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Time for the season's end 24 Cups = 24 Thoughts! |
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Time for the season's end 24 Cups = 24 Thoughts!
1) If you had told me before the season had started that the Montreal Canadiens would start off 9-0 I would not have believed you. If you had told me before the season started that the Canadiens would start the season 9-0 AND miss the playoffs I still would not have believed you. The Canadiens were never as good as their incredible start but they are also not the worst team in the league. Despite losing Carey Price for much of the season, the Canadiens should have been able to still make the playoffs. The failure to do so is a reflection of the inadequacies within the organization. The onus is on coaching, management and the players.
2) The Canadiens were able to still thrive without Price through his absence the first time around. What happened the second time he got injured? It co-incided with Brendan Gallagher fracturing his fingers. The Canadiens were now hit in goal and offence and missing two key players from their leadership core. The latter part cannot be emphasized enough. Price and Gallagher have as much as an impact off the ice as they do on it. These are two glue guys. Other players can try to step up during the absence but it is impossible to fill those shoes.
3) Early on in the season, I was very impressed with Michel Therrien and the way that he was coaching the team. I thought this was Therrien 3.0 and an early candidate for the Jack Adams. His line combinations to start the season were spot on. The Canadiens were pushing the pace of play and when they had the lead, they were not sitting back. They were hungry for more goals and did not back down. The defence were heavily involved in the plays and the forwards were supporting their defencemen breaking out of the zone. The problems started to show though when the offence dried up and his line blender went into overdrive and old habits started to creep in, like depending too much on David Desharnais and overplaying him. When the Canadiens were no longer able to score goals, rather than adapt the Canadiens style of play, Therrien stayed the course. When Mike Condon started to struggle, the Canadiens needed to play a defense-first system and try to protect and help their rookie goalie. Instead, they continued to try and do to much and opponents were abe to capitalize on their mistakes.
4) General Manager Marc Bergevin made a couple of low risk/high reward moves last Summer in order to try and strengthen the Canadiens right side on offence. Alex Semin has talent but could not keep up with the Canadiens. Sven Andrighetto’s strong play in November ultimately ousted Semin and he is now but a distant memory. Bergevin also traded Brandon Prust for Zack Kassian and a 5th round pick. All that remains now is that pick come June. What happened with Kassian is well-documented. However, I can’t help but wonder what if Bergevin had shown some compassion and given him a chance to regain his form in St. John’s and Montreal? His size and skillset could have been useful…
5) There are too many what if questions to ask about this past season. What if Price never got injured, or had been able to return back in January? What if Alex Galchenyuk had actually played a full season at center? What if Therrien had altered the strategy to make it though the injuries? What if Subban had been voted as captain instead of Pacioretty? What if Bergevin had been able to acquire a top 6 forward?
6) Sadly revisionist history is not possible. Perhaps the Canadiens had to take a step backwards in order to move forwards. The Canadiens will likely be drafting a high quality player around the 9th pick unless they are able to make a splash and move up. Bergevin likes to say that the way to rebuild and fill holes is through the draft. However, it still takes time to develop said prospects. Can the Canadiens afford to sit back and not make any major moves during the prime years of Price, Subban & Pacioretty?
7) Maybe Michael McCarron is ready to play full time with the Canadiens but maybe he is not. Nikita Scherbak also likely needs more seasoning in the AHL. One intriguing prospect who might be able to help the Canadiens as soon as next season is Finnish forward Arturri Lehkonen who plays with Frolunda in the SHL. He is leading all scorers in the SHL playoffs with 8 goals and 16 points through 13 games. The Canadiens need goals and perhaps he can be the answer next season.
8) Did Bergevin hold onto Jarred Tinordi for too long? It appears his value was not as high as many fans would have liked for the former 1st round draft pick. How did someone with so much promise fall so fast? Would Tinordi have thrived earlier in a different city or has the NHL changed too much since he was drafted in 2010? The Canadiens looked set when he was able to step into the 2013 playoffs and play big minutes alongside Andrei Markov. Unfortunately Tinordi has not played to that level since… His on-ice decisions with the puck kept getting worse, not to mention his off-ice judgement including a failed drug test.
9) Bergevin loves loyalty but this trait may one day be his downfall, be if for keeping his coaches too long or players. Bergevin has sometimes dug himself into a hole with bad contracts like with Tomas Plekanec and Alexei Emelin. Emelin he rewarded while he was still injured, Plekanec at the beginning of this season when he was at his peak. Emelin’s $4.1 million cap hit hurts, but not as much as the non-movement clause that will finally be lifted July 1st. Plekanec’s $6 million a year for two years may not sound too bad, but with the cap essentially staying steady, it leaves less wiggle room to add key parts. Also, any potential trade involving Plekanec would likely mean that the Canadiens would have to keep paying part of his salary. Sometimes Bergevin is able to trade his way out of bad contracts. It will be interesting to see what he can do…
10) Mike Condon came into an impossible situation and did his best. He battled hard and was a true competitor. Unfortunately filling in for Price on a long term basis was above and beyond what anyone expected of Condon for his rookie season. The Canadiens did not miss the playoffs because of Mike Condon. It was a true collective effort.
11) The Canadiens were cursed with injuries this season. It was a never-ending line to the infirmary and while “No Excuses” is a motto of the team, at some point they become too much for the team to overcome on and off the ice. The Canadiens had to dress (15!) defencemen this season. Even the replacements got injured. As well as they handled themselves, for the Canadiens to succeed they needed a healthy Jeff Petry, P.K. Subban and Nathan Beaulieu.
12) The bright spots of the season? Galchenyuk established himself as a true # 1 centerman by season’s end. Paul Byron was a feel good story and he got rewarded with a 3 year contract. Nathan Beaulieu showed flashes of his top 4 potential and Greg Pateryn should be in the Canadiens top 6 come October.
13) The progression of prospects such as Daniel Carr, Sven Andrighetto and Michael McCarron were another positive down the stretch. Carr & Andrighetto had questions marks regarding their size but they showed that they can play and fill in holes in the lineup. Is Andrighetto in the long term plans of the Canadiens? I think that Carr has the edge on him with his tenacity and nose for the net. McCarron gave glimpses that he will be a force to be reckoned with…
14) The Habs have too many 3rd and 4th liners. Depth is always a good thing but Bergevin needs to clear some space. How much longer can Lars Eller and David Desharnais co-exist on the same team? They are each very good 3rd line centers but bring different things to the table.
15) What happened to Dale Weise in Chicago? It seemed like that would be the perfect fit for him but he has had a hard time cracking the lineup. Looks like this trade was a win for Bergevin and the Canadiens.
16) The Canadiens had zero prospects play at the World Junior Championships this year. A veritable sign of a an empty cupboard. Defenceman Noah Juulsen was Canada’s last cut and it looked like he could have helped on the backend during the tournament. Lukas Vejdemo was a wild card third round draft pick last Summer but is still just that a wild card. The Canadiens had just 5 players in the CHL last season. The Canadiens need to restock at the draft this Summer.
17) The Craig Ramsay experiment as a consultant did not work out. The idea of it was good though, the Canadiens need outside help and a fresh perspective to tackle the powerplay. Rumours have Guy Boucher joining the staff. Can he and Therrien co-exist?
18) Favorite game of the season? It had to be the Winter Classic. The Canadiens played one of their best and most complete games of the year under an incredible setting. These games are called gimmicky and it does seem to be overused with the Stadium Series. However, the Winter Classic was a bright spot for the Canadiens in an otherwise dismal year.
19) The Winter Classic should have been the turning point in the Canadiens season. Gallagher had returned to spark the team. Condon played a spectacular game. The next game they laid an absolute egg against the Philadelphia Flyers. A totally uninspired effort. That game was breaking point, the one that the Canadiens were unable to return from. From there the Canadiens season nosedived while the Flyers rallied to make the playoffs.
20) Max Pacioretty will continue to grow into his role as captain of the Canadiens. His teammates and coaches respect him and are behind him. It was a trying year for the first time captain but Pacioretty has always shown the ability to bounce back, especially when he calls himself out in front of the media. He will be better prepared to face adversity when it will eventually hit again.
21) Too many people have told be that they will give up their season tickets and the team if Subban gets traded. I’m sure Molson is listening. I will be shocked if Subban gets traded and if he does, the return must be incredible.
22) Now that the NBA has announced that they will allow for one corporate logo on their jerseys, it will be only a matter of time until the NHL follows suit. Which company will win the bidding war for the Canadiens? Would Molson put his own logo on the iconic jersey?
23) I expect the Canadiens to make the playoffs next season, even if little is done to the roster come October. That is of course assuming that the team and most importantly Carey Price can remain somewhat healthy. For the Canadiens to be able to do damage in the playoffs though, they will need re-inforcements and a top six talent. Otherwise, it is all on Price’s shoulders.
24) Strange for it to be April in Montreal and there are no flags waving from cars. I had fully expected to be hanging out in Brossard and bringing the little one to catch playoff practices in person. Hockey though is never far from the mind in Montreal and there will still be plenty to discuss until the NHL draft, including player/management/coaches grades and reviews as well as a look at the Canadiens current prospect pool and whom they might pick come June.
Cheers & follow along!
Montreal Canadiens Blogger • 
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