2 Biggest reasons for our current slump

[Boss Man Hughes]

Putting it all on them is stupid

I was pretty much joking but it is all about scoring depth. And Habs have none. With Heineman they have the makings of a 3rd line because Evans then becomes an offensive threat. Add Demidov, Reinbacher, Beck, Davidson to the lineup and they now have depth.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

I was pretty much joking but it is all about scoring depth. And Habs have none. With Heineman they have the makings of a 3rd line because Evans then becomes an offensive threat. Add Demidov, Reinbacher, Beck, Davidson to the lineup and they now have depth.

It's lines 2-4 that have been bad

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

The explaination is in Greek Mythology. Habs are Icarus. They went to close to the sun and the wax melted and they falled. They should not fly too close to the sun as Deadalus warned him. It's good to escape from the labyrinth, it's good to fly high but beware of the falling.

 

[Ozmodiar]

5 of last 7 losses vs teams in the top 11 in overall standings.
3 of 4 wins vs teams 15th or worse.

All those reasons are interconnected. Quality opponents cause fatigue and secondary scoring issues (lack of ozone time), makes goalies look bad, etc

 

[HuGort]

Laine and Dach play hasn't helped. Both bad defensively with no intensity. Maybe sit both next game?

 

[Lshap]

Immediate Goal: Fixing this 5-game slump before it settles in for another five games. They can double-down on defensive drills and offensive zone entries, or give them a mental rest from their condensed schedule. Either response could work, depending on behind-the-scenes factors we aren't privy to. Yes, losing Guhle hurts, however these losses weren't due to lack of talent. It was lack of focus.

Bigger Goal for the remaining 30 games: Pretty obvious. Establishing the muscle-memory of the style of hockey they were playing from mid-November until about 10 days ago. Habs have proven they can play winning hockey; now they have to remember how to do it consistently, and how to recover from setbacks. Playoffs are a symptom, not the goal. The real goal is experience, stamina, and confidence.

Laine and Dach play hasn't helped. Both bad defensively with no intensity. Maybe sit both next game?

No way they sit Laine and Dach. I agree they were bad defensively, but I don't think punishment is the best response.

 

[vokiel]

They were playing "good" hockey against teams who were playing "bad" hockey. These are just normal sequences in a season. I bet they start playing "good" hockey too after most teams get a confirmed spot in the playoffs, even with Guhle's injury, and the incoming trades.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Laine and Dach play hasn't helped. Both bad defensively with no intensity. Maybe sit both next game?

Our entire team shot totals are low and we are allowing lots of high danger shots again. This is much deeper than Laine and Dach (although I believe they need to be better as well).

This team got some good confidence/momentum going when we added Carrier. We raised our game and went on a very impressive run for 2 months ish. Now, other teams have also raised their game and we have got back to unstable team D.

They were playing "good" hockey against teams who were playing "bad" hockey. These are just normal sequences in a season. I bet they start playing "good" hockey too after most teams get a confirmed spot in the playoffs, even with Guhle's injury, and the incoming trades.

Hockey gods are looking after us on the too gullible narrative.

Demidov and Hage slipping to us in the last draft and now, we will fade back to a pick around 10 and win one of the lottery spots.

 

[Habs Halifax]

It's lines 2-4 that have been bad

Allowing too many high danger shots again. This is more of a team D problem.

 

[Theodore450]

Teams are taking us serious.
We beat teams during the holiday who didn’t engage us.
Marty is still not a great coach.

Depth has taken a major hit which caused dvo line and Evans line to lose any chemistry they built up.
Never was adressed.


Poor defence that’s being exposed as Hutson continues to play many a lot of minutes and Matheson is not a top pairing D

Dobes amazing start makes our record looks better than it is.


++ weak lineup

 

[KellenClemens]

Imagine this has been said, but the Leafs popped our bubble. That and being slow to adapt to changes by opponents are what has brought the Habs back to earth.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

Dobes also started with 5 wins that would have been sure losses with Primeau, who far too many people were too scared to waive early this season when he couldn’t stop a beach ball

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Dobes also started with 5 wins that would have been sure losses with Primeau, who far too many people were too scared to waive early this season when he couldn’t stop a beach ball

If Primeau was waived earlyer, he could have been taken as a reclamation project. We'll never know, we're just saying it on a forum. I guess good management teams knows the right timing when to waive a player, when they think 90% the player won't be taken. Now Primeau is doing better and yes, he would stop a beach ball, lol. In the ahl he is a good goalie. I think it's the pressure of the larger arena and crowd of the nhl his problem.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

If Primeau was waived earlyer, he could have been taken as a reclamation project. We'll never know, we're just saying it on a forum. I guess good management teams knows the right timing when to waive a player, when they think 90% the player won't be taken. Now Primeau is doing better and yes, he would stop a beach ball, lol. In the ahl he is a good goalie. I think it's the pressure of the larger arena and crowd of the nhl his problem.

They waived him when he sunk all his value and lost us the season unless we go on a miracle run

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

They waived him when he sunk all his value and lost us the season unless we go on a miracle run

That's another way of looking at this. Half cup empty or half cup full, your take. Did you beleived Habs were in the mix this year with the current roster and coaching staff?

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

That's another way of looking at this. Half cup empty or half cup full, your take. Did you beleived Habs were in the mix this year with the current roster and coaching staff?

No but I think we were a couple of pieces away from being a solid playoff team but our young guys didn’t take the proper steps forward and our management is too cautious to cut losses and treated the year as another wasted season starting from Game 1.

I disagree that waiting until a player is so bad nobody will take him on waivers is the sign of a smart GM

 

[Dirby Kach]

Lack of effort.

 

[Habs]

they played so physical during that run, now it's back to this regressive, reactionary hockey and it sucks. They don't control the play because they aren't initiation the hits, can't control the puck down low. Stems from having a soft core. Laine, Nick, Cole , Slaf.. they do not play a heavy game. Laine may be the biggest 6'5 p***y I've ever seen, he goes into the fetal position before each hit.

They were playing so well too for that little run, oh well. Team needs Beck, young jackeye and another pair of balls on the blueline. Savard , MM... so soft

 

[Habs Halifax]

We are bottom 5 in the NHL in net gain between shots for and shots against. We are bottom 3 over the last 5 games.

Puck is in our end too much.

 

[Guy Larose]

Forgot one in the list....Marinaro talking about us winning the cup

 

[salbutera]

Immediate Goal: Fixing this 5-game slump before it settles in for another five games. They can double-down on defensive drills and offensive zone entries, or give them a mental rest from their condensed schedule. Either response could work, depending on behind-the-scenes factors we aren't privy to. Yes, losing Guhle hurts, however these losses weren't due to lack of talent. It was lack of focus.

Bigger Goal for the remaining 30 games: Pretty obvious. Establishing the muscle-memory of the style of hockey they were playing from mid-November until about 10 days ago. Habs have proven they can play winning hockey; now they have to remember how to do it consistently, and how to recover from setbacks. Playoffs are a symptom, not the goal. The real goal is experience, stamina, and confidence.


No way they sit Laine and Dach. I agree they were bad defensively, but I don't think punishment is the best response.

Habs have had 1-practice in last month due to the schedule / load management - which has allowed bad habits to seep in without being addressed at practice.

The 4-Nations break is very timely given only 1-player is participating

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

they played so physical during that run, now it's back to this regressive, reactionary hockey and it sucks. They don't control the play because they aren't initiation the hits, can't control the puck down low. Stems from having a soft core. Laine, Nick, Cole , Slaf.. they do not play a heavy game. Laine may be the biggest 6'5 p***y I've ever seen, he goes into the fetal position before each hit.

They were playing so well too for that little run, oh well. Team needs Beck, young jackeye and another pair of balls on the blueline. Savard , MM... so soft

This is paradoxal. This not a "ball game" but we need more players with "balls".

 

[expy]

The 4-Nations break is very timely given only 1-player is participating

Goalie, Armia, and Laine

 

[salbutera]

Goalie, Armia, and Laine

Oh yeah … thanks

 

[expy]

Biggest reason why the team is sucking (not a slump) is that Hughes has been playing a zero-sum game with transactions.
We're not much different on paper than the start of last season, probably worse overall.