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Ok, it's still early, but maybe it is time to at least ask a few questions, put a few things on the table. To begin with, so what exactly are we seeing here? There seems to be two options. Either this is a bad team that is going to struggle all year, or things just haven't come together yet but it's only a matter of time before things begin to turn around. Personally I think it's the second option. I think we do have a good team but with the injuries, new coaches and players plus maybe playing a lot of rookies and keeping quite a few extra players around in the preseason, we haven't had any time to come together as a team. Losing 3 of 7 starting defencemen to injury and having to go with first year defencemen is certainly going to hurt over having the veteran defencemen we thought we were going to start the season with. One blogger also pointed out that we have outshot most of the teams we've played and it's only a matter of time before we start putting some pucks in the net. And once Markov and our other two injured defenceman return, and our injured forwards are back this team will begin to move and score and we'll be ok. I think we all hope that's the case. However if it's the first option and what we're seeing right now is what we're going to see all year, then here are some of the options that might be what's causing the problem. I wouldn't blame Gauthier at this point. He and Gainey put together a team that came very close last year to doing some real damage in the playoffs. I think we were all proud of them. I don't think he could or should have dismantled the team this summer. But there are questions about letting go some of the players he did. But hindsight also has 20/20 vision! Coaching: If the team continues to struggle a valid question may be our coaching. Is it time for a change. Is the system that seems to have worked for the past few seasons, when the players followed it, no longer working in today's NHL? Does Kirk Muller leaving have that big of an impact? But from what I've read, the players are listening to, have a lot of respect for, and really like the new assistant coaches. So for me, it's way to early to be able to answer some of those questions about coaching. More time is needed to decide if any of these positions are the issues. Have we suddenly gotten old as a team in regards to our top 6 forwards? The Scott Gomez question will be around as long as Scott doesn't turn things around and really begin to produce. But at this point in the season is there any way to get a better replacement? There's lots more we could say but that's probably enough for now. So what do you think? Is it still too early or is the writting beginning to appear on the wall??

FLORIDA VS MONTRÉAL 4-3-0 6th East VS 1-4-2 15th East 7:30 EST Puck Drop Habs Projected Starters | Cammalleri - Plekanec - Gionta Pacioretty - Desharnais - Cole Moen - Eller - Kostitsyn Darche - Nokelainen - Blunden | Gill-Subban Gorges-Diaz Spacek-Weber | Bujad | Florida Projected Starters | Fleischmann - Weiss - Versteeg Upshall - Goc - Kopecky Matthias - Kennedy - Bradley Carter - Kearns - Skille | Jovanovski - Gudbranson Garrison - Campbell Kulikov - Weaver | Markstrom | Montreal Point Leaders | Goals: Travis Moen (4) Assists: Five Players At (3) Points: Moen, Plekanec, Pacioretty and Kostitsyn (5) Plus/Minus: Yannick Weber (+4)

It looks as though some journalists want Martin's head. Obviously, Jack Todd of The Gazette is one them. http://www.montrealg...4779/story.html IMO, he is going way too far, much too fast. I just don't see how a change of coach and general manager would improve the team after just seven games. I mean, who would replace Martin? Let's face it, there aren't too many experienced French-speaking coaches available, anywhere in the world right now. The job is to coach the Montreal Canadiens, not the Cataractes of Shawinigan. Hell! it's the most difficult coaching job in hockey. There is more emphasis on this job in the medias than on the Quebec PM's job. The Habs have already tried lots of newcomers -- Michel Therrien, Claude Julien, Alain Vigneault, Mario Tremblay and Guy Carbonneau. Those experiences have proven to be far from successful. The job is simply too much to handle if you don't have experience or a great reputation (remember Jacques Lemaire, who left for the U.S. because he had enough of the likes of Jack Todd?). It's sad to witness once again, but another coach might lose his job for the wrong reasons. Not because he can't do the job. No, because he doesn't give great quotes to the press, doesn't lose his temper and have large ears... And tell me one thing: who might replace him? I don't have a clue. Well, maybe Jack Todd would do it. Can he speak French? Same thing with Gauthier. The journalists want him to communicate more regularly with them. What would he tell them? That he is going to make a trade? His job is to manage the team. He made some changes today, small ones I agree, but they're part of the solution, I believe. Obviously, more changes will come if we don't see some improvement soon, but he is a smart guy and won't demolish the team (I hope) to please some crazy reporters. To conclude, I don't know what Molson will do, but I believe that he will be patient. There's no need to panic. Let's remain very calm.

I hope it's temporary. As for Gomez, I know a lot of people won't agree with me, but I actually believe that he did play better than last year. Of course, the results weren't there, but I would say that his wingers (particularly Gionta) were the ones to blame in many occasions. He created many opportunities, but nobody was able to capitalize. It's the problem with the team right now, I believe. I don't know why, but the confidence level is very low among our best players. They don't seem to be able to find good spots from which to shoot on the ice. When they have opportunities, they miss, sometimes badly. Nobody seem to recall that it often pays off to remain in front of the goalie, to obstruct his view or deflect a puck. We rarely see more than one shot on goal, so the goalie is rarely taken out of position... Let's face it: there are big disappointments in the roster, and Gomez might not be the biggest. What about Plekanec, Desharnais (invisible and very weak on the face-offs), Cole (not the hardest worker out there so far), Cammalleri (slow to take off), Gorges and Subban (completely lost in some games). Fortunately, there are some positives. Guys like Emelin, Diaz and Weber have done well considering the challenge. Eller is back in superb form, Max Pax as well. Price has had his problems, but he is gaining confidence and remains calm. Having said all that, I believe that we need to come back to the basics. At some point, we should get some lucky bounces and -- who knows? -- maybe the momentum will change. For now, it's a work in progress.

slow news cycle i guess. i know some of us want Martin (& maybe Gauthier) outta here, but really the Habs are going to be fine. this stretch may cost them the division win & therefore a top 3/4 seeding in the east - but they are still a playoff team ... and not just a 'sneak-into-the-playoffs-happy-to-win-a-game-or-two' playoff team, they will be well positioned to go deep this year. i wasn't thrilled with hiring Martin in the beginning, but i'm happy with his work so far. i wasn't thrilled when Gainey passed the torch to Gauthier, but i'm happy with his work so far. this team is better than last year, it just isn't showing in Wins just yet. it will come. PLEASE, i BEG of the team ... DON'T MAKE A MAJOR CHANGE!!!

I question that stat. Last years standings after ~10 games. Final standings for playoff teams added in bold.

LoL, remember last year? <center><iframe width="480" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/_NW2CdsTNX4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></center>