GDT Mar. 5, Montreal vs Winnipeg, 7 PM

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Gallagher will not return.

[sbhatt]

And yet another reason for Babcock not to take PK for Team Canada.

With these goals against due to unnecessary high risk plays, it's getting harder to argue the case in his favor.

[TheDriveFor25]

Winnipeg takes the lead... Brutal turnover by Subban

Hoping for a regulation loss.. The Habs have a legit shot at bottom 5, maybe even bottom 4, then who knows what could happen in the draft.

And Gally ties it.. Fack

[Meller93]

Galchenyuk is scoring a lot of goals of late. Could seriously push for 30 if he keeps it up

[Machine of Loving Grace]

That was a really ugly move by Subban. On the ice for two minutes. You got away with it the first time. Oh well. Superstars be superstars. He does too much good to care about the times he blows tires.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Condon once again good tonight. Getting back in the groove. The defence has been atrocious in front of him though. Markov is the best of them. Don't know what he did but he has looked better the last few games than he has all year.

[hab29RETIRED]

Condon once again good tonight. Getting back in the groove. The defence has been atrocious in front of him though. Markov is the best of them. Don't know what he did but he has looked better the last few games than he has all year.

I think too much has been made of his save percentage. There is a big difference in the quality of chances he has faced because of horrible our defence is. Quality of shots doesn't get factored into the save percentage stat.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

And yet another reason for Babcock not to take PK for Team Canada.

With these goals against due to unnecessary high risk plays, it's getting harder to argue the case in his favor.

People forget that Team Canada's offense wasn't the greatest. There was the game vs Slovenia (?) and then they beat the Finns 2-1. If Carey/PK don't play and they have trouble scoring goals, Babcock will get criticized for leaving such an obvious offensive catalyst out of the lineup.

Also...before the tournament, there was speculation that Subban would work his way into the lineup like Doughty in 2010. The issue was that the defense was world beating from Game one.

[l<OV4L3V]

I wanna see Danault and Matteau sit and Scherbak and Hudon play a few games.

Pacioretty Galchenyuk Gallagher

Scherbak Plekanec Hudon

DLR Eller Andreghetto

Bunch of bums

2 are definite bums (Hudon verdict still not out)

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Galchenyuk has arrived.

[DON]

Galchenyuk doing quite well.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Maybe 30/31 was right about Pacioretty and Galchenyuk...a symbiotic, bizarro world relationship where Max is the preferred set-up guy for another player, and not vice-versa.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

That Max Pacioretty kid just might be a player.

I agree that it's fascinating to see Max suddenly making plays, rather than just scoring - I love the idea that he has this playmaking side to his game that has been under-explored because he's always been the trigger man, playing with DD. It seems unlikely, but it's amusing to contemplate.

You do have to wonder whether Galchenyuk is finally REALLY putting it all together. If so, that's great news.

How unfortunate for PK. Two catastrophic turnovers in the very week in which he's left off Team Canada. His rep may never recover from this, because he's offered 'proof' of his high-risk nature at the exact moment when all the hockey world is focusing on his supposedly high-risk nature. All I can say is that those kinds of gaffes are NOT, repeat NOT, typical of Subban's game. They have really only crept in over the past handful of games. I don't know if he's trying too hard, or if he's overthinking it out there because all this stuff (Therrien excoriating him in public, Team Canada snub, etc.) is gnawing away at the back of his brain.

Another game, another loss. Sigh.

[KoRP]

PK is tired from trying to do too much, and it's just about comical how bad it's going.

It will pass, as will this terrible season of woe.

Anyone else relieved Galchenyuk is doing so well? Diggin' his improved shooting and going to the front of the net.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Plekanec is going through another slump.

Four game losing streak, the Tank is back!

[Guest Stogey24]

Maybe 30/31 was right about Pacioretty and Galchenyuk...a symbiotic, bizarro world relationship where Max is the preferred set-up guy for another player, and not vice-versa.

Pacioretty was the feed man in college. Believe it or not.

[Guest Stogey24]

2 goals in his last 30 games combined nhl/ahl could be the reason. He's not a top 6 producer, not now and may never be

Thanks coach

[DON]

Giveaways:

Karlsson 78

Doughty 79

Subban 104

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Giveaways:

Karlsson 78

Doughty 79

Subban 104

As adamant as I am about PK's excellence, that IS a starkly disturbing stat.

I'm cutting and pasting a quotation from 'Phil C' on Hockey Inside Out because I think it offers a really insightful thought into PK''s gaffe last night. I hope this isn't a violation of copyright or something (but are 'comments' in a blog page protected? I have no idea.) This is worth reading, anyway. http://www.hockeyinsideout.com/news/about-last-night-363

Phil C:

"https://www.nhl.com/video/scheifeles-2nd-period-goal/t-278955068/c-42208003

The replay of the Scheifele goal from the rear view shows you what’s wrong with Therrien hockey. When PK picks up the puck on the goal line, all three forwards are standing north of the redline! One forward is standing still on the opposing blueline so of course the Jets defensemen gets right next to him, no need to gap a static player. Markov is going for a change so PK has no puck support from his D. Given that, PK probably should have stayed behind his net. But that’s a small mistake, he chose to carry it which was fine as he had zero options. By the time he gets to the blueline, two of the forwards are skating slowly towards him, no speed, no momentum towards the other net. The other forward is still a statue at the opposing blueline. PK STILL had zero options and coughed it up. PK doesn’t turn it over if he has even one good option.

Now you may say that the forwards made a mistake, but they didn’t, this Therrien hockey, this is how he wants them to play or the end up back in St. John’s. And it may have worked better before, but after 4 years in the league, the other coaches have adjusted and they do what the Jets did, step the D up on the static forwards. The Habs get an icing or a weak dump in with no retrieval. Now it should also prevent turnovers because there are no short passes made at your own blueline, so that makes Therrien happy, but the overall result is disastrous, no speed through the neutral zone, no way to the leverage the passing skills of the D, no way for the D to join the attack, weak dump ins with no puck pursuit.

I seriously may have to take a break from watching this team and I can’t believe a so-call “pro” hockey team would play this way."

[DON]

As Commandant noted, all worst giveaway players are elite players who handle puck a ton. But to be #1 for long time just seems to stem from Subban simply trying to do too much by himself. And circling or spinning around when are the last man back with the puck, it will cost you.

[dlbalr]

I wanna see Danault and Matteau sit and Scherbak and Hudon play a few games.

With Scherbak, the 10 game junior rule actually applies so if they were to call him up, they wouldn't be able to play him much unless they want to burn the first year of his ELC (which would be really, really stupid). I'd also suggest he's nowhere close to being NHL ready. He has had a few good games as of late but a few clunkers as well. That's not worthy of a recall.

Another little CBA tidbit is that the Habs have burned 3/4 regular post-deadline recalls already (the paper transactions for McCarron, Ellis, and de la Rose). Replacing Gallagher with one of Hudon or Scherbak would burn the 4th as they're not down to 11 forwards with his injury. I wouldn't want to burn that last recall with six weeks to go in the season.

Edit: Scrivens appears to have had the paper transaction go through as well. That shouldn't trigger the 4th recall as they'd have been down to just 1 goalie at that time.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

As Commandant noted, all worst giveaway players are elite players who handle puck a ton. But to be #1 for long time just seems to stem from Subban simply trying to do too much by himself. And circling or spinning around when are the last man back with the puck, it will cost you.

Fair enough, but "Phil C's" point was that Subban is left high and dry due to the structure of the Habs' game plan. It's worth considering whether that's the real difference between those other D-men's numbers and Subban's.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

Fair enough, but "Phil C's" point was that Subban is left high and dry due to the structure of the Habs' game plan. It's worth considering whether that's the real difference between those other D-men's numbers and Subban's.

"Da System."

Mike Johnson and Ryan Walter wrote a great book I've been meaning to read about systems play, and what players are doing without the puck. Breakouts, reverse, PK/PP and the trap are all covered. Beneficial for somebody like myself who never played (not affordable in the mid-90's Merrimack Valley) and wants to know what's going on beyond looking through the eye test and fancy stats. It's very readable, but I have a few books on my list ahead of it...

Therrien is famous for stacking his two wings at the opposing blue lines, especially with PP entries. Part of the big picture issue with Therrien is that he's a strict motivator; once the magic dust of having your ass handed to you wears off, he has no systemic or tactical answer.

[dlbalr]

So, who's taking today's GDT?