a perfect work ethic and watch the Leafs play at the moment, some Leafs vets said the last training camp was the hardest ever... At some point you have to stop to pamper these guys, they are professionals, are paid to win hockey games and if it requires the hard way to get them going, I say let make them really earn their paycheck!!
Everyone keeps saying "we have a good record...we have a good record" like a broken record...
In our last 10 games we've done worse than 7 out of the top 8 teams in the East and if things will continue going they way they are we will come back home after this road trip to realize that we are no longer in a playoff spot.
Mediocrity everywhere. We are also one of the few playoff teams in the East not to win at least three straight and we haven't had a terribly difficult schedule so far.
Habs have been giving up the 4th most shots on goals against in the entire NHL this year at 32.7 shots per game. Only Boston, Pittsburgh, and Washington are worse. This stat, in my opinion, is one that is reflective of coaching. Shots on goal against were something that Claude Julien trimmed big time and made respectable for us after abysmal stats in this category during the Therrien era (also see Pittsburgh at 34.2 shots against per game).
Is anyone else concerned that maybe Carbo isn't such a good coach? Our discipline is horrid, we don't show up for games against arguably our biggest division rival, line-up adjustments during games aren't happening as weak players are getting far too much ice-time when we need goals, and I'm also wondering about the overall physical conditioning of this team. Also, the shots on goals against seems to be getting worse as the season goes on.
From what I've seen, this is a team that has been regressing since the start of the year.
I don't see how it's a team that's regressing since the start of the year, given the fact that Tuesday night was one of the best games Montreal's played this season. Perhaps you're overreacting to a lackadaisical performance last night.
Shots against aren't a major concern. It's more indicative of the fact that Montreal's had poor discipline this year.
The problem goes far beyond a poor fourth line and injuries as NewHabsArea and P1x44r both mentioned. As to the lack of skill depth on the fourth line I will ask where is the skill on the first, second and third lines? To me skill up front means being able to score goals, pass the puck, make plays and at the very least hit the net when you shoot at it.
We send 1 guy to "forecheck" while the others try to pick guys up as they attack us. In our zone we play this semi-zone defense I guess you could call that is completely reaction based. We take no charge or control and and try to react to what their team is doing. I think thats a reason why we look like we are beaten to every puck when we play hardworking teams and are top 5 in penalties taken.
We have enough skill and need to start dicating the pace of the game. I've seen us dictate the pace very little this year. Muller has the right idea on the penalty-kill. Be agressive, and be proactive. If we start doing that 5-on-5, you'll see an improvement on penalties and shots against.
I know we have a good record but our skill depth has not been impressive of late. At the begginning of the year, I thought we were sort of a poor man's Buffalo Sabres in terms of skill depth but now I realize I was wrong. We really lack depth up front when we're playing the likes of Begin, Murray, Downey, and Lats in the same lineup. That's just too many weaknesses.
The 4th line has got to be put out of its misery. Send Murray to the minors. Call up Lapierre and Kostitsyn. Let Downey watch games from the pressbox. I like what somebody else said about moving Perez back to the 3rd line and putting Kostitsyn on the 2nd line.
Also, I can't wait to get Dandenault and Bouillon back so that Streit and Niinimaa can watch the games in their suits.
The Buffalo Sabres had their butts handed to them last Saturday by this very Leaf squad. Does this mean Buffalo's depth is also lacking? Of course not. Montreal has the tools. What killed them last night were two ridiculous pcuks shot over the glass and 2 goals scored on PP's as a result of it. That took the wind out of the sails for the Habs as they did it to themselves and the Leafs capitalized on it.
Maurice is a hell of a coach, and as much as i can despise anything emanating from the Leafs' franchise, I got to hand it to the guy, he turns a bunch of greens into bleedin' gold. Even without Sundin, our arch-nemesis, they still turned us around and made us scream for mercy.
This was the first game of the year I managed to see from here in Finland. Sad, sad beginning.
I have to agree with the post by LesHabsRock. What killed the game last night was the amount of penalties. You have to hit to boards or glass when trying to clear the puck. The two penalties taken for delay of game were just plain stupid. As far as the other penalties, how can any team compete when they accumulated a total of 10 minutes of penalties in the second period. That's half the period a man down and it wears on the defence as well as the goalie. On the other hand could have been a few more penalties called the other way too. The Leafs got away with a few. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to blame the refs. The Habs need to be way more careful with their sticks. 5 penalties for illegal stickwork, two for holding and two for shooting the puck over the glass. IMHO this team doesn't lack depth, it seems to be lacking discipline. Taking 8 penalties to the other teams 3 is not a good way to try to win a game.
