Montreal's trouble come from within. All around the news, the same sentence can be read: "The Canadiens rely too much on their talent and that's why they are in trouble". I can't agree with that. Montreal does have a lot of talent, but there are teams that have much more talent that are winning.
Montreal needs a new system...
When you’ve got talent, you’re allowed to rely on it, but not at the expense of everything else. Those with talent will usually fill the first 2 lines. There is no such thing as having too much talent. But that being said, the Canadiens trouble can be explained by a simple quote by Herb Brooks, 1980 US Olympic hockey coach:
"You don't have enough talent to win on talent alone."
So there it is. If some players could understand that, we would be in better shape.
If teams with lots of talented players started playing based only on their talent, then teams like Detroit, San Jose or Pittsburgh should be in the same boat. But they are winning. Don't they have as much talent, if not more than the Habs? Detroit arguably is the team that has the most talent right now.
Guys like Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hossa, Rafalski and Lidstrom are All-Stars. Then there is Franzen, Filpula, Kronwall and Hudler (watch him, he is the next guy that will make us say "where the hell does Detroit find these guys!). But it's not the talent that makes them win, sure it helps a lot, but they have one of the best system in the league, one they have proven works time and time again.
Detroit’s system works because it is based on puck control. Obviously when you have the puck, the other team can’t score. If you keep possession long enough, eventually the other team gets frustrated, makes a mistake…and you capitalize on it.
Montreal doesn’t have the puck control they had last year, and when they have a chance to capitalise on a mistake, they choke on the power-play. Last year, guys like Kovalev and Andrei Kostitsyn made the play seem fluid and effortless in the offensive zone. Somehow it has dissepeared during summer.
Right now, the system is not working. What made Montreal one of the scariest teams last year was obviously the power-play. The Canadiens would punish any team that was stupid enough to take a penalty. We were first for 2 years strait while loosing Souray's booming shot and 26 goals in the process. Streit came in, but Streit is no Souray, doesn't have that great shot or Markov's hockey sense. So what's wrong? How come it's not working?
Have you noticed Markov switched places on the power-play? He usually plays left but on the power-play he plays right defense. And have you noticed that Kovalev and Markov are no longer in control of the power-play? So could that be the reason why our system is not working? Coud the "new" system be wrong? Kovalev has been relegated to the second PP unit. Why change a winning combination?
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about 1 month ago
i ll take ur questions one by one:
1- i think the scoring is what leaves me more septic so far. they need to find a balance, those pucks wont get in on their own.
2- Hamilton may have some answers, like on the defence for instance. they could be considered before a trade (or could be considered FOR a trade)
3- no idea! lol
4- disappointment so far: the kostitsyns. Kovalev is too surrounded by the other teams, Plekanec doesnt look comfortable, but the kostitsyns were supposed to come close to ruling the ice
5- kovalev, as always
POTD!
from about 1 month ago
I've got the same idea for disappointing players...Remember Plekanec's comments against the Bruins in the playoffs last year? He felt he "played like a little girl". Although its insulting to "little girls" around the globe...he was right. He is playing like a little girl. He's not going in the corners, not working hard, not going into traffic...when is the last time you've seen Plekanec in front of the net?! I cant remember...
about 1 month ago
Nice Read!,
Whatever Carbonneau's doing to motivate the players it's not working. I Personally think the whole team is to blame.
Also Carbonneau's frequent line changes doesn't help either.
from about 1 month ago
he should definately stop changing the lines all the time. Put Latendresse back with Koivu and Tanguay, leave Higgins with Lang and Sergei and Kovalev's line should stay intact.
about 1 month ago
They need "heart", They need to stop playing like everything will take care of itself cause its their 100th anniversary. When obyrne scored for the opposition and then they went on to lose that game that tells me something about this teams heart...Carbonneau has no fire in his belly he needs to get in these guys asses and get them playing like its their last game... The Boston bruins certainly got the message they are off and running... Its a long season but you don't want to dig yourself a hole....The habs have already broke ground.
about 1 month ago
Good theory, and one I think I agree with. IMO, the Habs were powerhouses last year because they suddenly emerged as a team that was playing with no intensity to one playing with a purpose.
The difference this year, I thin, is simply that other teams have adjusted. They know that when the Habs cross the blueline, there will be one player streaking to the net waiting for the shot that will surely come. The power play has been figured out, and Kovalev, the Kostitsyn brothers, and Plekanec are playing with a lot more attention than in the past.
I really believe that Price is the only thing keeping this team from sinking towards the bottom of the division. He's turning into a star goalie, but he can't prop the team up forever.
about 1 month ago
LOL what did u habs fan think would happen? a buncha 4th liners being passed off as top six forwards, were gonna light it up lol.......this team doesnt have the skill or talent to do anything let alone make the playoffs.....ur best player is kovalev which isnt saying much....price is compairable to cam ward...a one hit wonder....koivu is only good for about 60 points...the kostitsyns are wanna be sedin twins.....plekanec is average at best...tangay was a floater in calgary and he's a floater in montreal...markov isn to bad.........and stuffing the ballots for the ALLSTARS doesnt make the players u voted allstars.......oh well when the east gets dismantled and dominated at the allstars game......THE EAST CAN BLAME MONTREAL.........and the west will dominate, u can be sure of that
about 1 month ago
Gradin as usual you sound like a broken record. i tell you what, go back to your mother Russia and stand on line for toilet paper, because as always your full of crap. All this guy does is take pot shots. write an article ya communist bum, then we will rip your team...
from about 1 month ago
He does. Just disregard him, he comments on everything but knows nothing. Lots of comments, lots of bashing...and no articles. Kinda makes his comments useless...
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