Montreal Canadiens

A post-mortem

The long slow moving train wreck of a season, finally, mercifully, came to a conclusion, with the Habs being swept by the Bruins in the first round of the playoffs. A season of optimism, extinguished by injuries, off ice controversy, and most significantly by the reality that the teams talent pool as presently constructed was insufficent to make a deep run in the playoffs.

Perhaps the most significant factor in contributing to the disappointing season, was the regression or plateauing if you will of the teams “youth core”. Price, Komisarek, Plekanec, the Kostitsyn brothers, Higgins, Latendresse, Lapierre,O’Bryne were all counted on to continue to improve on their past seasons . And in effect, usurp leadership from the aging veteran core of Kovalev and Koivu, and inconjunction with Markov lead the team to post season success. With the exception of Lapierre and Latendresse, every other member of the Habs younger players saw their performances deteriorate.

The most worriesome regression in performance was the steep decline in Carey Price.Price is the player that general manager Bob Gainey is trying to build the club around. He is the key building block in the teams foundation. At present, that plan seems to have gone awry, as Price looked like a shell of the highly touted young goalie that backstopped teams to World junior champioships, and a Calder Cup championship. His performances in nets following the all star break were at times so poor, his mechanics and confidence so badly eroded, there is concern whether or not he can regain his form.

In a press conference from a year ago, Gainey said that the Habs were being formed to take advantage of the new rule changes in the NHL. Speed, puck possession, skill and oportunism were the key components for the team success. The Habs would punish teams trying to impose a physical price on the team, by using an explosive offense, featuring an uptempo transition game, and quick puck movement to gain advantage over the opposition. To that end, Gainey augmented a perceived deep offense, with the addition of Lang and Tanguay, two creative, imaginative offensive orientated players. Although both players did make effective contributions, their additions onle served to highlight a major shortcoming: a lack of grit and physical pushback amongst the teams top 6 forwards. The Habs are accurately perceived to be a perimiter type team. Too many finesse players unwilling to venture into the high traffic areas. This deficiency, somewhat controlable during the regular season, becomes a lethal, and terminal problem come high intensity playoff time. The Habs are an unbalanced team. The forwards, particularly at center are too small, and can wear down come the demanding physical style of play that becomes evident during the playoffs. Playoff goals are often of the ugly gritty variety in close on the goalie. The highlight reel, picturesque goals of the regular season become infrequent. The Canadiens simply do not have an abundance of players willing to pay the physical price to establish position in the deep slot. Similarly, not enough players capable of doing the grunt work along the boards and in the corners to win puck possession, sustain a heavy forecheck. In short, the Habs are not a physically demanding team, a necessary component to winning playoff games.

With the exception of Andrei Markov, the Canadiens lack a top end elite talent. Upfront, the Canadiens have some very skilled, quality players in Kovalev,Koivu,Tanguay. However, these players are quality, complementary players, that are effective in secondary roles, providing supplementary scoring capabilities. The Habs need, at the very least a big skillful center that can play a determined game in traffic. Although the media and fans may campaign for Lecavalier, his long term contract, persistent injuries, and declining production over the past few years may not be the definitive answer to the clubs shortcomings. A more viable option may be the potential availability of the likes of a Nathan Horton, or a Jordan Staal, younger, more economical solutions to address the need for a big framed player able to bully into scoring areas, and open up lanes and effectiveness of teammates.

A key criteria for improvement, will be dependant on Bob Gainey making an astute hire of a new hea coach for the Canadiens. Gainey’s argueable premature dismissal of Claude Julien, and his decision to hire noivce Guy Carbonneau were critical missteps in his tenure as general manager of the Habs. Carbonneau’s conservative style emphasizing defense, seemed out of step with a team moulded towards offense. Through out the year, Montreal lacked an on ice identity. There seemed to be an absence of a coherent style/system. There was no coherent structure in terms of defensive coverage, breakouts, forechecking. To often, the Habs style was schizophrenic. On offense,some nights they were a team trying to emulate a puck retrevial offensive system,other nights a puck possession style, was imlemented. On defense,some games the Habs were a 1-4 trapping team, other games a even more conservative 0-5 trapping system was used. Defensive zone coverage was erratic, and prone to serious breakdowns whenever a heavy forecheck was applied against them. At times, it appeared players had a learning disability, making poor decisions with and without the puck over and over again. Gainey needs to select a coach that is going to maxamize the teams assets, imprinting a distinctive disciplined, coherent and consistent style and system that the players will buy into and execute on a game to game basis. A top quality caoch, with a track record of success and an ability to teach and communicate with theplayers could go along way to improving the fortunes of the team in a hurry.

The Canadiens are at a crossroads. Gainey’s 5 year plan to push the organization back to contender status, took a hit this season. Critical internal evaluation is required to determine how to get the team back on the tracks. The team still has some attractive assets. The future pipeline of young players such as Pacioretty, Webber, Subban and McDonagh offers intriguing possibilities. Gainey has tremendous short term salary cap flexibility which is a valuable asset in a declining salary cap world. Adjustments are needed, but a complete teardown and rebuild would appear to be an over reaction. A solid coaching hire, the rebuilding of Price’s mechanics and mental composure, a favourable trade or two with a salary cap constrained team (of which there are many) and the Canadiens could turn things around relatively quickly as evidenced by the fast rebuild in Boston and Philadelphia. The question is, will Gainey adapt and become more aggressive than his traditional incrementalist approach. It would appear that it will be an interesting off season in Montreal.