What kind of team do we have?

[REV-G]

I know it's still early but it's never too early to talk about what kind of a team we think we have. Without a lot of details so early in the season this is my take on our team right now.

Goalies: for the most part I think our goaltendind will be stronger thant last year. Other than the Vancoouver game Carey Price looks very strong.While his

record may not reflectd it I think Halak has also played well.

Defence: obviously losing Markov was huge, but I think two players seem to have started stronger than last year, Gorges and O'byrne. The only guy I am a

little concerned with is Hal Gill. My question is whether getting used to a new system is the cause of our guys seemingly running around at times

looking disorganized. But I think defence wise we will be a little stronger than last year.

Forwards: I think we have strong 1st, 3d and 4th lines, but the key for me right now is our second line. If Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn can't get going it will

hurt us big time. I think right now this is the biggest question mark for us, getting our 2nd line clicking. When they do, I think we will have 4 pretty

good lines.

Coaches: I believe we have a strong coaching staff, both with the big club and in Hamilton. I think Martin is in the early stages of implementing a puck control

team and once it's clicking we shoud have a strong system. You can tell guys aren't used to each other yet, but it will come. Personally I think this

may be the best coaching staff we've had in a long while.

Conclusion: we will surprise some people and finish 5th or 6th in the conference..

Edited October 9, 2009 by REV-G

[BTH]

Our tiny first line deludes people into thinking we are a small, speedy, skilled firewagon team. We'll get our ass kicked if that's how we play. We can only survive playing a systematic, defensive, controlled game.

(Now that I re-read the thread and understand the question...

Markov's injury might actually turn out to be the best thing that could possibly happen to us. Imagine if we manage to stay afloat until he comes back. We'd be considered a possible playoff team WITHOUT our best player, and then he'd show up and we'd get a boost and be considered a dark horse. Of course, it's also very likely that we get annihilated game in and game out without Markov. Our team is in a much better mental state to handle this injury than they were at the end of last year, so I don't think it's as catastrophic. So - if we can manage to stay in the playoff race until February, I think we'll be in good shape going into the playoffs (5th-8th).

[rafikz]

It's a mix of super tiny guys who are not afraid of anything and a giant who is afraid of the puck.

[Habsfan]

It's too early to tell. We'll have to wait til the 10-12 game mark before we can make any conclusions about this team. It,s way too early!

[Psycing]

A team that will work to give themselves a chance to win everygame. The 7-1 loss should be a mere blip on route to a season full of 1-goal games where they'll fight tooth and nail for two points.

[The Iron Lung]

Far too early... we haven't even played a home game yet.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Looks like a team with one excellent scoring line, one above-average checking line, and ZILCH after that (except maybe one lively second-line C wasted due to no linemates).

Some middling defencemen missing their leader. Hamrlik is showing signs of stepping up, though.

And a goalie who may indeed best be described, as per Todd, as 'fragile.' I noticed in the Edmonton game that he was off his angles and exaggerating his motion again - although he calmed down in the third. Clearly the Vancouver blowout was on his mind. I don't like that. So there could be ups and downs between the pipes again.

Good coach determined to mould a team with character. Slacking off will NOT go rewarded any more. And that's the best part.

We need secondary scoring and an NHL-calibre fourth line desperately. Too bad we can't afford to deal any more picks/prospects.

[rafikz]

It's a mix of super tiny guys who are not afraid of anything and a giant who is afraid of the puck.

What I said

it was confirmed tonight

[haber]

Im not making any assesment yet. We have yet to play a home game. Simply put: We suck playing in the west. I think the winter classic was the last time we won in western Canada.

We have a nice long homestand that we NEED to take full advantage from.

[Chris]

Well i'll chime in.

Thye have 4 forwards who really understands what it takes to be good NHL players. (Gomez, Gionta, Moen, Cammallari)

They have 2 forwards who play hard for the most part, Metro, Lapierre.

They have a few players who do things well every now and again but can't be counted on during crunch time or show up every night.

D'Agi, Stewart, Chipchura have no business being in the NHL at this point.

Defense is a collection of decent players, not good skaters however. A few in years past were good puck movers but haven't displayed it yet. MA Bergeron will help.

A new coaching staff that is well versed in dicipline and systems play. My only complaint on Martin is I don't get Spacek not moving back to his natural side when they have 3 natural RD already.

The team has no second line, the Gomez line is the only line that gets things rolling nightly.

They have no checking line, Moen and Lapierre are good, but they need a solid grinding checker to play with them as a shut down trio.

Metro and Laraque are solid when healthy, they need a LW who is gritty and can kill penalties.

It's too early to tell how good or bad they will be, time will tell and i have a suspicion you won't see the Kosty bro's and Pleks much longer.

BG needs to move teh brothers for a top 6 forward making 3-4 mill. He needs to move Pleks for a pick.

This would allow 2 offensive lines to get pressure in the other zone. This will allow Cammi to work with other players who have skill. They are currently a 1 trick pony. I'll use Frolov as an example, He is UFA, the Kings would like to move him, if he can be resigned it allows the habs to be deeper, Pacioretty, Gomez Gionta. Cammi Maxwell Frolov look alot better then what we currently have.

It will take some time, things will turn around.

[Fanpuck33]

So, remember how people pointed to Carbo playing grinders on the top lines occasionally as a reason for his termination? Guess who Martin has skating on the top line this week - Travis Moen.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

So, remember how people pointed to Carbo playing grinders on the top lines occasionally as a reason for his termination? Guess who Martin has skating on the top line this week - Travis Moen.

Yeah, those criticisms of Carbo were silly.People seem to think it's still 1966 and that teams go around with rigidly fixed line combos. In fact every NHL coach moves players around the roster and mixes and matches his lines, including trying things like that. You can lament the culture of overcoaching currently prevalent in the NHL - I for one do - but you can't criticize a coach for doing things that all normal coaches do.

(Carbo deserved to be fired for other reasons, e.g., his team was a disaster, the young players regressed under his tutelage, he had to go crying - preposterously - to daddy Bob over Kovy, and - most damningly - he lost the room. Any other franchise would have fired him before we did. NOT saying he did nothing right. Just that teams don't collapse like that, and coaches don't lose the room, without heads rolling, period).

Edited October 13, 2009 by The Chicoutimi Cucumber

[Colin]

Carbo threw up his hands because he didn't know what to do. Kiss of death. *shrug*

To answer the thread question:

Who knows? It's five games in, all on the road, including a western road trip which is always long and arduous, players are really only starting to learn about one another, and while there are elements of solid play on the ice, it's still tough slogging until they learn tendencies much better. All this talk about 5-game and 10-game stuff is odd to me. Quarter of the season. And don't tell me a season is lost in that time, seems to me better teams than Montreal have been horrid for half a year only to come back and make the playoffs. Devils, Sens, Wings. I think they've all done that at one time or another.

[Psycing]

A team that will work to give themselves a chance to win everygame. The 7-1 loss should be a mere blip on route to a season full of 1-goal games where they'll fight tooth and nail for two points.

[Habsfan]

Now that our boys have played 14 games, I think we can say that this is a .500 team.(especially with the loss of Markov and O'Byrne) They should win vs. the weaker teams, but will not be able to compete against the true powerhouses of the League(Pitts, S-J, Van. etc...).

Mara has been very good and Gill will improve when O'Byrne and Markov return. He will play less minutes per game, which will make him look better.

The other problem for the Habs is that until Martin can find a good second line combination, the first line will always have the other teams' best players to contend with, and that will make it harder for them, especially when they be playing on the road, and Martin won't have the last change. Luckily Plex is doing very well on the 2nd line, especially considering he's played with 10 different players up til now.

[saskhab]

Now that our boys have played 14 games, I think we can say that this is a .500 team.(especially with the loss of Markov and O'Byrne) They should win vs. the weaker teams, but will not be able to compete against the true powerhouses of the League(Pitts, S-J, Van. etc...).

Mara has been very good and Gill will improve when O'Byrne and Markov return. He will play less minutes per game, which will make him look better.

The other problem for the Habs is that until Martin can find a good second line combination, the first line will always have the other teams' best players to contend with, and that will make it harder for them, especially when they be playing on the road, and Martin won't have the last change. Luckily Plex is doing very well on the 2nd line, especially considering he's played with 10 different players up til now.

Vancouver's not a powerhouse, that game was just an outlier... playing back to back nights, a long travel day/late start against a home team that had lost several games to start the year and was desperate for a win. You see it in the CFL all the time... barely anyone beats the Lions in Vancouver, and those teams have a full week to prepare.

If Montreal's a .500 team, than we're boned. 82 points is at least 10 points to few to make the playoffs. We need a difference maker to emerge to get us those extra points, and the most obvious candidates is for one of the goalies to be that. Having two goalies below .900 in SV% is not going to get us in the playoffs, even if we have 3 guys with over 70 points up front.

As for lines, Martin needs to drop either Cammalleri or Gionta to Plekanec's line full time and actually try to get Kostitsyn in a place where he can score goals. If you're playing him 7 minutes a night with no PP time, then don't play him at all. The time for messages is over... try and get him some confidence. It seems obvious that none of the other young wingers (Latendresse, Pacioretty, the concussed D'Agostini) can step up and play a top 6 role with real consistency. Let's at least try and have 3 top 4 wingers on this team and do the rest by committee. And if Martin wants Gainey to get him a new winger, he should know from working as a GM for the past couple of years how hard it is to get one via trade. Work harder with what you have, Jacques.

In short, we need to find a way to make these OT/SO wins into regulation wins, and the 1 goal regulation losses into OT/SO losses.

[Habsfan]

As for lines, Martin needs to drop either Cammalleri or Gionta to Plekanec's line full time and actually try to get Kostitsyn in a place where he can score goals. If you're playing him 7 minutes a night with no PP time, then don't play him at all. The time for messages is over... try and get him some confidence. It seems obvious that none of the other young wingers (Latendresse, Pacioretty, the concussed D'Agostini) can step up and play a top 6 role with real consistency. Let's at least try and have 3 top 4 wingers on this team and do the rest by committee. And if Martin wants Gainey to get him a new winger, he should know from working as a GM for the past couple of years how hard it is to get one via trade. Work harder with what you have, Jacques.

Hey saskhab, Can you read in French? Cause if you can, i,ll post a link to great article by François Gagnon in this mornings LaPresse. In it he compares AK46 to Guillaume. You'd be surprised by the numbers!

[JoeLassister]

Hey saskhab, Can you read in French? Cause if you can, i,ll post a link to great article by François Gagnon in this mornings LaPresse. In it he compares AK46 to Guillaume. You'd be surprised by the numbers!

I just added the link on HW main page... good article as usual by Gagnon.

[JLP]

damn not middle of the pack again, only with no promise of greatness... we need a 5-month plan

[Colin]

Doom and gloom.

I don't think we're done gelling yet. We're a work in progress which is still trending upwards. What's to complain about?

[saskhab]

Hey saskhab, Can you read in French? Cause if you can, i,ll post a link to great article by François Gagnon in this mornings LaPresse. In it he compares AK46 to Guillaume. You'd be surprised by the numbers!

Well, I disagree with the premise that those two have been fighting for the same icetime. Both can play either wing, in theory both could be top 6 forwards. Fact is, Guillaume has done fairly well in situations where he is playing with both less talented linemates, but also against less talented opponents. Kostitsyn, when he was playing with Kovalev, was always both in a battle to get the puck (Kovy didn't give it up easily) and to get in good scoring situations, since he was out against the opponent's top D pairing and often their best checking forwards as well.

I can't speak French, by the way, but I have a rough understanding of the language when spoken to and particularily when reading. Not very strong, though, I always need help.

Both are important players to get going. I didn't mean to come off slagging Guillaume, the focus of my post was simply about Kostitsyn. I don't think either guy should be playing only 7 minutes a night. That's Greg Stewart territory. That's the kind of minutes you give to a guy so you can rest your better players for a little bit.

I'm not sold on the "trending upwards" bit, Colin. I think we're treading water. At some point, we'll sink or we'll swim.

[Habsfan]

I didn't mean to come off slagging Guillaume

I didn't think you were!

I just thought the comparison made by Gangon to be very interesting. I also agree that Kostitsyn will not improve by playing 7 minutes a game, but maybe a game or two in the stands will wake him up! As far as Guillaume is concerned, he's shown some improvement over the past 2 games, and hopefully that will continue tonight. He'll get some PP time as well as some good minutes on the 2nd line!