Coaching is a serious problem.

[Lafleurs Guy]

Last year, 82 points would rank you in low around 21st, I think.

I think that might be where Habs fans are expecting/hoping, but there seems to be a chasm between what Habs fans think and what the other fans perceive, who are convinced that montreal will be a bottom 5 team.

The difference is really going to be whether they can avoid those massive lulls during the course of an 82 game season where they win like 2 out of 10 games or something.

There are going to be peaks and valleys. Some nights we’ll look like world beaters and then there will be stretches where it looks like we won’t ever win again. That’s what .500 teams look like.

We’ll be consistently inconsistent. Just when it looks like we’ve turned the corner, we’ll play a good team and get smoked. Look at the Rangers game. It showed us how we fare against a mature strong team - crushed.

As I said at the start, I think our offense improves and we look terrible defensively this year. You’ll see a lot of games like last night where the game looks in hand and then we make dumb mistakes to put everything at risk.

Transitional/development year.

 

[JianYang]

There are going to be peaks and valleys. Some nights we’ll look like world beaters and then there will be stretches where it looks like we won’t ever win again. That’s what .500 teams look like.

We’ll be consistently inconsistent. Just when it looks like we’ve turned the corner, we’ll play a good team and get smoked. Look at the Rangers game. It showed us how we fare against a mature strong team - crushed.

As I said at the start, I think our offense improves and we look terrible defensively this year. You’ll see a lot of games like last night where the game looks in hand and then we make dumb mistakes to put everything at risk.

Transitional/development year.

We saw it alot last year too where the team would hang on for dear life to a lead.

I'm interested to see how the special teams holds up. If it keeps up this way, it's going to help smooth out those valleys.

Either way, as you implied, it's a team that is not there yet, which is a surprise to nobody.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

We saw it alot last year too where the team would hang on for dear life to a lead.

I'm interested to see how the special teams holds up. If it keeps up this way, it's going to help smooth out those valleys.

Either way, as you implied, it's a team that is not there yet, which is a surprise to nobody.

Hutson will help the PP a lot. CC’s shot being back helps a lot. If Dach is finally back - that helps a lot.

So yeah, I think the PP will be better this year. Maybe not 25 percent but better than it’s been.

 

[Tyson]

He coached the Rochester Americans after leaving the Habs. He actually became the all-time winningest coach in Amerks history during this stint with the club.

 

[dcyhabs]

I’m not sure coaching is a problem but reffing is. Xhekaj’s having problems but part of that is because refs are looking for excuses to get him off the ice. It’s like Gallagher who consistently gets 2 minutes for being cross checked, pure “reputation” calls when the reputation is unmerited. The refs seem to be careful calling stuff on actual dirty players, like Marchand, and a lot of it comes down to knowing the team owner is vindictive and has a long memory. If Molson wants to help the team that is something he could do. Maybe get rid of Chris Lee if he hasn’t already been let go.

 

[417]

There are going to be peaks and valleys. Some nights we’ll look like world beaters and then there will be stretches where it looks like we won’t ever win again. That’s what .500 teams look like.

We’ll be consistently inconsistent. Just when it looks like we’ve turned the corner, we’ll play a good team and get smoked. Look at the Rangers game. It showed us how we fare against a mature strong team - crushed.

As I said at the start, I think our offense improves and we look terrible defensively this year. You’ll see a lot of games like last night where the game looks in hand and then we make dumb mistakes to put everything at risk.

Transitional/development year.

It's really shocking to me that this has to be reiterated.

Did anyone really expect anything different?

 

[pepperMonkey]

It depends on your definition of 'decent'. The NHL has parity, the gap between the best team and the worst team isn't so big that the worst team can't be difficult to play against (if morale is high and the players give a shit).

If that is the case and the worst teams aren't pushovers, then no team is 'easy' to play against which is generally not the case. Parity sure but the worst teams in the league are, generally speaking, still really bad.

 

[JianYang]

Hutson will help the PP a lot. CC’s shot being back helps a lot. If Dach is finally back - that helps a lot.

So yeah, I think the PP will be better this year. Maybe not 25 percent but better than it’s been.

I have more faith in being a mid power play team than a top end pk team. The PK is the surprise of the season to me so far.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I have more faith in being a mid power play team than a top end pk team. The PK is the surprise of the season to me so far.

Jake Evans is pretty good on the PK and Suzuki’s not bad either. Montembeault has been surprisingly good. It looks like we’ve managed to snag a legit starter. I think we’ll be decent on the PK.

 

[SwiftyHab]

So back to back wins = coaching fixed = thread closed?

 

[WeThreeKings]

It's really shocking to me that this has to be reiterated.

Did anyone really expect anything different?

For some, yes, they heard them say "in the mix" and it meant that we had turned the corner into being a competitive playoff level team.. rather than the intention, which is to say, with weeks leading up to the deadline it wouldn't be 100% apparent they would have to sell.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

If that is the case and the worst teams aren't pushovers, then no team is 'easy' to play against which is generally not the case. Parity sure but the worst teams in the league are, generally speaking, still really bad.

Then it isn't parity when your San Jose's and Anaheim's are AHL level.

 

[Paddyjack]

So back to back wins = coaching fixed = thread closed?

Still saw the same shit both nights in the D-Zone, just less often than other games. There was a moment against the Blues where shift after shift Habs were in their zone for a while, then they managed to get out and since they were tired, had to dump the puck for a line change, then St-Louis would get again in the zone, rinse and repeat. But let's hope they can learn.

But, to my great surprise I'm kind of happy with the way Maillloux is playing, not perfect but better than in TC I think. And Dach-CC-Suzuki is working well. Disapointed with X, but maybe he is one who doesn't "get" MSL's weird system. But if I was MSL I would be more annoyed at Matheson than X.