A viewpoint on Habs upcoming season
July 24th, 2008 by wrightNo matter whether Mats Sundin signs or does not sign on with the Canadiens, there will be several key factors which will ultimately determine the level of success the team achieves in the upcoming 2008-09 season. The continued progression of the Habs youth core, the work ethic, the ability of the team to deal with adversity, a dedication to team defense, and the performance of Carey Price and Alex Kovalev (the two most influential players) will dictate the teams fortunes for the coming season.
Unlocking the potential of the youth core: General manager Bob Gainey’s mantra has been build from within. Drafting and developing prospects is the critical component of the organizations assemblage approach to building a long term competitive squad. Last season, many of the clubs young talent made significant contributions. Going forward, Gorges, the Kostitsyn brothers, Price, O’Bryne should only get better, and lay the ground work to supplanting several veterans as the key contributors to the team. Coach Carbonneau can play a key role in accelerating the development by making adjustments/moves that facilitate the growth and contributions of the younger players. Putting players in positions that enable them to succeed. For example, Andrei Kostitsyn, played the entire 2007-08 season out of position, on left wing. Last season, Kostitsyn’s most spectacular plays came, while working on his off wing. When Kostitsyn played on right wing (he is a left handed shot) he looked more dominant and confident. On his offwing he had better angles for his shot, and enabled him to cut to the middle of the ice more easily. It also opened up greater opportunites for a one timer. Additionally it created greater opportunites for his patented fake drive to his back hand and then his acceleration in cutting to the middle of the ice on his forehand. Kostitsyn has the capabilities to be a dominant goal scorer. Perhaps shifting him away from playing with Kovalev, he could become the go to player on another line for the Habs. Given the fact that Kovalev is entering his last year contractually with the Habs, it would seem imperative to accelerate Kostitsyn’s development in the event number 27 does not resign with the Canadiens.
Work ethic/attitude: Last season the Canadiens were out shot in 48 of their games. By comparison, Detroit were only out shot in 7 games last year. Too often, the team simply reacted to the oppositions style of play. On several occasions the team took one or two periods off, before making a concentrated effort to pull out a win. The Habs younger players are still learning the finer points of the game when it comes to consistent work ethic. The Habs need to impose their tempo, and with their talent dictate and control the games on the ice. A big question for the upcoming season: will the younger players believe their own press clippings and become complacent and over confident?
Team defense: Last season, poor penalty killing, and an inability to effectively cut off open space in their own zone exposed the teams vulnerabilities in terms of strong defensive presence and awarness. Too often the opposition was able to cycle the puck down low for extended periods of time. A lack of physical play on the part of the Habs defense, and a lack of a true shut down checking unit effective in chocking off time and space often hurt the Canadiens. The Canadiens penalty killing was in the bottom third of the league last year. A passive, reactive penalty kill often got the Habs in trouble. Not an aggressive enough forecheck on the point men, and not enough disruption of passing lanes forced Canadiens goaltenders into bailing out the penalty killing unit, which often did not happen. A greater coincentration to postioning and team defense in the defensive zone is a prerequisite for the coming year.
Adversity: in 2007-08 year, the Habs were extremely lucky, in that they had few key injuries. It is unlikely that good fate will follow for a second straight year on the injury front. In the past, debilitating injuries to Koivu/Kovalev and Markov have sent the team into a tailspin. In the playoffs last year, the team did not respond well when their free flowing offense, and lethal powerplay was disrupted by aggressive forechecking and physical play of the opposition. This season, injuries and more pressure exerted by opponents can be expected. How well, the Canadiens deal with adversity will provide insight into the teams makeup.
Price/Kovalev: These two players are the epicenter of the team. The number one ranked powerplay goes through Kovalev. Kovalev was the Habs mvp last season. To a large extent the 102 point regular seaon was due to the revitalization of Kovalev. A mentor to several of the younger players, he lead by example all year. Notorious for taking games off with a poor attitude, last season Kovalev was a dominating force in virtually every game. His play elevated the perfomrance of his linemates. Game in game out, Kovalev was the lynch pin that held together the second best goal scoring team in the league. His play drew praise from Gretzky, who stated that Kovalev was one of the most complete players in the league. For Montreal to build on last seasons success, Kovalev must come close to replicating his 35 goal 80 point season. If he reverts to his inconsistent, trying to do too much all by himself playoff performance of last year, it could spell trouble for the Habs.
Price: He has often been annointed as the franchise saviour. Unfair handle to put on a 21 year old. Last season, Price was generally solid. The hype however was too much. By the end of the playoffs he was mentally fatigued. The Canadiens need Price to consistently showthe qualities he flashed in shoot outs, and the games in which he dominated. Quiet feet, allowing the play to come to him, square to the shooterand controlling the physical side of things. If the Habs are to become serious cup contenders, Price must maintain his game at an elevated level on a consistent basis.
Last season, the Canadiens overachieved. They now have the capabilites to build upon last seasons achievements. At present they still have some flaws. Nonetheless, they have put themselves in a position, that if they overachieve this year, a Stanley Cup victory in the clubs centennial season could occur.
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2 Responses to “A viewpoint on Habs upcoming season”
By PeterS on Jul 25, 2008
You hit the nail on the head! I disagree that the Canadiens overacheived last year…they have a lot of young talent in a Conference that seems to be high on mediocrity. Your comments on Price / Kovalev are right on….Price’s playoff work could swing him either way…drive him to play better or result in loss of confidence. He also will have the burden of being the starter from start to finish on a long season. Kovalev makes you wonder, also. As long as you guys keep that wonderful power play, you will be a threat in every game you play.
I am a Sabres fan (and the blogger here) and Montreal is my favorite opponent to see right now. I predict Buffalo & Montreal will be battling for the Division title come March ‘09.
By Gerald Norton on Aug 3, 2008
Great look at the past season. As a Sens fan, I’ve got some seriously open wounds when it comes to the Habs, a team I formerly (when we got to own you) liked. Now? Not so much. The final Habs in Ottawa game is one of the worst nights of my life…it was absolutely a horrible experience being at the Bank, so bad I actually had to head down to the bar to finish out the game after the second period…oh the humanity.
But I digress, I d think the Habs “over-acheived”, but I don’t say that as any sort of insult. I say it as a reflection of how some key players had played in the past, namely Kovalev, who frankly came out of nowhere after 3 years of absolute mediocrity, and Markhov who had flashes in the past, but stepped up beyond all expectation to fill the massive void left by the loss of Souray. Can they do it again? Absolutely. Will they do it again? That, to me, is the question. Because if they go back to their normal selves, Montreal will come back to earth (still make the play-offs mind you). If they pick up where they left off? It’ll be another fun season for Habs fans, and maybe some more long nights at the Bank for us Sens fans.