December 3, 2023
This week had three games in the schedule for the Montreal Canadiens. On Wednesday, they finished their road trip with a 4-2 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Thursday featured a home game with the Florida Panthers in town, which ended in a 5-1 drubbing. Then on Saturday night the Detroit Red Wings were in town, and the Habs forced overtime but lost 5-4.
The Slafkovsky to Laval lobbyists have grown awfully quiet.
Juraj Slafkovsky looks like a different hockey player. Last season it was sometimes difficult to watch him, particularly with his lack of awareness on the ice and the number of times he would get nailed by the opposition catching him unaware. This season, it’s almost like he’s figuring out another detail with every passing game.
He’s using his body to win puck battles along the boards, to find his own space net-front, and to make space for teammates. He’s slowly discovering how much time he has and doesn’t in various situations. On Wednesday night, the cycle game he had going with Dvorak and Caufield was outstanding. The last time we saw that in Montreal, Perry, Staal and Armia made it happen in the COVID cup. Before then… I couldn’t even tell you.
I think it was Maxim Lapierre who did a series of posts on X a while back that demonstrated the various developmental paths that several stars had taken to reach their peak. His point was that the best players eventually figure it out and get there, regardless of their team’s developmental acumen. It’s a theory worth considering.
Of course, if St. Louis continues to deploy him like he did on Saturday it won’t be long before the L word is back in circulation.
With the loss of another top-6 forward, the coaching staff is struggling with line combinations.
It’s confirmed. After taking an awkward fall against a goalpost in the game against Florida, Alex Newhook is out for 10-12 weeks. How do you begin to explain this injury record? There is so much to say about that, but I’ll keep it simple.
First point. It’s practically impossible to assess where the team is at with so many guys injured.
Second point. Teams that are ready to compete have the depth to overcome injuries, even to important players, and Florida is the perfect example of that.
Third point. As much as you have to feel for the coaching staff having to adjust and readjust the lines after each injury, it’s fair to challenge what they came up with for Saturday night. The veteran bias is real, and it’s hard to wrap your head around with how poorly some of those veterans are performing.
Maybe it’s time to work on special teams.
Just when we thought the power play had taken a turn, they’re back to being slow and predictable, and its ineffectiveness was a major storyline Saturday night. Yes, there is a personnel issue. They are missing some core skilled players, and they’re still waiting the arrival of a quarterback. But there is a deployment issue, and I’m not sure it will be resolved until Hughes removes some of the veteran options currently available to Marty.
While the power play is reliant on skill, the penalty kill can be taught to just about any old plug and the Habs are flush with those. It’s bad, and it’s a system issue. That’s on coaching. They’re passive and static and it’s a problem.
“They work hard. They stay in the fight. They just got to start the fight on time more.” ~ Brian Wilde
That was a tweet from Brian Wilde on Saturday night when the Habs were trying to dig themselves out of another hole. It’s become the story of the season so far. Watching games, I am never sure it’s over if they’re down entering the third period. But I am almost certain when the game begins that it won’t be long before they are down a goal or three.
Something isn’t working about how they’re getting ready for games. Too often they come out flat or disorganized or both, and maybe the leadership group needs to shake up how they’re preparing.
After 24 games, the Habs are discombobulated. To be fair, that is to be expected with the injuries to core players that were expected to be important fixtures on the roster this season. But it’s also fair to ask questions about coaching.
Why does Marty continue to rely on veterans who have been pretty consistently ineffective over 24 games, while kids showing growth are getting lesser opportunities? Why is the penalty kill so bad? Why are the Habs almost never ready to start the game?
To be clear, I still believe Martin St. Louis is the right coach for this team, and that he is on a developmental path as much as his players are. Recognizing that, perhaps it’s time for HuGo to help the coach recalibrate a little.
Hab At Her 
I felt exactly as you did after two periods. Last night it seemed to me that the starting lineup was just wrong and some adjustments improved the flow. Injuries are cruel but it’s important that they be handled properly. I’d like to see a little more time given to our young players. I think that more older players will be moved to make room for prospects and a couple more will move up from Laval. They are learning there in the meantime. I was fully expecting a long season and I still am. Some periods are hard to watch. Unfortunately this may get a little worse with injuries and trades to come so I continue to think we will drop in the standings. Just as an aside I wondered if Newhook might have been injured in an earlier play where his feet were kicked out from under him and exacerbated by the net crash. His leg was severely twisted on both plays.
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The PK is bad because year after year, they refuse for some strange reason to use the most effective system, the one that all the other 31 teams use, which is to apply immediate aggressive pressure on the puck carrier. It’s infuriating to watch the other team on the PP have all the time and space in the world to move the puck around as they please and look super dangerous. Meanwhile, the Habs can’t accomplish anything when it’s their turn because the puck carrier has a player in his face within a fraction of a second. You’d think that it would occur to at least one coach since the Therrien era to apply the same PK tactics that give them so much trouble but evidently not. Maybe they haven’t noticed, lol.
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The passive PK is a tad maddening, I have to agree.
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You have nailed two aspects that many Hab fans have been asking. Why would Matheson continue to receive 25-29 minutes per game. What is that about? Why are non productive veterans’ receiving so much Time-On-Ice (TOI). . Is this all about showing these veterans for trades while minimizing our young players development? .. I do not know. Wish I could understand. It is very frustrating.. Juraj Slafkovsky, Barron and now injured Newhook appear to be developing and look like promising young hockey players. Ylonen’s TOI is a disgrace. Hopefully he is traded and gets a chance somewhere else. Excellent article Lori. Thank you.
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I don’t mind the veterans getting ice in some respects. For example, I think Guhle is currently struggling because since he began he has been asked to swim beyond his depth. No opportunity for gradual expansion. We want lots of exposure for the kids, but at a pace they can handle.
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Thanks for reply Lori. . not sure I agree when I see a prospect getting 7 minutes of ice-time. Just my opinion
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If I may add to my previous post.. Good! St-Louis deserves a little star as a reward for shaking up the lines after two periods but I had given him 1 pile of dung to start with that lineup.. The first period start was ugly. Again. Not sure why this team can come out so flat in their first period play. That is a coaching second dung from me. . The line up for third period was much better than waiting for several games to go bye. It was necessary.
Monahan was so ineffective that Joel Armia replaced him on the top line in the third period. Monahan is hurting. Not sure if it is physical or mental but he has gone down hill the past ten games.
Armia deserved this promotion. He was one of too few Habs players to play a solid game. He scored shorthanded and fired several shots towards the net. If he would only play more often consistently like he did on Saturday, Armia would avoid being sent back to Laval. I thought Evans had another solid game also. I feel for Josh Anderson. His slump is wicked but his effort is strong. Cheers
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Finished watching tonights Sabres game, watched Slaf get a fighting major and thought of your comment Lori. I don’t watch many regular season games anymore, but from tonight, you’re right, he looks like a much different player. Less hesitant. He also looked pretty strong taking the Sabre guy down.
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Yeah. It’s so good seeing him change at such a fast pace this year. So many good things ahead for him. Hopefully with the Habs for a long time
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