By Joce, Senior Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
PENTICTON, BC. — Here are a few thoughts on different topics surrounding the Habs’ and the NHL as the team is waiting for the next round of the playoffs. Feel free to post your comments as they are always welcomed.
1- There are many theories and opinions as to why the Canadiens swept the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of this year’s playoffs and all have some validity. The resurgence of a few Habs’ players, the departure of Martin St.Louis and his timely scoring, the refereeing, the fact that Ben Bishop was injured. One that is often overlooked and, in my opinion, is perhaps one of the most important, is that the Lightning dressed nine players who had no previous NHL playoff experience. Some downplay this aspect because it’s an intangible, yet another proof that not everything can be measured by stats.
2- The last time Habs’ fans worried about the lengthy waiting game after sweeping an opponent, waiting for the next series, was in 1993. Is a long rest at this time of the season hurtful or beneficial? Yes, teams can get a bit rusty and we’ll likely see some errand passes and botched plays in the first period of the first game in the next round but history has shown that there is more positive than negative coming from it. Healing bumps and bruises, resting, re-charging the batteries, practising different aspects of the system, preparing for an opponent, are more beneficial than the little rust settling in the first part of the first game.
3- There’s something to be said about the resurgence of a few players who had a tough season and the credit, like the criticism earlier, has to come to them. Rene Bourque, Lars Eller and Daniel Briere all had a great series against the Lightning and by playing that way, it gave their team the necessary depth to be successful. While the Lightning focussed on checking Max Pacioretty, Thomas Vanek and David Desharnais, they were blind sided by a team able to be dangerous with all four lines and that, in the playoffs, is a huge advantage.
4- Watching Brandon Prust play in the first round, it seems pretty obvious that he is in some sort of discomfort, even if he fought. He’s still skating and he is responsible defensively but he definitely wasn’t the physical force that we have grown to love in Montreal. I would be surprised if he doesn’t have shoulder surgery this summer. Still though, he’s a valuable asset in the line-up even when not at 100 percent and that’s why he’ll be in the line-up if he’s able to play. One of Marc Bergevin’s best signings for sure.
5- It looks like Travis Moen is ready to return to the line-up after suffering a concussion in a fight against the Bruins about a month ago. That is great news for the Habs as Moen has plenty of playoff experience and he’s a solid presence on the ice and an important player short-handed or in key defensive situation. While Michael Bournival has done very well for himself against the Lightning, there is little doubt that Moen will be taking over from him when the series starts, especially that the Canadiens will be facing the Bruins.
6- When it will become tricky for the coaching staff to make a decision will be when Alex Galchenyuk will be ready to return to the line-up. As it stands, Prust is taking his spot on Tomas Plekanec’s line with Brendan Gallagher and while he has done a good job, he should be bumped down a line or two when the 20 year old is ready. But who sits? Not anyone on the Desharnais line. You cannot sit anyone on Eller’s line as he, Bourque and Gionta are playing well together. You also cannot sit Daniel Briere and you’ve just inserted Moen back into the line-up. That leaves only Dale Weise and he’s been a key contributor in the first round. I guess they’re getting paid the big bucks to make those decisions.
7- While Francis Bouillon has played a pretty good series against the Lightning, he’s far from guaranteed to start the next series, especially with the Canadiens facing the Bruins. Personally, I’d rather see Douglas Murray battle in front of the net with Milan Lucic while Mike Weaver has proven his worth to the team, especially that he and P.K. Subban are the only two right-handed defensemen. As the Habs will face Boston, I’d go with Gorges-Subban, Markov-Emelin, Murray-Weaver. Had the Red Wings managed to come back and win this series, then I might have keep Bouillon in for his speed. And then, there are Tinordi and Beaulieu.
8- Much indignation about the fact that Carey Price was not one of the three nominees for the Vezina Trophy, award given to the best goaltender in the NHL. In my humble opinion, some people make too much of it as the other three nominees are just as deserving as Price. This is not a slap in the face of the Canadiens’ goaltender who had a career year, but rather to point to the fact that it was a four horse race with a very tight outcome. Some will point to the fact that Price didn’t have great defense and it’s true in comparison to Rask, but not so much when looking at Bishop and Varlamov. The Canadiens, their fans, the players on the team including the Gold Medalist know the role that he’s played and while it would have been nice to be officially recognized, everyone in hockey knows the value of Carey Price.
9- Michel Therrien will be entering the final year of his contract next season and looking at his record since taking over, it’s highly doubtful that GM Marc Bergevin will allow his coach’s future be a distraction coming into next season. It will upset some people, especially those who think that the advanced stats are the NHL’s bible, but expect Therrien to sign a contract extension at the end of the playoffs, this summer. The coach has his strengths and his weaknesses but the work that he’s done so far and the team’s record speak highly in his favour.
10- In his last article on SportsBusiness Journal, Chris Botta states that the Canadiens’ gross revenue for each of the first two games against the Lightning was more than $3 million. That figure will be even higher as it was announced that the ticket prices will go up in the second round. If you wondered why teams try so hard to “just make the playoffs” instead of going through a full rebuild, you have your answer. One round in the playoffs pays the salary of an impact player.
11- Much was said and written about Ron MacLean’s comments on CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada when he offered the opinion that the NHL should not have French referees do playoff games in Montreal. Of course, the language police jumped all over it to make it a political issue but I feel like this is a big, big misunderstanding. While most seem to have taken this as a direct blow to the referees in question and their integrity, that’s not how I understood it. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been living in British Columbia for over 20 years, but I took MacLean’s comment as questioning putting those referees in a very difficult position. They can either be perceived as biased in favour of the home team or, as we’ve seen with Stephane Auger and others in the past, as over-compensating against the Habs not to look biased. Either way, it’s not serving a good purpose.
12- Looking at the ridiculous slap on the wrist given by Stephane Quintal and the NHL to Milan Lucic for his shot to the groin to Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser, how comfortable are fans with leaving the policing in the hands of the league only and taking fighting out of the NHL? I don’t trust the referees to make the right calls. I don’t trust the league to do the right thing, to be fair with its fines and suspensions. Therefore, this is a major reason why I think that we must leave some policing, some accountability, in the hands of the players on the ice and continue to allow fighting. Further, I’d tweak the instigator rule so that it’s not as severe as it is today.
There are some good series going on and NHL playoffs’ hockey is by far the best in the world, even better than the Olympics as every team is competitive, which isn’t the case at the international level. Hard hitting, high tempo, high intensity, playing through injuries in very high pressure situations. Yet, the players aren’t getting paid in the playoffs. Is money really the true motivation? Go Habs Go!
En français: Repassage en famille: Repassage en famille : En attendant la prochaine série