GDT Game #11 Habs at Washington Oct 31 7pm

[Commandant]

Wasnt Xhekaj playing in the game with Greig, Pare and Trouba.  He was in at least 2 of them and might have been all 3.

 

Deterrance isnt a thing.  Trouba and Wilson and those guys make millions cause of how they play.  Their coaches want them to play that way.  Getting in a fight doesnt scare them, its part of playing that way.

 

Having a fighter doesnt stop physical and dirty plays, it just means you get some measure of revenge afterwards but its a weak one cause your player is still injured and the guy you fought might have a bruise but usually doesn't even leave the game.  Just gets out in 5 minutes.

 

This gotta have a protector mentality doesnt work in 2024.  Maybe when guys made a lot less money but not today when players know they have to play that way for their next contract.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Well Marty maybe you barfed on yourself too…

Habs have a 5 on 3 and are trying to get back in the game and what does Mary do? Let’s put Armia on the ice for most of that PP and then replace Armia with Dvorak 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 when it doesn’t work out. 
 

This is shit coaching

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

44 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Well Marty maybe you barfed on yourself too…

Habs have a 5 on 3 and are trying to get back in the game and what does Mary do? Let’s put Armia on the ice for most of that PP and then replace Armia with Dvorak 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 when it doesn’t work out. 
 

This is shit coaching

 

 

Maybe he is trying to build Dvorak's confidence. LOL  The Habs just seem to be terrible 5-3, they had a long 5-3 against Toronto and it was painful to watch.  I agree though, why Dvorak and Armia are out there 5-3 is beyond me. 

 

[DON]

11 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

I don’t think he has that speed anymore. That’s why his offence has dried up. Still, even an average-speed bulldozer can do some damage.

Anderson had some (one?) of fastest recorded skating speeds last year, i think i saw.

You wouldnt want to get run over by him at full speed, safe to say. 

 

And Wilson would be a fan favourite if had a Hab jersey on, wouldnt he be and has 8points in 9games this year?

 

FWIW;

Anderson 546gms 0.418pts/gm 480pims

Wilson      763gms 0.442pts/gm 1443pims. 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

16 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

Maybe he is trying to build Dvorak's confidence. LOL  The Habs just seem to be terrible 5-3, they had a long 5-3 against Toronto and it was painful to watch.  I agree though, why Dvorak and Armia are out there 5-3 is beyond me. 

 

I could understand if our PP was a disaster but it’s one of the best in the league. 
 

 

[Commandant]

The Habs haven't scored 5 on 3 all of last season and this year.   

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

8 minutes ago, Commandant said:

The Habs haven't scored 5 on 3 all of last season and this year.   

 

I knew they were bad 5-3, didn't realize it was that bad. 

[DON]

10 hours ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

It doesn’t matter how tough you are, if 1/3 of your roster blows chunks, you suck.

Most picked Habs to finish bottom third of standings anyways, so shouldnt be a surprise with couple good games, then couple bad ones; likely be rinse and repeat for next 5 months. 

 

Hey, Anderson had 5 hits in 10:49, Butterface must be pleased.

Heineman just 11:29, must not of stayed on 1st line very long?

Struble with 3 shots, most on the team.

Hutson with 2 points, still no goal.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

17 minutes ago, DON said:

Most picked Habs to finish bottom third of standings anyways, so shouldnt be a surprise with couple good games, then couple bad ones; likely be rinse and repeat for next 5 months. 

 

Hey, Anderson had 5 hits in 10:49, Butterface must be pleased.

Heineman just 11:29, must not of stayed on 1st line very long?

Struble with 3 shots, most on the team.

Hutson with 2 points, still no goal.

 

That's the way Anderson needs to play every night, he is not a fancy playmaker, he needs to skate hard and bang bodies. 

 

Hutson is better than I thought he would be. He is terrific. The goals will come. 

[Commandant]

23 minutes ago, Habs Fan in Edmonton said:

 

I knew they were bad 5-3, didn't realize it was that bad. 

 

Yup last one is like Feb 2023.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

A few comments on this lively thread.

 

It’s funny…I preface a post by saying that “I’m not targeting anyone on this board in particular,” and certain posters respond defensively, assuming I’m talking about them 🙄 

 

For the record, I was referring to many comments I’ve heard on the radio and on other sites which suggest that a LOT of fans out there think that when a team sucks, it’s because they don’t have enough tough guys. 

 

On fighting: to my mind the real value of what Anderson did last night is not deterrence but team morale. I don’t think anyone can deny that players feel exhilarated and supported when they see an opponent get their face smashed for taking liberties. It’s part of team-building, team feeling, mutual support. In that sense it’s important. A team where guys don’t stand up for each other is not a healthy team.

 

“Our team defence is significantly worse than it was last year” - now THIS is a truly disturbing fact. That’s not about growing pains, it’s about a young team taking a step in the wrong direction. That needs to be corrected and frankly it’s on the coaches to do it.

 

We all love Marty. But - how good is he, anyway? This team has zero structure and Dach, Newhook, WiFi are all showing signs of flatlined development and even regression. Player development is supposed to be his calling card. Where is it?

 

As for the reasonable argument that “hey, chill, we won’t be good for a few years anyway,” it’s fair, but I have two responses:

 

1. When exactly will Godot arrive? This team has been really bad for three years. Will it be really bad next year? The year after? When does it stop being OK? When, exactly, do we take a step forward toward respectability at least? Yes, we still have some runway, but every year we burn singing “hey, some day our Cup will come” is another year Suzuki’s window is wasted.

 

2. I remind everyone that the HABS THEMSELVES said the goal was to be in the mix for the playoffs this season. That was the message from HuGo down to Xhekaj. Instead the team has shown improvement in special teams and regression in, it seems, every other area. 

 

In short, I think grumpiness and concern are increasingly in order. It is time, IMHO, that we start to expect PROGRESS from this group, collectively. Not more of the same dumpster fire.

 

 

 

 

 

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

5 minutes ago, The Chicoutimi Cucumber said:

 

On fighting: to my mind the real value of what Anderson did last night is not deterrence but team morale. I don’t think anyone can deny that players feel exhilarated and supported when they see an opponent get their face smashed for taking liberties. It’s part of team-building, team feeling, mutual support. In that sense it’s important. A team where guys don’t stand up for each other is not a healthy team.

 

 

I absolutely agree with this. Guys have to stand up for each other. If they don't then team morale will fade and guys will start thinking about themselves instead of the team. I loved what Anderson did. Sure, he took the extra penalty but it was well worth it. The game was over by that point. 

[GHT120]

39 minutes ago, Commandant said:

Yup last one is like Feb 2023.

 

Even worse than you thought

 

[Prime Minister Koivu]

Just now, GHT120 said:

 

Even worse than you thought

 

Holy balls what a terrible stat. 
 

[GHT120]

5 minutes ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Holy balls what a terrible stat. 
 

Maybe they should have tried Savard, Barron and Montembeault with Dvorak and Armia for the 5-on-3 ...  

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

2 minutes ago, GHT120 said:

Maybe they should have tried Savard, Barron and Montembeault with Dvorak and Armia for the 5-on-3 ...  

Or maybe just decline the 2nd penalty??

[JoeLassister]

1 hour ago, DON said:

Anderson had some (one?) of fastest recorded skating speeds last year, i think i saw.

You wouldnt want to get run over by him at full speed, safe to say. 

 

And Wilson would be a fan favourite if had a Hab jersey on, wouldnt he be and has 8points in 9games this year?

 

FWIW;

Anderson 546gms 0.418pts/gm 480pims

Wilson      763gms 0.442pts/gm 1443pims. 

#1 was Owen Tippett

[Commandant]

I don't think Anderson has lost a step.  I do think he's been thinking too much and not playing by instinct as Marty has asked him to be better defensively and to play better with teammates. 

 

Its not all there yet, but he's still been much better this season than last year. 

[tomh009]

1 hour ago, Commandant said:

Yup last one is like Feb 2023.

I suspect that they spend zero time practicing 5-on-three PP.

[Prime Minister Koivu]

47 minutes ago, Commandant said:

I don't think Anderson has lost a step.  I do think he's been thinking too much and not playing by instinct as Marty has asked him to be better defensively and to play better with teammates. 

 

It’s not all there yet, but he's still been much better this season than last year. 

Yes Anderson brings value to the team this year. He brought no value at all last season. 
 

If he continues the goals will come 

[huzer]

34 minutes ago, tomh009 said:

I suspect that they spend zero time practicing 5-on-three PP.

 

I get getting the puck to the hot hand, but Caufield was so wide, playing like it was a 5-4, that it gave Lindgren ample time to get across the crease on a few of those plays. I didn't see any of the lateral movement to open up more space.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

5 minutes ago, huzer said:

 

I get getting the puck to the hot hand, but Caufield was so wide, playing like it was a 5-4, that it gave Lindgren ample time to get across the crease on a few of those plays. I didn't see any of the lateral movement to open up more space.

 

The relentless focus on Caufield reminded me of the old Subban/Weber days, when players acted like the only conceivable possibility was to get the puck to one guy so he could release the cannon. Predictable, unimaginative, and ultimately, too easy to defend against.

[Habs Fan in Edmonton]

1 hour ago, Commandant said:

I don't think Anderson has lost a step.  I do think he's been thinking too much and not playing by instinct as Marty has asked him to be better defensively and to play better with teammates. 

 

Its not all there yet, but he's still been much better this season than last year. 

I agree, he is playing with more confidence this season.

[alfredoh2009]

5 hours ago, Prime Minister Koivu said:

Well Marty maybe you barfed on yourself too…

Habs have a 5 on 3 and are trying to get back in the game and what does Mary do? Let’s put Armia on the ice for most of that PP and then replace Armia with Dvorak 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 when it doesn’t work out. 
 

This is shit coaching

 

 

I am not going to go that far with MSL. But every post game he says something like: I will look at the tape and then I'll be able to answer what went wrong.

 

What the F@#$k is that! Aren't they supposed to be attentive all game and adjusting? That answer, every post-game after poor performance, really bothers me.

[Commandant]

Do you really not understand how reviewing the tape multiple times, from multiple camera angles, and with the ability to watch in slow motion will tell you more than what you see behind the bench?