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Because he is a bit of showboat, eggs opponents on with chirping, is visibly easy for opposing fans to recognize, as well as being a star player who is a game changer when playing well. So is almost more a sign of respect (for lack of better word), as Reggie Jackson said "They don't boo Nobodies!" But, is very common in sports and non-issue.

Therrien took over a team that stunk up the season two years ago, 15th in the conference and couldn't beat anybody, virtually the same line up(because the additions have sucked) and turned the team into a playoff team. He and MB have maintained all along it will take time to get to being competitive with top teams, and that's the truth. We always get the "steamrolled by Ottawa" story, which is just that, a story. We had injuries, and we had some bad, bad puck luck, and an injured starting goalie, while Ottawa was even permitted to kick goals in. The only game Ottawa dominated was game 5, other than that, we held our own, and dominated games, only to be thwarted by that pinhead Anderson. MT did all he could do, yet was accused of being out coached by the Walrus, when he was really "out lucked" and it was from every angle. I think it's the bi-polar fans that are less than mediocre when assessing the coach. I don't think there is another coach that could make this roster any better in terms of the standings. Guy Carbonneau was fired while 7 games over .500, after winning the conference, and the team played hard for him and Muller. The team got lucky and over achieved in two playoff series a bit under Martin before it sunk to the bottom, and I don't think Toe Blake himself could keep this team higher than where it is in the standings any better than MT is..... Roster changes are needed, lot's of them, then we will see about what we need as a coach...... remember the discipline and finals loss to Calgary under Burns, then the change to the reigns coming off under player's coach that let them play and win, Demers. That was a roster that wasn't so great, but strong at center, and in nets, with a good stay at home D game..... We arent' strong at center, and our stay at home D is named Murray.....

Hey, if MB fires Therrien, that's no skin off my nose. But I seriously doubt it'll happen. I enjoyed Habs29's analysis and agree with chunks of it...but I also think that almost ANY coach can be picked apart for his decisions if we're of a mindset to do so. A coach has 20+ moving parts, endless issues to manage during a game, and has to continually choose from a vast menu of options. If the team loses, then you are automatically blamed for choosing wrong even where the other choices might have yielded the same result of worse. They're in a no-win situation in terms of backseat driving and fan analysis. Otherwise put, it doesn't matter who is coaching us; a great chunk of the fan-base will possess an arsenal of arguments opposing their decisions once the team slumps. This isn't to say that all coaches are interchangeable, though. Some are indeed better than others. I see MT, myself, as part of an anonymous army of generic, 'average' NHL coaches who have about a three-year life span behind any particular bench. There's probably 20-30 coaches who could do a comparable job. Anyway, what I really hope is that Bergevin is closely observing what's going on and drawing conclusions about who needs to go, who needs to stay, and what pieces the team needs to win. We can't keep going on with patchwork rosters, crossing our fingers on broken-down vets like Gio, useless human turds like Bourque, washed-up wastes of space like Briere. and 5th defencemen being pencilled in as #4s like Gorges. In the meantime, it IS up to Therrien to get the team playing coherent team defence. I've always believed that D is fundamentally about coaching. If he can't turn around that aspect of our game, then - while it won't happen - I wouldn't mind seeing a Lou Lamoerello coaching switcheroo down the stretch. It would give the team a shot in the arm at the right time, while also signalling a certain ruthless will to win from the top.

Agree, and I still see most of fan frustrations as more unrealistic "lofty" expectation related. When no one picked Habs to contend and at best squeak into playoffs, which is more realistic. I know some are calling for team to tank, fire the GM, fire the coach, trade 1/2 the team; but aint happening.

Nonsense... PK missed shifts for taking a selfish, useless penalty late in a scrum after the period ended and after Montreal got momentum. He took just as bad penalty as Boullion did DURING PLAY last night and neither missed a shift. If you can't see the difference then you are just looking to complain about MT. Unless you have a better coach in mind or honestly believe that we are a top tier team under performing, then I see no reason to complain about MT. This team is a 500 team based on players and MT has done a reasonable job keeping them in the playoffs. All teams go through slumps and it isn't always the coaching. Usually, it is players not performing, getting run down, injured, or simply suffering from confidence issues. I don't agree with every decision any coach makes, but I look to Bergevin to improve the roster before I throw a decent coach under the bus. Besides, we do not know what goes on behind the scenes, which can have a huge impact on coaching decisions, which otherwise look strange from the outside looking in. It always amazes me that we all complain about the personnel on this team, yet expect MT to make them champions.

Habs boo every team's superstar when they come into our barn. Glad PK is getting the superstar treatment.

in a 5-1 blowout, who cares

Unless Emelin and Diaz are hurt, it's decisions like this why I think therrian has to go

Playoffs? This team could be out of them by the Olympic break. I do like those pairings, Emelin back to the LD, Gorges can be equally good or bad on either side.

I don't think it's any one reason. One simple reason could be that the eastern conference for the first 20 to 30 games was crap. As other teams have started playing better, the habs don't look as good as they did before those other teams improved. This improvement exposes the habs D - which I've always felt had a 1a (Subban) and a 1b (Markov). Markov has been over utilized by MT AND Subban under utilized until recently. Then they have a #4 dman (Emelin) coming back from injury who has struggled and then a bunch of 3rd pairing dmen (gorges, Diaz) and a whole bunch of 7th dmen (Murrey, Bouillon). Patryn, Tinordi or Beaulieu should have each been getting looks over playing garbage like Bouillon. I think how MT has handled the D has been horrible. It's the players job to perform, the coaches job to get them to perform. There has also been very selective accountability. Tonight Bouillon takes a stupid penalty and never missed a shift. Bouillon and Murrey should NEVER be in the same game, and adding Diaz, to those two is even worse. Another reason is that the PP has sucked as teams adjusted to the Subban/Markov threat and MT true to form has not been able to adjust the PP. The habs don't have the PP as a strength anymore, so they don't get the lead as often an we they do the defence fails them - see reason 2. I remember past habs teams having different units for the PP then the regular lines. This is also the tactic most GOOD teams use. MT continues Rolling lines on the PP. You see this whith the pens with Malkin and Crosby both out together. Why Gionta is on the PP is beyond me. Eller, Galchenyuk have been under utilized. They may as well keep Galleghar on for the full two minutes, since he is the only guy who parks his butt in the goalies knees. The guys bigger then him than can get their butts in the goalies face are playing like pussies. Selective accountability for the forwards as well. Prust has been garbage for the most if the last 20 games or so. Why is he still getting a free pass. You get a kid in and he plays under 2 minutes. Guys like Prust need to be hard on the backcheck. This year outside of dropping the gloves he hasn't done much. Create some healthy competition. Give Leblanc and Bournival a longer look. The amount of chances a bum like Bourque has gotten is criminal. Guys like maxpac who are pure offense AND are producing can get a bit of a pass were softness in their own. Bourque, Prust, parros, Gionta, are veterans who need to be held more accountable. I'd include Moen on that list, but this yeR he has been pretty good. Thinning the offense by spreading the offense. Can MT try to put TWO solid offensive lines out rather then just one by crippling pleks with Moen or Prust or Bourque. I'd even take Gionta off the line and put pleks with Briere and Eller until Galchenyuk returns. Have a solid checking line with Prust, Moen and white when he returns and have a kid energy line. Last year some of the blame for the collapse was on Price. This year even when letting in 4 or 5 goals, price has been solid. Bottom line is, like last year, as other teams improved and other coaches adjusted to the habs strengths, MT is being exposed for the weak tactician and buffoon that he is.

Here's a question - maybe THE question. How come (as Marc Denis pointed out) the Habs were excellent defensively up until Dec. 10 (allowing 2.06 goals per game), and since then have averaged 3.01? It's not Price. His excellence has largely continued. It's the team. What's going on? How come they are suddenly porous as Rob Ford's glands on a bender? Is it the FW not pitching in? The D suddenly forgetting its job? A shift in the system? Other teams adjusting? What the crap is up with allowing an extra goal per game over the past month and half???

Very bad game and I expected it the moment I heard that Emelin and Diaz would not play. Very bad decision by Therrien. Too emotive to remain rational. Mark my words: he won't finish the season.

The Wings just beat Chicago, this might be this year's losing streak up ahead.