by Corey Desormeaux , Managing Editor, All Habs Hockey Magazine
QUEBEC CITY, QC. — The Habs stink. They are terrible (well, right now, anyway). And this historic landslide has been tough on fans. My social media feeds read like it’s D-day and my poor wife can barely handle being in the same room as me when the Habs play.
So, with so much negativity surrounding the team and playoff hopes dwindling away, I figured it’s time for some positivity in Habsland and what better time to send some posi-vibes than over the All-Star break while everyone but John Scott is catching their breath?
Mark Barberio
The Montreal native has been a feel good story this season for the Canadiens. I’ll be honest, with the plethora of defenceman the Habs started the season with, I thought Barberio’s chances of playing in the NHL this season were slim. But an injury to Tom Gilbert gave Barberio his chance and boy did he seize it. I wrote more in depth about his journey this season a few weeks ago. Having exceeded the 10 game waiver exception, Barberio now must pass through waivers to be sent to the AHL. This has now made upcoming UFA Tom Gilbert an expendable asset that Bergevin may deal come trade deadline.
Barberio has made some mistakes but for whatever reason he seems to stay out of the coaches doghouse and is given the chance to fight through his mishaps. I won’t bother trying to make logic of Therrien’s decisions but keeping Barberio in the lineup is a good one.
Alexei Emelin
I’ve written countless articles about how bad this guy is. But this season, short of a few games after returning from his mystery injury, he’s been great. Every once in a Emelin will have someone speed by him, or he’ll throw an unnecessary crushing hit that will take him completely out of position. But the fact of the matter is, he’s bringing more good to the table than he is bad. He looks more poised with the puck, patient in his own zone and is not afraid to gamble at the opposition blue line to keep a play alive.
This season, Emelin is rocking a 55 CF percentage which is well above his 45 CF percentage last season and puts him second among Habs defenceman (minimum of 20 games) in that category. This is all while having the least favourable deployment amongst Habs players. Whether he’s living up to his $4.1 million cap hit isn’t for me to decide but Emelin is doing just fine by my account.
Puck possession team
Last year, with the Montreal Canadiens atop of the standings for nearly the entire season, Habs fans were calling for Therrien to be fired.
Most of their justification, myself included, was that the Habs weren’t a puck possession team. They didn’t control the puck enough, generate enough shots or scoring chances and relied on Carey Price far too heavily for their record to be sustainable.
Well, the Habs are officially a puck possession team, currently sitting fourth in Corsi for percentage and 11th in scoring chances percentage. And to think that Michel Therrien has been mocked by the Habs mass for not evening knowing what Corsi is! We nearly all lost our lunches when Therrien referred to the Habs puck possession numbers while reinforcing its importance in an interview last week. If not a step in the right direction it has at least quieted a few of us down.
Marc and I spoke about this on the latest episode of Habs Banter.
Milestones and personal bests
To reach personal bests at this point in a season is hard to do. But here are a few milestones and personal bests some Habs players have reached this season.
- Tomas Plekanec: 800th NHL games, 500 points
- Nathan Beaulieu: 100th NHL game
- Lars Eller: 400th NHL game
- Tomas Fleischmann: 600th NHL game
- Brian Flynn: 200th NHL game
- Alex Galchenyuk: 200th NHL game
- Tom Gilbert: 600th NHL game
- Andrei Markov: 400 assists, 500 points
- Max Pacioretty: 400th game, 300 points
- P.K. Subban: 400th game, 200 assists
- Dale Weise: 300 games
- Daniel Carr: 1st NHL goal in 1st NHL game
Speaking of Carr…
Daniel Carr and Sven Andrighetto
Yes, I know Carr is injured for the next three months and Andrighetto is playing in the AHL, but Habs fans should be encouraged by the play of these youngsters this season. Andrighetto, with 17 games played, leads the team in goals per 60 minutes played, and Carr with 19 games played is right behind him. For a team looking for some scoring, moving Galchenyuk to centre and putting Andrighetto on his wing might be a solution.
Belief in each other
Now, please remember I’m trying to be positive here. This one may be a bit of stretch because it can easily be spun as a negative.
The bond from the bottom to the top of the Habs organization has never been more evident than throughout this slump. Whether right or wrong they believe in each other and they believe in their system. Interviews with and comments from the players, coaches and the General Manager all indicate that they are in fact a tight knit group. They just can’t win (oops, sorry.)
P.K. is still a beast
Averaging around 26 minutes per game, P.K. Subban is relied upon in all zones and all situations of the game. Since December 1st, he is leading all Habs players in points and has, more than any other player, attempted to carry the team on his back. His two glaring errors from Tuesday’s game against Carolina that have been wrongfully magnified are simply evidence of PK trying to do everything he can to get this team out of this slump.
He leads Habs defenceman in points per 60 minutes and has maintained his positive puck possession play.
Three points back
The Montreal Canadiens are three points back of a playoff spot. That’s right, three. (Since we’re being positive, I’ll overlook games in hand.) You can bet that Bergevin, Therrien and the players haven’t given up hope yet.
The sky has been falling in Habs land since December 1st but this season is far from over. If the Habs can come back as a rejuvenated group after the All-Star break win some games over the next few weeks and get Carey Price back, they must just return to form in the knick-of-time. Don’t expect them to throw in the towel.
What are some other positives you can find in the deep dark hole that is the Habs season?