With the Montreal Canadiens lording over the Eastern Conference from their precarious perch atop the standings, the pre-deadline frenzy has arrived right on schedule.
First the talks of Evander Kane, then reports of Eller and Emelin on the block and most recently the speculation surrounding Patrick Sharp. All of this set against an expansive backdrop of Jaromir Jagr rumours. It should be plainly clear that the Canadiens are buyers heading into this market, but Marc Bergevin has already alluded to being cautious when shopping the trade market.
On the surface this may seem like typical Montreal Canadiens posturing; preparing rumour-ravenous fans for the disappointment of inactivity. In reality, Canadiens fans should be ecstatic that their team's general manager is moving with calculated trepidation. Some may think the Canadiens would be fools not to throw every resource toward winning today. After all, their stars are playing like stars, beginning with the all-world performance of Carey Price. But as we all know, goaltenders are a volatile commodity. There is no guarantee Price will ever find himself on such an incredible plain as he is in 2015. For many, the time to act is now!
This is a shortsighted view. What often gets lost in the success of the current season, is the fact the the Montreal Canadiens are in the midst of a rebuild. Marc Bergevin was hired less than 3 years ago and began his rebuild of the Canadiens with the selection of Alex Galchenyuk. This past Thursday marked Galchenyuk's 21st birthday, at which point and he already had 177 NHL games under his belt, including 10 in the playoffs. The core talent of this team is aged 27 and under. The Habs have 21 year-olds on the power play and 19 year-olds killing penalties. Don't let their record fool you - the Canadiens are still very much a young team on the way up.
The point to all of this, is that the Canadiens should not mortgage the future for the sake of a shot at a Cup run now. The team is young, there are good prospects on the way (see: Scherbak, Nikita) and the cap management has been stellar. This is not to say Bergevin shouldn't look for an upgrade, only that this certainly shouldn't be an 'all-in' situation. Few teams have the luxury of contending while in the midst of a rebuild. This is as 'win-win' as situations get. The team is good enough to contend for the Cup. If they don't win it, they will have gained valuable experience for next year's run, which should be with an even stronger squad.
Last year, Bergevin acted 100% appropriately. He brought in a rental to bolster for the playoffs, without upsetting the team's future. He gave away a 2nd round pick along with undersized prospect Sebastian Collberg - a player whose type the Habs have in spades.
Unfortunately, Vanek's tenure only ended up demonstrating the prevailing fact that rental players are gambles. It is not often that an impact player gels with new teammates in time to become part of the core that got that team to the dance in the first place. There is perhaps no greater example of this than the 2013 deadline deal that brought Jarome Iginla to the Pittsburgh Penguins. This highly-celebrated transaction created a Pittsburgh Penguins team that, on paper, from Corsi to Fenwick and beyond - would be an unstoppable offensive juggernaut. Coupled with the individual pedigrees of the superstars on their lineup, was the assuredness of chemistry between Crosby and Iginla; given their experience together in the Olympics. For those who can't remember how that chapter closed, it was with a sweep at the hands of the Boston Bruins, that saw the powerhouse Penguins produce only 2 goals through 4 games.
This is hockey. There are no guarantees. Moves that look good on paper don't always pan out on the ice. Right now the Canadiens should be wary about selling too much of the property they own, in order to finance a gamble on a short term rental.
Bergevin has shown a bit of shrewd mastery with the moves he's made and it should be remembered that as important as the moves that are made are the moves that aren't. Bergevin has shown that he is certainly not afraid to shake things up. This is the same man who dismantled his leadership core following an unexpected run to the Conference Final - and somehow managed to make the team better. Canadiens fans only need to hope, heading into the March 2nd trade deadline, that Marc Bergevin isn't afraid to not make a move.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Wednesday, February 11, 2015
Lack of Firepower has Habs Playing with Fire
Last night marked yet another one-goal victory for the Montreal Canadiens. Another nail-biter that, at times, had fans wondering if the team would ever score another goal again.
From their lofty perch near the summit of the Eastern Conference standings, the Canadiens can look down at a plethora of teams below them in points, but far ahead of them in goals. It is of course at this time that the axioms must ring out: Defence wins championships. The only stat that matters is wins. Both of these are of course true, but ironically, a team that allows 10 goals can theoretically still win the game, so long as it scores at least 11. A team that scores 0 goals though, has zero chance of winning a game.
Lack of offence has been a problem that has plagued the Habs for what seems like decades. The situation is certainly not as dire as it was in the days when Habs fans prayed that Oleg Petrov would be the next Mats Naslund, but they are certainly eons away from the days of past Canadiens powerhouses.
It has been stated on this blog that the 2014-15 Canadiens are more than just the sum of Carey Price's parts, but it is true that they rely on him too heavily. Last night, after Price allowed a terrible goal in the first minute, he was required to be perfect the rest of the way - including magnificent stops on uncontested attempts by Claude Giroux and Vladimir Tarasenko.
There will come times, especially in the playoffs, when the Canadiens will need to provide their goaltender with more than just a goal or two. Michel Therrien has a theory that "it takes three goals to win a hockey game". This is good logic. It essentially suggests that a goaltender who allows fewer than 3 goals cannot be blamed for a loss, but it also suggests that a team who scores more than 3 goals should be assured of a win.
The Canadiens are currently scoring at a clip of 2.6 goals per game. This is good for 21st in the NHL. This certainly doesn't mean the team should panic, but to ignore this deficiency would be terribly shortsighted.
So while Marc the Magician Bergevin works on a solution to these woes, what can be done with the current roster to improve the offensive production? Most fans would agree that the Canadiens need to shoot the puck more frequently. This is true. The team currently takes 28.3 shots per game, which is good for 25th in the NHL. In addition to shooting more frequently, it would behoove the team to work on getting shots ON goal. Blocked shots will happen, yes, but the Canadiens miss the net with far too much regularity - as evidenced in their recent loss against the Sabres, in which it almost looked as though the team was on the take and intentionally missing the net.
Another potential solution would be to use 'pure offence' players on the power play. Guys like Weise and Gallagher deserve their spots in the top 6, but when it comes to the power play (one that struggles more often than not) it might be a better idea to load those units with the most creative offensive players: Pacioretty, Desharnais, Galchenyuk, Sekac, Eller, Plekanec.
History will point to last season's loss to the New York Rangers being the result of the Canadiens losing their MVP, Carey Price. For those who actually watched the series though, it was clear that goaltending was not the issue - particularly in the final game, in which the Canadiens demonstrated beautifully the fact presented earlier - zero goals = a guaranteed loss. Many pundits are now using the word 'contender' when referring to the Canadiens, but until the team can show it can score with some sort of regularity, the jury will remain out.
From their lofty perch near the summit of the Eastern Conference standings, the Canadiens can look down at a plethora of teams below them in points, but far ahead of them in goals. It is of course at this time that the axioms must ring out: Defence wins championships. The only stat that matters is wins. Both of these are of course true, but ironically, a team that allows 10 goals can theoretically still win the game, so long as it scores at least 11. A team that scores 0 goals though, has zero chance of winning a game.
Lack of offence has been a problem that has plagued the Habs for what seems like decades. The situation is certainly not as dire as it was in the days when Habs fans prayed that Oleg Petrov would be the next Mats Naslund, but they are certainly eons away from the days of past Canadiens powerhouses.
It has been stated on this blog that the 2014-15 Canadiens are more than just the sum of Carey Price's parts, but it is true that they rely on him too heavily. Last night, after Price allowed a terrible goal in the first minute, he was required to be perfect the rest of the way - including magnificent stops on uncontested attempts by Claude Giroux and Vladimir Tarasenko.
There will come times, especially in the playoffs, when the Canadiens will need to provide their goaltender with more than just a goal or two. Michel Therrien has a theory that "it takes three goals to win a hockey game". This is good logic. It essentially suggests that a goaltender who allows fewer than 3 goals cannot be blamed for a loss, but it also suggests that a team who scores more than 3 goals should be assured of a win.
The Canadiens are currently scoring at a clip of 2.6 goals per game. This is good for 21st in the NHL. This certainly doesn't mean the team should panic, but to ignore this deficiency would be terribly shortsighted.
So while Marc the Magician Bergevin works on a solution to these woes, what can be done with the current roster to improve the offensive production? Most fans would agree that the Canadiens need to shoot the puck more frequently. This is true. The team currently takes 28.3 shots per game, which is good for 25th in the NHL. In addition to shooting more frequently, it would behoove the team to work on getting shots ON goal. Blocked shots will happen, yes, but the Canadiens miss the net with far too much regularity - as evidenced in their recent loss against the Sabres, in which it almost looked as though the team was on the take and intentionally missing the net.
Another potential solution would be to use 'pure offence' players on the power play. Guys like Weise and Gallagher deserve their spots in the top 6, but when it comes to the power play (one that struggles more often than not) it might be a better idea to load those units with the most creative offensive players: Pacioretty, Desharnais, Galchenyuk, Sekac, Eller, Plekanec.
History will point to last season's loss to the New York Rangers being the result of the Canadiens losing their MVP, Carey Price. For those who actually watched the series though, it was clear that goaltending was not the issue - particularly in the final game, in which the Canadiens demonstrated beautifully the fact presented earlier - zero goals = a guaranteed loss. Many pundits are now using the word 'contender' when referring to the Canadiens, but until the team can show it can score with some sort of regularity, the jury will remain out.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Character Witnessed
Character. That word was used a lot when Marc Bergevin first addressed the Montreal faithful, the rookie GM having just been brought in to right the Good Ship Habitant.
To be honest, I didn't see this focus on personality over production as an encouraging sign. During the Habs' darker days, the word 'character' seemed to be trotted out as a desperate ploy to spin positives out of sub-mediocre lineups. The Canadiens always had their share of likable, hard-working little guys like Gionta, Bouillon, etc. Guys who give it their all on the ice and in the gym, are great in the locker room and in front of the cameras...perfect just about everywhere except on the scoresheet. I didn't want character, I was tired of it. I wanted goals and wins. That's it.
Fast forward three years to where we now find the Montreal Canadiens...once again battling for first place, in a season that follows a very young squad's promising run to the Conference Final. All of this being accomplished without the benefit of a top-25 scorer. How are they accomplishing it? Is it witchcraft? Most will say it simply comes down to Carey Price - and they wouldn't be wrong. Price is in the midst of a Hart-calibre season and I am certainly not going to downplay his contribution, but goaltending alone will not get it done. Just ask Hart winner Jose Theodore, whose superhuman 2001-02 season was barely enough to qualify for the playoffs. Even ask Roberto Luongo, who was a two-time NHL All Star before he'd even played his first playoff game. No, it takes a lot more than a great goalie to get to first place - or to the Conference Final.
The Canadiens are accomplishing this as a team. They are known for bad starts and low scoring...and yet, they score when they need to. These guys get better as the game goes on and they bring their best when the win is on the line. That, to me, speaks to the character of the group that Marc Bergevin has assembled. Gone are the low work ethics of the Kostitsyns and yes, even Alex Kovalev. There are no more Mike Ribeiros cockily swaggering through the halls of the Bell Centre. No more Mikhail Grabovskis sulking their way off the team. This team, to a man, is full of players who care about winning and who care about each other. That was an aspect that was key to the great Habs' teams of the past and it's encouraging to see that it exists among the current group.
So what's the point of this little love-in of a post?
I recently read the rumours of the Canadiens being interested in Evander Kane and immediately thought "No!" I've become a disciple of Bergevin's Gospel on Character and this player seems to me to be the antithesis of it. Kane has tremendous hockey assets and I really hope he settles down and achieves his potential, but that's a project I'd prefer another team to take on.
For those who doubt the importance of Character over Corsi stats, consider the Toronto Maple Leafs. They boast a top-20 guy in Phil Kessel and even James van Riemsdyk is producing Pacioretty points. But what they also have is a noted issue with character, from their comatose Captain Dion Phaneuf, to the cocky Kid Kadri, to their star player in the afore-mentioned Kessel. The issues of character appear to have even driven their former CEO Tim Leiweke away.
One might then say "Well then how have the Bruins been so good, despite being a team full of arseholes like Milan Lucic and Brad Marchant?" Yes, it's true that those players are among the most dastardly and hated in the universe, but they still work hard, care about their team and care about winning.
Just like goaltending though, character is not enough to get it done. It is just one important piece. It is possible that the bad first periods, low scoring and anemic power play will end up being the Canadiens' downfall. That is a very real possibility, but this is a young team on the rise and growing pains are to be expected. What's important is that this is a group of players who WANT to improve. They say you can't teach size and I also believe that while it's possible to build character, you can't create it.
To be honest, I didn't see this focus on personality over production as an encouraging sign. During the Habs' darker days, the word 'character' seemed to be trotted out as a desperate ploy to spin positives out of sub-mediocre lineups. The Canadiens always had their share of likable, hard-working little guys like Gionta, Bouillon, etc. Guys who give it their all on the ice and in the gym, are great in the locker room and in front of the cameras...perfect just about everywhere except on the scoresheet. I didn't want character, I was tired of it. I wanted goals and wins. That's it.
Fast forward three years to where we now find the Montreal Canadiens...once again battling for first place, in a season that follows a very young squad's promising run to the Conference Final. All of this being accomplished without the benefit of a top-25 scorer. How are they accomplishing it? Is it witchcraft? Most will say it simply comes down to Carey Price - and they wouldn't be wrong. Price is in the midst of a Hart-calibre season and I am certainly not going to downplay his contribution, but goaltending alone will not get it done. Just ask Hart winner Jose Theodore, whose superhuman 2001-02 season was barely enough to qualify for the playoffs. Even ask Roberto Luongo, who was a two-time NHL All Star before he'd even played his first playoff game. No, it takes a lot more than a great goalie to get to first place - or to the Conference Final.
The Canadiens are accomplishing this as a team. They are known for bad starts and low scoring...and yet, they score when they need to. These guys get better as the game goes on and they bring their best when the win is on the line. That, to me, speaks to the character of the group that Marc Bergevin has assembled. Gone are the low work ethics of the Kostitsyns and yes, even Alex Kovalev. There are no more Mike Ribeiros cockily swaggering through the halls of the Bell Centre. No more Mikhail Grabovskis sulking their way off the team. This team, to a man, is full of players who care about winning and who care about each other. That was an aspect that was key to the great Habs' teams of the past and it's encouraging to see that it exists among the current group.
So what's the point of this little love-in of a post?
I recently read the rumours of the Canadiens being interested in Evander Kane and immediately thought "No!" I've become a disciple of Bergevin's Gospel on Character and this player seems to me to be the antithesis of it. Kane has tremendous hockey assets and I really hope he settles down and achieves his potential, but that's a project I'd prefer another team to take on.
For those who doubt the importance of Character over Corsi stats, consider the Toronto Maple Leafs. They boast a top-20 guy in Phil Kessel and even James van Riemsdyk is producing Pacioretty points. But what they also have is a noted issue with character, from their comatose Captain Dion Phaneuf, to the cocky Kid Kadri, to their star player in the afore-mentioned Kessel. The issues of character appear to have even driven their former CEO Tim Leiweke away.
One might then say "Well then how have the Bruins been so good, despite being a team full of arseholes like Milan Lucic and Brad Marchant?" Yes, it's true that those players are among the most dastardly and hated in the universe, but they still work hard, care about their team and care about winning.
Just like goaltending though, character is not enough to get it done. It is just one important piece. It is possible that the bad first periods, low scoring and anemic power play will end up being the Canadiens' downfall. That is a very real possibility, but this is a young team on the rise and growing pains are to be expected. What's important is that this is a group of players who WANT to improve. They say you can't teach size and I also believe that while it's possible to build character, you can't create it.
Generational Expectations
The first time I watched Alex Galchenyuk play live was on October 28, 2012 at Brampton's Powerade Centre. Galchenyuk led his Sarnia Sting into town to face the hometown Battalion. Unbeknownst to he or to any of the spectators, it would be one of the final games of Alex Galchenyuk's amateur career.
Galchenuk was, and remains, the prized prospect of the Montreal Canadiens, who had used their third overall selection that summer to pluck the dynamic Michigan-born son of Belarussian Euroleague veteran, Alexander Galchenyuk. Despite the younger Galchenyuk's formidable skill level, the move was regarded as somewhat risky, given the fact that Alex had missed nearly the entire previous season due to a serious knee injury.
With the NHL at that time embroiled in what appeared to be a season-threatening work stoppage, the opportunity was perfect for Galchenyuk to prove to the Montreal Canadiens that their faith in him was well-placed. His former Sarnia teammate, Nail Yakupov, was the only forward selected higher than Galchenyuk at the draft and had decided to wait out the NHL lockout by playing for Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. This set the table beautifully for Galchenyuk to show that not only had he fully recovered from his injury, but that he could lead the Sting without the benefit of his star winger.
Galchenyuk had, thus far, seized the day. By the time Sarnia's late October date with the Brampton Battalion had arrived, Galchenyuk had stormed out of the season's gate, quickly jumping to the top of the OHL's scoring ladder.
All signs were pointing to this young man becoming a very bright silver lining to the dark cloud that had been the Canadiens' 2011-12 season. With all of this to consider, it was with great enthusiasm and expectation that I entered the doors of the Powerade Centre that afternoon. Upon taking my seat though, I tried to curb my own enthusiasm, rationalizing that although Galchenyuk had been playing brilliantly, it wasn't as though I was about to watch a lone Harlem Globetrotter among two teams of Washington Generals. (Habs fans tend to get carried away and I am no exception). I decided instead to simply watch the finer points of the young man's game and would be satisfied if I could catch even a glimpse or two of the much-lauded skill that I'd read so much about.
It was almost as though Galchenyuk heard these thoughts and wanted to prove them wrong. From the moment the opening puck was dropped, it was clear that Galchenyuk was on another level. His speed, tenacity and deft puck-handling more than once drew gasps out of the hometown Battalion's own fans. He amassed two assists in fine fashion, which more than satisfied my expectations - even exceeding them. So it was simply a massive helping of hockey gravy when, later in the game, Galchenyuk found himself on a breakaway, executed a signature shake-and-bake dangle and potted an NHL caliber goal on OHL ice.
The kid could play...and by God, he did.
Less than three months later, the NHL's shortened 2012-13 season began and Alex Galchenyuk cracked the roster of the Montreal Canadiens. Two years later, he has not looked back.
Thus far, Alex Galchenyuk has progressed nicely. He is not scoring at the near point-per-game clip of fellow 2012 draftee Filip Forsberg, but at the time of this writing, Galchenyuk is on pace for 24 goals and 55 points overall on an 82-game season. Excellent numbers for a man of only 20. (Just ask Max Pacioretty, who at the age of 20 was still 3 years away from cracking the Canadiens' roster on a permanent basis).
It remains to be seen, of course, whether or not Galchenyuk will develop into a consistent point-per-game performer, but in my opinion, there is no reason to believe he will not. Because the Canadiens rarely have high draft positions, previous Habs prospects with 'star' potential always came with major caveats. Either they had questionable character (see: Kostitsyn, Andrei) or they were considered undersized for the NHL game (see: Most Habs prospects of the past 20 years). Galchenyuk not only has size and skill, but so far he appears to have great character. It is clear that he wants to succeed not only individually, but as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. He wants his team to win and he wants to be a big part of it. Galchenyuk's work ethic on the ice is unquestioned and his off-ice dedication is well spoken of. He is anything but 'soft'. Finally, there is a humility to Galchenyuk that is refreshing, considering his high draft position and the pedestal the Montreal media have elevated him to.
But what if Galchenyuk doesn't become a star? Well, that would truly be catastrophic for the Montreal Canadiens. Much of the Habs' 20+ year Stanley Cup drought is attributed not only to some very poor first round drafting (from Eric Chouinard to David Fischer and beyond) but also some very mediocre draft positions. This has drastically hampered Montreal's ability to bring in the next Lafleur or even the next Stephane Richer. As was stated earlier, the 3rd overall draft pick used to select Galchenyuk was the Habs' highest selection since 1980. The highest in a hockey generation.
Galchenyuk simply must become the star he is destined to be, for the Canadiens to have any hope of returning to glory in the near future. No pressure, kid. Luckily for the Habs, the kid is on the right track and I, for one, believe the young man who exceeded my lofty expectations on October 28, 2012, is poised to do so again and again.
Galchenuk was, and remains, the prized prospect of the Montreal Canadiens, who had used their third overall selection that summer to pluck the dynamic Michigan-born son of Belarussian Euroleague veteran, Alexander Galchenyuk. Despite the younger Galchenyuk's formidable skill level, the move was regarded as somewhat risky, given the fact that Alex had missed nearly the entire previous season due to a serious knee injury.
With the NHL at that time embroiled in what appeared to be a season-threatening work stoppage, the opportunity was perfect for Galchenyuk to prove to the Montreal Canadiens that their faith in him was well-placed. His former Sarnia teammate, Nail Yakupov, was the only forward selected higher than Galchenyuk at the draft and had decided to wait out the NHL lockout by playing for Nizhnekamsk of the Kontinental Hockey League. This set the table beautifully for Galchenyuk to show that not only had he fully recovered from his injury, but that he could lead the Sting without the benefit of his star winger.
Galchenyuk had, thus far, seized the day. By the time Sarnia's late October date with the Brampton Battalion had arrived, Galchenyuk had stormed out of the season's gate, quickly jumping to the top of the OHL's scoring ladder.
All signs were pointing to this young man becoming a very bright silver lining to the dark cloud that had been the Canadiens' 2011-12 season. With all of this to consider, it was with great enthusiasm and expectation that I entered the doors of the Powerade Centre that afternoon. Upon taking my seat though, I tried to curb my own enthusiasm, rationalizing that although Galchenyuk had been playing brilliantly, it wasn't as though I was about to watch a lone Harlem Globetrotter among two teams of Washington Generals. (Habs fans tend to get carried away and I am no exception). I decided instead to simply watch the finer points of the young man's game and would be satisfied if I could catch even a glimpse or two of the much-lauded skill that I'd read so much about.
It was almost as though Galchenyuk heard these thoughts and wanted to prove them wrong. From the moment the opening puck was dropped, it was clear that Galchenyuk was on another level. His speed, tenacity and deft puck-handling more than once drew gasps out of the hometown Battalion's own fans. He amassed two assists in fine fashion, which more than satisfied my expectations - even exceeding them. So it was simply a massive helping of hockey gravy when, later in the game, Galchenyuk found himself on a breakaway, executed a signature shake-and-bake dangle and potted an NHL caliber goal on OHL ice.
The kid could play...and by God, he did.
Less than three months later, the NHL's shortened 2012-13 season began and Alex Galchenyuk cracked the roster of the Montreal Canadiens. Two years later, he has not looked back.
Thus far, Alex Galchenyuk has progressed nicely. He is not scoring at the near point-per-game clip of fellow 2012 draftee Filip Forsberg, but at the time of this writing, Galchenyuk is on pace for 24 goals and 55 points overall on an 82-game season. Excellent numbers for a man of only 20. (Just ask Max Pacioretty, who at the age of 20 was still 3 years away from cracking the Canadiens' roster on a permanent basis).
It remains to be seen, of course, whether or not Galchenyuk will develop into a consistent point-per-game performer, but in my opinion, there is no reason to believe he will not. Because the Canadiens rarely have high draft positions, previous Habs prospects with 'star' potential always came with major caveats. Either they had questionable character (see: Kostitsyn, Andrei) or they were considered undersized for the NHL game (see: Most Habs prospects of the past 20 years). Galchenyuk not only has size and skill, but so far he appears to have great character. It is clear that he wants to succeed not only individually, but as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. He wants his team to win and he wants to be a big part of it. Galchenyuk's work ethic on the ice is unquestioned and his off-ice dedication is well spoken of. He is anything but 'soft'. Finally, there is a humility to Galchenyuk that is refreshing, considering his high draft position and the pedestal the Montreal media have elevated him to.
But what if Galchenyuk doesn't become a star? Well, that would truly be catastrophic for the Montreal Canadiens. Much of the Habs' 20+ year Stanley Cup drought is attributed not only to some very poor first round drafting (from Eric Chouinard to David Fischer and beyond) but also some very mediocre draft positions. This has drastically hampered Montreal's ability to bring in the next Lafleur or even the next Stephane Richer. As was stated earlier, the 3rd overall draft pick used to select Galchenyuk was the Habs' highest selection since 1980. The highest in a hockey generation.
Galchenyuk simply must become the star he is destined to be, for the Canadiens to have any hope of returning to glory in the near future. No pressure, kid. Luckily for the Habs, the kid is on the right track and I, for one, believe the young man who exceeded my lofty expectations on October 28, 2012, is poised to do so again and again.
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