Heading into Tuesday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres (7:30 p.m., TSN, RDS, TSN Radio 690), Canadiens rookie Alex Galchenyuk has only one point in his last 10 games, but coach Michel Therrien isn’t concerned.
“He’s playing a mature game,” Therrien said. “Sometimes he’ll miss a few things, but we’ll sit down with him and show him. He’s part of every power-play meeting and every penalty-kill meeting. We know he’s going to be there and he’s going to be ready.”
Therrien added that the 19-year-old is still adjusting to the jump from junior.
“He has a tendency to handle the puck too much and try to make the good play,” said Therrien. “In the NHL, the play is so tight and the opening is so small and you have to see it. You always have to do the percentage play. It’s part of the learning process. You have to accept what the other team is going to give you. When there’s time, you have to make the play and where there isn’t time, you can’t force the play.”
Meanwhile, veteran Colby Armstrong finally ended his slump in Saturday’s 2-1 win in New Jersey, scoring his first goal in a Canadiens uniform in his 28th game. But Armstrong said it was just a matter of time since he was getting his chances.
“Especially in the last five or so games before that I had quite a few good chances,” he said. “I didn’t know whether to snap, or laugh, or what to do.
“But you keep chipping away. You know it’s going to come. I’ve been in that position before, where it’s taken a lot of games to get a goal. This is the longest I’ve ever gone, but it’s good to make it count in a close game like that.”
With Michael Ryder returning to the lineup Tuesday against Buffalo after missing one game with a lower-body injury, the Canadiens have returned Mike Blunden to the Hamilton Bulldogs.
Rene Bourque, still recovering from a concussion, practised with his teammates Tuesday morning while wearing a no-contact jersey.
(Photo by John Mahoney/The Gazette)
Game Preview: Canadiens vs. Sabres
Galchenyuk isn’t going anywhere, by Pat Hickey
Armstrong relieved to end slump, by Bill Beacon of The Canadian Press
Five of seven Canadian teams in playoff spots, by Bill Beacon of The Canadian Press
Sabres stalling with second-period slides, by The Buffalo News
Unrestricted captains energize trade gossip, by George Johnson of Postmedia News
TradeCentre: Tuesday’s rumours from around the NHL, by TSN.ca
Too much to do, too little time at GMs meetings, by Stu Hackel of SI.com
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So if Dallas is looking firesale, one player I would be interested in that could be obtained cheaply would be Vernon Fiddler. He’s a good defensive forward, he wins faceoffs, and he gets under the skin of his opponents. At $1.8 M for this year and next, he is also affordable. Maybe a straight-up Moen for Fiddler offer?
I’d let Moen go for a water bottle right now.
Depends. Is there water in the bottle?
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
You should have worked in a faucet joke there. You’re slipping.
Did last week. I’m too repetitive as it is.
Didn’t tap into your potential.
(ugh I feel sick)
like a faucet Moen runs hot and cold- mostly cold this season
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“It’s just an opinion – I could be wrong”
After watching the TB/Phi game last night, I had the same feeling about Max Talbot. Just turned 29, Stanley Cup winner, playoff performer, kills penalties and 3 years left @1.75 million per.
BTW Vernon Fiddler sounds like an accountant or a Batman villian…
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
He is also very good with impressions…
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ajjX9_QtSAk
Competition for Army.
~~~> Mathematically eliminated…
Probably not, fiddler is smaller, has less playoff experience and less playoff point production than Moen
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Well, he’s kind of had it in for me ever since I accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace “accidentally” with “repeatedly” and replace “dog” with “son.”
“It’s sad when our rookies have no NHL experience before they jump up to the NHL.” – nunacanadien
But he’s a centre, whereas Moen and Prust are both left wings. The team has a logjam of left wings for the fourth line, but lacks a good veteran centre. The only big problem is that Fiddler is yet another left-handed centre.
So the team has had Bourque and Prust go down to injury and during their absence the Galchenyuk watch has begun. Perhaps if all bodies are healthy he gets a little taste of Lafleur hotdogs with a chair beside him occupied by Mellanby to describe what is happening on the ice with some explanations of what forwards are expected to do given the different scenarios.
However, the teams limited depth in terms of callups was challenged, even moreso with the 1 game absence of Ryder. Once these wingers rejoin the fold, if Galchenyuk is indeed struggling, or learning (and not floating in my opinion) perhaps an opportunity will present itself for some “teaching in the pressbox”. In the meantime, we still have a potentially dangerous forward in the lineup, who did help win the last game by way of a very important shootout goal.
I would have been shocked if Galchenyuk didn’t have a small period of games where indeed the NHL shock to his system didn’t have an affect on his game.
I suspect MB and MT knew this was coming and are working with the kid to help him through it. I don’t doubt his effort, but rather his situational reactions to various plays. He’ll get it, and hopefully we get bodies back soon to make it easier on him and the coaches. In the meantime I would rather have Galchenyuk in the lineup over Blunden or whoever is next on the depth chart in Hamilton.
Things are going very well when there’s concern of the 19 year old who’s demonstrated that he has the skills to be one of the league’s elite players.
He’ll get there, it just won’t be overnight.
I thought they were Lesters hot dogs…OH THE HUMANITY….
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
The chances that when Bourque and Prust return to the lineup that we don’t suffer another injury or 2 along the way are minute. To think we are going to have a fully healthy lineup down the stretch and in the playoffs is wishful thinking at it’s best.
That is why it is nice to have 3 lines that are contributing offensively and having an extra body or 2 so when the inevitable injuries do come the team can continue without missing a beat. With the exception of Price, Subban, Markov or Patches there isn’t an injury that would cripple the team.
I agree and that’s partly why I disagree with the idea that there’s no room in a few years for Galchenyuk, Desharnais, Ellers, and Pleks all on the team together.
Halak attack – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjG18A_4-qk
Well for once it was not Halak getting injured…
Boooommm
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Well, he’s kind of had it in for me ever since I accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace “accidentally” with “repeatedly” and replace “dog” with “son.”
“It’s sad when our rookies have no NHL experience before they jump up to the NHL.” – nunacanadien
Halak quoted as saying, “I vornt dem ven I vas trated zat I vud get zem all”.
***SUBBANGIN’ NOW BABY!!!***
Habs are not gonna make a trade at the deadline . You people need to relax. We’re trying to bring in our youth not trade them away!
What do you mean “you people”?
I agree it’s impossible to make a trade at the deadline. Anytime before the deadline is plausible though, cuz it wouldn’t have been at or after the deadline.
I hear Kane is available.
ah ah ah!
Evander or Patrick? My son recently asked me whether they were brothers. I said I didn’t think so…
~~~> Mathematically eliminated…
Brother Evander was welcomed nicely to the league by Cooke, as I recall, then had a little sleep.
I am with the Loon on Gorges… If the Habs are looking to upgrade our D, that is the spot. Surely they can find a defensive-oriented defenseman with substantially more size that can do what he does. Not bashing him, he’s good, but his style requires more size in my opinion.
Obviously we can upgrade over Bouillon, but I am looking at this from the perspective of replacing a top 4 with another top 4.
If he is used to get a 25 min/game large and physical defensive d-man to play with PK…I agree. You have to give something to get something…
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
He is an 19 year old kid for petes sake, that will develop better under Therrien than in Sarnia this year. What do people think? that he is going to light it up this year or something.? They are teaching and bringing him along slowly.
He is going to be a fantastic player for us in a couple years.
He ain’t no Sidney Crosby, that’s for sure.
He needs a good tilt to get his juices going. Worked for Mario.
True! But there’s only one *best player in the world* so not to worry.
Oh god, and please tell me where we can find more crosbys. Do they Come in packs of 5 for 10bucks.
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Well, he’s kind of had it in for me ever since I accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace “accidentally” with “repeatedly” and replace “dog” with “son.”
“It’s sad when our rookies have no NHL experience before they jump up to the NHL.” – nunacanadien
Connor McDavid should be about the next closest thing out there. Wathcing him the couple of times I have beena ble to I have gotten that same impression…that he is a threat every time he steps onthe ice and youare about ot see something amazing happen. That kid is the real deal and I am already recruiting with HareHabits for the McDavid draft….”To hell with honour..we want Connor” will be the slogan! Let’s load up for this run for this year and next..lol
Ya i saw his stats on a weak team as a 16 year old. Very impressive. If There ever was a year to tank that might be it.
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Well, he’s kind of had it in for me ever since I accidentally ran over his dog. Actually, replace “accidentally” with “repeatedly” and replace “dog” with “son.”
“It’s sad when our rookies have no NHL experience before they jump up to the NHL.” – nunacanadien
I’ve caught McDavid three times in Guelph. That kid has superstar all over him.
He is fast, he is feisty and he has off the chart skill. Comparisons with Crosby are probably overly generous, but he’s in Tavares’ neighbourhood for sure.
He is only 3 or 4 months younger than MacKinnon was in his first year and is not putting up nearly the same numbers. MacKinnon is now ranked 3rd or 4th overall by many people. This is not to pump up or bash MacKinnon or McDavid, only to say that neither of them is the next Crosby and we should stop pumping up 16 year olds to be the next Crosby every year.
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I can’t tell if the Habs are great or terrible because sometimes they win and sometimes they lose.
Not sure there is another one of them. IMO Crosby is up there with the best of all time….sure he needs to do this for another 5-10 years but he is every bit the real deal that the other legends were. It is unfortunate he has been hurt and his numbers will never refelct his dominance like Gretz, Mario, Jagr, Yzerman, etc. The game has changed and for him to literally be a threat every time he steps on the ice is truly amazing to watch. You just shouldn’t be able to do that in this day and age…and he generates something out of nothing as often as the greats of the game…bit today the gaolies are better, the defense is better and the results are not as impressive when compared statistically…but his dominance? best I have sene since Jagr, Mario and Wayne.
Please enlighten Mario about injuries……..
i agree about the defense and goalies being better nowadays.
True. And to be able to maintain his high-level play year after year so far puts him on track to be on the best of all time. Remember a few years ago a lot of people gave the nod to Ovechkin over Crosby.
Habs are suppose to win tonight. If they don’t. Look out for some of the comments on this site tomorrow.
Why wait till tomorrow. I commit to providing some comments tonight.
LOL, yup you are ahead of the curve one might say.
We better win although we might have the media ruffling some feathers again -_-
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
There’s too much being made of Galchenyuk not producing. He Plays on the 3rd line and he’s right on par.
Some of these media people lack a lot of knowledge when it comes to Hockey and we can add a few Habs fans in there as well.
what do some of you people want from a player who jumped right from junior into the NHL. That’s a big step to take. There’s guys that can’t make it from the AHL. They’re brought up and sent back and it’s not just because a player returned from injury ….
Yeah maybe people don’t realize he’s developing still. Junior to NHL is a big jump, missing an entire season before making the jump makes it harder. I think the off season will be a big help in his developing, judging by how much of a gym rat he is supposed to be.
He’s 19, and the team has made a place for him. He’s playing minutes and learning. Sounds like he’s on his way.
19yrs old and Junior would do nothing for him. He’s too young for the AHL this year AND next year as well. Does anyone think that he should go back to Junior for 2 years? He will be producing next year. He needs to stick with the big boys, especially in this shortened season.
Do we send down Kaberle White Moen Army Ryder or anyone else that drops in production for a few weeks time.
With this thinking Ovechkin should have been sent to the AHL this year.
What a trerrible uneducated question to ask a kid.
People are upset about the headline.
Oh dear.
There actually is a reason for publishing a headline like that, as you would understand if you read Hickey’s article.
I’ll give you the gist here:
Buffalo sent Grigorenko down, NJ sent Matteau down.
We are playing Buffalo tonight, we played NJ on Sat.
They are two teams who had top picks, and sent their players down. Unlike us. We didn’t. And this despite Chucky’s current slump.
That’s all.
Un-knot your knickers everyone!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Yep. And people are all over the media hacks and bad journalists who are kicking up a stink about it. But as far as I can tell, it was just one journalist who asked one question, and he wasn’t kicking up a stink.
I agree. It was a good question to ask.
You gotta think though if this was a full 82 game season, galchenyuk wouldnt be on the team. When Borque comes back I would like to see him on the line with galchenyuk and eller. I really think if that happens you will see not only Galchenyuk’s stats go up but ellers too cuz thats potentially 3 lines that can score night in and night out
Totally ridiculous headline. Only in Montreal would it even be up for debate. The impatience and unreasonable expectations of certain media members and a percentage of the fan base is what makes it embarrassing to be a Habs fan, because you get lumped into the same group as having the same opinions as those idiots. The kid is in a minor scoring slump, big deal. For an idiot to stick a mic in a kids face and basically ask him if he thinks he’ll be returned to junior like Grigorenko, is unacceptable.
“They don’t hang Conference Championship Banners from the rafters here”
Carey Price
Consistency is not our specialty, here.
Alex Galchenyuk has 1 assist in his last 10 games. More worrisome, here’s his stat-line across the board over that time period:
9 shots
9 shots blocked
11 shots missed
7 hits
1 giveaway
1 takeaway
3 blocked shots
There is no definition under the sun, either statistically or using our eyes, where Galchenyuk has been playing up to his ability over the past few games. It wouldn’t kill him to get the Eller “meritocracy” treatment for a game or two and instructed to work on his intensity, which has been lacking for the past few games.
Galchenyuk, for my money has been floating out there. He’s a great prospect and he’s clearly in a bit of a funk, so I don’t see any need to send him down. But sending a message, if we’re to believe this team truly is about the team, would be the right call if Therrien chose to go that way when his forwards start to return from injury.
Tyler Seguin sat out 7 games in his rookie season. Steven Stamkos sat out 3 games with the Lightning in his rookie season as part of a pretty deliberate and (in my opinion) intelligent development plan.
Galchenyuk sitting for a game here and there down the stretch, so long as it is accompanied by ample coaching, might be a good thing for his development. Montreal’s got tons of player-development expertise in the form of assistant coaches who know how to work with younger players (Jodoin, Gallant) and former NHL players in their hockey-development department (Mellanby, Lapointe, and Brisebois), so this could be a nice way to work with their younger guys one-on-one.
I think that Galchenyuk’s been doing everything other than floating. The only players on the team with better anticipation of the play are Plekanec and Markov in my opinion.
He hasn’t really been getting his nose dirty offensively but he’s never going to be that kind of player in my opinion. Defensively I think he’s been much better than he was when he was scoring.
Sit him? I don’t think it would hurt but I’m also not so sure that it’s justified yet.
I believe Chris is referencing the forecheck..where he is sometimes refusing to be the pressure guy in a system where the first man must pressure very hard. He does not tend to engage physically if he does not have the puck and even when he does have the puck he can be enticed to move it in situations that a couple of years from now he will just hold guys off a la Eller. Eller had the same issue, Pacioretty, Pouliot,etc…they are not strong enough to do the things they eventually will be able to.
Galchenyuk has taken more big hits this year than any other forward and only Gorges gets an honourable mention as soemone who has been hammered as often. He needs to learn the game at the next level and I am glad he is learning it on the spot but I can see where Chris is coming from.
At some point in order to maintain the accountability thing that MT has employed he may have to sit Galchenyuk because surely when they watch games they see his hesitance at times. They understand it and appreciate it too …but when the games get more important he will need to step up his play away from the puck or risk watching.
You refer to his anticipation…oddly enough I am finding that defensively to be a spot he will have to improve on. I have seen several instances where he reads the play as he would in junior…which is often him assuming the oppostion will make a bad play and he is ready to pounce…unfortunately the NHLers don’t often do that so he takes himself out of the play anticipating a mistake that never happens. Again I totally understand it because his superior intellect probably netted him a ton of points at lower levels but he needs to adjust…and he will….he is smart enough to do that and the only cure is experience.
Nice reads on #27 krob. Spot on with what I see, in particular not engaging physically without the puck. He’ll never be Lucic but he’ll need to make a few bodychecks once in a while to gain possession. And I agree, he’s got time to grow into it.
“thoroughbred”
Great points, Rob.
I think you have to add Gallagher to the list of forwards that have gotten hammered. The kid has got great heart, but he’s got to learn how to avoid taking those massive hits or he could have a shorter career than anybody would like. Sometimes, you’ve got to get rid of the puck a bit quicker.
The main difference between Gallaghers hits and Galchenyuks is awareness…..Glachenyuk has been caught by surprise IMO far more….Gallagher is just fearless/reckless and knows exactly what is coming to him…he just doesn’t seem to care. I am for him taking his lumps in front..but he scares me when he goes into the boards a million miles an hour extending for pucks with guys twice his size about to plaster him when completely vulnerable. He is in great shape and is very strong and I believe his father was a trainer or something along those lines so he probably has invcredible abdominal strength and all of his smaller muscles are probably in as good of shape as his bigger muscles. Those stabilizing muscles are key for smaller guys especially.
Gallagher and Gorges are similar IMO in that I wince before they get hit every time they race full speed into the boards knowing they are about to get tagged.
I agree that he’s got great anticipation. What I’m not seeing is the same level of work ethic. At the start of the season, he was skating hard all over the rink. More recently, he’s been dogging it a bit getting back.
I’m okay with him playing because of the injuries, but I don’t think the coaching staff would be out of place to sit him if they have bodies to play (which they don’t right now) and give him some off-ice teaching.
Were it not for injuries to Bourque and Prust, the kid may well have taken a seat last week. But we need a left winger and he’s the best option we have.
I think too that vis a vis Eller/meritocracy, it’s a different situation:
Eller is older and was/is expected to take a big step forward this year. Galchenyuk is playing in a no-pressure, get-your-feet-wet season, and so I think the coaches are likely to give him more leeway to find his game on the ice rather than from the pressbox.
Not saying you’re wrong, as I agree he’s been, er, less intense lately. Since Gallegher was promoted, if you ask me. But from a coaching standpoint I see merit in either approach.
“thoroughbred”
I’m really not worried about him yet, the media doing this is starting to freak people out for nothing. Chucky could possibly be missing Gally and Prust as line mates? But thats a maybe it takes time to develop not everyone is Crosby I’m happy with how he is playing so far.
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
To me, time in the owner’s box might not be a bad idea, under one condition: it is NOT pitched as a “punishment” for poor play (“do better or ride the pine, kid”) but rather as a learning experience. Remember when “Uncle Bob” Gainey used to take a young player up with him to watch the game? The kid could learn an awful lot from something like that. Sort of a live version of watching game film.
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They brought their f____ing toys with them!
This is why I liked what the Lightning were doing with Stamkos: put him in the pressbox with homework to chart the game, and then meet with an assistant coach the following day to go over game film and discuss what they saw and how Stamkos could adapt and exploit what he saw. Great idea, in my opinion.
Hear, hear! There is no conceivable reason to cut Galchenyuk any special slack, other than the injuries the Habs have endured over the past few weeks. With the return of Ryder and the apparently imminent returns of Bourque and Prust, I hope MT will stick with his tried and true “team concept.”
Edit: For clarity, I see no reason to sit him, necessarily, but slumming with the pluggers on the fourth would not be without value to both Galchenyuk and the team’s integrity.
The coach sees the players in the room and off the ice. If Therrien sees what he likes from Chucky in those times, there is no reason to get on his case any further.
I don’t think what the coach says to the media has anything to do with anything. He might be riding his ass like Jesus into Jerusalem for all we know.
He knows how to deal with it.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Chris, maybe it is my own bias but i see the development as playing on the wing with Eller to model his game after Eller on the defensive side.
Lesser teams would go the 4th line route, healthier teams as noted might have him sit in the box – can’t take back the “benching” of Eller but don’t think it is needed or warranted here.
“Don’t crush that dwarf Alex Henry, hand me the pliers”
I prefer to not thinking of it as a benching. If they choose to got that direction, it would be because they think he can learn more from a game in the pressbox followed by heavy coaching then he can by playing on the ice. That is the coaching staff’s prerogative.
I just don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing if it happens. With Bourque and Prust both potentially returning in the next 7-10 days, the team could be facing the enviable task of having to juggle lines a bit. Galchenyuk, White and Dumont are the forwards whose jobs are the most tenuous right now. I don’t know if Therrien wants to see Galchenyuk on the fourth line, and Eller has basically claimed the third line centre role with his strong two-way play of late.
@Loonie -
You wrote:
So you took the goals scored by specific line combinations and used their specific ice-time on the powerplay for the whole season to get those numbers and that inflated Desharnais and Gionta’s totals by over 15%?
I’m curious where you got those numbers.
Edit: I’m not trying to be a jerk but you’re measuring the performance of a unit as the indication of effectiveness for individual players.
If the players without points on the powerplay were doing such a good job on it they wouldn’t be accounting for 25%-40% of their lines’ goals on the powerplay. They’d be involved more.
I don;t have to worry about specific line combinations to get my numbers. The TOI info and Team GF TEAM GA TEAM PPGF and TEAM PPGA come from the NHL .com site:
Time on ice:(allsituations)
http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?gameType=2&position=S&season=20122013&sort=timeOnIce&status=A&team=MTL&viewName=timeOnIce
Number of Team Goals for and against while player is on the ice, on even strength PP and SH situations.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm?gameType=2&position=S&season=20122013&sort=plusMinus&status=A&team=MTL&viewName=plusMinus
After that it is simply calculations. I have a data analytics program that automatically updates every game.It takes time on ice in each situation (PP, ES, and SH) and divides by TOI in those same situations.
In this case, on the powerplay
Gionta has played 84 minutes – Patches 75 PP TOI minutes
Gionta has been on for 13 (team)PPG – Patches 8
The team scores, on average, one PPG for every 6.5 minutes when Gionta is on The PP and once every 9.5 minutes when Patches is on the PP unit.
Those are the “true” numbers. You can argue that Gionta is lucky and goals have been scored while he is on the ice that he had nothing to do with. ( too bad that didn’t work for Gomez) if you like. In my opinion Patches points per minute are less relevant than team goals per minute of ice time. Why? how many times does someone screen the goalie that helps a goal and does not get an assist, or a player wins the battle along the boards , get it back to the point, who passes to the other point who shoots and someone deflects it in or scores on the rebound? There are many time when a player contributes to a goal and it does not get credit for a point.
You can say that this happens for Patches also, not only Gionta, but the facts ,and the stats, indicate that the team scores on the power play more frequently with Gionta on the ice then it does with Pacioretty.
P.S. when you say that you are no TRYING to be a jerk, do you mean that you can`t help it? (just kidding)
regards,
Steve O.
First of all I can’t help it.
Second, you’re attributing productivity from some players to the presence of unproductive players.
Gionta and Desharnais are accounting for around 25% and 40% of their lines’ powerplay point scoring production respectively.
You’re inflating their values to the powerplay in my opinion.
Take a look at the guys who’ve been productive, they’re contributing at least 80% of their lines’ powerplay production and in some cases carrying Gionta and Desharnais on that special teams unit.
I disagree. I am not attributing anything to anyone. I personally don:t care who scores and who gets the assists. I only care about how often the team scores and allows goals. I don’t believe that anyone can be “carried” on the backs of others. if a player does not contribute offensively the team will score goals less often while he is on the ice .
If Gionta played with Desharnais and (whoever, while Pacioretty played with Plekanec ad Ryderwould their respective numbers change? probably. It is a team game. but why change whats working (PleK, Gionta and Ryder)? What is needed is for the team to find a winger to play with Patches and Desharnais on the powerplay. Their regular winger who is contributing way over his head at even strength, (Gallagher) has been totally ineffective on the powerplay.
Gallagher, when on the ice at even strength, team scores a goal every 13 minutes . With Gallagher on the PP the team has scored only 3 goals in 53 minutes. averaging a goal every 18 minutes.
Either the coaches have to study his PP shifts and instruct him how to be more effective, or they have to use someone else. Lars Eller has been used very sparingly on the PP unit , totalling only 19 minutes of TOI with the man advantage this season.Yet he has been on the ice for the identical number of goals, 3, that Gallagher has been on in 34 less minutes of ice time.
If the stats are accurate, (and I believe they are) simply replacing Gallagher with Eller on the PP will make an immediate improvement in the teams PP efficiency and also bring up Patches and Desharnais averages on the PP units.
regards,
Steve O.
Steve – Your sample is too small to be statistically significant. 8 and 13 goals over less than 100 minutes power play is not representative of the individual’s skill.
(I’m an engineer and a six-sigma green belt)
Only a green belt? Come back when you’ve got the black belt, sir.
You are probably right, who am I to argue? the only belt I have is holding up my pants. But what else do we have to use besides the available numbers. The discussion is about who has been more effective on the PP this season. We are debating if points are more relevant than goals scored.
by the way how much data is needed to be considered “significant” .
Eller’s been on for 3 powerplay goals in 19 minutes,Gallagher for 3 in 53 minutes. Considering the team scores a PP goal on average once every 10 to 12 minutes, Would it not be fair to see that Eller is the more effective PP producer at this time? And, all else being equal, do we have a better chance to score a PP goal with Eller on the ice or Gallagher?
regards,
Steve O.
Steve (have to reply to myself)
Statiscal significance varies and it’s very hard when you have few power-plays and PPGs. For example, a defenceman might be put on in the fianl 5 seconds of a PP and they happen to score while he’s on the ice. He might have played on only one PP, but his stats will be huge. Like Eller, he just doesn’t hae a great enough sample.
To me, this just goes to what you see and what they can do. Before Jorges and Bouillion, I’d love to see Emelin on PP, for example, because I think he has more offensive upside.
Stats don’t tell the whole story and you can often choose the ones that prove what you want to say…
I agree with your last point and am not trying to be a stickler regarding production but there’s a distinction to be made between productivity and what the non productive players are doing to help.
Gionta and Desharnais funny enough are both very good in front of the net. But having said that are they doing something that say Eller and Galchenyuk can’t?
I don’t think so but I could be wrong.
Using the numbers of the group as a whole doesn’t do justice to the individual skills of the players. It’s a scapegoat to say for example that Desharnais and Gionta are good in front of the net and are creating goals without scoring.
But if they’re doing such a great job at that why are they not scoring when they have more opportunities than most to get deflections and rebounds?
I think if there’s something we can agree on it’s that Subban and Markov have been the most productive players on the powerplay.
I have a headache now…
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
Me too. These two have just concussed a bunch of us.
“May you live in interesting times.”
LOL. The quiet room we go.
I actually get what Steve is saying/doing and I agree with him. So when a goal on the powerplay is scored should only a person getting the goal or assist get credit? No, the whole unit is a part of this, often a powerplay goal is setup by a smart pass or play 3 passes before the goal. Because that individual didn’t get an assist but was part of the group they deseve credit in my opinion. Not unlike the simple plus/minus stats which are bandied about this site like gospel most often.
Nice work Steve!
The players who score aren’t the only ones who should get credit. But when players are being billed as highly productive when they’re in on an average of 30% of the goals their pp unit scores, they in my opinion shouldn’t be getting credit for the finish their linemates are exhibiting.
What’s next, Price is the reason we’re scoring on the powerplay?
Yes that is exactly where I was going. Price should as a result get credit. Thanks for your patience in this discussion.
I didn’t mean you specifically Gerald. I meant in general.
It’s funny to me that when some players aren’t producing offense they’re bums and when others don’t it’s not a knock on them as players because they’re doing oh so many other things well.
Spreading the cap out more evenly work wonders!!
If we have a continuous winning organization, we will be able to retain our top talent for much less of the cap dollars, and spread it out more evenly.
The consistent annual playoff checks will be more than enough to make up for lower contracts. Also players that are playing for a winning club are more loyal to the organization.
You cannot buy a cup paying for a couple of ringers that eat 25 or 30% of the salary cap. Clubs have tried and failed, this is still a team game. You need all hands on deck to be successful.
Example! just look at Wash. with the big O getting a hundred million dollar contract, then Malkin and Fleury eating up most of the cap. The rest of the team is made up of just roster fillers. This team will never get a sniff of a cup.
By spreading the cap out more evenly we will keep players that play with their hearts as well as their wallets and the players that only play for their wallets can please move on.
I can’t remember which player said this about Scotty Bowman, “He was very tough to play for and we did not like him at times, but each year when he delivered the playoff checks we loved the guy.”
I had no idea Galchenyuk’s play was an issue until watching Radio-Canada last night…
Good thing they were there to keep me more informed than by watching the games myself.
Even better that the rest of the media, including H/IO, has ran with the big story.
In keeping with my Zach Bogosian man crush and the Jets openly asking for scoring on the right wing I’m curious if anyone here would be okay with Bourque, Kristo and one of our second round picks for Bogosian?
I love Bogosian as well. What is not to love when he has been healthy. He does seem to get injured a lot though and that would be my only concern with him but yes I would still make that trade.
Wish he was a lefty to pair with Subban but the trade is reasonable. BTW I have a feeling Bourque is the next to go…especially if MB looks for a major upgrade.
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
Sounds a bit steep to me. But close. Bogosian & Tinordi would help straighten out a few things.
I wouldn’t think it’s too steep at all.
Competent Roster player
‘B’ level Prospect
fairly high draft pick
Gotta give good to get good.
I wouldn’t. I think Bogo’s a very under rated player, but I’d rather maintain our forward depth for the playoffs; however, if in the offseason it doesn’t look like Tinordi can step into that 6 spot, then replace Kristo (assuming he signs) with Holland and I’d go for it.
EDIT: Piper makes a good point below on D. Maybe Ellis/Pateryn in place of the 2nd rounder.
Definitely, yes. Think they’d want more, though.
More? Jesus. They’d be getting hot prospect, a thirty goal scorer and a second round pick.
I thought that proposal was at least kinda rational.
It’s not outlandish, but I doubt Kristo’s rated as anything higher than a B-prospect, even though I think he’s a pretty safe bet for top-9. Then there’s the possibility of his walking away that they won’t like… and honestly, who wouldn’t walk away from Winnipeg? (I hope no ‘peggers read this)
Bogosian would be great but i doubt jets would do it. Maybe if we add Diaz to replace the loss on d and to make room for Bogosian?
Yes. Do it now.
I’m sure you’d prefer Gorges and Bourque for Bogosian.
edit: and Winnipeg would probably prefer this trade too: no gap left on defense. That’s probably a more realistic trade, and I’d have to say ‘yes’, even though I’d be sorrier than you to see Gorges go.
I’d prefer Gorges and Kristo actually.
I’d be sorry to see Gorges go in a circumstance where we don’t get a better replacement. He just isn’t top four material in my view.
So would I, but I think a necessary part of the deal is immediate right-wing help, no? Don’t think they’d see Kristo as a sure bet to contribute this season, even if he doesn’t walk away.
Yeah they want help at right wing now. I’d exploit it if I were Bergevin. We have Gionta, Bourque, Gallagher, Kristo, Holland and Leblanc.
We’re stocked there and have Dumont capable of playing the position as well.
The Jets wouldn’t do that.
“thoroughbred”
???
Kreskin? Is that you?
Nope. But Bogosian isn’t on the trade block, for starters.
Number two, he’s looked at as a franchise player and you’d have to give more. In a normal year, he’s the most important D-man for Winnipeg. Maybe this year too.
Number 3, it’d create a hole on D that has been shaky at times with Enstrom & Bogo out.
Number 4, Rene Bourque is a 25 goal scorer. 25 goals + a prospect who hasn’t played a professional game and a 2nd rounder? See #2. Try a 1st and 2nd and you might be in the ball park.
Number 5, I don’t expect the Jets to trade any of their D until Trouba establishes himself in the show. There’s NO urgency in Winnipeg right now, not even to make the playoffs. Management is just fine with getting picks and building the team for at least another year after this one.
Number 6, when did we switch to “Trade for Kane” to “Trade for Bogosian”? Why do fans around the league assume the Jets want to trade their best young forward and arguably their best defenseman?
“thoroughbred”
Well Bogosian’s been often injured, reportedly unhappy with the organization and they have excellent depth on defense but lack in the scoring department.
If they want scoring on the right wing they’re going to have to trade something valuable to get it just like any team that wants a productive player like Bogosian is going to have to pay to get him.
I’ve never advocated going after Evander Kane either.
I’ve never once read, seen or heard that Bogosian is untouchable or that he’s their best defenseman. He’ll have to be better than Byfuglien and Enstrom before he can stake claim to that title.
I think Hainsey is likely to be moved since he’s a UFA. Maybe Winnipeg would take Kaberle and some forward prospect, if the Habs want to bring another former hab (if very brief) back into the fold.
Personally I’d like to see Chucky with more time on the pp. It would give him the time and space that he needs to get his confidence back up to where it was at the beginning of the season.
http://bleublancetrouge.ca/
Thierrien’s been good about spreading out the PP time once we’re up by 2 goals or so, and depending on who’s playing well that game.
He’ll be fine, all young rookies are inconsistent. Once Bourque gets back, he should slot in on the Eller line, and that would give Galchenyuk the north south player that he excelled with at the beginning of the season (Gallagher obviously).
Using today’s Loonie stat, Galchenyuk has only 1 point for over 40 minutes of PP time, only half as good as that demotion earning bum Gionta.
–Go Habs Go!–
Kaleta is playing tonight. Tighten up the kneepads and watch your backs (literally) boys!
Is there any truth to the rumour that the Ducks signed Joe Perry to a big multi-year deal?
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Tyler Perry lives in California doesn’t he?
I thought Perry Cuomo had passed on…
you win
Tyler Perry.
Part of the deal included a family friendly 24/7-like series with TBS.
Okay, cool.
I was way off.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
It was Gaylord Perry, he has an amazing spit-puck. There isn’t a goalie out there that can catch it.
Wow, Ducks thinking outside the box…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
“There isn’t a goalie out there that can catch it.”
although some question his glove hand, i think Perry Price should be able to handle it.
To me Miller appears such a fragile soul — waiting to crack, we need to rattled him early tonite — hopefully with a couple of quick goals then get the crowd on him. So contain Vanek and rattle Miller they are owned!! Looking at the stats we have 9 players with 15 points or better and they have 4. Guess we can’t be to cocky though!
What would it take to get B. Morrow? I’ve always liked his game. I believe his wife is french (Carbo’s Daughter?) so he might want to play for us. Also with Gainey in Dallas it might just happen. Gainey likes Gionta — lets trade captains!!!
miller is not starting
I believe Enroth starts tonight, not Miller.
____________________
DOOOOOOOOOOOOMED!
I’m thinking the opposite about his wife. She is Quebecoise therefore knows the provincial income tax…I think Texas is zero…
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
if I was the Sabres GM I would deal Ryan Miller this trading deadline.
There are teams, maybe the Leafs, that would give the Sabres an excellent return on Miller.
Edmonton would maybe take a chance on him.
Highly unlikely he gets dealt to the Leafs. If you’re the Sabres, do you really want Miller coming back to haunt you 6-8 times a year and possibly be the reason the Sabres don’t make the playoffs?
maybe not the Leafs, but there would be a nice offer for a quality goaltender like Miller.
Let me guess. A stupid question like this must come from Filosa from 98.5 fm. Such an immature jerk ,always negative ,unable to see the big pucture. Must be paid cheap.
Not worried all about Galchenyuk as it is going to take another season for him to learn everything about the NHL. I really like the way Therrien chooses to give him ice time of not depending on who we play against. I look at Galchenyuk playing and am not for an instant worry about him being a first round choice.
We must be careful about the next games against the Sabres and the Isles. Those are tricky opponents with lots of potential but no team chemistry and poor defense. The habs tend to copy those teams and fall into their trap.
Wow, 26.5% of the cap next year to two players not named Crosby and Malkin.
And both players are well worth the money.
You really think that two players are worth more than 25% of a team?
Crosby and Malkin – yes
Getzlaf and Perry – no
Yeah, I could understand around 7 per for both. Not an insane overpayment, just not sure why we even had a lockout if the point was owners thought players were getting too much yet hand out these contracts immediately after.
Honestly makes me all the more impressed with the Subban, Desharnais, and Pacioretty contracts.
Ya Bergevin really got great contracts out of Patches, DD and Subban.
I hope Bergevin extends Subban next year and uses the full 8 years he is allowed. Subban has proven he is a stud and an elite dman. 8 years 48 million – 6 million per year. Wonder if that would do the trick.
I personally don’t think anybody should get more than a 6 year contract, as you never know how things are going to develop. That said, I’d be fine with the per year figure of 6 million.
They are committed to 51.7 million and have about 10.5 million left for 8 players .
Like the DODGERS “Wait till next year”
They should be fine next year with Lydman and Selanne likely coming off the books.
Just curious how they do in the years following as Anaheim usually doesn’t spend to the cap, if I remember correctly.
Posters Pleeese !
Let’s not get caught up in a minority opinion from a minority slice of media/fandom as it relates to Galchenyuk. Media have space to fill so they ask a few “tough” questions which are really softballs.
Therrien must have been grinning ear to ear – he gets to publicly praise and support his rookie, get people focusing on the defensive responsibilites being displayed and chest thump a bit about how the coaching staff works.
Galchenyuk will keep playing, keep getting better and soon explode with a skill display … and Frontenac, he will not be dropping his gloves, let alone against Bobby Clarke incarnate.
“Don’t crush that dwarf Alex Henry, hand me the pliers”
+27
The things Galchenyuk does without the puck are as valuable and amazing as what he does with it. Very seldom is he caught out of position and his ability to transition from offence to defence and vice versa is something most 19 year olds have not a clue.
the best word to describe Galchenyuk’s current play is reliable.
Reliable is a fine word… Schmexy is better.
Are you trying to bring Schmexy back?
I can do pretty good stuff without the puck too amigo. Except the caught out of position stuff. I lie down too much.
The trouble is that I think they brought it up to Galchenyuk himself. I might be wrong, but I think that’s what I heard.
Yes, they did. Post practice interview yesterday.
Why is that a concern? Galchenyuk is a grown man playing a tough sport. If a question from a reporter screws up his game, development or confidence then what will happen when Lucic, Marchand and others are chirping at him?
The Habs have been unreal this year – It’s hard to say any games they’ve won have been a fluke.
If there’s one thing we need to get settled before the playoffs it’s the line combinations. It seems that we don’t have the proper line combos hammered out yet (injuries don’t help). Once that’s settled I think we could make some noise in the playoffs.
Imagine next year Diaz -Tinordi as the bottom pairing….wow
———————————
Lars, PK, Galchenyuk, Pac, Emelin – @J_Perez22
Has nothing to do with hockey but in the spring I think of baseball and when I think of baseball I think of the EXPOS. Well we still have YOUPPI.
Nice piece on Tim Raines
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/03/18/instructor-raines-a-steal-for-blue-jays
Blue Jays look like contenders this year- looking forward to the season
______________________________________________________
“It’s just an opinion – I could be wrong”
I still think the team is lacking leadership from a positional player standpoint. Our Pitching staff looks great though.
I am hopeful Gibbons provides the leadership and guidance needed.
Dickey will rub off on others. ( Boy, am I glad Semin plays hockey and not baseball)
These things stay in the room, but, oh I forgot the wisecrack. Cheers bud.
“May you live in interesting times.”
Youppi was a bit annoying, but good for the kids. Was Youppi in Jarry Park? I only saw him on TV in the Big O.
“May you live in interesting times.”
That orange furball was a transplant into the Big Owe. Now, the Habs are stuck with it. Must be the velcro.
Youppi was introduced in 1979 at the Big Owe — the first of the Expos “glory years” of steady contention.
He may have been annoying but you had to laugh when he had the Boy George outfit on.
I see him at the Bell Centre but it reminds me of the Big O and Dawson, Wallach, Raines then Alou , Walker Grissom and the best team in baseball in 1994.
I agree with Jack Todd may Jeff Loria always be a zero
“
MT= pure brilliance… soft spoken with intelligence, and wielding an iron fist that will crush you and banish you to the hot dog stand… where you will go not to throw paper airplanes, but to simmer in your errors.
said Therrien. “In the NHL, the play is so tight and the opening is so small and you have to see it. You always have to do the percentage play. It’s part of the learning process. You have to accept what the other team is going to give you. When there’s time, you have to make the play and where there isn’t time, you can’t force the play.”
—
The N.A.G. (North American Grit) effect is the only path to success…
without PRUST we’d be a total BUST
Vanek, Hodgson and Pominville are always a threat and John Scott (6’8″ 270 pounds) is, to say the least, imposing and Ott Weber and Kaleta (may or may not be back in) can always cause physical damage.
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
Scott should be a non-factor in this game.
No one on the Habs plays his game, so he’s neutered before the game even starts.
Everytime he is on the ice (all 7 shifts he’ll get) he is a risk to take a penalty because he isn’t fast enough.
He sits on the bench and keeps a more-skilled forward in the press box. He’s more beneficial to the Habs in the Sabres line-up then he is to the Sabres.
The only benefit he has is that he empowers Kaleta to run around like a jackass. Kaleta knows that if he causes poop, Scott is on the ice with him and will save him from any accounibility.
Ott… Ott is another story. Prustian…
So Dudley watching Van-Minny game…could he be scouting Konopka!!!
Edit…yikes Konopka played 10 minutes and went 10 and 0 in the circle…
I know he can probably play on the wing, but the Habs don’t need another center.
isn’t his back totally messed up?
Habs are the best of the two teams which do not guarantee a win.
I’ll just say. Advantage Habs ….
Due for a letdown, i have a bad feeling for tonight, boone reverse jinx
Thank God for atheism.
dyslexic atheists don’t believe in dogs
love it maybe i will us that for my next signature
Thank God for atheism.
The reporter(s) who asked the silly question should be sent down to cover the Hamilton Bulldogs.
That should be placed in effect NOW
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
Hey All,
I have 2 tickets to the Habs vs Rangers
Section Red 111, Row E seat3 F seat 3
Electronic tickets
I paid $533 for them
would take $500 for the pair
crap – wished I lived in Montreal.
crap – wished I lived in Montreal.
I would take them in a heartbeat, except it’s Easter weekend with family dinner.
Hey Bermy – I’m interested.
Would you take 480$ so I feel like I’m gettin a good deal?
Feel free to email me if you want to negotiate: jdogmtl@gmail.com
Crap I wish I was back home
Tickets Sold
Enjoy!
Sooooo Jealous
Most would have put their measuring stick away for tonight’s game, but I would say consistency is being tested. Elite teams don’t have a letdown because of the weakness of the opposition (see Chicago consecutive games point streak). These Sabres beat the Rangers last week, and Miller is still Miller.
“May you live in interesting times.”
Stubbs reported that Enroth was first off the ice in practice this morning, so he is most likely the starter,
“I think I may have found a way to get us Bonds and Griffey, and we really wouldn’t give up that much” – Costanza
Is Dumont a guaranteed scratch tn? Would’ve liked to see him kept on the 3rd unit.
———————————
Lars, PK, Galchenyuk, Pac, Emelin – @J_Perez22
He’s in the lineup, it’s Blunden who is back in Hamilton.
Powerplay goals against per Penalty Killing Minute played….
1. Brandon Prust – 1 for every 12 minutes
T2. Colby Armstrong and Tomas Plekanec – 1 for every 10 minutes
T3. – Gorges, Markov, Emelin, Diaz, Bouillon and Gionta – 1 for every 8 minutes
4. Moen – 1 for every 7 minutes
5. Eller – 1 for every 6 minutes
**Subban has been pretty bad with 1 goal for every five minutes played on the penalty kill**
**Plekanec has the fourth highest PK TOI so his number is incredibly impressive**
Plekanec has got to be one of the best PK guys in the league. His anticipation and ability to read the pass before the guy makes it give him a real edge. The other thing I like is that he’s always looking for the slightest mishandling of the puck or over-commitment on the blue line to try for the short handed opportunity.
His opportunism on the penalty kill is definitely what sets him apart in my opinion.
I think there was a 5-on-3 shorthanded situation last year that Tomas scored a shortie. For me, that was the highlight of the 15th place season, with the Eller night being a close second.
“May you live in interesting times.”
against toronto…which makes ithat much better
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1vFOBE7gWI
Thanks Vid!
“May you live in interesting times.”
In Subban’s defense, he has only played a total of 26 minutes on the PK this year. Last season in 211 short handed minutes he was on for only 12 goals against , an average of one goal every 18 minutes,
I would expect that by the end of the year his numbers will be among the tops on the team, and probably the league.
regards,
Steve O.
I actually think the whole PK system is badly set up this year. Makes the individual numbers skewed. Not sure why they tampered with a good thing from last year…. probably the only good thing.
Tonights Measuring Device?
SabresMeasuringDevice
Ouch! A septic sludge system? I hope that’s true, but for some reason, the Habs seem to have trouble against the struggling teams. I’m still hurting from my visit to the Coliseum last week where we collapsed in a 6-3 loss to the Islanders. Let’s hope Buffalo doesn’t let loos on us with out bodies and we pick up a win with the loss of Max or someone else that is valuable (seems like everyone this year).
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
This is “out there” for you Burly, ’cause if the Habs happen to lose, thoughts of Karma will arise!
“May you live in interesting times.”
You have no idea how “crappy” I felt doing this, I am in no way confident going in to the game. I just do realize that Buffalo is in the middle of a “Sh#%Storm”.
I thought for awhile if I should post or not. If things go in the dumper, feel free to crap on me, will be my bad.
it’s funny though!
“May you live in interesting times.”
I was listening to WGR radio in Buffalo this morning,and their beat reporter in Montreal,Paul Hamilton, was mentioning that Montreal had received about 6-7 inches of snow this morning. He said he knew Montreal has an “underground city”, but he hasn’t been able to locate it.
Somebody should help the poor fellow out.
LMAO
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
I’ll bet it gonna be a loss tonight, but get a win on the next Sabres game which is Saturday.
Who does the scheduling in this league anyways?
Seems to be happening with regularity recently.
Pittsburgh was in Toronto twice within a week,Boston was in Pittsburgh twice in very short order,and now Buffalo is in Montreal twice in less than a week.
So now with Perry gone which player will get over analyzed now to be traded?
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
Iginla
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Have we given up on Clowe already?
Oh i mean like all the Sports channels over hyping a possible trade
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
Clowe and Iginla are well kept secrets that the other teams know nothing about. We could get them for scraps and old skates.
Brendan Morrow?
Sorry guys, seems like I was way off with my last post below.
The Ducks didn’t sign Steve Perry (ridiculous!!) they actually signed Lee “Scratch” Perry.
Strange, but could surprise!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Does he do Katy Perry music?
“May you live in interesting times.”
What a difference a season makes, last year towards the end of the season screams of Amnesty buyout of Bourque, this season screams of when is Bourque back.
All the more reason we are just passionate fans.
For the record I have always been a bourque fan.
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Yeah right!
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
Check the archives brother!
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Then you were a wise and insightful HIO member. Any stock picks you might like to share?
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
LOL I wish I had stock info.
I am still holding Rim stock so I can’t be that bright
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
HAHA, I was going to put in my post “Cue the I was always on Bourque’s side” posts. There were a few of us Kooch.
LOL I know you were too!
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Hanging head in shame.
I’ve always been a Lori Graham fan. This hasn’t changed from last year.
Who is Lori Graham btw?
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
She is a blondie CTV News weather lady. Very nice lady.
You have always been a beacon of light in your undying support for some of the oppressed members of the media as they fight for equal representation. My respect for you in this matter could not be higher Sir.
I fight oppression anyway I can.
http://montreal.ctvnews.ca/more/bios/lori-graham-1.352763
***Edited This Lady…if so..I am now a fan as well LOL
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Lady.
sorry….that was the Brantford in my coming out
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Should have seen Celebrity Weather with Subban a few months ago. Lori Graham sure can’t keep her hands on him…
I’m happy with that change to bad poor Kaberle couldn’t catch that break
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
25 degree weather, golf. You aren’t kidding.
Yeah. Last year at this time,it was 25 degrees,sun was shining,and I had my convertible top down for the first time ever in March.
Today,it’s minus 1 and snowing.
If there was no lockout, Galchenyuk would have spent the entire season In Sarnia. Which would have been fine.
For the Habs, the good part about the lockout is that both Galchenyuk and Gallagher were able to have the best of both worlds by being eased into the NHL during a 48 game season after preparing at a lower level of competition.
Therrien has wisely given them protected minutes and ice time assignments. Galchenyuk isn’t able to play center in the NHL at this point in time which has given Eller the chance to breakout of the Martin/Cunneyworth mold. The play of all three has been one of the many reasons that the Habs have bounced back so quickly this year.
Seems they are highly confident in the kid ’cause they activated his ELC and will be negotiatiing his RFA contract one year earlier as a result YKWIM*?
“May you live in interesting times.”
*youknowwhatImean
I think it should be standard procedure to send any 1st rounder back to junior for another year. Saving a year on free agency being one of the reasons as well as playing time, experience and maturation.
The only exception to that rule is when a team drafts a top three guy. Assuming they won’t bomb out, I don’t think you worry about ELC. The kid is going to be major building block so who cares.
Steve, I am amazed that the Devils made such a critical misjudgement with Matteau. Perhaps Lou was still reeling from losing Parise, but seems to me that Lou has made a couple of uncharacteristic mistakes in recent times.
He was in tough last year on how to deal with Parise, but despite making Cup final, they lost Parise for nothing and now they have burned a year of ELC for Matteau. I wonder if Lou isn’t close to calling it a day.
As of this moment, he doesn’t have a 1st round pick for one of ’13 or ’14 and the draft is in Jersey this summer.
Galchenyuk is a competitor first and foremost. Just like hitting the post haunted him for the duration of the night after the game, this line of questioning will bug him as well. My bet is he has a 2 point night tonight in a habs win.
Powerplay points per minute played on the powerplay…..
1. Subban – 1 for every 6 minutes
2. Eller – 1 for every 6 minutes
3. Ryder – 1 for every 7 minutes
4. Plekanec – 1 for every 8 minutes
5. Markov – 1 for every 8 minutes
6. Pacioretty – 1 for every 9 minutes
7. Diaz – 1 for every 9 minutes
8. Bourque – 1 for every 18 minutes
9. Desharnais – 1 for every 20 minutes
10. Gionta – 1 for every 21 minutes
Interesting numbers.
Not shocked by the numbers.
———————————
Lars, PK, Galchenyuk, Pac, Emelin – @J_Perez22
Don’t get me started on Gionta…
BTW does Pat Hickey still think PK should not be on the first unit of the power play? Just checking…
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
Gionta is the 6th leading scorer on Montreal. He would also be 6th in Boston, 5th in both Buffalo and Toronto and 4th with Ottawa.
His prorated totals for an 82 game schedule would be 28/20/48 which is very close to his career averages.
The other team stats are irrelevant. Every team is different. Here he gets a lot of playing time in situations where he doesn’t deserve it…like the power play. He would not get it anywhere else. He is the second most used forward on the team. If playing time was equivalent, I do not think he would have the same stats.
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
He has the most ice-time among forwards on the powerplay. Desharnais is second.
They should both be yanked off the Powerplay completely for a game or two.
And yet we’re winning despite Therrien and our coaching staff being clueless. Must be luck.
I don’t think anybody’s calling them clueless or even incompetent. I think it’s definitely fair to say that Desharnais and Gionta have earned demotions from the powerplay and that Eller, Moen and Subban have earned demotions from the penalty kill.
He’s got a very respectable 16 points in 28 games, and before his injury last year, potted 28 and 29 goals for us. He’s not a superstar, but he’s as consistent as they come.
Mike Boone: “With Gainey at my side, I’d walk into any dark alley in the world.”
Hey T., the Habs have a recent heritage of many goals from the point ever since Andrei got on the team. First Souray, then Streit, Wisniewski, and now Subban. We never had a Tomas Holmstrom type (yet) although Gallagher is working hard at it. So, no surprise the D are more productive on the PP. And thanks for the research.
“May you live in interesting times.”
I prefer to look a goals scored (*by the team) during each players minutes of ice time on the power play: E.G. the team scores one pp goal every 5.8 minutes that Plekanec is on the ice)
* edits made to clarify
Forwards:
Plekanec; 5.8 minutes per PP goal
Ryder: 5.9 (includes dallas and montreal stats)
Bourque: 6.2
Gionta: 6.5
Eller: 6.5
Desharnais: 8.4
Pacioretty: 9.5
Galchenyk: 10.0
Gallagher: 18
Prust and Moen no goals scored while on PP 12 minutes and 5 minutes respectively
Defensemen:
Subban : 6.3
Markov: 6.4
Diaz: 7.4
Bouillion; 12
Gorges, Emelin no goals yet 10 minutes and 5 minutes respectively
So while Pacioretty gets a point every 9 minutes to Gionta every 21 minutes. The team scores a PP goal every 6 .5 minutes with Gionta on the PP unit and only every 9.5 minutes when Patches is out there,
regards,
Steve O.
I think your numbers are off a bit. I rounded down each minute so they’re going to be off by a half point at most.
Specifically with Desharnais and Gionta, your numbers are way off.
They each have only four powerplay points in over 80 minutes of powerplay ice-time. They’re both around 1 pp point for every 20 minutes of powerplay time.
I am not looking at points…. my numbers are based on minutes of ice time and number of goals scored (power play)by the team while the player is on the ice.
regards,
Steve O.
So you took the goals scored by specific line combinations and used their specific ice-time on the powerplay for the whole season to get those numbers and that inflated Desharnais and Gionta’s totals by over 15%?
I’m curious where you got those numbers.
Edit: I’m not trying to be a jerk but you’re measuring the performance of a unit as the indication of effectiveness for individual players.
If the players without points on the powerplay were doing such a good job on it they wouldn’t be accounting for 25%-40% of their lines’ goals on the powerplay. They’d be involved more.
Galchenyuk – 1 for every 40 minutes
Gallagher – 1 for every 53 minutes
Does this mean Gionta is a much better offensive player than the two rookies?
–Go Habs Go!–
Means he’s been better on the powerplay.
I expect Galchenyuk to become a very valuable PP player and would hate to see him not get any more chances on the PP (not that I expect him to get less PP opportunities due to that stat).
–Go Habs Go!–
Chicago farm club continuing their monthly bench brawls. At least they weren”t wearing pink this time. Enjoy amigos!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-889kZXuB4
Lot’s of testosterone in them thar young’ins!
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
Will I guess Eller should be sent back to junior hockey as well. Galchenyuk has 1-Goal and 1-assist less than Eller yes Eller played a couple of games less. Come on. Give the kid a break. Someday he’ll make those reporters eat their words ….
Don’t let it bother you Gally. You’re doing great.
Eller would need fake ID.
Bourque on the ice with the team today….Great news.
Prust should be back Saturday
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Phew! Been nervous about us hanging on without ‘em (and don’t get down on me for being a cynic y’all! I’m just realistic. Who among us thought the Habs would still be challenging for first in the East without Prust, Bork, Bork, Bork, Diaz and wait for it… Weber?)
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Bourque is a top 6 forward. 27 goals in the two previous season and was on pace for it last year until he got sent to the mess that was the habs last year
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
That’s great about Bourque and wish Prust was back earlier but at least he’s coming back this week
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
As long as Prust is back for March 27, is it I think? Will need some cohones then.
I love the way Therrien is handling Galchenyuk,being with very patient with him,realizing that Galchenyuk will reward his faith in him,big time.
I couldn’t see Jacques Martin handling him the same way.
He is good with young players. I think the way he handled Crosby and malkin helped land him this job.
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Jacques who? Isn’t he still on the payroll as a scout or something?
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Alex hasn’t pulled a Sergei Kostitsyn yet, but there will be lots of opportunity in the rookie’s career.
“May you live in interesting times.”
Or Andrei… who performed poorly in the KHL too. Loves the bottle I guess. Shame he wasted that talent. How about Swergei going off the ice for a line change the other day, while a rush was going into the O zone and a goal came out of it. Must be in the Kostitsyn genes!
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Don’t think so…Martin always did his research…
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
Penny for JM’s thoughts on his pad!
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I agree. He’s being very supportive. Galchenyuk is allowed to make mistakes, to miss things, to not always make the right play. Then the coaching staff teach him. JM would have sat him, as he did to Lars Eller – as if such treatment would miraculously turn him into the player he was supposed to become. Galchenyuk is being protected and given somewhat limited ice time, mostly in situations where the pressure isn’t too great. Some games he has a big impact, others less so. But he’s learning, and will be a much better player even a few months from now.
I think Galchenyuk is looking for that first ‘real’ goal.
His three have been opportunity goals. He’s got the deflection/jam ones.
I think he wants (like I know…) to burn a wrister top shelf, or hammer a one-timer. Once that happens, They’ll start going in from everywhere.
He needs to find his range & he’s still got a bit of the junior timing. Many of his plays that have been broken up at the last second would have been successful in the O.
Oh, If only that wrister off the post from the other night bounced in instead of out.
This guy is going to be a treat to watch for many year… I have Datsyukian hopes for him… (probably not fair, but that’s his problem)
Rocketed one off the cross-bar with 1:25 left in the Ottawa game.
When are we going to get a thread so we can jump all over the fact that Max hasn’t scored in several games, although no. 11 did poach a goal from him?
“May you live in interesting times.”
Trade him for Ryan Clowe…a real zero goal scorer!
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
I can’t believe the Ducks signed Steve Perry!
I guess the wheel in the sky just keeps on turnin’…
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Didn’t he throw knuckleballs against Andre Dawson?
“May you live in interesting times.”
Wasn’t he a goalie for the Habs in the early eighties?
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
LOL
funny!
No. Lead singer with Journey…
Oh Sherry, our love, hold on, hold on…
~~~> Mathematically eliminated…
We stopped ……believing…….
Any way you want it, I’m guessing he’s served the Ducks faithfully cause he don’t stop believing. The Ducks GM didn’t think, “I’ll be all right without you,” and who’s crying now? We are.
Cheers, Matty!
Delightful!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Looks like nothing in the NHL will change. Perry getting over $8 million a year? Seriously? Anaheim just nailed their coffin closed. If they don’t win it all this year, they’ll be left with two NHL players and a cadre of AHLers since that’ll be all they have in their cap.
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Kings did okay paying Kopitar and Doughty $14 million.
Chicago has $30 million tied up in five players and they’re doing alright.
They adopted the Penguins model. They once gave J.S. Giguere 7.3 mill a year but were able to peddle him to Burke.
To bad they can give their garbage to burke now
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
Didn’t Burke sign the original contract with Giguere while he was with The Ducks……
Everybody is wondering why the Rangers have no depth any more…they have 4 players averaging a combined 7 million per year…not sustainable in the short term.
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
anaheim will have almost 10 million dollars of cap space to sign about 5 players to complete their roster, i don’t know where you got your information from, but you’re wrong.
Selanne and Koivu likely to retire, and although they’ll be pretty difficult to replace, this team won’t be in cap trouble.
Yeah with the two deals Anaheim offered it made me wonder what changed in the CBA aside the fact that this contract had to stop at 8 years
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
Make a switch at center with Eller for Galchenyuk to see if it helps him. The more points we can get from our 3rd line the better.
Only two teams in the Eastern conference better than the Habs offensively. Pittsburgh 1st, Tampa Bay 2nd
Boston is the best defensive team.
Eller on the third line is outpacing Desharnais on the second.
I wouldn’t be screwing with that.
Is that the 1a, 1b or 1c line?
Exactly.
Eller’s production with Prust and Galchenyuk has made what was supposed to be our third line a second line.
Which one’s the shite down line again?
“May you live in interesting times.”
In that case. I would try moving Eller up to the 2nd line Pleks to the 1st. IMO DD would be more suited for Galchenyuk. DD is a workhorse.
There was some discussion on the previous thread about Perry not having a no-trade clause. Apparently, that was misinformation.
Pierre LeBrun @Real_ESPNLeBrun
Perry’s deal also includes full No-Move Clause which went into effect immediately yesterday
Now that makes sense…thanks.
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
I seriously cannot believe this headline…guess its hard finding things to write about when the team is doing awesome and massively exceeding expectations…
I know a couple of us had been wondering where Habs/Caps blogger Steven Hindle had gone, appears he is back in business.
http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=50062#.UUhz5heG33R
Chucky is coming along just fine. Can’t wait to see him drop the mitts and beat the crap out of Marchand.
I like you man but the last thing we want our most skilled player doing is fighting.
Marchand will first slew foot him, then stick Chucky in the ribs with his stick and finally face wash him with his snot covered gloves and Julien will say it is a hockey play, while Campbell sitting and smoking Cubans in New York will claim Chucky incited Marchand, embellishing the broken rib from the stick, the blood from the facewash and the fall from the slew foot. Shanahan will obligingly give Chucky four games for the offenses and Marchand will get a trophy for his efforts
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What an imagination!
FIGHT!! FIGHT!! FIGHT!!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Two things
1) It’s funny how I’m not an NHL coach. I disagree with Therrien, I think #27 can hold on to the puck longer, actually. It looks to me like he’s trying to rush a play too often. I’d like to see the puck on his stick more. I’d like to see what he can do on the right boards on the PP, running it. I think it would be magic.
2) lots of people giving it to the journalists who are supposedly giving it to Galchenyuk. Is there something I’m missing? An editorial somewhere saying he should go down to the CHL? All it looks to me is that someone just asked Therrien a question.
I think you’re both right and wrong, Galch is a very good stickhandler, but i find it doesn’t work as well as it did in the CHL, he’s playing against men now. I think theyre just trying to find a healthy balance for him to handle the puck, and look for a pass. And most journalist that cover the habs are overly critical, as are there fans, because we expect nothing but the best. He’s looked good in the nhl, and deserves to stay.
1) do you still play sports at a high level? you find out quickly that what worked at a lower level, needs to be fine-tuned for the next level, and there may only be 1 opportunity a game to do it, instead of 10 before.
Mtl media doing it’s thing to Habs player yet again!
Bah last season it would have annoyed me more, this year it feels like Habs have the pieces in place to make sure it does not go to Galchenyuk’s head or affect him in any way.
I’m having the memories of what they did to Koivu -_- makes me dislike the media when they pull stuff like that. The team is doing fine leave the team, the kid and every thing alone
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
These boneheads seriously think Galchenyuk should go down?
A novice fan tuning into a Habs game for the first time would see that Galchenyuk has the most skill of any player on this team right away. Players with his skill aren’t difficult to acknowledge.
No disrespect to Subban, Desharnais, Plekanec or Eller but none have the shot, puck handling ability, passing ability or creativity that Galchenyuk does.
He has the kind of skills that all but a handful of players wish they had.
That’s all that needs to be said. If he develops early Lafleur’s records will fall.
Any Idea who actually asked that?
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I think if it would have been possible, some time in the AHL would have done him good, but seeing as that was not an option, and he was clearly done with the OHL, NHL it is.
And it’s not like he is looking bad out there, he’s hustling and playing a good game.
Which is exactly what we want from him, I wonder if they’d send him down after next season for a bit in the AHL if they want him to eat a bit more time?
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
The only way he goes to Hamilton is if the Habs don’t make the playoffs next year and the Bulldogs do.
Even then it’s a stretch. The last thing you want happening to Galchenyuk is an injury while playing for your AHL affiliate.
I am somewhat surprised this is even a story, but we are talking about the team with the most passionate and zealous fans and reporters. As long as the team properly shields Galchenyuk from the outside noise, everything should be fine.
These next 3 games also should present some situations for Alex to get some space.
This isn’t a story buddy. This is a small group of attention seeking meatheads looking to be controversial in an effort to grab the limelight.
He’s poison in the room.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
The anti-Gomez
Or will Buffalo come out fighting from all of the Miller/ Kaleta controversy? They may be disorganized and like the Canadiens last year, or they may take it to us.
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I have 2 tickets to the Canadiens Rangers game next Saturday.
Where is the best place to sell them?
I have them on StubHub but no luck yet
Could always see if some one wants to buy them here? Maybe Ticketmaster or the Vault on the Habs site?
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
For some reason Ticketmaster is only giving me US options. and the Vault is only giving me the option to buy.
I have 2 tickets to the Habs vs Rangers
Section Red 111, Row E seat3 F seat 3
Electronic tickets
I paid $533 for them
would take $500 for the pair
Ebay or Scorebig
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
Montreal beast Sabres 4-2 Miller bad mouths his team. Anyone agree?
New Blog check it out!
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/will-tebow-mania-ever-return/
No pressure on Chucky. He will perform, but I bet he didn’t think it would be this hard. The NHL isn’t the best league for nothing, eh?
Snowstorm? Snow music:http://calshabsongparodies.weebly.com
Enough with these “journalists”.
“I respect your opinion, but you’re completely wrong!”
I have to say I’m impressed with my fellow posters this morning.
The media are trashing poor Chucky, the just-19 year old.
And yet, everyone here has a rational perspective.
You guys make me proud!
…sometimes.
LOL whats going on around here? Where are all the haters?
Think the cynics are out only because Matteau and Grigorenko were returned. We need Chucky’s hands and heart, especially with Prust out. He’s always dangerous, hopefully our opposition will assume he’s not, we’ll get a few goals out of him.
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
Last time he played the Sabres he made the best and most creative offensive play that a Hab has made this season.
Just sayin…..
Galchenyuk has the most upside of any forward this team has had in easily more than a decade.
This kid is going to be a star in Montreal
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
You’re just being silly now.
I have a tendency to do that LOL
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
Who honestly stick-handles and passes better than Chucky on this team right now? Eller maybe close…probably only PK?
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
Nobody. He was the most skilled player on the team the day he first stepped onto the ice with the rest of them.
He is +8 and 50% in shootouts…what a bust…geez. Those reporters need to be identified and called out for the idiots that they are.
BTW Armstrong will embark on a Gomez-esque scoring streak!
“You’re always, always, always looking to make your team better. Always.”- Marc Bergevin
Wouldn’t the gomez scoring streak be over now that he has one ?
“Keep your stick on the Ice”
You mean one more goal in the next 82 games?
Promote the Youth, Support From The Veterans and Remember the Heritage!
First the “Gordie Howe hat trick” now the “Gomez hat trick” — three goals in a season…
~~~> Mathematically eliminated…
Gomez has a 4-game point streak going. In addition, 6 points in his last 6 games, and 7 in his last 8. I am rooting for him.
Coach shouldn’t have even had to defend him. If he had buried the one he clanged off the post the other night no one would be saying a thing. Though I am sure if he goes another 10 games I will be reading on here “what do you think we could get for Galchenyuk?”
He also got a glorious SO goal in that game.
Fickle fans…
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Very true, and was 1st shooter.
I think the coach does have to defend him. The kid is doing exactly what the coaching staff ask, he is playing very good hockey, and once the excitement of the early season wears off the press in Montreal begins to ask themselves questions they want answers to. Then they get on the kids case, the fans get on it, and another one is ruined because the only people giving you positive feedback are the hangers on.
Wrong assumption? Sure, chalk it up to that. But you won’t see the columnists pointing out that the kid provided the screen that was more assist than the assist someone else got, that he broke up the play with solid and thinking positioning, or that he got rocked without breaking stride, playing a man’s game at 19. That isn’t their job. They just ask the questions on which future columns can be founded.
Perhaps. But seems to me it’s just a few moronic reporters. Haven’t heard one “fan” complain as of yet……..even on HIO!!
SO I have a few blogs to show here is the first one its Expos related let me know what you think and if you’re whiling like it, the more support the better, but either way check it out its my all-time Expos from 1990-2004 Infield list http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/03/19/nos-amours-the-greatest-expos-1990-2004-part-1-the-infield/
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I hope Gally gets a few points tonight ti shut up the peanut gallery who decided to stir up crap
http://nickolaisblog.wordpress.com/
Jeez, I couldn’t watch that Chuckie highlights reel.
Music was far too high on the douche-o-meter.
Not at this time of the morning.
Not at any time.
Of the morning.
—Hope Springs Eternal—
1 point in 10 games? Trade the bum!
Galchenbust!!
Yet another blunder by Timmins!!
—Hope Springs Eternal—
Fire Timmins!
Galchenyuk will pot one tonight. Habs win 4-2.
First, the kid is just that…a kid. He’s only 19. He’ll be fine.
———————————————————————-
Ka is a wheel.
For Your Life