Layoff

The Canadiens have only played 10 games thus far. The lowest amount of games played in the league.

Can anyone understand why in less than a month, the Habs have had two very long spans of no activity?

Does this hurt or help the team right now? Are the Habs going to be overwhelmed with games at some later point in the season?

Is it tough to stay sharp or focused when you are not playing? The team comes from obscurity again tonight and will face the Blue Jackets and then the Maple Leafs 24 hours later.

The Habs only regulation loss was to the Ducks after the first layoff, a game where they definitely started slow.

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17 Comments

#1 PACTUM SERVA says:
November 7, 2008 at 5:03 pm

Just picked up some beer and a couple of movie tickets for my wife and her friend awwwwwwwwwwww yes the world is right tonight. I think we may come out flat in the first period but then find our legs in the second, lets just hope we dont get down in the first.

#2 groundworking says:
November 7, 2008 at 11:21 pm

It’s probably best that they lost one–they’d been pushing their luck lately. And I always think Halak looks like an AHLer. I cringe whenever the other team gets a shot. It showed tonight in the shoot-out.

He might have been rusty too, though, b/c he looked pretty good at the very start of the year.

#3 habfan in van says:
November 8, 2008 at 2:13 am

After tonight’s game, you gotta wonder what the schedule makers at NHL HQ were thinking. February’s sked is brutal – 14 games in 28 days, including 4 back to back games and a 6-game road trip out west.

They didn’t look particularly sharp tonight. Let’s hope they don’t make a habit of coming back from long breaks looking like they’re still on break (e.g. Xmas & All-Star game).

#4 PACTUM SERVA says:
November 8, 2008 at 12:57 pm

Even with our great start so far i still think this team has yet to click. We have played good but not to our potential. I cant wait to see the habs running on jet fuel.

#5 Rocq says:
November 8, 2008 at 1:39 pm

Habs will have trouble with the refs tonight, not the Leafs.
1 to 3 two man advantages for the Laffs.

#6 Senet1 says:
November 8, 2008 at 1:54 pm

I would like to see Plex and the two Kost brothers on a line together. I think Kovalev as served this line well but it is time for him to be moved to a line with Koivu or Lang. This kid line could be a line of the present as well as the future for many years. They seem to have good chemistry and always seem to come up with a big goal when they are put together. Last night was no exception.

#7 Senet1 says:
November 8, 2008 at 2:00 pm

Price is being touted as the Olympic goalie replacing Brodeur by 2010. He has the stage tonight against the leafs. Hope he plays well, based on how we did not finish plays off last night we may need him to be sharp.

#8 Senet1 says:
November 8, 2008 at 2:12 pm

I would like to see these line combinations for a while to see if they click.
Tanguay, Koivu, Kovalev
A.Kost, Plex, Sergie
Higgins, Lang, Latendresse
Fourth line remains the same.

I would also line to see a line with
Lang, Kovalev and Higgins

#9 Senet1 says:
November 8, 2008 at 2:27 pm

ON Halak, I would like to see him traded to the Western Conference sometime later in the season. He needs to start to show his abilities though or he will not be worth much as trade bait. He has had two bad outings recently and does not look like the goalie that we all felt he would be. I would not be surprised if he gets sent down to get some playing time, Mark Denis is playing well and could be brought up. Not sure how the waiver thing works with either of them though? Anyone know?

#10 groundworking says:
November 8, 2008 at 11:39 pm

I enjoyed watching the Habs last year much more than I enjoy them this year. All talent, no heart. I hope it changes or this will be a long year, especially as the other teams get hungrier. I think it will change.

#11 Senet1 says:
November 9, 2008 at 12:30 am

We need less offence and a lot more defence if we are going to deal with these in your face type teams. Hope Gainey goes out and gets a veteran defencemen (stay at Home). Where was Laraque tonight seemed like he was lost out there. Any Kovalev has really not shown up for two straight games. Is he hurt? Could not fault Price on the goals. Inexperienced defence is our problem.

#12 starkey says:
November 9, 2008 at 12:56 am

Sorry, but you navel-gazers are missing the point. This just isn’t a very good team. Their spot in the standings is misleading. There’s little heart, little grit, no discipline. You won’t be watching this crew very deeply into the spring. Maybe next season, dudes.

#13 BIG-D says:
November 9, 2008 at 12:59 am

Only Montreal could make Toronto look that good……

Montreal has alot of work to do.

There will be no Stanley Cup for Montreal in 2009. Not a remote chance at that………

#14 groundworking says:
November 9, 2008 at 3:57 pm

I wouldn’t throw in the towel quite yet. The Habs enough skill, and enough good coaching and management, to turn things around. On the plus side, Koivu and Tanguay are looking good. Plekanec and Katstitsyn are struggling, which is adding to Kovalev’s troubles. Markov is also doing well, though Komisarek hasn’t been as strong as he was last year.

Lang is a good addition, and Lapierre is working hard. But let’s face it, Montreal’s #1 line isn’t clicking, and I’m picking up hints of attitude issues with some of the youngtier players who are, for the first time, comfortable in the roster spot.

And if the league is going to review Kostopolous for his hit when Van Ryn turned away from him at the last second, are they going to look at Grabovski for his blatant attempt to injure (spear) Price? That little **** need a good beating.

#15 Ganz says:
November 9, 2008 at 9:42 pm

Sensible post groundworking (#14). Let’s not panic. For the disaster that was last night and the less than impressive play lately, there are more pluses than minuses.

I’d also like to see Carbo shake things up a bit: Begin should take Lats place for a few games (then we’ll see some effort — from both!!); maybe risk sending Sergei K to Hamilton (I doubt he’d bolt back to Russia with bro here and a good sit-down with Bob about life). Maybe let Shawn Belle, Matt D’Agostini or Yannick Weber have a few games with the big team… just a thought. To me it’s just as logical as sending Price to Hamilton was last year.

I agree with many: we’re vulnerable on defence with only Breeze-by and O’Byrne as the fall-back when Hammer gets hurt. Play Dandenault on defense. Hell, if he plays OK he’d improve his trade value (which has gotta be low with his salary and press-box time).

We should be fair, the lackadaisical play may be due to the stupid schedule, but PICK IT UP BOYS… LET’S SEE SOME SUSTAINED (60 mins) EFFORT!!!

#16 Senet1 says:
November 10, 2008 at 8:15 pm

To me we saw a team that took two teams for granted and did not prepare to play against these two teams. Lets face it we have trouble with teams that play in your face type of hocket and if we are not prepared then a team that works are like Toronto and Columbus are going to beat you many times. Hammer was sure missed on defence and as I have said a hundred times that is our weakest position on our team. I know that you all like Obryne and I do too but he played very badly against the leafs. We certainly could not fault Price on any of the goals in hind sight had Price played against Columbus we would have won that game and Halik just is not playing well right now. I may be because he is not getting enough playing time but hey that is what happens with a back up goalie. He probably should be in Hamilton and bring up Denis.

I would do three things:
I would move Kovy on a line with Lang.
I would move Sergie on a line with his brother and Plex.
Koivu and Tanguay seem to be playing well, but we need another player on that line who wants to play hockey. Not sure who I would play unless it would be Kovy and keep Lang’s line in tack.
Bob we need an experience defenceman, stay at home but moves the puck well.

#17 Senet1 says:
November 10, 2008 at 8:55 pm

One other Change, Price plays the next five games in a row. Let see what he is made of, this week will be like the playoffs, every other night.

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Last Message 4 hours, 54 minutes ago

goalie : I can't type.... what a faux pas on my behalf...
goalie : I just realized what I said adn didn't say yesterday. What a fayx as on my behalf. Regarding coaching Randy Cunnyworth MUSDT stay as an assistant- he deserves at least that after the tremendous job he did in the latter part of this past season. I'd still mlike to have Robinson, Carbo adn Allard on the staff also.
Avatar37 : I agree Senet, my choice if we can't have Cunneyworth would be Crawford, Robinson on defense, Cunneyworth for offense, and Carbo as offense/faceoffs .
Senet1 : I think if I had my choice it would be Crawford and see if he could get Carbo and Robinson as assistants. That would be my idea coaching team.
goalie : I witnesed Marc Crawford MANY times when the Avs, etc. played against Oilers and let me tell you - he is constantly on the referees asses virtually game after game. He is the complete OPPOSITE of J. Martin. Crawford is calm on TSN but he is one excited coach behind the bench. A friend of mine who was an NHL linesman for 26 years said they dreaded Crawford he was so tough on the officials!
goalie : You know, I've bee thinking about the coaching situation. I'd be really excited if the Habs had Hartley as head coach and Carbo adn Robinson as his assistants. I also read it somewhere about a month ago that Toronto's goalie coach Allard (?) wants to relocate back to Montreal where he has his goaltending school/business. Add him to the mix and I'd say the Habs would be in great shape coaching wise.
Avatar37 : Well, from what I recall, Hartley didn't do all that well with the Thrashers. But, I don't know enough about him to judge one way or the other. Crawford I do know, and he always seemed to be a good, level headed coach to me.
Senet1 : even Pacioretty two years ago did not impress any of us. Younger players have to play and make mistakes and learn from those mistakes. If they sit in the press box they are learning nothing.
Senet1 : Of course if he have some good assistants like a Larry Robinson to teach the young defence and someone like Carbo to teach faceoffs etc. then your coach does not have to be as good at teaching. If Hartley fits the bill you get no argument from me. My only previous point is that if he is impatient with your younger players to the point that he does not play them, then we are right back where we were with Martin. Martin was a good coach too, but how he handled Emelin, PK and even Pacioretty two
goalie : I would like to see the Habs sign a coach who realizes that our team isn't tough enough (we need to get bigger and somewhat more nastier),the coach needs t be a great TEACHER and be a coach who can get the players to understand and buy into his system. Other than that I couldn't care what lingo he speaks. I wnat to see our team become a ligitimate contender fast!
HabsLoseAgain : Well we dont know if he is or is not a teaching coach. I woukd just hate to paint Hartley something that he is not. There will always be questions but if Hartley was hired as the habs new bench boss i for one would not be overly upset.
Senet1 : My thoughts are not that he is or is not a good coach but rather that when he won the cup he had an experience team of superstars on that team. Where as we have a group of young inexperienced players, is he a teaching coach or a tactical coach or both? I am not question whether he is a good coach, but my question therefore is he the coach for us at this point in the deveopment of our team?? Not sure we are all purely speculating at the moment?
Senet1 : Something happened to my first post. I will try again.
Senet1 : That is why I said I am not sure he is the coach for us at this time? Right now we are all speculating including yourself, because non of us know for sure?
HabsLoseAgain : Crawford also won a cup with Patrick Roy so would you say he is a good coach or did he just have great players and one of the best goaltenders of alltime?
HabsLoseAgain : Senrt so please give me some reasons why you think Hartley is not the coach the habs need right now. What is it that you do not like about him or his coaching style?
HabsLoseAgain : Well all great coaches had great players playing for them so i guess you you add a a pile of other coaches to that list including Bowan......
Senet1 : Hartley, was he a good coach or did he just have great players and one of the best altime goaltenders of all time. I am not sure that he is the type of coach that this organization needs right now. Unless of course we sign a ton of free agents.
Avatar37 : However, my feelings may completely be wrong, Hartley may turn out to be a good fit.
Avatar37 : I didn't say Hartley was unknown, I said we demoted a good coach in Cunneyworth and now have an unknown quantity because we don't have a coach. I don't have that great a feeling about Hartley, I'd be much more comfortable with Crawford.
HabsLoseAgain : In my opinion i think he might be a good fit in montreal. Oh and he also likes to have a tough team.
HabsLoseAgain : Also this year he coached the ZSC Lions to the swiss championship title.
HabsLoseAgain : lol the so called "unknown" won a cup in 2000-2001 with the colarado avalanch.
HabsLoseAgain : lol Bob Hartley is not an unknown lol.....sheesh.
Senet1 : I think he has until the trading deadline to show us that he deserves to be on this team. If he does not get back on track then he could be simply a 2nd round draft pick to whoever we can trade him to.
Avatar37 : Bourque reminds me of Pouliot, size, skill, and invisible. He needs to get back to playing a physical game and bang people around and maybe he'll start getting some of those garbage goals again. Need to get to the front of the net. I hope he can find his game again.
Avatar37 : We had a good coach in Randy Cunneyworth. Now we have an unknown, with Bob Hartley rumoured to be the front runner. I'd rather have Cunneyworth.
goalie : A player like Rene Bourwue has al the physical attributes of what would be a beter than average player. Hwever, he certainly didn't play that well especially after being in Montreal about three weeks. We NEED players like Rene to play hard AND produce points on a REGULAR BASIS in order for us to be competitive.
Senet1 : MONTREAL – Rene Bourque had a rocky start to his career as a Hab, but he’s planning on using the next four years to make up for it. After arriving in Montreal under less-than-ideal circumstances in January, Bourque spent the following 38 games hoping to find the spark he needed to rekindle his offensive production. Despite flanking Tomas Plekanec on the team’s second line to close out the season, the 30-year-old sniper suddenly found himself firing blanks in his new NHL home.
Senet1 : I think we have to be patient and not expect too much too soon. Let's get a strong management team in place, make a good choices in the draft get a good coach and then see what we need at the free agent market. I will not be too disapointed if we miss the playoffs again next year if it means a long term team success. We have the opportunity to make some major strides over the next two years at the draft table. Then we fill in the holes.
goalie : I certainly agree that we need to get some impact forwards who will sign for 5 years, not for a season then walk away. That's not going to help us.
goalie : I wouldn't trade PK for Ovetchkin no matter what. He is a coach's NIGHTMARE and a poor team player.
Senet1 : I believe he will as we graducally put better players around him and build this team.
Senet1 : Goalie I agree with Avatar. PK is the present and future of this teams defence. I would not even take Staal from Pittsburg unless I had him tied up in a long term contract of a Minimum of 5 years. Also once has to consider the salary difference. Pk is on the move up probably 3M plus for his next contract and then eventually 4-5M if he keeps on improving. He has moved his game up two gears since he came into the league 2 years ago. He now has to move to the next level and I believe he will as w
Avatar37 : pressure playing in Montreal, since he has problems with the expectations in Washington and Montreal isn't any easier. Then again, the media were very easy on Kovalev, so maybe it's a Russian thing? No idea. Anyway, yeah, it would have to be an established star that gives us an immediate drastic upgrade at forward, that's the only way I'd trade PK, because we'd be giving up a potential QB on our blueline for the next decade.