Coaching is a serious problem.

[Lafleurs Guy]

He never does during games at least, but I think it's not that he's not doing it, it's that it's not passing because his first impression was that of a chill nice dude.

Kinda like the good cop, bad cop routine. MSL is the good cop.

It’s difficult for us to really know where the coaching starts and the skill/inexperience of the team ends. Entirely possible that another coach would give better structure and we’d be better. But I hope they give MSL some time here. The players seem to love him and we’ve seen progress on key players. To me that’s too important to risk.

A new coach may come in with a more structured system but maybe our player development is stunted. We don’t know. I’d rather play this out and see where Marty can go with this.

 

[morhilane]

It’s difficult for us to really know where the coaching starts and the skill/inexperience of the team ends. Entirely possible that another coach would give better structure and we’d be better. But I hope they give MSL some time here. The players seem to love him and we’ve seen progress on key players. To me that’s too important to risk.

A new coach may come in with a more structured system but maybe our player development is stunted. We don’t know. I’d rather play this out and see where Marty can go with this.

I don't really have an issue with MSL exactly, but he should probably look into his dzone scheme because it's year 3 of it not working and it's worst then ever. Part of it is probably that opposite team knows how to make it crumble by now and the other part of it is the players playing like we are already post the deadline and top players were traded.

 

[Habby4Life]

That clip showed a little bit too much arrogance and smugness.

He does NOT have the answers and the second he thinks he does, he's a hard headed idiot.

Managing people is damn hard and I can say that with massive 50 year experience and ridiculous about of people. It's a job that you do as best you can with experience and common sense. Lots of mistakes starting up but you learn and adjust. There is no absolute set formula but there are rules that can not be violated.

For Marty coaching, this isn't even remotely complicated or hard to see.....he's implementing a system that is not working with the players and the talent he has. If a player or two can't adjust, it's one thing, if the entire team can't adjust, then it's him and his system.

We had BargainBin who was a complete amateur in management thinking he was old style "manager", instead of actually, a failing idiot. Running the team was WAY past his abilities and IQ. Now we have a coach who thinks he's so smart and smug that he doesn't see criticism or his failings.

If he doesn't change and adapt by Xmas, we're f*****d

If he knew what to do they would not be in this spot. We saw the same chaos in their own end last year and this year it is even worse.

The will be out of the "mix", lol, by the end of this month.

If you are going to hire a Pee Wee coach, probably a good idea to have experienced assistants to help him develop. Nobody drives a tank better than MSL.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

If he knew what to do they would not be in this spot.

You keep saying this as though he could just wave a wand and make us a great club. That’s not how it works.

 

[The Real Timo]

For the record,

I believe in MSL now and in the long term (they should support him better though, bring in some experienced coach as asst.)

But we have no tank thread, and unfortunately he's the next easy target

Sure... that's great Marty. Good to know you're above them all. I am so re-assured now.

 

[Mrb1p]

MSL thanks you for this thread

https://x.com/i/web/status/1849864004677796323

What a terrible answer. Couldn't have picked something worse to say.

 

[HabsAddict]

??? I didn't even mention passing the puck to anyone in my post. Tying sticks and clearing the front of net requires doing zero passes. Winning puck battles might, but you still need to retrieve the puck to start with.

I guarantee you the coaches/management aren't blaming X for having no options to exit the zone.

The point is about Marty's "system" and how hard it is to play it. Be it rookie or vet.

Winning puck battles down low. Great? Who are you going to pass to if the forwards are near the net? You need forwards on the wall.

Tying up a player? Sure, but you must also make sure that you don't have anyone in the slot. If you do, you can't come back and clear the crease because all you are doing is being a screen to the guy in the slot.

All this can now be easily seen with the NHL simulations.

 

[Captain Mountain]

Guys...

Instead of saying "he doesn't have a system" PLEASE check out NHL stats and simulations.

Here are TWO snapshots just when we were scored on. You can get a 1 minute simulation on NHL site but I don't know how to make it in to a video

Example of man-to-man on 5th goal and example of zone defense collapse on 6th goal...

Montreal definitely has a system. They play a hybrid system defensively (and its my preference to watch).

The questions are "Is the system in place the right system for the group of players?" and "Why is the team struggling to execute the system?"

MSL's agrument has been that they'd rather play the right system and suffer the lumps they have until guys figure it out. I don't disagree with that approach generally, but Montreal has been arguably the worst defensive team in the modern-era this season, and I don't think you can tough it out if its going that poorly.

 

[River Meadow]

Sure... that's great Marty. Good to know you're above them all. I am so re-assured now.

MSL is the only one who can make Les Canadiens, Great, Again....

 

[Habby4Life]

You keep saying this as though he could just wave a wand and make us a great club. That’s not how it works.

Not asking him to make this squad great, can't be done, but improve the shit show so they at least look like an NHL club. They play in their end like an expansion team.

This D structure was a problem last yr and its worse this year. If he knew how to fix it, then do it.

I'm asking they don't get outshot 2 to 1, and spend most of the game chasing the cycle in their own end.

A decent coach can teach under skilled guys how to play without the puck. In fact, that is an important part of their development. Unfortunately, the Habs hired a Pee Wee coach and surrounded him with inexperienced assistants.

Can we get a head coach or an assistant that doesn't need training wheels and/or has more experience than handing out orange slices?

 

[River Meadow]

Not asking him to make this squad great, can't be done, but improve the shit show so they at least look like an NHL club. They play in their end like an expansion team.

This D structure was a problem last yr and its worse this year. If he knew how to fix it, then do it.

I'm asking they don't get outshot 2 to 1, and spend most of the game chasing the cycle in their own end.

A decent coach can teach under skilled guys how to play without the puck. In fact, that is an important part of their development. Unfortunately, the Habs hired a Pee Wee coach and surrounded him with inexperienced assistants. One of the worst staffs in the NHL.

Can we get a coach that doesn't need training wheels or has more experience than handing out orange slices?

We have a very young team and we need to develop our young players. MSL has proven to be quite a useful person for this.

We're a bad team regardless of what coach we would have.

If you're worried about the D structure, then maybe they need to replace the D coach, Robidas.

 

[Habby4Life]

We have a very young team and we need to develop our young players. MSL has proven to be quite a useful person for this.

We're a bad team regardless of what coach we would have.

If you're worried about the D structure, then maybe they need to replace the D coach, Robidas.

An experienced assistant would be a great start.

Of course we would be a bad team, but this bad, no.

 

[morhilane]

The point is about Marty's "system" and how hard it is to play it. Be it rookie or vet.

But that has nothing with what MSL and management wants Xhekaj to improve in his play or why he got health scratched. He got health scratched for his individual play (without the puck might I add), not as a scapegoat for the collective play.

 

[River Meadow]

An experienced assistant would be a great start.

Of course we would be a bad team, but this bad, no.

Is it better to bench rookies, and squeeze out ugly wins we don't deserve, to get a few more points?

 

[ReHabs]

Is it better to bench rookies, and squeeze out ugly wins we don't deserve, to get a few more points?

Learning to win is as important as... being happy to come to the rink and high fiving each other in the showers the day after a 7-2 loss

 

[River Meadow]

Learning to win is as important as... being happy to come to the rink and high fiving each other in the showers the day after a 7-2 loss

I think people expected too much after we signed Laine.

We were the 5th worst team last year, and that's with Monty stealing quite a few games for us.

We're still cooking, we're still raw.

MSL has been doing good with the young guys and all we hear is positivity from the players themselves in regards to MSL.

I know the honeymoon has ended but, replace Robidas and others before even considering touching MSL, IMO.

 

[Habby4Life]

Is it better to bench rookies, and squeeze out ugly wins we don't deserve, to get a few more points?

Who said that? Not asking for Keenan or MT but someone who can teach these guys to be more responsible in their own end and a system that better suits the skill they have.

Yes, its better to implement a system they can play and not get killed. They will make mistakes but put them in a position where they can at least succeed. Right now they are not.

You seriously telling me the style they are playing now is better for their development. Last in most defensive categories and being badly outplayed in 6 of the 7 games.

 

[morhilane]

Montreal definitely has a system. They play a hybrid system defensively (and its my preference to watch).

The questions are "Is the system in place the right system for the group of players?" and "Why is the team struggling to execute the system?"

MSL's agrument has been that they'd rather play the right system and suffer the lumps they have until guys figure it out. I don't disagree with that approach generally, but Montreal has been arguably the worst defensive team in the modern-era this season, and I don't think you can tough it out if its going that poorly.

The way the forwards have been playing so far, I don't think any systems would work right now.

 

[Hacketts]

hear me out.

MSL hires Rotenberg to be his assistant.

 

[Yep]

Sorry to ask again, but is there a timeline for the tank thread? Game 12? 20?

It makes our fandomness so much healthier in these rebuilding times. When I want to write or read something positive or just be cheering with internet strangers after yet another disastrous habs game, I'd like to know that the tank thread will be there for me.

 

[River Meadow]

Who said that?

Its better to implement a system they can play and not get killed. They will make mistakes but put them in a position where they can at least succeed. Right now they are not.

You seriously telling me the style they are playing now is better for their development

You think with a different coach, he's gonna keep everything as is, including the same mindset/values, and giving lots of playing time to young guys?

Be careful what you wish for... you just might get it.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

 

[Halakitlikethat]

From what I gather on the getting an experienced assistant, listening to guys like Arpon Basu, any assistant coach brought in needs to have a “hockey mind like Marty”. To me that screams his ego is too big to have someone with actual nhl head coaching experience come in and help him.

 

[Habby4Life]

You think with a different coach, he's gonna keep everything as is, including the same mindset/values, and giving lots of playing time to young guys?

Be careful what you wish for... you just might get it.

The grass isn't always greener on the other side.

Don't hire own who won't play the kids. Simple.

Grass is not too green in Habs land.

The way the forwards have been playing so far, I don't think any systems would work right now.

Defense is a team game, their whole side of center ice is a complete gongshow.

 

[River Meadow]

Don't hire own who won't play the kids. Simple.

Grass aint to green in Habs land.

Building a home, lolol.

I think MSL deserves more time.

You do admit he has a lot of good qualities and is great for our youngins.. right?

 

[Kennerback]

From what I gather on the getting an experienced assistant, listening to guys like Arpon Basu, any assistant coach brought in needs to have a “hockey mind like Marty”. To me that screams his ego is too big to have someone with actual nhl head coaching experience come in and help him.

If he can’t find a single experienced assistant that can function in his system, yes then I absolutely think we have a problem.