It’s a bad Monday morning for coaches:
Bruce Boudreau has been fired in Washington, replaced by Dale Hunter.
And Canadiens alumnus Kirk Muller is back in the NHL, replacing Paul Maurice in Carolina.
Let’s get to the important issue:
With Dale Hunter leaving the OHL London Knights to coach the Washington Capitals, who will take over the nurturing of the Canadiens’ prize defence prospect?
The chance to play for Hunter was one of the factors that influenced Tinordi in deciding to play major junior hockey, rather than accepting a scholarship to Notre Dame University.
The list of NHLers Hunter has coached in London includes Rick Nash, Kyle Quincey, Dennis Wideman, Corey Perry, Sergei Kostitsyn, Dave Bolland, Rob Schremp, Steve Mason, Sam Gagner, Patrick Kane, Michael Del Zotto and John Carlson.
Hunter and Mark Tinordi, the Habs’ prospect’s father, were Washington teammates for four and a half seasons.
• • •
• • •
Update from a spirited practice that includes puck-battle drills:
Andrei Markov is paired with Alexei Emelin. The other pairings: P.K.-Gorges, Diaz-Gill, Weber-St. Denis
Max Pacioretty is on the ice. His telephone chat with Brendan Shanahan will be later this morning.
Andrei Markov is practicing, and Chris Campoli is wearing a no-hit maroon jersey (regulars are in red and blue).
And Ryan White!
In a maroon jersey on the alternate rink.
• • •
Lines are the ones we saw against Pittsburgh.
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I’ve been reading HIO long enough to know not to get involved, but with all the coaching changes, this seemed like a big day for the NHL and it highlights one of my favorite (yep, I live in the ‘States) words — INCONSISTENCY. In this case, the vast difference in expectations between Hab management/ownership and us fans (we fans?)… Any who…
Three teams fired coaches already, St. Louis, Carolina and Washington. In-season changes signal that the team’s performance is unsatisfactory relative to EXPECTATIONS. For the Blues and Caps, this meant playing .500 (more on this later) or better was unacceptable. Carolina is just a mess (albeit with a Cup-finalist coach, so there).
Clearly, Messrs. Molson and Gauthier find our record acceptable. We know this because, they have not fired Jockey and haven’t made meaningful roster changes. I don’t include promoting Bulldogs to play de minimis minutes on the fourth line a signal. Limping out of the starting gate, was unacceptable and cost Pearn a cushy gig tap guys on the shoulder to let them know when to hit the ice.
On the other hand, pre-season HIO posts were calling for a top-4 finish in the East and long playoff run. The conventional wisdom went something like this, “we were one goal away from beating the Cup winners, and Cole is a major upgrade over Pouliot, so all is good in Habland.”
Ladies and gentlemen we are out of sync with our owners. We expect to win, where they expect to middle.
Let’s look at the facts (’cause without ‘em I’ll get tossed under the troll bus). In 1262 games, Martin’s record is 600-469-119-64, good for 1393 point and a .552 points percentage. Since the lock out (new rules, OTLs, cap era) he is 193-163-0-54 in 410 games. Good for 440 points and a .537 points percentage. Gauthier is worse. 738-289-341-79-29 686 points and .465 overall; and 410-171-179-31-29 for 402 points and a .490 points percentage.
With OTL inflation the average team gets between 92 and 94 points now, redefining “.500″ as .567. From the things that make you go hmmmm, it’s amazing how similar that is to the number of points is typically takes to make the playoffs (when 16 out of 30 are in…).
So, expectations. We have a coach and GM combo well below the average in a post-lockout era and we are (A) disappointed; (B) surprised; (C) angry that changes are not forthcoming when we play sub “.500″ hockey. Don’t be.
Unless ownership changes their expectations, the chasm between our hopes and this team’s reality will be a big ol’ INCONSISTENCY.
Not 1, but 2 coaches with francophone sounding last names are now available. JM must be worried.
In the second half of last season, I started thinking that Brian Burke would turn the Leafs into a contender before the Habs got there. Now I’m thinking it’s happened even sooner than I thought it would. Burke took over less than three years ago. In the five-and-a-half years that Gainey was GM, he took this team from being a mostly non-playoff team to what we are now – a .500 team that will scratch and claw every year for one of the last playoff spots, and will occasionally steal a series. And I don’t think we’re going to get any better until the way things are done is changed. We give up on young players too soon or trade them for nothing, we trade away draft picks for bandaid solutions, we overpay for free agents who are on the downside of their careers. Every year the goal is to make the playoffs. I think it’s time the team took a longer view and started building from within for a championship run.
Gainey could have started this process after the disastrous centennial season by blowing up the team and starting again with younger, cheaper players. He chose instead to rebuild via free agency, taking on the infamous Gomez contract, signing a couple of decent but aging defencemen, and handing out inflated contracts to guys in their late twenties, contracts which have become anchors. Aside from the Gomez contract, the $6 million to Cammalleri is looking the worst at the moment. I don’t know whether he’s injured or what, but he’s on pace for all of 17 goals this season. He was signed to produce close to 40. Of the three over-paid forwards Gainey brought in, Gionta is the only one who is consistent and steady, and who delivers about what was expected of him.
If by the trade deadline we are out of a playoff spot, I hope Gauthier will get rid of as many of these inflated contracts as possible, stockpile picks and prospects, and start a genuine rebuild.
Leafs a contender? No question they are getting a bit better – but they started with a pretty low bar. Court is still out on whether they are a contender for the play-offs (my guess is not this year) and it’s very questionable about whether they are a contender for the Cup.
Habs and Leafs just took different routes to where they are now – the Leaf route had them miss the play-offs repeatedly and our route did not. We have been more of a ‘contender’ than they have for five out of the past six years. That’s significant.
Our team is also building from within IMO. Building youth around players we bought as opposed to players we traded for which has been Leafs principle strategy – I think they have a better trading record than ours. They have also been bolder – which the had to be because they came from further back. It looks like it’s beginning to work now, but let’s see. They are pretty un-disciplined defensively – let’s see how they keep the puck out of their net over the last 25 games of a season when it really matters.
I doubt the Leafs are a contender for the Cup this season, but I certainly think they’re a playoff team. They started well and, despite injuries to key players including their starting goaltender, they haven’t slowed down a whole lot. They have a very good powerplay, they score a lot, and they’re winning with Gustavsson, whom I think is mediocre, in goal.
Meanwhile, the Habs had a disastrous start followed by a 4-game winning streak. Since then we’ve been playing .500 hockey, winning or losing most games by a single goal. We have an extremely talented goaltender, but in most games we don’t score enough to win if he isn’t all but perfect.
It’s true that we’ve added some younger players developed by our own organization, and there are more a few years away. On defence I think our prospects, including the young players now on the team, are good, but I don’t think there’s enough offensive talent in the system to provide a significant upgrade on what we have now, which is clearly not enough. So I think that not only are the Leafs a better team than we are now, but they will improve at a faster rate than we will.
So one of us gets to say ‘told you so’ in about 4 months. Good luck.
Actually, we should both be wishing you have bad luck.
I certainly hope it’s you who get to say ‘told you so,’ but I won’t hold my breath.
I think the Christmas road trip will be key. Two years ago, it was that which put us in a position to be able to make the playoffs. Last year it was almost our undoing. If we can play better than .500 on that trip this year, we’ll still have a chance.
Lupul is playing a foot over his head and Kessel’s shooting % is double what his career numbers have been, those two parts are going to regress sooner or later but the Leafs are riding them right now to success (not like the Ducks riding Perry to the playoffs last year on his 50G). They have made some improvements by getting Gardiner and Lupul on board from last year but holes remain in goaltending and Connolly, Bozak are not going to be No. 1 Cs with injury-prone nature of one and Bozak not being that good is another. Grabovski is their best C but he’s 1 man. It is not unlike our scenario, Plekanec is our top C (and better than Grabovski) but Gomez is even less useful to us and Eller needs development, Desharnais’s size kills him in road matchups.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
Not to mention the Leafs have completely unproven goaltending.
Maybe Muller was very instrumental with the PP unit last year but I think the problem with the habs -is the same as it is 5on5- in that ONLY Desharnais has any creativity with the puck.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Markov practicing again, and now a Ryan White sighting! Great news.
Hopefully Markov returns by early December and White by January. Then we can see what kind of team this is with our best D back and four lines.
Ah ,the plan.Now with Muller in place the trade for Jordan Staal for Gomez is a go .lol
Lol. good one. I take it all back dude…
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Kiss my hAbSS!!!
Muller taking over the Canes will allow us to pull off a lopsided trade with the penguins? MY GOD! HOW FAR DOES THIS CONSPIRACY RUN?!
Good point…should of said Eric?There’s so many Staals playing I get confused,lol Just like the Sutter’s
Yeah I knew you meant Eric, I was just messing with ya.
We could throw in Campoli….
Will JM continue the experiment of Cammy/Plex/Gio or will we see a power forward added to this line? If JM would pacify me with a couple of moves like that, I can live with him as coach.
But it is moves like this which cause great amounts of anxiety for me.
DD will be exposed if you take away one of his 2 towers of strenght.
But one of them might be gone for a few games anyways…
Randy for HC!
Ah but you forget laddy, that AK is back.
I wouldn’t touch the DD line, as for the other 6 “top forwards”, I’d mix it up until the right combination works.
And I don’t mean a change-up every second shift like JM.
So Max was supposed to find out by 1pm today what he gets if anything, according to John Lu.
New thread say’s he’ll learn mid air on way to Cali. he talked to Shanty at noon.
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Kiss my hAbSS!!!
I guess Shanty has to confer with Campbell and Burkes before making a decision.
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Kiss my hAbSS!!!
Next thing it will be Perry Pearn getting a coaching assignment someplace… yet ANOTHER example of the Habs letting good ones get away.
You can hardly blame Habs fans for being such cry babies? Boy, Sam Pollock wouldn’t let something like this happen. Why, I remember the old days when…
Pearn is now one of their talent scouts.
And he’s probably laughing in his beer thinking to himself “I told you so”.
Ha ha, did alzheimer’s kick in?
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Kiss my hAbSS!!!
No… common sense.
Per Canes scribes, Muller’s deal with Carolina runs this season and for three more after that.
Sorry to kill you delusion of grandeur, Ian.
Last yr with Muller the power play did well….this year well…..
Mr Molson, wake up this team has become a joke along with the people running your team
I hate the Bruins, really I do!
only problem there is, Muller wanted a coaching job so they couldn’t keep him on as an assistant……and u know PG and JM are married
Our PP goals for and goals against were both better when Muller ran the team.
And we won more cups when The Rocket was lighting up the league with his crazy eyes. Just because it LOOKS like there’s a connection between Muller leaving and a diminished PP doesn’t mean there really is.
I doubt Muller took Cammi’s heart, desire and ability to score with him when he left. I also doubt he stabbed Markov in the knee.
From where I sit, those two players absences (and Cammi really does seem to be absent), are the biggest problems with the PP. I’d say Pleks at the point is a problem, but I think that’s a direct result of Markov being out.
Just listened to McPhee’s conference. The team stopped responding was the tone. IN HI/O world, just like when Carbo lost the room (last time I checked I am sure he has a better record coaching the Canadiens than Martin)
So what is wrong with the Habs, and the PP, and really, WTF is up with Cammy?
Is it JM, or is the talent just not here? I don’t think it is the players, but that is my opinion. If the Habs are playing the same hockey once Markov is back, JM will be gone.
It’s the players. Look at our D. PK is a future great but having trouble offensively this year. Gill is dire, and should have retired. Gorges is good in his own end but has not offence. The rest are learning the ropes.
Our attackers need to bail out our defence rather than our defence being the spark for the offence.
Maybe it is the same situation as the Capitals, players are not responding…see P.K. Subban for starters.
He’s in a classic sophomore year.
He doesn’t have the same leeway as last year, and has to stop thinking that he can carry the puck from one end to the other and score, because he hasn’t managed it yet this year, despite trying it too often (complete with spin-o-ramas in our own zone).
He’s just finding his game.
Any discontent is with himself, I’m sure.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I can agree with that. Subban is just so good, you would figure a coach with all Martin’s experience could somehow harness that talent.
Our PK is amazing.
Our PP is poor.
Gill an Gorges are playing great, it’s 1st-line scoring that we’re not getting.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
You mean the former first line, right? The smurfs?
The new power line (Cole, Max, DD) is on fire!
JM is doing to PK what Lemaire did to Lafleur. He’s a thoroughbred who needsto be able to run, and JM wants him to be a trotter.
Time’s up, JM must go!
Bunk bunk bunk bunk, etc.
I really think Cammy is playing hurt (at least I hope he is). That said, the way he is playing he is a liability and needs to sit until he is healthy, or is rwady to compete.
He is our worst player now that Gomez is out.
Time’s up, JM must go!
I think you’re right about Cammy.
I’ve been posting the same thing.
He can’t be 100%. He keeps taking shortcuts on the ice, to try and cut off clearing passes which, against the Pens, never came.
I get the impression his nose has been out of joint ever since Gionta was named captain. Cammy in his first season with MTL was awesome, he was always full of energy, looked happy to be out there… Gionta gets named captain, Cammy hasn’t been the same since.
Just a thought peeps, and by all means i’d like to hear perspectives that are at least partially thought out.
IMO the habs are an average team without a stud dman and without a stud offensive player. Goaltending is solid. With this average team JM has deployed a style that trades only a few scoring chances each way during a game – thinking that if each team has only a few chances our goalie will win us games. In a not so random sample of one game against the pens the game went to OT where we all knwo the pens are a much muich better team.
Does anyone else agree with me that JMs very defensive style is the best thing for this team? I do not want to get into a shootout style game with boston or buffalo or philly or pittsburgh. habs have been playing with 2 or 3 rookie dmen every game and yet are 6th best in the east in goals againt…. anyone really wanna trade 2 on 1 or 3 on two rushes with diaz, weber and emilin on the back end and not so snipers on the front end?
Come on gusy – Moen.. yes Travis Moen is one of hte team leaders in goals. i say we play every game to be 2-1 or 3-2 and hope for the best.
I’m down with you on that, Numbers.
Lots of people seem to want to watch ‘exciting’ or ‘entertaining’ hockey, so that they can brag about it to their co-workers.
Personally, I find close games entertaining. Our recent one-goal losses were a couple of the best games I’ve seen this season.
Moener’s doing great. He’s always had such good hockey sense, always in the right place. Now he’s even managing to pull the trigger!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I don’t understand why everyone thinks this team won’t make the playoffs. If u check the standings we are 1 point out. 1 point with 58 games to go. We. Have gone 9 5 2 since our terrible start. Like wow ppl are so damn pessimistic whenever habs lose. Once habs are fully healthy not a doubt in my mind we make the playoffs
We are last in our division. We haven’t been higher than 10th place all season. The teams right around us all have games in hand on us. Those are some of the reasons. It’s not impossible that we’ll make the playoffs, but it’s getting more unlikely with every point we squander. To get there, we’d have to beat out the teams right around us, as well as a couple of teams currently in playoff spots, all of whom are looking at the moment like more legitimate contenders than we are. It will take a sustained winning streak, which certainly won’t happen until Markov is back and has played a few games, and which is unlikely even then. We have one 4-game winning streak this season and one 2-game streak. That’s it. Otherwise we’re a .500 team.
Our division is the tightest and best in the league so far. We’ve been tied for 8th place which is better than nothing and at least we’re not last place anymore. We’ve only played 24 games and have 58 left to go, we WILL have winning streaks and losing streaks, we just need to make the winning ones longer than the losing ones.
Look at the games we’ve lost and see how many were one goal games. Markov and Spacek coming back WILL make this team one goal better and can give us the boost we need to make the playoffs. It’s way too early to give up hope
25 before 14
I haven’t given up hope, I’m just trying to be realistic. I agree with you that Markov will make the team better, but I don’t think it will happen right away. He hasn’t played in more than a year, and even then he played 7 games after missing months. By the time he’s hit his stride, it’ll likely be too late. I don’t think any of the teams currently in a playoff spot are going to collapse. The Leafs are winning with Gustavsson, who is mediocre, Florida seems to be for real, and I can’t see any of the others falling out unless Dale Hunter has too big an ego to handle Ovechkin.
We have 13 games until we hit the MIDDLE of the season. Assuming Markov comes back on this road trip I’m sure he can hit his stride by then and it definitely won’t be too late by then to make the playoffs.
The Leafs and Florida are both playing over their heads, the real factor in whether or not we make the playoffs will be the divisional games which we need to start winning.
25 before 14
Aaron Vickers of Future Considerations considers Nathan Beaulieu a high certainty to make Team Canada, Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus (That untrustworthy guy who talks to scouts and uses ‘stats’) considers him a lock.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
That’s great news. I hear Gallagher and Bournival are pretty much a lock as well. Is that what you are hearing SF?
Gallagher to me almost goes without question at this point since he plays for Don Hay in Vancouver and has been a favourite by many. Bournival I think is a high probability BUT since he’s a checking player for them, someone may push him out for that role with a big camp.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
I’ve been hearing talk about Gallagher being pretty much a lock as well, possibly even a first-line player. Thoughts?
And what about Bournival? Wasn’t he the last man cut last year.
25 before 14
Speaking of Pronman, he doesn’t exactly have a high opinion of the Habs prospects and system right now: http://www.puckprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=1032
agree or disagree SF?
He’s got a right to his opinion and he tends to favour safer projections of prospects all around the league. Comes down to it, we are basically short of blue-chippers at forward and no one looks like a 1st-liner right now.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
No doubt he’s got the right to his opinion, no debating that. I know that I’m not exactly the most enthusiastic guy when it comes to the Habs prospects but even I thought he was unduly harsh.
Already looking at power forward types for this years draft though (cause I always hope that one day they’ll wake up on that Friday in late June and decide it’s time to actually take one) and I think that Tom Wilson and Colton Sissons (who impressed in the Super Series) have to be on the Habs radar
Depends on where they pick, Brendon Gaunce looks like he’s going to be out of reach but Zemgus Girgensons may end up being a swingman in the draft.
I never take Pronman as an absolute source, but I find it’s good to weigh his opinion against the rose-coloured stuff.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
Is Zemgus a centre? Not overly familiar with him. If the Habs are out of it by the deadline I’d be trying to pick up a second first rounder for one of those two wingers. Sissons seems to be in more of a Mike Richards mold if I had to compare. Wilson is a 6″4 200 lbs winger who racks up points and alot of PIMs. I’d like one of the two at least
So did Shanny oversleep? Is the jury still out?
I thought the hearing was this morning? Well, now it’s this afternoon.
Any news?
Time’s up, JM must go!
Very happy Boudreau got the axe. Maybe stubbornly drafting ovechkin first overall in my hockey pool will start to pay some dividends. In the real world though, you could tell that Washington had a rift between the players who liked boudreau’s defensive system and the offensive players who wanted to run and gun. Boudreau’s failing was being unable to find a proper balance between defense and offense.
Very happy for Kirk muller. He deserves the promotion, too bad he’s going to an absolutely terrible team. If he can get the hurricanes into the playoffs he should win the jack Adams. Their roster is that bad. I dont think Maurice deserved the axe personally, and I would take him over Martin in heartbeat. Rutherford definitely didn’t give Maurice the horses to work with. Carolina should be in rebuild mode now.
As for the habbies? What else is new?Totally inconsistent, and simply mediocre as always. Thanks for buying the team Geoff, and doing nothing but inserting yourself as president. Just business as usual. Hard to comprehend how Washington, who is in a playoff spot with a winning record, will fire their coach, yet montreal, currently out of the playoffs with a losing record, retains Martin.
I guess habs brass is expecting Markov to be a savior and just magically right the ship, but what happens if he plays all of seven games and gets taken out again?
I really hope the organization continues to do nothing – that should fix things…lost 3 of their last 4 – only win against a terrible Carolina team and that required O.T…stud goaler plays lights out and still loses because of terrible coaching and porous D….I bet the players HATE playing for JM – they realize it now more than ever w/ no Muller around….fire JM, trade Cammy, demote Gomez – use the rest of this season as a warm up for the big turn around next year…..maybe make the playoffs if we are very lucky.
i wonder how many other teams can take pittsburgh to OT with four….. FOUR… rookie dmen.
wow….very true – we should all be thrilled that we took Pit to OT. gimme a break – badly outplayed – Price stole a point and we should be happy….yikes…
Muller in Carolina and JM still here. It is painful to watch another real coach leave the Montreal system. Nursing a one goal lead against the Pens and on the preceding powerplay, if you can can call it that, where Weber and Plekanec were stripped and almost scored upon JM throws them out there again and they were almost scored upon again! The thing that is even harder to deal with is there will be no changes for the next game. Does the dog have to rip your leg off for you to know it bites? Utter incompetence!!! Molson has got to do something. We are going to lose Subban and Price as JM has no idea to handle this kind of talent. Look at what he did to Speeza. This is becoming very serious.
Yes, it’s Jacques Martin’s fault that Yannick Weber forgot how to keep his eyes open. Habs and Pens had the same amount of 3rd period shots.
You’re crazy!
Don’t you know that before every third period when we’re in the lead, JM goes into the dressing room and says
“Okay boys, no need to try any longer, just hang onto that lead. It’s a sure thing.”
Don’t you know that?
(I even have it on excellent authority -my imagination- that he does it with a 1920s gangster accent. Sometimes he says ‘yous guys’, and sometimes he says ‘seee?’ at the end of his sentences.)
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Gnyaaah seeee gnyaaah.
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Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
Whadda marroon!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd1sdLdbW-I
_____________________________
Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
Ha!
“Supposin’ I’m done supposin’!”
—Hope Springs Eternal—
C’mon team!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dMZUvDqBSh0
From my authority he does it with a count Dracula accent while lapping from a cone adorned from the ice shavings of Letang’s blood drippings.
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Kiss my hAbSS!!!
come on tom – you should know that putting diaz and ymelin out there for the remainder of the third period was the way to go!!!!!
It’s also painful to see comments like yours and people blindly hating on JM.
To those JM haters, how do you explain the fact that the team has killed off 40+ straight penalties? By the way, they’ve gone on streaks like this in the past couple of years. Is that not a sign of good coaching?
Do people really think the Habs will give up on Weber after all these years in the organization, after all the mistakes they made in developing their prospects? I think Weber is the ONLY prospect that they actually didn’t make a mistake with his development. Also our D corps are getting old. Weber is going nowhere! he’s staying a Hab.
Well, not sure about the future, but as of today he is practicing on the 4th D pairing which means his useless ass will be in a pressbox.
He still needs to devellop and he is not a top pairing D.
Right now he is getting matchups that are too hard, and getting too much TOI for his own good.
Randy for HC!
You remember when Gorges came to Montreal? How many times was he in the pressbox? Just because he’s in the pressbox doesn’t mean we should give up on him.
I didn’t say that. I said that he is useless, that’s why he should be in a pressbox or better yet off the payroll.
Weber is one-dimensional, and too easily pushed off the puck.
PuckBandits
http://www.puckbandits.com
Keep supporting the Molson’s Hockey – they love it
SPINACH IS TASTELESS.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
lmao (small letters – Don’t want Mat to straighten me out).
So as HB and Shiram pointed out earlier, the honeymoon is over for the Caps’ divas. They fire a coach who has a 3:1 winning ration (fine, not in the playoffs).
We let Boucher slip away, and now Muller has proven that he’s NHL-ready. And we still have to put up with the I’d-rather-watch-paint-dry-type hockey of JM.
Maybe Geoff Molson should step in, and either shake PG to wake him up, or give him and JM the boot. Enough already.
I’d wait a little while before saying Muller is NHL ready, he got the job, now let’s see if he can do it well.
Randy for HC!
Apparently the Admirals would be doing just as well if they’d had Therrien behind the bench.
According to SF09, they’re a shoe-in for 1st.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
SF09 does know his AHL and junior ranks…
Randy for HC!
Carolina wont be a good measure of kirk’s coaching talent, especially in the short-term. They are a terrible team. I cannot believe they fired maurice. Expecting kirk to simply right the ship without making any roster moves is ridiculous.
Muller proved that he was NHL-ready last year when he controlled the Habs’ helm.
If he turns Carolina around, with their lack of depth, I’d like to say that PG will realize what a snafoo he made by letting him go, but I don’t think he cares.
Is it not clear at this point that Molson doesn’t give a rat’s behind?
…Still got the ol’ caps lock key stuck, eh?
I recommend cleaning your keyboard.
Bit of warm water and a q-tip, and Bob’s your uncle.
Try it out! I know you can do it.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I see the tankwagon is taking new applicants.
Where is the tank avatar HH? I kinda miss it.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
I refuse to join the tankwagon until someone explains to me why tanking is synonymous with losing. And why? Seems to me a tank is a formidable war machinery that upon it’s invention during WWI helped to end the stalemate of the trench war. How about trenching or to trench, that would make more sense since the Habs are indeed engaged in a stalemate of sorts with their constant back door entrance to playoffs in the hopes to make a miraculous run at the cup a la 86 and 93. So ya, trenching, let’s do it.
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Kiss my hAbSS!!!
One of the issues I have with this ‘get into the playoffs by the back door’ is that it means nothing.
We finished first in the East in ’08.
Don’t remember us doing so well in the playoffs.
Doesn’t matter where you finish, y’see?
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Tongue in cheek Matty , always firmly in cheek.
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Kiss my hAbSS!!!
I know, Sly m’man.
Just using you as a springboard to educate the masses.
(wait, do you use a springboard to educate? Is that normal? Is that why people have been looking at me so strangely?)
—Hope Springs Eternal—
A springboard in Springfield Massachusetts perhaps…what?
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Kiss my hAbSS!!!
Any chance for the Habs making a Coach Firing Monday Hat Trick?
Or will PG once again be on the down low, dwell on this obvious choice as his team bumbles and struggles and be a .500 team for this season?
Ooooh well.
Oooh, wouldn’t that be sweet. Coach Jessica!!! Coach Jessica!!!
You’re wearing that one out, old boy!
Give it up. It’s on the same dream plane as a 25th Stanley Cup this year.
There you are!
Thanks again for the tickets, bud.
My g/f and I had a great time, and we’ll definitely be going again next year (with our OWN tickets!).
Missed your presence, for sure.
Have to see if we can get an HI/O outing later on in the season to watch a game at the Hurl.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I’d be interested Mattyleg.
Good times as always.
Just leave that Gomez jersey home next time though.
You didn’t actually wear a Gomez jersey, did you?
Boy, the price I paid for missing the top-notch hockey networking event of the year.
Seriously, I’m glad you enjoyed it, and we’ll get the chance next year for sure, and I’ll have my Saku jersey ready.
I was given a #91 Gomer away jersey as my raffle prize.
I wore it and promptly wiped out trying to hurdle a metro turnstile.
So no, you didn’t miss much.
Next year it is!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
LOL thanks.
My visual of your misfortune just made my afternoon.
Wearing it out? I’m just getting started.
She’s very cute indeed. Girl next door type.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Kiss my hAbSS!!!
C’mon guys…is it my standards that are too high, but she seems pretty ordinary to me. She’s definitely got gumption though.
Perhaps it’s a contrast that she creates being in room with lookers like Boone et Co.
Yeah, and we can get… hmm… (gosh, I’m like a kid in a coaching store!)
Uhh… there’s… Bob Hartley!! Yeah!! He’ll turn this team around!
Nonono! Wait!! Ted Nolan!! Guaranteed success.
uhhhhh…. Drag ol’ Quinn out of retirement! Yesss!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
What about Muller?
Ooops
Rookie coaches need not apply.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Just wondering Matty, how is a coach supposed to get experience if no coach without experience is ever hired?
Or is that a job for another less uh glorious than the Habs?
Randy for HC!
All’s I’m saying is that we’ve not had great recent experience with rookie coaches, and I’d be very wary to go there again anytime soon.
Especially with someone who was assistant beforehand.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
You want Muller? You’ll have to visit Carolina.
Aaron Ward’s club comment was a re-tweet, no?
On a positive note, Markov is skating with the most pleasant surprise of the season, Emelin, and Weber seems to be on the extra pairing.
As Weber should be, I’d be very surprised if Weber ends the season in Montreal.
I share people’s frustration with the unwillingness of Habs management to fire JM, after Washington and Carolina both made excellent coaching changes today.
Perhaps Hunter is for DC what Roy is for Montreal — a successful junior coach/owner who can make the jump.
Sadly, unless the Habs find themselves in another losing streak, Martin will keep his job safe. He is saving himself with periodic wins and hovering around .500.
Excellent coaching changes?
Can’t we wait to see what results they have after… oh, one game or so before we call their hirings ‘excellent’.
+1
you’re being too rational for this site.
So we can’t make any assessment about the changes until a game has been played? Under your logic, if the Caps’ hired Mitt Romney or Justin Bieber, we can’t say anything until after a game has been played. Romney, Bieber, Muller, and Hunter are all in the same boat.
Of course you can. It’s just that you’ll make a even better assessment after observing said candidates in real life situations.
Now Bieber as Caps’ coach wouldn’t be a bad idea: all the superstars can play however they want.
There are no people out there that could get more out of this team than Martin.
He does do a couple head scratching things for sure but overall he is solid!
He has been working without a good chunk of his star or important players going on two years now.
Again, he is getting the max out of this team.
You’re absolutely right. Remember the effort they put against Boston despite missing Paccioretty, Markov and then Wizniewski and Deharnais at the end of the series…
Looking forward to Markov, Campoli and White coming back, it looks like the light at the end of the tunnel…
The Habs are still a couples players away from really making a run. So sitting at or slightly above .500 is a good as any coach will do here at the moment…
You seriously think he is solid?
Cole sat on the bench for how long before trying him on the PP?
But he keeps throwing Darche out there.
They call up St Denis, and leave Emelin sitting. I’m not knocking St-Denis, but Emelin was here, and slowly progressing.
He’s got Pleks on the point, and has created the mini-line, with Cammie, Pleks and Gio together. Total weight is 12 pounds +/-.
PK is struggling but still gets big minutes.
And he stands there, statuesque in his attractive pin-striped suits, and says….nothing.
His goalie gets run over, he says nothing.
His players get run over, he says nothing.
When he gets upset at the refs’ bias, his lips move like Achmed, the Dead Terrorist.
How do you explain the excellent PK? 40+ penalties killed off? Let me guess you must think it’s all on the players.
Brendan Gallagher, Michael Bournival, Nathan Beaulieu have all been officially invited to Team Canada’s World Junior Camp.
Tough battle is for Beaulieu, many quality defencemen there so he will have to stand out.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
And who says Montreal doesn’t draft well or have good young players coming down the pipe?
With players like that, plus Tinordi, the Habs should be able to swing some trades today and there would be no reason to finish low to get more high first round picks.
Some people have been suggesting that we have no good young players and the best thing would be to tank…YA RIGHT!
Next move for the Habs really is to take excess in the defence pipeline and get some forward prospects to add to our limited pool of Top-6 candidates or move up in the draft.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
I’d like to see some of that mistake by Gainey undone. Trading Gomez would obviously be my biggest wish but we all know that is next to impossible.
But aside from Gomez, the Gionta and Cammalleri contacts don’t look overly pretty either.
We’ve got some extra bodies on defense, so I would like to see some sort of big deal involving one of the above mentioned players and a defender to better ready us for the playoffs.
I have a feeling though that the best Canadiens’ team in decades will come when those contracts expire, those players are replaced and the young players you speak of are playing in the NHL.
I never suggested. I full out declared. Stop misconstruing HH Jr.
What lol? Oh that was you that wanted to blow the entire thing up.
Would the real HH please stand up?
Dale Hunter finally coaching in the NHL, one of my fave players of all time. I hope he does good and then bails on them and comes to coach the Nordiques.
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
One of your faves?
You like encouraging cheap shot artists.
He was one of the worst.
What? Its not like he killed anybody lol
[Disclaimer]: I’m a hockey fan. I care about the habs, but probably not as much as you.
Does Paul Maurice speak french? Send Martin upstairs. Maurice has won a cup with Cole!
I think he’s American. But he seems French…
According to Wiki, he’s Ontarian, and has never won a cup with Cole, and has been fired twice.
_____________________________
Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
Damn you with your facts! Rossingnol made it all sound so easy.
I’m pretty sure Laviolette was coaching when the Canes won the cup.. ?
im pretty sure it was Peter Laviolette that won a cup with cole.
My mistake – made it to the cup finals and lost to Detroit. More from Wikipedia
After Peter Karmanos purchased the Hartford Whalers, Maurice followed Karmanos to coach the Whalers (later the Carolina Hurricanes) of the NHL in 1995, at the remarkably young age of 28. Throughout much of his tenure, he was the youngest active coach in the NHL. The high point of his NHL career came in the 2001–02 NHL season, when the Hurricanes reached the Stanley Cup finals, losing to the Detroit Red Wings. After coaching 604 regular season games, he was let go by the Hurricanes in 2003 when the team started the first 20 games 8–12. Under Maurice the Hurricanes achieved three winning seasons from 1998–2002.
On June 24, 2005, he was hired to coach the Toronto Marlies, after the team had relocated from St. John’s, Newfoundland. In the 2005–06 season, the Marlies qualified for fourth playoff spot in their division. They were subsequently eliminated by the Grand Rapids Griffins in the first round.
Maurice reached several coaching milestones during his first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs, registering a career-high in wins (40) and points percentage (.555). He also earned his 300th NHL victory March 6, 2007 versus Washington and coached his 750th NHL game March 27, 2007 versus Carolina.
On May 7, 2008, Maurice was fired by interim Maple Leafs GM Cliff Fletcher, after missing the playoffs for two seasons in a row.[2]
On December 3, 2008, Maurice was re-hired by the Hurricanes, selected to take over for Peter Laviolette (for whom Maurice had been fired five years prior) as head coach of the Carolina Hurricanes.
On November 28, 2010, at age 43, Maurice became the youngest person to reach 1,000 NHL games coached.
Maurice was fired by the Hurricanes for a second time on November 28, 2011, after the team began the season with a record of 8-13-4.
Maurice didn’t win the Cup with Carolina, that was Laviolette. Maurice was sucking at the Leafs job when Carolina won in 2006.
Okay. Jacques Martin is not a bad coach, he just isn’t an elite coach. I’m not sure where it’s been written that Guy Boucher is an elite coach. Muller? Roy?
This is ridiculously speculative. Take Chara away from Julien, does he have a ring? Keith away from the Blackhawks, does Joe have one? Lidstrom from Babcock?
I’m by no means a Martin apologist. I agree with some of his philosophy. Most importantly that a great number of different line combinations early on is important in building widespread chemistry for late season and playoff hockey. But his mis-management of the roster as a whole has been rampant.
Yannick Weber and Rafael Diaz are not adequate penalty killers. Mathieu Darche is not adequately skilled to be on a powerplay. And the discipline handed out to Emelin, Eller and Kostitsyn should either be stopped or handed out in a like way to Desharnais, Weber and Diaz. Who also make their share of mistakes.
I however am not about to pretend that Martin is a “bad” coach. I’m not going to daydream about the possibility of Patrick Roy or Bob Hartley on the Canadiens’ bench. Because in reality, they haven’t proven to be upgrades.
In terms of proven success, the list of coaches who offer more than Martin is very short. And Martin, while he has a lot of faults, brings many positives.
Good post Tom. Although dangerously short on hyperbole, venom and rampant speculation. You may not want to post too much like that here.
Nothing wrong with Martin that a 3 game win streak won’t cure.
Anyone that plays Scott Gomez over Lars Eller, and Mathew Darche on the power play is a bad coach.
“Of course I’m crazy, but that doesn’t mean I’m wrong.”
- Robert Anton Wilson
Gomez lacks a lot of things. The skills to be used on the powerplay isn’t one of those things. Time for a kit-kat.
I personally don´t like to have someone on the PP who can´t score to save his f*****g life.
And anyone who can’t spell a player’s name properly is a bad fan, especially when it’s a homegrown player, I could understand if he had a long/complicated name but come on man? You can’t spell Mathieu properly?
Bang on!
Very nice.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I just read Tom Nickle’s post and I totally agree with him. EFW!
Is it too early in the day to have a stiff drink? I think I must be losing my mind:-)
On a more serious note, I think anyone who proposes that Patrick Roy should be coach of the Habs needs to be banned from the site until further notice.
No no no. It’s not you. I’ve already been into the stiff stuff. Maybe that’s why we’re on the same page. JK.
F*#k’n Gauthier……this guy probably puts his winter tires on in April!!! He just doesn’t get it!!!
Now that any hope of Muller behind the bench is gone, the only hope this team has now is Markov coming back and getting the PP off of life support cuz we all know that JM has the creativity of a cardboard!
“I kind of feel sorry for players who never got a chance to be a Montreal Canadien” – Cammalleri
Colin Campbell would coach the Habs for free.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-onQTLSRBXQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwMVdgyBQn8&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=HwMVdgyBQn8
Sure fck the guy that had the balls to trade the right goalie who is a backup now, when everyone would have done the opposite.
Interesting post. You say that PG is stupid because Muller is in Carolina and that is a bad thing because the following are not true:
a) Muller has proven himself as an NHL coach.
b) Muller just signed a 15-year contract.
c) Gauthier is responsible for Markov’s injury.
Great post.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I’m not defending Martin but it’s interesting to note that Leafs’ fans had been calling for Ron Wilson’s head for years before he all of a sudden looks like a Jack Adams’ finalist.
Maybe coaching in the NHL is harder than we think it is.
You’re mad.
Sheer insanity.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
This club is a complete embarrassment. We must be the laughing stock of the NHL. First let Boucher and Yzerman go without a thought and then we take JM probably the leagues most useless coach and now Muller gone. What a complete disaster. I don’t even partake in inter-office talk about NHL because it’s just god damn embarrassing.
Someone needs a kleenex?
GO HABS GO!!!
And a valium.
I’m not worried. Two years from now, Carolina will have a major slump which will lead to Muller getting fired. He will then by replaced by Paul Maurice. It’s how they do things down in the Carolinas.
By that time, Muller will have French speaking skills on a par with Gainey which will be enough to get him the gig in Montreal. Three years after that Muller will get fired and we will then be able to hire Boucher who will have worn out his welcome in Tampa.
Piece of cake.
Anyone can look at standings and stats.
See where Tampa sits!
This was intended for Hab4Life above
“May you live in interesting times.”
I’d rather have Martin than any of those coaches by a long shot…
So I think alot of people here think it was clear that superstars for the Capitals had stopped playing for Bruce Boudreau. Leads me to wonder, why have Gionta, Cammy and Gomez all struggled this season…… Is it possible the same things is happening in Montreal?
Outside of Cammalleri, the effort is there.
Plekanec, Cammalleri and Gionta can’t function as a line. They don’t have an ability to sustain possession of the puck.
Not that using the players in the wrong way is any better than alienating them.
Pleks seems to rarely pass to Cammy too
Add last season for Gomer too!
But yea I posted a similar thought just a short while back this morning.
Add the Cole un-ease at the start of the season also, the reports of AK46′s trouble with JM…
It adds up, but the kicker is the boring style of game JM sets up…
Randy for HC!
Gomez is in a category of his own, he stinks and has possibly quit as well.
I think Cammalleri and Gionta are obviously in funks but they need to be put on the wing with bigger players. That smurf line of Cammy-Plekanec-Gionta is stupid. Mix it up, put them with bigger players. They can’t create space, they need to be setup.
Bigger is better huh, do you suffer from small man syndrome?
Gerald – The three Hab players you mentioned are not superstar talent – they’re good but not great.
Ovechkin and Semin, at least talent wise, have the skills to be two of the top ten players in the league. The three Habs wouldn’t even crack the top 50.
Sorry!
YES, VERY POSSIBLE
I hate the Bruins, really I do!
No, because they had their chance and they came through. And despite the losses the team has fought hard almost every game, they’ve just been a little snake bitten.
Judging by those defense pairings, Weber just dropped a spot on the depth chart. I think putting Markov with Emelin is a no-brainer, but I’d really like to see PK teamed up with Gill again – I really think Gill is a steadying influence for PK and keeps him grounded. Gorges is solid (IMO) and can be paired with anyone. While obviously I didn’t get to see a lot of Campoli playing for the CH, what I did see I liked and think he would be a good partner for Gorges.
That would settle the defense issues, but unfortunately we have a bigger problem with the offense – specifically our “top” line of Pleks/Cammy/Gio. There’s no way I’d mess with the next two lines as a means of resolving that problem, so I have no idea what to do there.
Good morning…12th place in the East. Feels good doesn’t it? An average club and another average (really?) weekend. I was hoping I would see Martin’s name added to Maurice’s and Boudreau’s. This club is just swimming in circles. BORING! Nothing ever changes. What frustrates me is that the Leafs are better…away better and even with injuries. Not pretty folks. This team will struggle to make the playoffs. No doubt! About the only positive thing on the horizon is the warm weather coming up in California and Florida. Ya baby!
Gotta weigh in.
Coaching is difficult and few of us have the knowledge to do the job ourselves.
Boudreau replaced Hanlon and did great in that first year.
Carlyle won the Coach of the year in Anaheim’s champion season. The Ducks are mighty awful this year!
Bowman accomplished zilch in Buffalo.
The dignified Robert Gainey accomplished little in Dalllas until he stepped down and let Hitchcock coach that team to the Cup.
This team has only Carey Price to attract all-star votes now that Kovalev and Komisarek(kiddding) are gone.
I’m pre=head banging on the wall with this year’s team but JM is not the problem.
Too bad Molson’s didn’t have the B—s to fire PG and JM and brought in Muller for coach and Roy for GM – you’d see things happening in montreal than – 100% or be gone….
Oh things would be happening all right…horrible things. Muller was an assistant here, which pretty much makes him ineligible to be the HC. Here’s the thing: most head coaches in the NHL tend to be aloof when the players are concerned. This is done to maintain some semblance of objectivity. It is then the assistant’s job to the be “player’s” guy. You can see how a problem can arise when the “good” guy has to become colder to the same group of players. Relationships would become awkward or even strained.
Exactly. Great post.
Look at Carbo.
He did all the back-slapping and talking-up when BG was coach, and then clammed up when he became coach.
It’s what I’ve been saying too.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
agree on Mueller but whats that with your Roy-Crush?
Roy as GM.
My.
God.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Yeah Roy as GM would be the second coming of Houle.
PuckBandits
http://www.puckbandits.com
Roy is GM is the craziest idea ever.
GO HABS GO!!!
The Jarred Tinordi issue might be a moot point. The Knights are looking to build to host the 2014 Memorial Cup and will have to seem like one of the best bets to win it if they are to be successful. They currently have 9 16- or 17-year olds in their everyday lineup, many of whom are already key contributors.
They will need to pick up some assets, and thus rumours are swirling that both Jared Knight and Jarred Tinordi could be had in exchange for a package of 16 and/or 17 year olds to help strengthen their case. The Knights survived without Tinordi for 10 games this season, going 8-2-0. I wouldn’t be shocked to see him dealt very soon, with Kitchener or Owen Sound being two teams I could see trying to acquire him as they are relatively heavy on 18- and 19-year old players and have to go for it this season.
Well, St. John was built for this season, but they won last year. Right now the Knights are far and away the best team in the OHL. Why not gun for two in a row?
No question. But like I said, London showed that they can win without Tinordi, so if he could bring in a boatload of younger kids, there might be some justification for doing it.
Tinordi is an excellent defender with zero offence. If they could bring in another guy who can add some offence from the backline and a couple of forward prospects, I think they’d have to consider it.
The Hunters have never been gunshy about making trades, including their captains. Tinordi is not really an integral part of that team.
Here’s the problem with all of this. Tinordi passed up the opportunity to play NCAA to play for Hunter specifically. Not in the OHL. If his position hasn’t changed this move by Hunter could potentially be a road block in his development. I’m not saying it will be, but it could be.
If he’s going anywhere, I believe a team with a proven coach will be the destination. I’m not so sure that Spott or Ireland are guys he’d be thrilled to play for.
Well he can’t go back to the NCAA so his options are somewhat limited at this point. I think he’d welcome the chance to play for any team that is a contender.
Junior hockey isn’t exactly fair or particularly logical…kids get traded all the time as teams seek to load up for Memorial Cup runs.
Knights are #1 in the country right now though, could be an opportunity to at least collect an OHL Championship. They may hang on to their assets if their pace continues.
If any of MTL’s prospects are moved this season, I’d say it will be Gallagher and Ellis. Both are on teams well outside of a championship really but Gallagher could be huge for an WHL Contender, Ellis could really boost Shawinigan as they are hosting the Memorial Cup.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
I agree, Robert, but London puts a lot of stock in the opportunity to host a Memorial Cup. Those are big money generators for the host team.
Tinordi has not been particularly integral to the Knights’ success this season (8-2-0 without him, 12-3-1 with him) and if he can help them achieve that goal, they would consider it for the right package of prospects. There was a rumour last week that Knight was going to be traded imminently, but thus far he’s still there.
With Dale Hunter leaving to take a job in the NHL, I’m very curious to see what they are going to do moving forwards.
Mornin’ all!
So.. nothing new going on…
Pretty dull morni…. wha-wha-wha-whaaaaat??
Gotta say, saw both of those bad boys coming.
Brucie was losing it, looking like a wader in over his head, and Paulie? Well, his team blows donkeys, and he doesn’t have any answers. Actually, I’d be interested to see what Maurice could do with a team that didn’t suck so goddamn bad.
But not my team.
One note; something I was thinking about over the weekend:
JM has his flaws, many of them (and many invented) well documented on here.
But two things I gotta say about him is that
a) He doesn’t make excuses. His comment about so many games in so few nights was out of character, but (in my opinion) justified. It must be exhausting for a coach too, to be constantly working mentally. But other than that, JM doesn’t make excuses.
b) JM doesn’t sell his players out to the media. He’s tough on them, benches them, scratches them, but keeps it within the team. You ever see him call people out like good ol’ Torts does? or Ronnie W? No sir, and I betcha the players appreciate that. Especially in Montreal, where that sort of thing would stop the city dead.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Quite early this season he somewhat called out Cole regarding his lack of PP abilities, before JM had even sniffed at finding out if indeed Cole could play the PP.
Yeah, but he was asked a specific question about Cole, and gave his reasons for not playing him on the PP.
I imagine that was his way of deflecting the real answer, which probably would have been ‘he hasn’t proved himself to me yet.’
Which would have been much more damaging.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Matty next year at the Summit, I hope to find an autographed notepad from JM for you!
Hahaha!!
With “BFF” written next to my name, right?
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Except for Cole
He also diminished Gallagher’s strong preseason performance. He said its easy to look good against weaker players. Way to boost the kids confidence JM.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
But it is.
JM seems to be all about not letting the players get big heads.
They get enough crushes on them from the media. Let the coach give him the tough love.
Look at Emelin, and how JM ‘ruined’ him by scratching him at the beginning of the season. He just came in playing harder.
Look at Gallagher now. If he’d gone home and cried into his pillow, he wouldn’t be cut out for the NHL. He’s gone on and done well, and JM gets what he wants.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I didn’t say he is ruining anybody. I just think calling players out in the media is an awful way to motivate players. Whether what the coach says is true or if its a deflection.
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
He didn’t call anyone out. Which is what I said in my original post.
That he doesn’t do it.
There was a specific question about Cole, so he answered it, saying that his pp numbers last year weren’t good. It was a crap reason, but he obviously needed to see more from Cole.
He was also asked a specific question about Gallagher, which he answered, and I don’t think he blamed him for anything.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Matty, while I must admit I agree with your views on JM I feel it only fair to warn you that these types of pro-JM statements will lead to only heartache. Expressing any hint of support for JM is considered illogical, irrational and anti-HI/O. I myself be pilloried as per usual for just supporting you. Frankly I don’t think it really matters much just how good or bad JM may actually be as a coach. If things don’t change soon, as in the next week or so, he’ll likely be sacked and his replacement will lead this team to glory…for about another week or so. Quite simply the coach ain’t the problem.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Why you sonuva %$# %$#!! How dare you have an opinion different from mine.
Its all just friendly discussion. Its what this site is for ya?
Chrisadiens and HabFan10912, one of the few father son tandems on HIO.
Exactly C, we’re all entitled to our opinions in friendly discussion.
***Subbang Baby!!!***
Who will coach Tinordi? Why not Boudreau?
Tinordi would probably fill out pretty quickly… there’d always be chicken wings around for snacking.
It sounds like Tinordi has made a big step forward from last year. Hopefully he is far enough along that the coaching change won’t effect him too much .
He turns 20 in February so I believe he’ll be bound for Hamilton next season, hopefully get a few call ups to Montreal and be a full time Hab by 2013-2014. And knock out Lucic
.
Aww crap.. two teams in the East just got a lot tougher to play.. especially Caps.. any game for the rest of the season against them – just mail the 2 points over. Our only hope is that his style of coaching sends Ovie – Semin and others in full revolt.
And in Carolina – with Muller behind the bench telling them exactly how to take advantage of Montreal’s flaws – we’re screwed.
Paul Maurice is actually a fairly good coach. But you can’t get blood from a stone, and that roster in Carolina is terrible.
Muller is in for a potentially rough ride.
I hears ya.
I predict a brief renaissance, where the team gets excited and things are fun for a bit, then they go back to sucking.
Perhaps not in the same way, but in new and interesting ways.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Carolina could be a very tough chore.
For reasons unknown to me – I’ve watched a handful of their games this year and they maybe have a line and a half?
Staal, LaRose, Skinner and Ruutu are about all they have up front, Jokinen slides in there too.
They have a lot of trouble scoring goals.
The thing is, they are probably planning to bring up a bunch of Charlotte Checkers anyway. Who would you want coaching these kids, the coach that lead their NHL affiliate to an 8-13-4 start, or the guy that lead these kids to a 13-6-2 start?
“Let’s be clear on the facts…”
The Leafs keep winning … very, very annoying in their consistency. Our boys have to smarten up.
My 1,000 years as a Habs fan is again at an ebb (I shudder at the Houle years).
When Andrei comes back, and if his return is consequential to the team, I’m sure I’ll perk up again.
I may be a fair weather supporter, but I’m consistent in expecting a full effort every night.
Come on boys. Let’s get a win streak started.
Montreal continues to churn out Head Coaches for the rest of the league. We do develop good head coaches for other organizations.
Because we can only have one coach at a time…
Hobie, I understand. I should clarify, there was no way the first year Molson took over, he was going to interfere and tell PG to fire JM who just took the team to the ECF. I liked and still like Boucher, but totally understand.
However, I am tired of JM, and I think this year is/was and still should be time to make that change. We could have had Muller in the offseason, or now just as Carolina got him.
Although I’m pretty fed up of JM too, I’m really wary about having a rookie coach. Our past few experiments there haven’t been so hot.
And firing JM now doesn’t really make sense. We’re not playing as well as we’d like, but we’re not doing as badly as the Canes, and our room hasn’t gone as septic as the Caps’ seems to.
We’re not that far out of a playoff spot, and we’ve been dealing with injuries. Most of our D is rookies. Not too many coaches would be able to do too much with that, I don’t think.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
we also seem to supply the rest of the league with good young talent… sounds like the expos.
I can just imagine the first Capitals practise, Ovie scores a goal in practise and starts showboating, out of nowhere Hunter comes at him and ala Lafontaine sends him flying into the boards, stands over him and yells “THis is my team now Russkie!”
Edit: Sorry that was Turgeon he nailed after the goal. Thnks Malreg.
I think you mean ala Pierre Turgeon.
Thanks, yes, sorry!
turgeon
As long as the turnstiles keep spinning at the Molson Center and Canadiens merchandise flies off the shelves, and cases of Molson’s piss water keep selling all is well in the land of the Montreal Canadiens.
I am sick and tired of mediocrity.
Molson piss water lol….
Silly question, would anyone take Maurice over Martin?
_____________________________
Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
No. Kinda sad, isn’t it?
It is.
Many here scream to fire Martin but cannot come up with a viable, NHL seasoned coach to replace him. I don’t want anymore rookie coaches at the helm of the team. It does more harm than good in the grand scheme of things.
_____________________________
Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
You see, Props?
You and me think the same.
That’s why I like you so much.
It’s like liking myself!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Go with Randy while trying to find better.
Randy for HC!
You sure he’ll do a better job?
I’m not.
Not saying he’s bad, just… not convinced.
Would he be able to help us hang on with all the rookie D we have to dress?
—Hope Springs Eternal—
You can’t be sure of that with any one coach though.
At this point, JM has not done very well, yes there was the ECF stint, but it seems like a fluke more than anything now.
And replacing JM is about bringing in a new style of play, one that works with the players we have.
Randy for HC!
Yeah, true enough.
I’m not mad about his style, and would like to see things get changed up, for sure.
But it’s just that all this ‘JM’s a bad coach’ doesn’t cut it for me, I’m afraid.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Judging from his time in Toronto, no.
HELL no
all I have to say is Montreal @!$#@$*&%$
and what makes it worst we would not have Muller as coach…he not French
mc
He speaks a little.
Have to be 100% fluent to be Head Coach in this city, unfortunately.
PuckBandits
http://www.puckbandits.com
Wow, sort of a mixed bag of news this morning.
Ryan White on skates= AMAZING!
Andrei Markov practicing hard: AMAZING!
Hunter leaving Tinordi in London: NOT AMAZING!
Hunter in Washington = even worse.
Hunter’s a pitbull, and there will be blood. First the Capitals will bleed as Hunter breaks their will, then the rest of the NHL will bleed after he’s turned them into supermen.
Yeah I’d agree with that
.
He’ll have a lot of work to do with Semin though…
That may be true but does he really know anything about coaching in the NHL? Hunter has been a one trick pony so far. He might get schooled pretty good once the playoffs arrive.
Hunter’s future in Washington this year will eventually rest on the play of Vokoun.
Tinordi leaving Notre Dame: NOT AMAZING!
It must be fire the coach day…now Maurice is gone…will there be another one today?
Is Markov set to return? If it’s not Wednesday, then it could be sometime this week.
He’s practicing on the first wave of the PP with Subban, and practicing with Emelin, while Weber practices with St-Denis. Looks like Weber will sit when Markov returns.
renhockey Renaud P Lavoie
Andrei Markov est sur la première vague d’avantage numérique avec PK Subban. Markov skating with Subban on PP.
Why? It should be St Denis or Diaz.
Well, St-Denis is already sitting, so he will most likely be returned to Hamilton once Markov is re-activated.
Imo, Diaz has outperformed Weber the last few games. And if you judge by the D pairings in practice, it looks like Weber will sit:
Gorges – PK
Gill – Diaz
Markov – Emelin
St-Denis – Weber
Diaz has had quite a few brainfarts. Lemme get this straight – be in the league a few years and you get an automatic pass. Be in the orginization a few years but still young? Up yours, sit for a rookie who has a few good games.
I don’t agree with that mentality. Weber earned his spot and should be given the benefit of the doubt over Diaz. Emelin has size/grit and that is why he can be considered. Diaz….not so much.
Lavoie also reported that Markov was excluded from corner compete drills in the practice.
While Washington and Carolina got the real thing, MTL only gets the light Pearning.
Gomez, Gionta and Cammy are all underachieving, someone blame JM quick and get him fired!
Randy for HC!
based on talent alone..i think martin has done a better job than Boudreau…look at the talent the caps have and there record in reg season and playoffs.
But that’s not a very worthwhile comparison.
Martin has the tons of experience only a lifetime of hockey can buy, and he cannot get results out of a good chunk of the teams Cap.
Randy for HC!
with the roster the caps have all you should have to do is turn them loose. i know its not that simple.
martin should be given a little credit for what he has done given a clear difference of talent…blah,blah.
Can we get someone with BALLS in management please? The halak trade? That took some cojones….but having to watch Boucher AND Muller coach other teams while we are stuck with Martin?
Unacceptable. That man will be fired by the end of the year and the team will be left with no one. Awesome.
What if Muller fails miserably?
Boucher is good, I wanted him to coach in Montreal, but what has Boucher accomplished that Martin hasn’t in the NHL?
A little knee-jerky, wouldn’t you say?
Martin is coach in 2012 – yes/no? Answer that. If no – then we have no worthwhile candidate. That is a fact.
So it really doesn’t matter how Muller’s first year goes now does it? In the long run he’ll have a job and improve, Martin won’t
aside from stall, skinner, ward ..the roster has to be reshaped in some way shape or form. you think we have it bad.
That’s because they’re coaching teams that won’t have their every play dissected by 6 different TV/radio stations/newspapers 24/7, which helps when they’re rookie coaches.
Crap I was really hoping we would pick up Muller after Chocula’s contract was up…. FFFF!!!!
Fatty Boudreau deserved to be canned. The Caps have the strongest roster they’ve had in the past 5 years.
Those of you who want to see Martin canned, put out some credible names.
Insults from someone who can’t spell? I’m surprised your post didn’t come out in crayon.
Problem is Muller is taking over a team with no talent. Look at their roster.
Would have been nice to have Muller here, but I still think our main problem is the roster, not the coach.
http://forecaster.canada.com/faceoff/hockey/statistics.cgi?pts-car-all
There’s not much to get excited about, especially with Staal in a major funk over his brother’s injury.
I hope Muller got a long-term deal out of it.
Yea, he’s just “not listening”. That’s it. Why don’t you just leave the made up bullshit for the media.
Good luck to Kirk Muller in Carolina.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
If I were at the Bell when he returned I’d give him a standing ovation.
Here we are, asleep at the wheel once again! Kirk was the only communication with the players while he was with the Habs, and the team was better for it. Now look at us…floundering with Paul Bearer still behind the bench!
If you can’t play a sport, be one… Max Jackson
Good luck to Kirk. I always hoped he’d become the Habs coach one day. But this organization has management issues that go right up to ownership.
Exactly… good luck to Kirk!
Time to Fire the Count!
It was so painfully obvious that certain Caps players had stopped playing for Boudreau. I was waiting for the axe to fall.
Where can we line up for a new coach?
Stevie
According to Bob McKenzie:
CAR fires Paul Maurice, Kirk Muller is the new guy.
The hell’s going on around the NHL today?
———————–
GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is our year!
RGM’s Movember page: http://mobro.co/RGM81
when is montreal going to something
They say things come in three’s….
———————–
GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is our year!
RGM’s Movember page: http://mobro.co/RGM81
Good one!
Let us hope that Martin is next!!!!
if the season seats start becoming vacant……until then not going to happen anytime soon.
Why bother? There aren’t any replacements now. Just give up and tank
teams not going to tank we know that.
They aren’t looking like they are making the play-offs either.
Not with Gomez in the line-up or chewing up cap space.
Not with a top line of Plekanec, Gionta and Cammalleri.
Not with Martin coaching with his play not to lose mentality.
Habs need to rebuild. How many more years of middling finishes and early play-off exits do we need to endure before we start seeing an championship calibre team in Montreal?
i think we have to wait until Markov is back and a healthy roster and if still does not work..then let the shit hit the fan.
God, do I hate the semantic bullshit people spew on this site. “playing not to lose”? You sound like Bush saying “weapons of mass destruction” or “a war on terror”. And I realize what you’re mean when you say it, but I think you should say what you mean out loud, and you will realize how stupid it sounds. Give your head a shake, grow up, take your next left, and drive til you hit reality.
and good monday morning to you.
Bruce Boudreau had a 12-9-1 record and Caps were the best team in the EC since he took over. The Caps fired him…what’s the Habs excuse for the long Martin leash?
The Caps fired Boudreau not because he was a bad coach (obviously based on his stats) but because it seems that he lost his team. (or one really expensive player)
Here in Montreal our coach lost his team a long time ago. He’s damaging players, benching good ones unless he’s forced to play them due to injury and sucking the offensive game out of all the forwards.
It kills me.
If PG had any guts he’d call Muller and tell him not to go to the Canes but to come back here and then his next call would be to JM telling him “We’ll find you another job”
The Habs excuse for Martin’s “long leash” is he doesn’t have one of the most stacked lineups in the entire league for the past 3 years.
Martin also has just as much playoff success as Boudreau did over the last 2 seasons.
exactly. Ovie, Backstrom, Semin, Green, Schultz, etc, etc, and they still suck. I am glad he got fired, he should have been more focused on his team as opposed to things going around with the rest of the league. ( I am referring to his comments when fans in Montreal were complaining about the MaxPac hit with Chara )
See ya Boudreau, you’ll never coach in the NHL again.
You’ve missed the point. I’m saying his record was very good and he still got fired. Martin is killing us and he still has a job.
and you missed Malreg’s point: in the context of what natural talent both teams have, JM has actually been doing a better job than Boudreau. Gasp! I know right? Some support for JM on HI/O? Burn the witch!…
exactly what 1timer said.
agreed.
How many games can Pacioretty get by phone conference before he has to show up in person?
Maximum 5 games with a phone conference.
DarrenDreger Darren Dreger
1 coach down. Could there be 2 today? Rumours suggest Paul Maurice will be replaced by Milwaukee’s Kirk Muller. Interesting day.
Hard to blame Maurice – he doesn’t have the players to win games.
According to the London Knights official facebook page, Mark Hunter is taking over as GM and Head Coach of the team, replacing brother Dale.
Talking about coaching. The next head coach for the Montreal Canadiens will be announced at the end of this year. His assistants will be Cunnyworth and LaDucere. We all know what is missing in our game.
“I expect it to be a lot more work,” Muller said. “My job and role in Montreal — working with the special teams and the last five years being out there and working with the players, dealing with them one-on-one in daily situations that occur — that’s not going to change much. I’m a big believer in communication and working with players, being open-minded and understanding how the new generation of players need to be coached as opposed to guys like myself when we played. Being head coach, you have more responsibility and longer hours, but I’m prepared to do that, roll my sleeves up and get to work.”
See ya in town next spring Kirk.
Rumors going around that Kirk Muller will replace Paul Maurice in Carolina.
They know a good thing when they see it I guess. To bad our management is confused.!
Entrenched, not confused.
Same outcome though.
That probably is a better word to use.
So good, that he didn’t get hired for any of the jobs he interviewed for this summer.
to late ian for muller.
Sorry to carry on from the previous thread, but another H I/O meme needs addressing: that Quebec born players who are UFAs snub the Habs. This is simply untrue.
The ONLY example people can come up with is Daniel Briere, but Philadelphia offered him $52M ($10M more than the Habs did). In other words they had to massively overpay in order to sign him. It would have been a snub if the two offers had been identical.
Lecavalier and St.Louis never snubbed the Habs as they were never offered a job here. Lecavalier stated that he would welcome the chance to play here (as much as he could while being under contract in Tampa).
To TRULY welcome a chance to play in MTL he might have tried waiting to be a free agent and see what the Habs might offer him, not sign a giant contract with Tampa the second it was given to him. St Louis’s had an opportunity to test the UFA waters as well, declined to try it out here.
Other than that, what French Canadian of note was worth picking up as a free agent? Which again takes us back to the problem of the QMJHL is not producing much talent.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
sand ,sun , less pressure.
snow, cold, tons of pressure.
what would you do?
I can’t blame Lecavalier for not wanting the impossible expectations, but at the same time I don’t like these “I’d love to play here” guys when they never even choose to try Free agency and listen to a MTL offer.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
there just being diplomatic..playing the game i guess.
Signing with the team that you won the cup with and that gave you the C is not snubbing the Habs.
By that measure he also snubbed the Red Wings, Sharks, and Flyers.
And I guess that any player that signs with their current team is snubbing every other team. There’s a lot of snubbage going on.
Well I don’t like that hollow platitude from Quebec-born players. If they want a chance to play in MTL, don’t sign lifetime contracts elsewhere and than talk about it afterwards. Might as well have Sid the Kid say the same thing in 2013 right before he signs an extension with Pittsburgh. Means less than nothing.
- I shall always remember Captain Koivu. Habs and Hockey.
SF09 on Twitter
Dale’s brother Mark, who was GM of the Knights, has taken over as coach.
Remember when they fought each other?
The Diaz, Emelin, and to a certain extent Weber playing time is proving to be a weakness. We can’t keep leads because the good teams keep pressure on them and they can’t handle it and cough it up or can’t clear and goals happen.
I wouldn’t include Emelin on this list.
He’ll still be coached by a Hunter, Mark.
OK Hunter got the call so when will Roy get his call. Will another good coach slip through our hands as we watch the JM roopey dope hockey.
A lot of people will come at you saying that Roy is a blowhard, obnoxious loudmouth of a coach that flies off the handle at the drop of a hat. Many of them are the same ones that lament Jacques Martin does nothing but doodle in his Sudoku puzzle book.
It would certainly be a hero’s welcome should the day ever comes that Roy finds himself behind the bench for the Habs. Would it work? Beats me.
———————–
GO HABS GO! 2011-12 is our year!
RGM’s Movember page: http://mobro.co/RGM81
Does Boudreau speak french? If he can then Martin can be sent upstairs and Bruce could coach. Our players have stopped listening to Jacques aussi.
Um….no thanks? I prefer Martin to that loudmouth
Not sure if he speaks french, but he continues to get out coached in the play offs, no thanks. Id rather have Hunter!
——————————————————————-
We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold……
He has never had a really good goalie so I would argue that was his worst problem in the playoffs. Maybe out coached but Jacques MArtin doesn’t have master status in the playoffs yet and he’s coached for decades!
I’m sorry but who gives a flying monkey anus about Campoli? Am the only one who doesn’t want him back? I’d rather Diaz/Emelin/Weber get experience
Those three D, need to be in the AHL.
Unlike Price when I said he was beyond AHL experience, these defense do need it.
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
You really think Campoli will help the team more than Emelin’s hits or Weber’s shot?
Gill / Spacek / Campoli do not give me much hope. Seeing the kids succeed? That gives me hope.
I’ll take Emelin, but Weber and Diaz need more time.
The PP is failing because of PK and Weber on defense. They can not get pucks through.
and the forwards are not making room on the ice. Too predictable. When a fan can see what they are doing on the ice, I am pretty sure the other teams do too.
The puck needs a soft dump tot the corners to draw in the PK, and then open up the slot from the side.
At the same time it may also bring in the high PK cover, and then open a shot for the defense.
Shane Oliver
http://www.Sholi2000.com
Brandon, MB,Canada
R7B 2R7
hockey@sholi2000.com
Ph- 204 724 8418
Part of me thought this was that Tinordi was called up for some reason and Jacques Martin was fired. One can dream (about the latter)
Well, I hear Bruce Boudreau is looking for a job.
Fire Martin!
_____________________________
Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
Because he probably waived his right to an in-person hearing.
Why is it that the defense is never given kudos during the ECF run?
I remember watching the guys blocking shots like crazy, and forcing teams to shoot from longer distances, along with timely goaltending.
_____________________________
Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
+extra
Halak, for as many shots as he faced, was well protected by the rest of the team.
Randy for HC!
All done to spite JM as some might say.
The fact is, the team ran out of gas, Halak included, after playing full out for two 7 game series.
_____________________________
Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
I can count on one hand how many games have had 40+ shots against the team in the two years after the ECF run.
_____________________________
Being negative has its advantages,
you’re never disappointed.
You’re not taking into account the quality of the shots taken either.
Randy for HC!
I can’t speak to his time in Florida because quite honestly. Who could be bothered. All that I’ll say regarding communication from the bench is that it’s completely overrated outside of a timeout. More often than not it’s in one ear and out the other because the players are focused on the play and flow of the game. The real communication comes at the morning skate, team meetings, before and after games and during intermissions.
All that history shows us is that there are always exceptions.
And nice work trying to justify the three exceptions.
Didn’t work.
Neither did the ‘kool-aid’ jab.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
I said we HAVE been tied for 8th, not that we are.
They’ve got what, one or two games in hand? Habs don’t play until Wednesday so those games in hand will be mostly gone by then and some of those teams might not win there games and even if they do that puts us about 3 to 5 points out of the race. Not impossible to make that up.
Reality is not as bad as you’re making it out to be.
25 before 14