We here at Habsradio.com, (well, I. Eric is still asleep in Vegas), have often derided the Habs defense as old and slow. I’ve pointed the finger sometimes at Roman Hamrlik, sometimes at Hal Gill, sometimes at Paul Mara, but most often, at Jaroslav Spacek. But Eric Engels has a great post today in which he makes the case for the humpty-dumpty lookalike. So in the interests of self-criticism, let’s discuss Engels’ argument. Here are the juicy bits:
…for 35 games, with Andrei Markov on the sidelines, Spacek was Montreal’s second most-used defenseman, just seconds behind Roman Hamrlik.
Spacek has played against his opponents’ best players, night-in, night-out, and though he hasn’t provided the kind of offense fans expected from him, you have to be impressed with his +10 rating.
He’s also been used on his wrong side throughout the year, and given Hamrlik’s ability to join the rush, he’s been relegated to covering up as opposed to joining the rush himself. His versatility at both ends, as well as his ability to contribute on the powerplay and penalty kill has made him a very valuable asset to the Canadiens. Not to mention the fact that he has the heart of a lion.
Engels is right. All things being equal, Spacek is getting an unfair bad rap. But the fact remains, Spacek is a little old and slow for the minutes he’s getting. Is that his fault exactly? No. But between him, Hamrlik and Gill, speedy forwards could have a field day. Though they have all done good work this season, my real gripe with the new free agent defensemen is that they were signed at a time when other options (cheaper or younger) were available – and none of them are the physical, mobile, shut down defenseman the Habs so badly need.
I guess I have been toughest on Spacek because of his contract. He commands 3.8 million for the next 3 seasons. Francois Beauchemin, for example, is 5 years younger, a lot tougher, and supplies just as much offense, if not more. And chances are he would have provided the Habs with a home-town discount. Because as hard as Spacek works, and he does work hard, and as many minutes as he plays, not a single opposing forward comes into the Bell Center saying “Damn, I’m really not looking forward to playing Spacek again tonight”. Can you imagine Beauchemin banging bodies on a pairing with Hamrlik? Dude is the very definition of sandpaper. Spacek? Not so much. And the fact that Bob Gainey / Pierre Gauthier signed Spacek to such a big money, three-year deal when no other offer for him was even close – that just hamstrings their salary cap flexibility even more.
So I can’t disagree with anything Engels said on his blog. So here is my mea culpa: I recognize that Spacek is a good defenceman. And he does not deserve to pay the consequences of Habs mismanagement. Nor can he be expected to be the type of player he is not.
But I still believe better options were / are available, and come season’s end, Pierre Gauthier will have to look at trading one or all of Hamrlik / Spacek / Gill because of their age and salary.
As some of you know, I am from Montreal, but currently live in L.A. This means I will be at the Habs – Kings game tonight (as will Eric, who flew in for the occasion, which means we will probably be late, because Eric is late for everything, and as I write this on Saturday early afternoon, Eric is asleep somewhere in Vegas…..Note to Eric: wake up and get in the car already).
Where were we? Ahhh yes….following hockey in L.A. is lonely. It’s Lakers first, then the Dodgers, then the NFL, College Football, College Basketball, then the Clippers, and then, maybe, if American Idol or The Good Wife isn’t on, your Los Angeles Kings. Even this year, with the Kings doing well, Staples Center is maybe 2/3 full. Aside from the rare “go back to Canada” taunts and “hit somebody” screams, the L.A. fans that do attend games are pleasant and knowledgeable enough…….And I do have my tribe of hockey amateurs here in L.A., some are L.A. locals, some are transplants from East Coast US cities like Boston and Philly, who love the game and follow it. I see them once or twice a week when I hit the ice for my team, we talk shop, trash talk each other’s teams, it’s fun.
But none of that replaces the sheer passion Montrealers have for the Habs. We (current and former residents of the city) have the team in your blood. We get to the games early, we buy the programs even though we don’t need them and we all wear team jerseys in the only arena that has figured out how to keep the ice cold but the seats warm (Staples Center is frigid). We are bipolar about the Habs: depressed when they lose, ecstatic when they win. And that’s just the exhibition season.
My favorite part of going to games in Montreal is the 5 minutes before the anthems. Everyone’s already in their seats and the crowd is buzzing with nervous energy. What are the lines? How will Price / Halak play? Why isn’t Sergei on the second line? Then the anthems are sung, everyone knows the words to both, the puck drops, and there is a thunderous ovation. We are here and we are excited. Unlike in most of the U.S., being at a hockey game in Montreal is a glamorous and special and important event. Everyone in the building hangs on every single tiny turn – and we collectively hold our breaths as time winds down, hoping, sometimes desperately, sometimes confidently, sometimes arrogantly, that the Habs will pull out just another win for us. And there is always 100% engagement.
I am thankful there are a lot of ex-Montrealers in L.A. now, and for today at least, when I return to the Staples Center, many of them will be there. Almost half the building, actually. And for a little time at least, I will be back at the Forum, or the Bell Center, with my friends and fellow fans, cheering on the home team, hoping against hope that my heroes can pull out just another win for me………………………… I can’t wait.
Brother Sergei had a good Olympics. His skills and physical attributes are clear and evident. He’s had his up-and-downs for the year, but seemed to have come around. So after two games of so-so post-Olympic performance on the second line, what does Coach do?
He plans to drop Sergei down to the fourth line for the game against LA and he will replace him with……Tom Pyatt!
REALLY?!!!?
Now I like Tom Pyatt as much as the next guy, and he deserves to stay with the big boys based on the current lineup, but does Coach really think a guy like Pyatt is a true second-liner, better than what Brother Sergei could be? Is Coach really so bereft of ideas that he can’t find another way to motivate a talented young forward to play better – one who was playing well for the big club right before the Olympics?
GROAN…..and here we have yet another insufferable “lesson” about the value of “hard work”. Pyatt brings his hard hat and doesn’t complain, and apparently, Sergei…not so much…
But here’s how I see this latest line shift: If a coach doesn’t have faith in me to turn things around, why would I have any faith in myself?
Is it any wonder the young forwards have lost all confidence in themselves this season?
But let’s review: Paul Mara, Glen Metropolit, Marc Andre Bergeron. I know. Try not to salivate at the GREAT DEALS we had for other teams (’BUT FOR YOU, SPECIAL PRICE’).
A review of our “assets”: MAB is injured, Mara’s been a disappointment. If there were any takers – a fourth round pick, the proverbial bag of pucks, some cookies from Ottawa – PG would have relinquished. Gladly. Metro has been helpful, but did PG dangle him? He could have got some value – especially since Metro won’t be back with the Habs next season – but probably no higher than a second round pick, which we all know PG doesn’t want.
Anything else?
Oh yes…..trading Matt D’Agostini for 20 year old St. Louis prospect Aaron Palushaj?
Why do I get the sinking feeling this one will come back to bite the Habs in the arse? I have more faith in D’Ags than I do in coach’s ability to get the best out of the Habs forward prospects.
D’Ags was injured this year and his minutes shrank when he returned. He had no chance. Best case scenario: The Habs basically press the reset button on D’Ags, go younger and let Palushaj develop with guru Boucher (isn’t it funny how Boucher has become the fixer for this organization’s dudlier prospect picks?)
We’ll see who won this trade in two years, or never.
Bottom line: This trade deadline was for the birds, both for the bargain-bin quality of players who were available (Jeff Halpern, Frederik Modin and Stephane Yelle OH MY!!??!!!), and the feeding frenzy desperation with which the major websites treated this all important day.
Yawn!
As for the Habs – after the way BG’s succession was handled and realizing most of our local roster is several notches below Olympics quality, my confidence in this organization is pretty low. So I’m just happy no really stupid decisions were made rummaging through the bin.
Hey – I’ll take the victories where I can find them.
As we undergo Olympics withdrawal, we here at habsradio are having a tough time focusing on the Habs right now. Suffice to say, the quality of games is going to suffer a HUGE drop off. And our enthusiasm for a playoff-bubble team is just slightly diminished as we bask in the after-glow of Team Canada’s thrilling 3-2 win over Team USA. Barring citizenship – is there anyone on the Habs current roster good enough to make Team Canada, or Team USA?
Anyone?
But alas, the NHL season continues, and with the Olympic hockey tournament a vivid guide on how to win hockey games on NHL ice, we view the Habs in a slightly colder light. There remain MANY questions about the home team.
So here, at the risk of sounding Captain Obvious, are what we would like to know, just in time for the stretch drive.
In order of importance:
***I can play, coach. Really***
1. Is Markov healthy / More Injuries?
He missed 2 games before the Olympics, saw light action on Team Russia, and has looked pretty bad for awhile. What is his real status? Injured? Tired? The same questions apply to Benoit Pouilot, Cammalleri, Brother Andrei, etc. If the Habs are to win, Markov et al need to be healthy and at their best. No big headline here
2. How will Pleks and Halak adapt to end-of-season life in the NHL?
These two (just below Markov) hold the key to the Habs playoff chances. Will they be energized by their Olympic experience? The knock on both players has been a lack of late-season / playoff effort, either because their performance faded in the clutch (Pleks), or because they weren’t given an opportunity (Halak).
Well, we’re going to go out on a limb here and say these guys will be given PLENTY of opportunity to prove their critics wrong. Should be interesting.
3. When does Pleks get signed?
(see above)
4. Who gets traded?
PG wants to put his stamp on this team. There are wild rumors flying around about a giant trade with Edmonton, another with Chicago, some interest in veterans from St Louis, and some smaller trades with (again) Florida and/or Dallas. I don’t know what to believe and this isn’t a rumor site.
Wednesday could be a big day with ramifications far beyond this season, or a “treading water” situation where a forward direction remains unclear.
5. Are Gomez and Gionta really a bust?
There have been fleeting glimpses of wonderful play from these two. Gionta especially. But again, after watching Team USA almost put a cardiac attack on the entire Canadian nation, it was clear that these two just didn’t belong in the Olympics this year – at least not among the likes of Parise, Kessler, Kessel, Ryan, Brown, Stastny, and Kane.
***so much promise then***
So these dudes have a lot to prove. And they were acquired specifically with this time of year in mind: The idea that the winning and experienced veterans can fortify the locker room and push the team to new heights, because they have been there and done that. Fair enough. So this is where Gomez and Gionta will earn their money or prove to be a bust.
6. PK, PK, where art though, oh PK?
PK Subban was the lone highlight in the Habs losses to the Flyers before the break. He could be a huge star for the Habs. After all the trade dust has settled (where I assume every defenceman not named Markov is up for discussion), will PK spend the rest of his year in HabsLand, or in Hamilton? The answer will indicate how desperate PG really is to make the playoffs this season.
7. Who will bring the physical edge?
I’m sure the players returning from Vancouver learned one thing about Teams Canada and USA: They played very physical. Those players bring those lessons home to the NHL, where they will be applied to the final twenty games – which is already the most physical portion of the regular season. Imagine all the players coming back with axes to grind and pride to defend.
This is an old story for the Habs, but the question remains – who brings the lunchpail and the clothesline for Montreal? Candidates include O’Byrne, who plays better with Markov but who has been inconsistent, there’s Moen, and a little Gill….and……gulp…….that’s it!!??!!
The return of (the somewhat larger) Pouilot and Andrei to the forwards corps will help, a more aggressive Laps would help too. But man, after the Olympics this teams looks more SOFT than ever.
Ahhhhh….so many questions, so little time. But all will be answered in the coming weeks.
Our podcast returns next week, where we will discuss the games against Boston, San Jose, LA, and Anaheim, and the merits of what might be a different lineup than the one we have now.
Ever since that dreadful 5-3 loss to our hated cross-border rivals, it seems everyone in the country has completely lost faith in this team’s ability to pull out the gold. Well, I have news for you naysayers, the fact that we lost to the Americans is actually a good thing! That’s right, we are better off now than we would have been had we won that game – which we admittedly did deserve to win.
To help cheer you up and keep the positive vibes going, here are the top 5 reasons why we should be happy Team Canada lost to Team USA on Sunday:
5. One Extra Game
Let’s face it, as hockey fans, can you ever imagine a better viewing experience than what we’ve been subjected to this past week? The best players in the world, period. Playing for pure passion, rather than money. Playing for their entire nation, rather than someone else’s city. Playing on the intense smaller ice surface, rather than the laid back large international one. Playing in a tournament that lasts just a precious few games, rather than a full 2 months. Playing for a chance that comes around only once every 4 years (and possibly never again), rather than every year.
Of course you can’t. This is, hands down, the greatest hockey tournament we have ever witnessed. Every game has been entertaining (even the blowouts). As a Canadian, every Team Canada game has been downright exhilarating. To top it off, the best is yet to come! So forgive me if I’m not too upset that we get to watch a hole 25% EXTRA do-or-die greatest-hockey-ever action this afternoon. Normally when a team gets eliminated from a tournament, fans are upset because that means less games to watch. In this rare case, the loss meant more games to watch. Far as I’m concerned, bring on the Germans!
Aside from the fans getting a whole extra game of entertainment, the players could likely use the extra game too. This tournament is so short that a whole extra game of intense competition together could well give our guys the edge they need to gel better than their opponents, who are in the same boat of still trying to figure out many of their own teammates. While it could be argued that this is offset by added fatigue, I’ll put my money on lack of chemistry being more of a potential issue than fatigue in such a short and intense tournament.
4. Brodeur Exposed
Marty F. Brodeur, as Mike Boone so eloquently refers to him, has been a thorn in the Habs side for the better part of 15 years. He has been, very arguably, the greatest goalie of all time. So it’s understandable when people say “he should be left in because when the going gets tough, Marty performs at his best” and “one bad game does not a bad tournament make” and “yada yada Marty rules and everyone else sucks yada yada”. The cold hard truth is that Marty didn’t have just one bad game, he’s been playing badly for over a month now.
In his last 16 NHL starts, the Quebec native has won just 5 times. He has been pulled three times, including last night’s 5-2 loss to Carolina, when he gave up four opening goals. His save percentage has dropped well below the .900 mark during that stretch as well.
Those figures do not include the game on January 8th, when he was torched for three goals on just seven shots, before the lights literally went out on him and the Tampa Bay Lightning at The Prudential Center. In that game, he was pulled after one period.
It’s time we give Roberto Luongo the chance to perform he so rightly deserves. For starters, the guy put up nothing but a shutout in his only game. Sure he hasn’t won the Memorial Cup, the Stanley Cup, or Olympic Gold – but he hasn’t exactly lost any of those either. All he’s done is quietly become the best goalie in the country. He spent most of his career on teams that had no chance whatsoever of even making it to the playoffs.
Let’s see what he can do with a powerhouse in front of him – playing in front of his everyday fans in Vancouver at that. If he chokes, we know to look elsewhere (Fleury? Price?) in 2014. Either way, it’s time for Brodeur to step aside.
3. Pronger and Niedermayer Exposed.
I have to admit, I don’t know much about these two. Here’s what I do know:
They’re long-time warriors that played an integral part in helping Canada reach gold in 2002.
They’re seasoned veterans that have won a Stanley Cup together.
They’re both strong leaders in the dressing room.
All of the above are important qualities that are good to have on a team. But, guess what? Much the same can be said of guys like Crosby, Iginla, and Richards.
Here are a couple of other things I know about Pronger and Niedermayer:
They’re OLD.
They’re SLOW.
They’re not as good as Bowmeester, Phaneuf, Green, etc.
Again, I thought that in 2006 we had already learned where clinging onto past glory gets you in an Olympic tourney. This loss to the Americans helped remind the coaching staff, who I expect will use the aging duo more appropriately going forward (i.e., less).
2. Guaranteed to play the Russians.
Before this tournament started, I must have watched “Sid The Kid vs. Alexander The Great” on RDS and TSN 100 times. It was ALWAYS on. Don’t get me wrong, it’s entertaining. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the first part:
The point is that this thing played over, and over, and over, for one reason and one reason only: these two are the best two players in the world. Everyone knows it – this just makes it official.
Well, guess what? With all due respect to the Swedes, the Fins, the Czechs, the Slovaks, and yes those damn Americans, the best two hockey teams in this tournament are Canada and Russia. Seeing them face-off has been the dream of all hockey purists heading into this tournament. The loss to the Americans all but guarantees we will witness that match-up for all it’s glory this Wednesday. Make no mistake, the winner of Canada-Russia Wednesday will be the favorite to take the gold. Every other game is secondary in importance. If we lose that game, at least we lost to the best. So we get our dream game, and if we win, it only gets bigger and better from there.
Granted it’s not in the final, but that brings me to my top reason why we should be happy Team Canada lost to Team USA:
1. It Sets Up A Potential Finals Rematch With … wait for it … USA!
Oh how sweet revenge will taste. They may have beat us, but they were out-shot a gazillion to one and managed to squeak by because of an aging, fading goalie and top defense pairing that will not leave us vulnerable anymore. There is no way they should have won that game – with the exception of Ryan Miller. I know it, you know it, Team Canada knows it, and most importantly, Team USA damn well knows it.
Should they make it to the finals, you know they will be salivating at the possibility of taking gold on our home soil just like we did to them in 2002. The truth is they’ve already been declared podium winners for these games, but heading in, most Canadians would gladly give up owning the podium for the Men’s Hockey Gold. It means just as much as all the other medals combined.
This loss to the Americans means we will have to go through the toughest road to get the gold. We will have to beat the Russians. We will have to beat the Swedes or Fins (defending Olympic finalists). And we will have to beat the Czechs (revenge for 1998 anyone) or the Americans in the finals. Either way, I’m confident we will slap whoever we meet in the finals upside the head and re-take our rightful place as masters of this great game.
Rumor has it there’s some dinky tournament going on in Vancouver that a bunch of players need to “attend”… Yeah, and illogicality is a word. Regardless, this break comes JUST IN TIME for nos Canadiens. We talk about the week that was, Martin’s “illogicality”, and the revelation that is PK Subban. Oh yeah, we also say a thing or two about that tournament thingy.
Pierre Gauthier’s first trade as GM of the Habs: The Habs 2nd round pick in 2011 for Florida C/RW Dominic Moore.
PG has gone on record a number of times now, saying the priority this year is for the Habs to make the playoffs. So I can’t say I’m surprised by this move. Though it would probably be best for the franchise, PG doesn’t want to unload salary and stock up on prospects. So let’s not expect that.
***let’s not get too excited***
A lot of people don’t like this deal because:
* The Habs give away a future high-ish pick for an aging journeyman who will see limited ice time.
* Moore is a UFA at season’s end and will likely not return to the Habs.
* Considering Moore was picked up on WAIVERS last year, a 2nd rounder seems high (even though “everyone” is saying 2011 is a weak draft).
Here is what people are saying Moore brings to the table:
* Good faceoff skills, can relieve Pleks on the PK, smart positioning and decent skater. An upgrade on Maxwell.
I agree that in some critical situations, Moore might be of benefit. I also agree that a 2nd round pick seems a little high for this guy. But here is one reason why this deal MIGHT JUST WORK:
* It allows Max Pacioretty to stay down in the minors and develop with Guy Boucher.
Face it. Coach Jacques either doesn’t have the time or the ability to take our young forwards by the hand. Coach is many things: fair, protective of his players, cagey with the goaltenders, a believer in hard work. But one thing he hasn’t done well this year is TEACH. The young forwards who started this season with the Habs have slumped BIG TIME. And I remain convinced that the only reason AK-46 broke out is because Pleks kept encouraging him. Gui was traded. SK-74 is only now showing signs of life. Laps has sucked. Dags has sucked. Chipchura sucked. MaxPac has sucked.
The young ‘uns who have performed well on occasion (Pouliot, Pyatt, White, Desharnais) did not start the year with the Habs. They were traded for or CALLED UP.
So barring another trade or even more injuries (plus AK-46, Benny, and Cammi are all coming back soon), MaxPac, who was downright lost in the big leagues, gets to stay in Hamilton with the Guru. MaxPac has loads of potential, he is only 21, and has yet to have a full season in the AHL. I say the longer he stays down there, to learn and develop his skills away from the pressure, the better he will be in the future.
Would you trade a future 2nd rounder if it meant Max Pacioretty could unleash his true potential next year?
I definitely would.
And IMHO, that’s the real reason why this trade might work out in the end.
***Tune in on Tuesday for our final Habs Podcast before the Olympics***
Bob’s out, his assistant GM is now in – will anything change? Do we want it to? Most importantly, was this really Bob’s decision or is it the result of philosophical differences? Now that it’s over, was Bob’s reign a success or failure? What can we expect from Pierre Gauthier? Ya, this one’s loaded. Enjoy….
We here at Habsradio.com, (well, I. Eric is still asleep in Vegas), have often derided the Habs defense as old and slow. I’ve pointed the finger sometimes at Roman Hamrlik, sometimes at Hal Gill, sometimes at Paul Mara, but most often, at Jaroslav Spacek. But Eric Engels has a great post today in which he makes the case for the humpty-dumpty lookalike. So in the interests of self-criticism, let’s discuss Engels’ argument. Here are the juicy bits:
