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I think it's really sad that some people on here are calling players human garbage, and commenting on Bergevin not having a high school education. It wreaks of arrogance, stupidity and ignorance..... arrogance by thinking in the same position(which you will never be in) that you could somehow magically get other GM's to trade us great players in return for our under performers. It wreaks of stupidity if you think a Harvard education = a Stanley Cup since our last cup was with a coach that was illiterate, and ignorance to make such an ignorant statement, because that's what it is. Human garbage? C'mon man! Also should add forgetful, you forget the last 20 years of mediocre teams, with no GM that could see we needed to rebuild not trade prospects like McDonagh, and not a scouting staff that picks ie: Kostitsin over Getzlaf, and Euro talent over Canadian heart as a "go by strategy", including drafting midgets over size and skill. That's just BS. This team has had the same core of players for the last few years, Markov, Plekanec, Patcioretty, Subban and Price. Price and Subban are the only players that the Habs have that are true top line players, with heart, ability and passion, and the tools to make the Habs a perennial cup Contender. Markov and Plekanec are players that would give us a decent return in a trade, and would change the dynamic of the team the most IMO, and the culture of the team id what we need. There are no deals where we can trade our failed players for Steven Stamkos, Claude Giroux, or Sid..... I've said it before, and I'll say it again, maybe not a PC statement, but accurately describes the Hab's biggest deficiency..... The biggest problem is the Habs don't have enough Canadian players........ like it or lump it, mark my words, Bergevin will change the culture, he has shown and has said that he wants a hard working, tooth and nail competitive team, and although it may take a couple years, and that's what the Habs really need. More Gallagher, less Plekanec......

I've been mostly supportive of the team and under the feeling they were just in a slump but being at the Red Wings game was eye opening. Therrien would constantly make rookie decisions at the Wings. Stuff that everyone could figure out. He was beaten on close to every line change. The worst part was that the Canadiens play only 80% of the ice. In just about every play that got into the Red Wings zone there was never a play made on the right side of the boards. This led to guys like Beaulieu having to go deep to make up for Gionta, Gallagher or Bourque being out of position. The fact this happened on ALL THREE LINES really pushed me to believe it was a coaching decision. As for the defence, it felt like a serious lack of communication. Also there was rarely anyone playing the man. This isn't a size issue. Detroit is a small team. Their biggest blueliner was Ericsson and he hardly outsized Pacioretty side by side. But Montreal played Detroit like they were bigger and didn't have much confidence matching them skill for skill. Detroit was very beatable. They let Briere carry the puck on them several times. But Montreal wasn't ready to commit. Nobody played like they were ready to win aside from the kids and a few veterans. The rest were either tuned out, or in Eller's case, wildly inconsistent. I've been hard on Eller here mostly because I feel people make excuses for him based on what they hope for him to be instead of what he is, but Lars Eller really showed that he's a player begging for a good coach to lead him the right way. Plekanec and Gionta seemed to try to talk to him a lot but Eller was never getting the point. It was an experience issue. Eller is right in the middle of being a young learning player and hitting his peak. When Plek and Gio got into the Wings zone they looked like they had a strategy. Like they were following a play. Eller on the other hand was everywhere. He was chaotic. This would sometimes work in his favour as he'd get puck control or send the Wings in a tizzy because they weren't sure what to do. But other times, he'd completely ruin a play by not following what Plek and Gio were doing. All of this points to a communication breakdown between the coach and the locker room. Or rather, the coaches. Let's go plural with this. I don't know for sure what's going on but I saw a team frustrated and showing very little loyalty. What happened to the shot blocking Canadiens? Why is Murray getting matched against the best forwards? Why is good play from Leblanc not getting rewarded? Why is good play from Moen not getting rewarded? Why are so many Habs players regressing to how we all know they can play? It all comes down to coaching. Price went from a top five goalie to tying a George Vezina record he didn't want anything to do with. Nobody is happy and nothing is working. No line combo is going to solve this problem. The fact Bergevin has done absolutely nothing is horrifying. The last trades the team made was in July. They haven't even attempting a waiver pick up. What is going on? The Chicago game wasn't a bad team looking good. It was a good team being good. I truly believe that. But this team isn't going to work this problem out without some major work from the administration.

Murray has been on the ice for 4 goals for... and 17 ES goals against. Until the last two games he has also been playing the easiest and most sheltered minutes of every defenseman on the team. Any stat you want to go with.... Corsi, Fenwick, Strength of Opposition, any of these... Murray is amongst the worst players in the NHL who get regular ice time. Just horrid. This is why Murray gets thrown under the bus. And with all that known (or all that seen by the players) and with Murray's lack of speed... playing him at LD and matching him against Ovechkin at RW (which started on the second shift of the game and continued all first period long) was utterly and completely stupid. Add to this a Coach who benches our key offensive catalyst for the third period of a game we are losing 3-1 in Philadelphia. Add to this a Coach who seemingly doesn't know that you are allowed to use time-outs at times other than immediately following an icing. Add to this a coach who has a small team and continually asks them to be a "grinding team" from what we see on 24/CH. And yes, I think the team is giving up on him.... I think he's lost them now. Which is pretty much what we predicted the day he was hired. A good stretch due to being a breath of fresh air from the last regime, but eventually he would be exposed for what he is. We need a new coach, a guy who can be a long term solution.