The other day, wandering around Youtube, I bumped on the video by Will.I.Am on U.S. President elect, Barak Obama.
Putting aside the great idea of having a guitar playing as the background to a piece of eloquence, I was reminded of the Montreal Canadiens when i heard the people scream, “We want change!”
Not so much on the “yes we can” though. We kept saying that through the entire summer, and it seems it hasn’t printed well in the players minds quite yet.
“Yes we can to opportunity and prosperity,” as well as scoring on the powerplay.
“We know the battle ahead will be long, but always remember, that no matter obstacles stand in our way, nothing can stand in the way of the power of millions of voices calling for change.”
But what about those who boo your name in your own building?
Yes we want change, and head coach Guy Carbonneau is working on them.
His latest move? The power play unit.
Josh Gorges played on the man advantage with Andrei Markov last night, against the Islanders. Gorges scored his first goal as a Montreal Canadien, on a feed by Alexei Kovalev.
Carey Price had shattered his stick a few practices ago to break the no-goal curse. He should probably start smashing those on other team-mates as well, to break whatever curse there is.
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Because the more we go on, the more the team seems to be stuck in a third dimensional game made of missed shots, penalty killing, and misfortune.
And now, it seems Ryan O’Byrne just burnt a few chances to come back from the twilight zone. The zone where fans will now keep a record on your every move and watch yourf every mistake until you score a wining goal for the team.
Yes, that was an unlucky goal, but Price couldn’t exactly go back diving on the ice (the Patrick Roy way) to save the game. At least, now he can campaign for TLC: live and learn!
However, despite the fact that I do agree with Maxime Lapierre when he says that O’Byrne shouldn’t be blamed more than any other for the loss, (RDS.ca) I keep wondering what that player is all about.
Matt Eichel said it right, he is not the same as last year anymore.
He has been shaky since the start of the season, and now things are getting worse. Not only for him, but also for the team. Guy Carbonneau’s job is to win games, not to play the babysitter. That is just my own humble opinion though, we will see how it goes.
Is it frustrating? Hell yeah! How can a fan pretend to be cool with the fact that his team has the most struggles in the world, to post two wins in a row?
However, frustrating but NOT desperate!
While Carbonneau must have discovered himself a new degree of tolerance that he thought he would never have, line changes, switches, and moves won’t work as long as the players do not get their minds printed with a giant "D" (not defence, although it would help, but determination).
As the coach said two years ago in a heated interview after playing Detroit, neither he nor Kirk Muller can get on the ice. Once the pre-game speech is over, there is little left to control.
It seems the players leave everything to their so-called talent. But the talent doesn’t show without a score sheet, unless we are in a league of invisible goals. In that way, the Montreal Canadiens already won a few Stanley Cups.
There has to be that sparkle, the hunger for the puck as Alexei Kovalev used to call it. Well, Saint Hubert has probably filled that hunger.
Jacques Demers can wish whatever he wants to Saku Koivu, the Captain won’t be able to defend the net, the blue line, and score all the goals by himself. Please refer to Jacques Demers’s speech at Patrick Roy’s ceremony, wishing to Koivu to win the Stanley Cup. Hum, coach, they can’t even have a decent attack.
So Santa, this year, I would like to see a much determined and motivated team. They could start wining, for a change.
I know a brand new Aston Martin DBS, 6.0 litre-V12 powered sounds easier, Santa, but come on, look at them!
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about 1 month ago
Habs are falling apart.Veterans not helping youngsters, PP not happening and Carbonneau looks depressed. What's the answer? The team needs a whipping and a big one!
As always nice read Miah!
from about 1 month ago
thanks Dan!
"Carbonneau looks depressed" ... lol! well, at least we are not that far from last year's record after 20 games. i think it is not as bad as it looks! lol
about 1 month ago
Jacques Demers is still trying to spell Saku Koivu correctly. He constantly calls him Sako Koivo. :)
from about 1 month ago
i know! lol
i was stunned when he talked about Koivu, i was like what is he talking about! i wonder what Koivu was thinking !
about 1 month ago
In my book, it will take 10 awesome plays that lock up games for O'Byrne to be forgiven.
The best question is how long can this crap continue before Guy Carbonneau’s job get put on the line? For better or worse, he's the man responsible. If he can't coax or scare performance out of the squad, it's unlikely they will get rid of half the roster. Then the axe falls on the coach.
None of this should be construed as wishing for Guy to be sent on his way. I loved him as a player and think he is the right type to lead the Habs.
from about 1 month ago
J.C.,
They won't fire Carbonneau now.not during the 100th year anniversary. They'll keep him until the end of the season and see what happens after.
from about 1 month ago
i dont know ... what if the habs keep playing bad?! would they want to sacrify the season coz it is the centenary?
ah Carbonneau is a warrior!
about 1 month ago
With any coach that comes, I'm sure it'll be the same saga. Well...I feel it make like much harder because these guys actually will start sucking if Carbo leaves. Right now, looks like our season is on the line....ok...maybe not...maybe....nevertheless, there is no reason to have a poor performance stating it's just the beginning. You start saying that every game and half the season will be over. These guys get paid to put the puck in the net...DO IT! Price obviously can't come out and score, that'S not his job. The rest of them, sorry for the expression but it's true.
''Bougez vos culs!''
from about 1 month ago
i so agree with what u said, in ur last sentence! lol
i think if a new coach had to come up, it would be even worse for the players to adjust. especially that they have been through thick and thin with that coach, i think kovalev will play his spoiled baby again! haha
they need to step up a little, or Detroit will just play with their heads ... aaaa
about 1 month ago
I keep hearing that Montreal has too much talent. That said, how come Detroit , San Jose and Pittsburg are winning? Don't they have talent too? And more than the Habs is my opinion. There is not that much talent in Montreal. Tanguay is a passer, so is Koivu, they need someone to score. Higgins couldnt score if his life depended on it, he needs 10 chances per game to get 1 in. Kovy is being harrassed constantly on the ice...so its up to Pleky and Andrei to do the job. But they're not. Lang is 37...Sergei is lost...Latendresse is shipped around the 4 lines so its not easy to put up regular numbers for him.
They...are...not...working...together. This year I've seen sparks of chemistry between Tanguay and Koivu, but thats it. The blueline is horrible. I just dont understand that a contender can give the #4 defense spot to O'Byrne and his 33 games experience...i'm not proud of you Bob, not at all...
about 1 month ago
Its not Carbo's fault. They need to scare the players somehow. You know what would work well?! Trade Kovalev for a defensemen. That should shake them up. Maybe some stupid GM will give us a good young blueliner in exchange. Rumous about Tom Priessing from LA to Montreal have popped out. Maybe we can hypnotise Nashville to give us Shea Weber? or Minessota's Brent Burns?! Man I'd love any of those 2 right now.
from about 1 month ago
it is not carbo's fault. but the coach is always the first to be pointed out when the team isnt doing good.
a kovalev trade would shake things up for sure, but i dont know how important kovalev is in the room. u know what i mean, the mentor-veteran type for the young players.
the blue line is what we have to deal with right now. and with komisarek out, it doesnt get any better. however, gorges keeps on emerging. i m eager to see what is next for him.
another thing is that even if the defensive line will work, if nobody is going to score, it doesnt help either.
i agree with u on the kovalev line: the other teams target him more than any other, and it is no wonder he doesnt record amazing points. but what about the other two?! what are they doing!?
about 1 month ago
Kovalev and Koivu dont seem to like each other or want to work together...we two strong heads, leaders...on a team that needs just 1. LAst year when Koivu was out, Kovalev had the C and the team was doing much better. Koivu came back, and we started losing. Kinda makes me wonder...who do you keep? The mercurial Kovalev or quickly-slowing-down Koivu?
from about 1 month ago
Koivu has this special story with Montreal. the type of bound, the heart related relation, he is saku koivu. he is Montreal's saku koivu. he is kind of like the face of the team and so on.
Kovalev on the other hand is more like the guy who is not going to get all sentimental on the honour, on the belonging to the Montreal Canadiens, but will get the job done nevertheless.
I d pick Kovalev if i had to chose but i might be the only one! lol
from about 1 month ago
Kovalev should have the C. Don't get me wrong i like Koivu but he hasn't proved that he can be a leader. I hate to say it but there's no room for both in the team.
about 1 month ago
Koivu is kind of like too soft, kovalev is more like "go work ur a## off people!"
about 1 month ago
Nice article (even though I'm reading it a week afterwards, it all still applies).
I think we were spoiled last year. We had some bad and half-decent seasons, but last year we got hot, and came first, although a lot of that has to do with our domination of the Bruins (16 points from those games last year).
We missed the playoffs the year before last, and squeaked in the year before that. I think last year was more the hiccup than the norm, especially since we have such a young team.
from about 1 month ago
i think we should worry with what u just said: "it still applies!" lol
i so agree with u!
the power play isnt helping either. last year like this, i guess streit already brought up a nice plus to the power play units. hopefully we ll get through this ... cold streak?
thanks for commenting,
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