Defense-pairings

[RJP]

Having been able to watch every Habs game through RDS, I don't understand why Brisebois and Markov keep getting paired, especially against the tougher opposing forwards. They seem to always get pushed around and thought that maybe matching 43/51 and 8/79 would be better.

Also, Dagenais needs to play! The kid is smart and seems to thrive with Ribero as his pivot.

The Florida game? Don't understand it. Watching how the Habs faded in the second and third is a scary sign, because the coaching staff had to have seen the lack of energy and commitment and yet they couldn't motivate the guys for the 3rd.

[jl.roberts]

Well, Markov and Brisebois are our two most talented defenceman. Souray is very good too, but in terms of overall skill he is probably a step or three behind 79 and 43.

If Bouillon and Komisarek are played with Markov and Brisebois, than you have to either limit the ice time of Andrei and Patrice, or increase the ice time of 51 and 8. Even though there have been games where Bouillon has, for some crazy reason, played more than Souray and Markov, I don't feel comfortable with him, or Komisarek, playing top four minutes.

I personally liked the Hainsey - Brisebois pairing at the beginning of the year. They seemed to work well together. Souray - Komisarek is another potentially effective pairing. The size and the potential for physical play between those two is huge. They can be intimidating and physical without taking too much effort out of their respective defensive games. Last season, we had a capable and competant Rivet who could play with Andrei Markov. He is off to a poor start, but I still have faith in him as a quality defenceman. He was very good at the WC's, and if fans would lay off of him, he is still very serviceable. Unfortunately though, he is not a top pairing defenceman, like Markov. This is one area I would like Bob to address : the quality of our top defensive pairing. Until that happens though, I'm willing to give Rivet a clean slate and hand let him work his way up to a reuniting with Markov.

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Here is the way I see our defence shortly.

79 Andrei Markov - 52 Craig Rivet

44 Sheldon Souray - 8 Mike Komisarek

65 Ron Hainsey - 43 Patrice Brisebois

I'm not placing 8 or 52 ahead of 43, but I figure that Brisebois will receive far more PP time than those two, so his even strength ice may be a little bit lower. In fact, Souray - Brisebois and Markov - Hainsey(who is currently playing RD in HAM) are very intriguing powerplay duos.

[ch_nl]

I agree.

A defensive pairing should be one puck carrier and one physical.

Brisebois has started to transport the puck and Markov is the best puck-carrier we have.

Rivet is a mix, but doesn't do either verry well.

But if Brisebois and Markov was split. Whom would be on the first pairings?

And wouldn't Brisebois and Sourray be better than Markov and Sourray? That's what I'm thinking.