GDT GDT: Canadiens vs Oilers - 8/11/2011

[illWill]

It shouldn't be a secret that the success of our powerplay is the biggest key in getting wins. We just don't generate enough offense 5 on 5 to win most games. The powerplay is struggling because we have a forward and either a rookie or sophomore running it. There also seems to be trouble gaining the zone and getting set up. I know that it seems like forever since he played, but Markov is the straw that stirs our drink. All the while since he has been injured, it has been just a revolving door of replacements. It is easy to forget how important this guy is to our team, arguably our most important player. I'm sick of reading people questioning the resigning, or saying that his career is finished. Once he comes back and is even 75% of the player he was, you will see a huge difference in the PP and also the win column.

[Colin]

1. Agreed that we don't have a blueliner who can lead the PP effectively and consistently. I suspect that's earmarked for Subban, but that'll take time.

1(b). Wiz was never an option considering his contract. It's quite possible there was informal talk and he said not to bother. Point is, my English Cucuberian friend, stop flogging that poor dead horse. ;-)

2. If (and I think virtually everyone in the hockey world can agree) the PP is continuing to struggle as it is put together now, then why, oh why, do we continue to have our best down low player at the point? Isn't it blatantly obvious that he's severely uncomfortable out there? He doesn't even look like the Plex we're used to.

3. While I agree to a degree that missing that PP running stalwart is a large factor, I submit that when five players stand essentially like red, white, and blue pylons, we'll never find success. Isn't movement key to this fastest game on earth? At least we're getting bodies to the net a little more, however...

4. ...however if you don't hit the net with a shot, it doesn't matter a lick where you are. Can't score if you don't hit the net. Point finale. And *this* is where the Habs are failing. How many times have we seen Cammi or Cole whiff on a one-timer they should normally snap home? They're not relaxing, the point-men aren't hitting the broad side of a barn, and the few times we get a little puck movement, they decide they look good and take a few too many passes thereby never actually shooting on the net.

Look, I'm no coach (okay, I am, but I'm not professional), but when your best player on the PP for two years running has been Plex playing on the half boards or down low, then why on Earth would you put him at the point? I'd rather play with two defenders, forget the shot from the point, and just crash the net than watch Plex and his partner at the point missing the net endlessly. Having said that, it's not what I'd actually advocate. Rather than try to get Plex to acclimatize to the point, why not give Subban the responsibility that he's going to have to assume in the future anyhow, play Plex low, and get some puck and player movement. Put Patches/Cole in the goalie's face and get pucks to the net. Cammi is the key, though, he has to be in constant movement into space and Plex and Subbinator must see him as option one as often as possible. He's got the laser, let's use it.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Colin, just to be clear, when I say that the subtraction of Wiz is the key reason for our bad results so far, I'm NOT saying it in a spirit of blame ('we shoulda signed Wiz!!!') - just trying to offer it as an explanation.

People having been heaping blame on Martin, or else excoriating the entire team as a worthless pile of crap, etc., etc.. In other words, they seem to be drawing much larger conclusions from this dismal start. But it's the same team, the same system, the same coach, as last season; the same guys who took the Bruins to Game 7 OT and handily made the playoffs. What's changed? Primarily, our PP has gone south. Why? Primarily because we subtracted one of the league's best power-play defencemen and our replacements for him are still injured.Okham's Razor: the simplest explanation is probably the best one.

If you follow this logic, you're a lot less likely to draw all sorts of apocalyptic conclusions. The main problem is clear, it's structural, and it's unlikely to be fixed by a new coach - which is not to deny that a new coach might do some things better (and some worse) - or by blowing up the whole organization. These may still be appropriate moves, but not because of this bad start. You don't blow up an organization because Markov (and to a lesser extent Campoli) are injured.

[Colin]

Colin, just to be clear, when I say that the subtraction of Wiz is the key reason for our bad results so far, I'm NOT saying it in a spirit of blame ('we shoulda signed Wiz!!!') - just trying to offer it as an explanation.

Fair enough. And it's a valid point.

People having been heaping blame on Martin, or else excoriating the entire team as a worthless pile of crap, etc., etc.. In other words, they seem to be drawing much larger conclusions from this dismal start. But it's the same team, the same system, the same coach, as last season; the same guys who took the Bruins to Game 7 OT and handily made the playoffs. What's changed? Primarily, our PP has gone south. Why? Primarily because we subtracted one of the league's best power-play defencemen and our replacements for him are still injured.Okham's Razor: the simplest explanation is probably the best one.

If you follow this logic, you're a lot less likely to draw all sorts of apocalyptic conclusions. The main problem is clear, it's structural, and it's unlikely to be fixed by a new coach - which is not to deny that a new coach might do some things better (and some worse) - or by blowing up the whole organization. These may still be appropriate moves, but not because of this bad start. You don't blow up an organization because Markov (and to a lesser extent Campoli) are injured.

I think Martin must take some of the blame. He pointed out today (in the Gazette) that he feels Plex is the closest thing to a PP QB we have in the absence of Markov. I think the bulk of Hab Nation (yes, I said that) would disagree, and the numbers don't seem to lie in this case. We'll never really know, either. Had Plex been down low, would the Habs have scored more? My guess is yes - but it's only a guess.

I still believe that, while the loss of Wiz (etc) is definitely a culprit, the PP benefitted significantly from Muller's direction and rah-rah-itude. Once Growing Grass (or Paint Drying) Pearn was axed, the enthusiasm of the team improved, but there's still no one seemingly adjusting that PP for the better. It's like the definition of insanity - continually going with the same thing expecting different results.

Simply, the PP needs to be shaken up. Get Plex off the point. Throw down the gauntlet to the Subbinator. Get him making those decisions. Mostly, take a few kph off the shot and hit the net.

[TurdBurglar]

I love how everyone is pointing out the absence of 1 or 2 defensemen as the entire problem with the PP. Pleks isn't comfortable on the point? Maybe not, but the point should give a player of his caliber and skillset the opportunity to make something happen. So everyone is saying our best setup guy isn't comfortable enough to make a pass to Subban for a good shot? How many shots does Subban get in a PP? The absence of Markov and Campoli is severely reducing the whole team's passing ability? The PP itself needs to be analyzed, 2 missing players and a center at the point isn't causing the PP to be bad.

The problem is he doesn't have the time to do anything. Thats whats wrong with the PP nobody has time to make a read, then make a good decision. Watch any game this year, probably gonna be the same tonight. On the PP there's always someone right in their faces, nobody has a chance to assess the situation, see where everyone else is, and make a play. They are making blind passes because they are passing to where eachother SHOULD be, not where they actually are. The reason? They have no clue where their teammates actually are. Now this does 2 things, players can't move around to get open or a pass will go to where they were supposed to be and either go out or be turned over. So their all standing still to prevent that, now their way too easy to defend against because the defenders just need to stand in the passing lanes and not move. Either way the PP is going to fail.

Put Markov in Pleks place and nothing will change. Markov still won't have time to make a read then make a play. You really need to analyze whats going on on the PP instead of blaming it on the lack of a couple of players. Experience has nothing to do with the hab's problem, Ottawa has a bunch of kids playing on the PP and their clicking at nearly 25%. Pretty sure it's not all Gonchar and Spezza. The habs don't cycle the puck and when they try there's nobody down low to get it. Right now they are a coaches dream to play defense against, nothing new, nothing dangerous, nothing hard. Just play the large box, get in the face of the puck carrier and your going to turn the puck over fast because they'll either let go a weak shot, make a blind pass or dump the puck to nobody.