Rocket:
The Canadiens are struggling. That’s not news. The fact is that they have been underachieving all season. There is no shortage of opinion on the remedies. ‘Kovalchuk is the answer. We need a sniper’ say some. Others think that a puck-moving defenseman like Bouwmeester will change the Habs fortunes. Some are yet still enamoured with the Sundin soap opera.
Often those proposing the remedies do not consider the cost of acquiring these assets. And there should be no confusion that the price will be substantial. But let’s leave that part of the discussion for another day.
The expectation is that the Canadiens would add Kovalchuk, Bouwmeester, Marleau, Koistinen, Kaberle or any of the other names mentioned and they would immediately begin playing at a top level. But who on the current roster is playing their best hockey for the Habs right now?
It is the responsibility of the head coach to extract the very best from his players. In this regard, does it seem like Guy Carbonneau is having any success?
After the game, Carbonneau spoke with envy about the offensive talent of the Washington Capitals: “They got Ovechkin on the other side and they got Semin, and they got Green and Nylander. They got guys that can put the puck in the net.” What about the rather impressive list of offensive talent on the roster of the guys in red: Kovalev, Koivu, Tanguay, Higgins, Lang, Andrei Kostitsyn, Plekanec, Markov?
Carbonneau conveniently forgot that the Capitals were scoring and winning when they had an injury-depleted line-up. I suppose that’s what happens when the team is coached by a Jack Adams award winner, Bruce Boudreau. That’s different than a Jack Adams nominee who was only given consideration due to en masse voting by the french media.
It is clear (and has been for some time) that Guy Carbonneau has lost the players on this team. He is not getting the best from his players. A Guy Carbonneau team is one that isn’t prepared for each game, does not have a strategic game plan, has poor bench management, and lacks effective special teams schemes.
The Canadiens power-play is now 6 for 77 in its last 17 games. Tonight the power-play was 0 for 7. After the game, Guy Carbonneau said “Right now, our power-play is non-existent because we get out-worked by the opposition.” Lapierre, Begin and Kostopoulos had a substantial amount of power-play time. I didn’t notice an occasion when the 4th line was outworked on the PP. They banged and crashed and buzzed around. They didn’t score, not because they were outworked, but because they aren’t the team’s best skilled players. Those three players do not give the Canadiens the best chance to score.
This is not a criticism of the 4th line. They played well but they should be left to excel within their role on the team. Carbonneau wasn’t using ice time as a reward for their good play but as a bludgeon to punish the rest of his players. And putting the Lapierre line in situations beyond their capabilities isn’t good for them either. They didn’t score on the power-play and came very close to giving up a shorthanded goal when Begin tried a back pass. The 4th line was also on the ice for Washington’s game-winning goal. Should a coach be sending out his 4th line in the last 3 minutes of a tied game?
Alex Kovalev is clearly a frustrated player. He shows flashes of exceptional skill followed by dumb, selfish or undisciplined play. Alex Tanguay created some chances but too often is soft on the puck.
Ben Maxwell started the game very tentative. It seemed that he didn’t want to make a mistake. He just didn’t match the energy of D’Agostini and Andrei Kostitsyn in the first period. After his nervousness faded, Maxwell played better as the game went on. In retrospect, it probably would have been a better decision for Plekanec to center D’Agostini and Kostitsyn. Once again, Pleks, D’Ags and AK-46 had a good game. At times, the Canadiens used their speed and took advantage of a weak Caps defense.
In the second period there was a glimpse of the player that Latendresse could be. Gui protected the puck by using his size to fend off the Caps defenseman and then fed the puck to Plekanec for a chance.
Jaroslav Halak played better tonight but still had issues with positioning and his glove. On Washington’s first goal while on the power-play, Bouillon left Backstrom all alone in front of Halak. On the second, Halak probably should have grabbed it with his glove before it got to Nylander. Credit to Nylander who never gave up and put it in after being knocked down by Hamrlik. Carbonneau’s comments were curious. “It’s frustrating for [Halak] because I’m sure that he would like to get that first goal back and til the end it’s just a bad bounce.” Carbonneau was asked if anything was said on the bench when Semin ran over Halak. “No, not really” was the response.
Here’s another one of those meaningless ‘statistics’: When Brisebois scores, the Canadiens lose.
No matter who Bob Gainey adds to this team, it won’t make as big an impact in the win column as a deletion would: coach Guy Carbonneau.
Pre-game:
Carbonneau on Kovalev: “I can’t say that he has been playing well. We expect him to score goals.”
Kovalev will wear the ‘C’. Markov and Brisebois will wear an ‘A’.
Higgins, Komisarek, Dandenault, Price, Koivu all out with injuries. Ben Maxwell gets his 1st NHL star. Marc Denis will back-up Halak.
Simeon Varlamov gets his first NHL start in goal for Washington.
Rocket’s 3 stars:
1. Simeon Varlamov
2. Michael Nylander
3. Andrei Markov
(photo credit: AP)
Hey Rocket,
Been following things on the site here and your notes especially and have to think you’re on edge in general about the season so far but what’s your honest take on Kovalev’s funk? You think’s a case of him mailing it in? That he’s hurt? or simply not having “it” anymore…Tough situation for sure.
Hope all’s well otherwise!
If I can offer my two cents, he’s not mailing it. In his own mind, Kovalev is one of the best in the world. And with a new contract to sign this summer, I can’t think he decided not to play just for the fun of it.
But Kovy is a streaky player. RDS had a stat the other day about his wosrt streaks and if I well remember, he had 7 streaks of 12 games or more without a goal, the worse was 19 when he was with the Rangers in 1994.
I think there is a confidence issue right now. Last year, he could zip one in a small corner like it was nothing. Remeber the shot in the playoffs that looked like it went through Thomas shoulder? This year he’s looking at a net half empty and get the crossbar.
My bet is that when he’ll get his next goal, we’ll see the Kovy of last year… at least I hope…
Hey BB – Good points but as far as the "streaky" part goes wasn't that one of big knocks on Michael Ryder a key reason he's supposedly still not in Montreal? Sure it's a fact with him (as we've seen here in Boston so far even though he's heating up of late with 10/11 for 21 pts & a +12) & granted Ryder's no Kovalev skill wise but for that much money and with the Habs searching for a consistant offensive lift these days he has to step up and work through it a bit more than he has.
Hey BB and KingKrej46,
Let me put my three cents into this debate!
We have to remember that 47 (G-17 A-30) of Kovalev’s 84 points were scored on the powerplay so with the PP performing as badly as it is, Kovy’s production is suffering along with it.
The Habs even strength goal production has greatly improved and was ranked only behind San Jose’s just last week. But as you mentioned KingKrej46, Kovalev has to continue fighting through it and needs to simplify his game,not try to deke out the entire opposition thus producing more turnovers than a bakery on a Sunday morning!!!!
I would like Carbo to re-unite the KPK line and leave them together for 10 games, let them rekindle last year’s production.
As far as Michael Ryder is concerned,he’s finally heating up and playing well for the Bruins.He and Bergeron have built some chemistry of late.
I also love the addition of Blake Wheeler to the B’s lineup.I know Gainey was in hot pursuit of him before the Chiarelli signed him.
I have to admit, the B’s are back in a big way and can play any style which bodes well for their ability to go far into the playoffs.
Let’s hope the Habs get healthier (and play better!!) and will give the Bruins a ran for their money in the N/E division.
Hey Krej..its good to hear from you. Hard to bring myself to post positive messages on your site, but your team is really playing well.
It’s easy to blame slumps on bad luck or streakiness but it usually stems from motivation and confidence.
Krej, I think that you make a good point about Michael Ryder. He was Carbonneau’s whipping boy last year. After the coach said Ryder had no confidence, played him on the 4th line, sent him to the press box, Ryder began several ‘streaks’.
Carbonneau excels at destroying the confidence of players. He has done it before with Ryder, Higgins, Price, and this year O’Byrne….
Last year the media said that Ryder was finished, overrated, moody, etc. Now look what he is doing this year in a positive coaching environment.
This year the media are saying the same things about Kovalev. In fact, most players on the team are underachieving. Is that coincidence, bad luck, a streak? I don’t think so. They are the classic signs of an arrogant coach who has lost the players on his team.
Kovalev is not happy right now and his play is reflecting that.
I think that Habster is right that a turnaround will happen with success on the power play. But that will require consistent lines and redesigning their scheme (something Carbo hasnt bothered to do dating back to last Spring).
Thanks for the upbeat note Rocket but there's still a LONG WAY to go…The thing about the B's that's been amazing is that their consistant & sometimes just spectacular goaltending from both Thomas & Fernandez has allowed them to plug in AHL guys like Hunwick, Lashoff, Boychuk into their blue line rotation (sometimes all at once) without much drop off. Coach Claude's done a GREAT job THUS FAR and with the team winning the Boston Garden is sold out & is rocking again just like old times! Again SO FAR…
Anyway this is ALL HABS not ALL BRUINS right! So if I take your note at heart it sounds like your ready to jettison Carbonneau and plug in someone else to try and jump them? Any ideas or front runners been discussed? Hey Pat Burns is still kicking around right? :-)& how is Bob Gainey being perceived these days & is he getting any heat for this less than expected start too?
Look it, I'm not going to profess that I follow and watch Les Habs as much as you & your fellow bloggers obviously but from the outside looking it in seems like their issues are coming 1st from the loss of their DOMINANT PPlay from last year (Did Mark Streit really mean that much?) and 2nd their attitude as in the game I've watched them (and I do as much as I can via Centre Ice on DirecTV) it looks like they're taking the ice expecting to just have the other teams roll over for them especially at Centre Bell…
Sorry for the long message but I'm always interested in the vibe up there and your thoughts.
Keep well & you're always welcome down here in Boston for a game and tour of the Pubs so be shy!
Go B's! Krej
Well Krej…a coach’s job is to find a way to get the best out of his players. Right now, Julien is doing that and Carbonneau is doing the opposite.
As far as replacements for Carbonneau, I think that Bob Gainey is the only one who can take over for the rest of the season. I was advocating for Joel Quenneville when he was available. It was a brilliant move by Chicago to get him.
Of course I would love to see the Canadiens get a coach of the calibre of Babcock or Renney. Problem is that they have to be bilingual. Don Lever is going to be a head coach in the league soon. He has done a great job in Hamilton.
The most important quality for me is that he has coaching experience. Carbo had none. Look at the difference its made to
a team like the Florida Panthers. Pete DeBoer may not be a household name but he is a terrific career coach.
Mark Streit is hugely overrated. People forget that he was awful the last month of the season and he did nothing in the playoffs. There’s no way the Habs would have kept him for $4 mil.
Its ok Krej..we can talk about teams other than the Canadiens…All Habs, with a little Bruin talk. I have seen a handful of Bruin games this year and it amazes me that they are winning with Tim Thomas. (I should say that I like Fernandez) On any given night it looks like he can give up 5 or 6 but he isn’t right now. Being a battler is one thing but at some point a lack of skill and technique has to catch up with him. Doesn’t it? What’s your take on that Krej?
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