I know that Bergevin and Molson gave an end of the year presser and some are focusing on the word “Attitude”, used by Bergevin as ONE of the reasons the team struggled mightily this season, and mocking him for it.

I won’t mock him for saying the team didn’t have the right attitude. He’s actually more right than some would like to believe. Will and determination can help almost anyone succeed at their given task and both were lacking from various players at various times.

Heck, I wrote a late season blog where even I had enough after a shut out loss to the Maple Leafs. I wrote something that explained if I, the money paying fan, doesn’t see effort (attitude) then I will close my wallet and tune out. There was no reason for an NHL team of highly paid, strictly dieted, and definitely pampered grown men to coast at any point, in any game, of any season.

If these players and their union want $4+ million per for 3rd liners now, and the ability to move teams at earlier ages/years of service because the league is a entertainment business and not a loyalty business then there better be no shifts off… ever. You want to be highly paid entertainers? Then entertain your fans, regardless of standings position.

Feelings on cap space, training camp parking lots, management transparency, and music during the game mean nothing to me.

There are budget teams who qualify for playoffs.

Wins and effort matter more than a parking lot, management will not share all their strategies with the public (no smart team would do that), and I don’t get to attend many games at the Bell Centre so the in house show is meaningless to me.

All of that doesn’t matter to me. OK, the cap space thing is an issue only because we know MTL will spend and they didn’t. However, re-signing Markov at 39 during the Youth and Speed movement in the NHL would have been terrible, especially at $5+ million for 2 seasons. Raduov took the opportunity to play with Benn and Seguin and not too many can blame him and let’s not overlook that this guy came back to the league purely as a mercenary. There’s no loyalty there.

So while the dead cap space sucked, it wouldn’t have kept Price out of a funk and free from injury. The cap space wouldn’t have protected Weber’s foot in Game 1 of the season. There was no one else worthwhile to sign, or who would sign, for MTL. So the cap space died. I would rather have dead space than $5 million worth of a bad contract just to say he spent it. Actually, Bergevin did make two moves like that for Hemsky and Streit and they were bad. Damned if you do and damned if you don’t scenario.

These above mentioned issues are all moot though.

Many players, including Byron, Danault, and Gallagher (guys who actually played like they cared), alluded to guys not coming into camp ready, not playing all 82 games, not preparing themselves properly. These are just other ways to say that its possible some players efforts and attitude were not up to snuff.

Some can dismiss everything Bergevin says because of blind hate and I understand, but when Gallagher is echoing those sentiments I believe him.

Bergevin said he takes the blame for the season, he mentioned he had overly optimistic projections for players, he said he was wrong about his talk of his defence being better, and said he has every intention to make the team better. It’s easy for him to take the blame when he knows he likely has another year of work assured by Molson, but he did take responsibility nonetheless. You can’t discount that, it’s integrity and for sure his pride took on many bruises this season.

Something not many people spoke about was all this talk of attitude, effort, and preparedness kind of points to the team leaders does it not? Weber, with one foot, was the best player on the team until he had to have surgery to fix his bones and tendons. Gallagher, well, let’s not even step into the realm of questioning Gallaghers character.

That leaves one lettered leader left…

Pacioretty appeared visibly emotional before the media in that last couple days. Much like he was after the trade deadline. Pacioretty is a fantastic Montreal Canadien and has been for many years. He’s a gifted goal scorer and fantastic penalty killer. He also responded to a question about whether he would want to return if he was removed from the responsibility of being Captain and he said “No”…

To me, the writing is on the wall here. Pacioretty could not find a way to get the team to respond to adversity and perhaps Pacioretty was overwhelmed due to his own struggles this season. For sure that would weigh on an emotional player, it’s a lot on your mind as a professional. But for him to say he wouldn’t want to be back if the Captaincy changed sweaters really opened my eyes.

Someone who is all about the team wouldn’t say that. I would think someone who is all about the team first would say something like “We all have a big C on the jersey and you would have to steal my skates in the locker room to keep me from hitting the ice for Montreal”.

Pacioretty hasn’t seemed like that kind of player this year. He has looked like an emotional player who knows a deal is coming, but can’t say anything so he doesn’t diminish his value or character in the eyes of NHL workplace. Sure, that would be doing well by Montreal in their efforts to trade him, but it also keeps him from burning any bridges on the way out and keeps all the negativity solely aimed the GM and co.

Gallagher said guys weren’t prepared from the start when they showed up to camp and that hurt them early. I believe him. I believe this was also compounded exponentially by the poor year by Price and the multitude of injuries during the season.

In short, Bergevin had to be somewhat right when he described the attitude in the clubhouse as lacking. I’m sure some players mentioned it to him in their exit interviews as it pissed them off too. Attitude relates to effort and preparedness, plain and simple.

It’s also very true that Bergevin did construct a slow, low on offense D group to begin the year and was bailed out from it being a complete tire fire by Weber and Mete to start the year, then Petry, Juulsen, and Reilly gave the Habs a fighting chance in the second half and beyond. But the additions of Schlemko, Morrow, Streit, Davidson are all on him and were the wrong moves for todays NHL.

The effort to convert Drouin to a C was a rough one, but one that started to look better towards the end of the season. If this experiment continues next year will likely depend on the return on the incoming Pacioretty trade and/or the fruits of UFA Day shopping. This is also Bergevin’s fault, but I’m a big Drouin fan and he wanted this challenge and embraced it. Whether or not it works long term remains to be seen, but should a top flight C come in and gel well with Drouin at wing it would help put this issue to rest and Drouin can do his thing the way we already know he can.

Bergevin took blame for his mistakes, addressed an issue he (and others) saw in the locker room, and will be operating free of a tightening noose for at least one more season. This is a huge summer for the Habs, of that there is no doubt, but maybe as a fan base we should stop only talking negatively about players, management, and prospects. Yes, the year stunk, yes PK is long gone, yes its been 20 years and we still don’t have a #1 C. But dammit man, some guys had good years and some guys gave it their all and the team was down 5-10 players for most of the year and some guys played through ridiculous injuries. Cut them some slack.

That said, Bergevin better adapt quickly this summer and realize that speed and skill are todays game, and not only on offense. The good thing is he can adapt quickly, he rebuilt his D core on the fly from the farm and in Reilly. There are a couple top 6 C’s available via Free Agency and he has plenty of cash to make solid offers. The young kids they brought up showed some pretty decent rookie campaigns. Skill, Speed, and Youth are how you stay competitive now, but you need a solid core to help them overachieve. The Habs are really only missing the C part of that core and if Bergevin is driven enough, I’m sure the Canadiens management can find someone to jump in there via trade or UFA overpayment. Then its about making the next 5 seasons count.

The D next year should absolutely have Mete, Juulsen, Reilly, and maybe even Lernout in it. These are younger, fast players with decent hands and a desire to become NHL’er’s. The team must harness that, not repress it. There’s a reason you can have sub 6’, 190 lbs D men in the league now, it’s no longer a joke of a game.

The masses like it, they like the speed and skill, they don’t miss the fighting or the barely able to skate goons. They are demanding integrity and consistency in the officiating and video review. They don’t want the NHL being like the WWE anymore, they want integrity in their sport of speed, skill, and agility. The NHL better adapt too before all the new fans they have acquired force them to.


PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

This started as a playoff prediction blog but I got kind of ranty there as after the press conference I just saw all that stuff that makes Montreal look like a punishing circus to those on the outside. I just had to say what a felt so there.

Now, onto my predictions for the 1st round.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Tampa Bay Vs. New Jersey

As much as I dislike J Cooper, I just don’t see the Devil’s D or G’s being able to fluster the Bolts. Should Stamkos be out for the series or hampered in a big way by this current injury then maybe they stand a chance, but as of now I think its impossible to say the Devils can win this.

TBL in 5



Boston Vs. Toronto

The Leafs have a great young top 6 F group and Andersen has given their defense a safety net all season. But the Bruins work well as a unit, and they can play skill, speed, and aggressive hockey. The Leafs are looking at a lot of pressure in this series as some will need to bring up their epic, NHL record setting collapse to the Bruins of years past and it’s difficult to ascertain how their young group will respond. Could they thrive? Maybe… Could they wilt? Maybe…. Will Bergeron, Marchand, Pasternak, Chara, and Rask wilt? Probably not…

Boston in 6



Washington Vs. Columbus

This is a series to watch for me. Washington are annual disappointments. Always a fantastic regular season team, always eliminated from the playoffs before piling on Ovechkin’s leadership skills. Now they are confirmed to be going with their incredibly stellar back up P Grubauer instead of their starter Holtby in nets…. Grubby better bring it or this post season will get out of hand fast for the Caps.

The Blue Jackets are a fantastic young team brimming with talent at all positions and polarizing coach J Tortorella. The management group has brought in exceptional young talent like Werenski, Dubois, Atkinson, and Wennberg. They have also fleeced other GM’s in Nashville and Chicago for future Norris winner Seth Jones and team scoring leader Artemi Panarin to round out their squad. All with a healthy S Bobrovsky in net. Look out now, the Jackets could be your Eastern Conference sleeper team.

Blue Jackets in 7



Pittsburgh Vs. Philidelphia

Likely the most watched series in the US in this opening round. The aging stars of the Penguins look to own the Cup this spring but the road starts with the Flyers. The Flyers are a team that is likely to lose this spring, but a couple shrewd moves on D and in net for next year will make them Cup contenders for quite a few years. But until then the young studs on the Flyers will take this lesson from Crosby and Malkin on the chin and come back next year even better.

Penguins in 5



WESTERN CONFERENCE


Nashville Vs. Colorado

The feel good story team led by superstar N MacKinnon will face the stacked D of Nashville and their 35 year old G, P Rinne, looking to flame out bright in the twilight of his career.

Rinne’s stat history to this point showed that he alternated good and subpar seasons consistently until this one where he has put up back to back solid campaigns. But with young and talented J Saros behind him its clear that Rinne’s days are number in Nashville with his advanced age. Will Rinne respond to the pressure and expectations with the Vezina contending play he has put forth all season or will it all be too much for the net minder? We will see.

Either way, Colorado is pretty much outclassed in net and on defense so unless MacKinnon can score 2 or more a game this series is Nashville’s warm up for their next opponent.

Predators in 5



Winnipeg Vs. Minnesota

This one should be fun to watch, high end everything on both teams, plus they like to bang and crash. I think the Jets are a legit Cup contender so they will move past Minny, but it probably won’t be easy, unless Dubnyk soils the bed sheets.

The Wild lost their best D man R Suter late this season and he won’t be back anytime soon from his fractured ankle and the Wild should hope its only a fracture and not ligament related as ankle ligament ailments take a while to heal.

Minny’s pain is the Jets gain this round.

Jets in 6



Vegas Vs. Los Angeles

This will be the heart breaker series. Vegas has a great deal of momentum behind them this year and the excitement of playoffs in an expansion city is something I have to believe is stunning for them. No matter what, Vegas is a winner. Just not this round.

I think Doughty, Quick, and Kopitar will lead this team to a first round victory over the stellar coaching of G Gallant and the Golden Knights. The Knights come into the playoffs after finishing the season 6-5-2 in their final 13 games and that doesn’t instill confidence in me that the overachieving Cinderella story is still far away from the clock striking midnight.

Kings in 7



Anaheim Vs. San Jose

Injuries to Fowler and Gibson could be too much for the consistently competitive Ducks to overcome in this match up. But one could say the same about San Jose who have lost top center and leader Joe Thornton to season ending knee surgery and its known that newly added E Kane is nursing an arm injury. These are serious blows to the Sharks offense.

The question may come down to who wants it more, 37 year old Ryan Miller or 28 year old Martin Jones?

But it’s hard to bet against R Getzlaf so…

Ducks in 6

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