Annus horribilis
March 21st, 2009 by wrightIt was not supposed to be like this. The centennial year of the Canadiens, a year of celebrating the most storied franchise in hockey history. A year with so much promise, and expectations of a deep post season run, culminating in a potential Stanley Cup final appearance. Those aspirations have now become irrelevant. With a fifth consecutive loss, the Habs hold on a playoff berth has become untenable. The team is in mere survival mode at the moment, with a non playoff seeding come seasons end, appearing to being more realisitic with each passing disheartening loss. The free fall into total ineptitude almost certainly will facilitate sweeping changes within the organization.
Two games prior to the allstar break, the team sported a 27-11-6 record. Since that point in time the team has fallen into abject mediocrity with a record of 9-16-3. In almost half of those games the team has given up 35 or more shots against. Basic hockey fundamentals, such as adequate gap control between the forwards and the defense, simple zone clearances, puck support for the puck carrier and overall positional play have gone completely missing. Equally troubling, has been a total lack of intensity, emotion, work ethic and desire in the teams play. Game in game out, the Canadiens lose all the foot races to loose pucks, they constantly are defeated in the on one battles along the boards. The Habs are dominated physically in the corners. There is no push back from a majority of the players. Komisarek, a fearless physical force of a year ago, has a grand total of just 7 body checks in the last 5 games. All too often, the team has a whole seems to be going through the motions, playing with zero passion or desire.
The Habs were a team structured to emphasize speed and puck possession. Yet, during this recent death spiral, the team looks awfully slow. Foot movement is non existent, passes are poorly executed and poorly conceived. The teams overall play is static.
The deficiencies of the club are on display on a nightly basis. A team that is soft, undersized and playing without a winning attitude, is susceptible to a strong forecheck and cycling game of the opposition. Even against mediocre teams like the Maple Leafs, the Canadiens defense can not regain puck possession in their own zone, and the smallish Habs forwards do not bring a physical dimension that can help in breaking up the cycling of the puck deep in the defensive zone.
Offensively, the Canadiens are too heavily reliant upon two aging veterans, Koivu and Kovalev that seem to have lost a step this season. Neither can generate any sustained offensive pressure, and as their productivity has declined precipitously this season, none of the Habs so called acclaimed youth core has been able to step up to offset the downward decline of Koivu and Kovalev.
On a game to game basis, a certain disconcerting pattern arises for the Canadiens. They invariably give up the first goal, and play energetic forceful hockey, long after the outcome is determined. The Canadiens give up 40 plus shots a game, allow the opposition forwards to gain the blueline unimpeded, and crash the Habs net with no fear of retaliation. The Canadiens defense corps give away the blueline without hesitation, and receive no support from forwards that seemingly refuse to backcheck with any vigour. As such, thye team allows for opposition possession of the puck in the Habs zone for 40 minutes a game.
At this point, significant personnel changes are required. In addition, a philosophical change in the structure of the teams system is required. A much more aggressive, mentally and physically tough approach is required. Every zone on the ice needs to be contested. No portion of the ice should be conceded. The Habs defense needs to stand up at the blueline, pressuring, playing with a physical purpose. The forwards need to be relentless in their back checking duties, putting heavy pressure on the point shooters, emphasising active stick work, blocking shots, constant motion with a purpose. The team needs to play as a cohesive 5 man unit, executing a box plus one system, in which the defense and the forwards are purposely integrated into one unit providing puck support while on the attack, and a committment to proper disciplined zone coverage on defense with a goal to regaining puck possession in as short a time frame as possible.
The team needs to acquire either through trade or free agency a top tier elite level talent, a player that is a consistent point per game producer that provides game breaking capabilities. The organization
also needs to acquire players that are proven winners, that find losing unacceptable, and whom are not afraid to challenge teammates to elevate their games when the going gets tough. The team needs to find players that will embrace the notion of playing in Montreal, and genuinely want to continue the tradition of excellence that was once synomous for the Canadiens.
The 2008-09 Canadiens are a club that is completely torn and frayed in every aspect. A soft, fragile club that has lost its willingness to compete. Off ice rumours of questionable behaviour has only added to the bitter taste of a disappointing centennial season. Turning the page on what has become a horrible year, can not come quickly enough.
Posted in Uncategorized
4 Responses to “Annus horribilis”
By scotty on Mar 22, 2009
That’s quite a wish of items that the team needs (second last paragraph). I doubt this could be accomplished over one summer. The Habs certainly have a lot of players going to free agency in July. How many of them will be asked to stick around? No doubt Gainey will be criticized no matter who he keeps for another season or two. But certainly Kovalev has outlived his usefulness and Tanguay has never been worth over 5 million dollars.
By Steve on Mar 22, 2009
I might be coming from left field with this one, but I actually think the Leafs are a step ahead of the Habs on the things you just listed.
They’re heading in the direction you outline, and they’ve done more to address those needs in the long term than Montreal has.
Both teams need size and physical presence to add to their speedy core. The Leafs have a greater defensive intensity… they’ve just lacked the goaltending. Their shot totals are more in line with what one would like to see, and they pressure in all 3 zones. They have a level of leadership that doesn’t always back down, and as such are in most games even when they should be out of them.
Lastly they need some level of star power, but that should come through drafting and development, or perhaps free agency. It will be interesting to see which of these two teams makes it back to the promised land first. I was assuming it would be Montreal, but now it looks like they’re neck and neck for the moment.
By wright on Mar 22, 2009
Steve, I think one of the biggest fundamental differences between the Leafs and the Habs….coaching. Ron Wilson is a superb coach. There is a structure to the Leafs game, and the work ethic is very high. Wilson has gotten everything out of the talent level he has been assigned.
The Habs still have a fairly deep talent pool in the minors, and a tremendous amount of cap space come the end of the season. Gainey (if he remains the gm) or whomever is the next gm will need to capitalize on those assets and address the short comings of the team. The Habs gm is going to have to root out the various players that made horrendous off ice decisions that in part have contributed to the teams freefall.
With Burke as Toronto’s gm, and the moves he and Fletcher made to stock pile draft picks, it should be an interesting off season, for both Leafs and the Habs. Regards, Randall Wright.
By wright on Mar 22, 2009
Scotty, this team needs to reinvent itself. The Koivu/Kovalev era unfortunately has not pushed the team to the promised land. The Habs gm will have cap space, and some solid assets in the minors to make a substantial trade, to address the need for a ppg producer on offense. Can the entire wish list be addressed in one season, probably not, but even if there are low level trades for secondary players, the team needs a makeover. The present edition lacks passion, constant work ethic, and mental toughness.
The existing core simply has not gotten it done. Changes are required.