Coaching is a serious problem.

[Tyson]

Is it surprising that we’d be lost in our own end though?

It’s totally predictable. Most (many) of us said we would be before the season even began. It’s the greenest blueline in the league and we’ve got Matheson who isn’t exactly Mr Defense.

It is surprising that we are this lost. I expect growing pains but this is a bit too much. I stopped watching after 2-0, imagine the fans in attendance? Unacceptable

 

[Miller Time]

Let me know when his team loses 5 in a row at home while giving up 30 goals.

They lost 3 in a row giving up 18 goals just last year

The problems we face are in front of us for all to see no need to deflect the issues and look elsewhere.

Bad assessment

Let me know when you have something positive to say about this coaching staff and their methods in game or otherwise.

His hair looks good and he supports young players through their mistakes rather than the dinosaur approach of stappling them to the bench for every mistake

10 games into the season and we are still lost in our own end lost on our breakouts and lost on our fore check.

We are well within reasonable expectations of this roster.

No worries the PK and the PP are doing well...

Yes, they are.

 

[teamfirst]

Maybe, if we time it right, we can land a cup winning coach like Sullivan, Torts or Bednar.

Beyond the cup ring, what do they also have in common? All 3 have teams with a worse GA than our "terribly coached" group.

Ignore that MSL's D & G group are 28M worth of assets and each of them are working with a group costing 32-38M...

Ignore that the three of them combined are coaching 5 dmen under 25 whereas he's got only 2 dmen over 23 to work with...

Clearly if we had one of them working with our group, their experience and ability would get more out of our group than they are getting out of their older, more experienced and more expensive groups... Clearly.

I get it now

 

[26Mats]

LOL
A center relegated to a 4th line wing is one step from the door.

In a season like this, we'll have find humor some place...

I am looking forward to these new lines MSL has used in practice - and not as a place to look for humor. The old lines were stale and I see some opportunities for chemistry and opportunities for young players. It's the kind of thing I look for on a rebuilding team more than wins and losses.

I have it:

Caufield- Suzuki - Dvo/Kapanen/Heineman
Slaf - Dach - Dvo/Kapanen/Heineman
Armia - Newhook - Dvo/Kapanen/Heineman
Gallagher - Evan's- Anderson

Dvo/Kapanen/Heineman can show which of those duos they have chemistry with. And I look forward to seeing if Laine can complete one of those duos when he's back. Maybe Roy or RHP come back and steal one of those jobs.

 

[Tyson]

In a season like this, we'll have find humor some place...

I am looking forward to these new lines MSL has used in practice - and not as a place to look for humor. The old lines were stale and I see some opportunities for chemistry and opportunities for young players. It's the kind of thing I look for on a rebuilding team more than wins and losses.

I have it:

Caufield- Suzuki - Dvo/Kapanen/Heineman
Slaf - Dach - Dvo/Kapanen/Heineman
Armia - Newhook - Dvo/Kapanen/Heineman
Gallagher - Evan's- Anderson

Dvo/Kapanen/Heineman can show which of those duos they have chemistry with. And I look forward to seeing if Laine can complete one of those duos when he's back. Maybe Roy or RHP come back and steal one of those jobs.

How long will MSL allow Heineman to stay on the 1st line to try and develop chemistry? It's great to switch things around but how long is the leash?

 

[26Mats]

How long will MSL allow Heineman to stay on the 1st line to try and develop chemistry? It's great to switch things around but how long is the leash?

I like Heineman, but he's not my choice for the first line. Overall MSL imo takes too long to find the right line combos, but at least he does find them, and much faster than Claude Julien.

Last year it was Anderson on the first line over Slaf.

But Heineman is maturing. So it will be good to see what he csn do there. I just think Cole and Nick would be best with someone with size and puck skills. Not sure Heineman has the puck skills. Kapanen does, but may not be strong enough. So Dvo is my choice. And Heineman and Kapanen may have chemistry with Slaf-Dach or Armia-Newhook. I'm looking forward to seeing. And hopefully MSL can be on the quicker side to identify it.

 

[Tyson]

I like Heineman, but he's not my choice for the first line. Overall MSL imo takes too long to find the right line combos, but at least he does find them, and much faster than Claude Julien.

Last year it was Anderson on the first line over Slaf.

But Heineman is maturing. So it will be good to see what he csn do there. I just think Cole and Nick would be best with someone with size and puck skills. Not sure Heineman has the puck skills. Kapanen does, but may not be strong enough. So Dvo is my choice. And Heineman and Kapanen may have chemistry with Slaf-Dach or Armia-Newhook. I'm looking forward to seeing. And hopefully MSL can be on the quicker side to identify it.

Heineman's floor is that he could become a solid, hard to play against 4th line player but I think his ceiling is probably a decent 3rd liner, there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[26Mats]

Heineman's floor is that he could become a solid, hard to play against 4th line player but I think his ceiling is probably a decent 3rd liner, there is nothing wrong with that.

100% agreed. He has the size, work ethic, shot and wheels to pot 20 and be good all around in the bottom 6.

I'd like to see him find his way to the slot more and use his one timer, as well as his shot off the rush.

 

[morhilane]

How long will MSL allow Heineman to stay on the 1st line to try and develop chemistry? It's great to switch things around but how long is the leash?

I doubt Heineman is going to go from ~10m to ~19m in TOI. Slaf will probably take the shifts balance.

Slaf is stuck with Newhook (and Dach) and Newie play less than 15 minutes per night, while Slaf is either the most used or 2nd most used forward.

 

[Hannibal]

Pascal Vincent is already ten times better coach than MSL.

It was said that Laval will use MTL system of play. Hell, Laval looks that much better in all three zone. Defensive play, transition and forecheck. Vincent is doing that with a inferior roster. I would bet my pay that MSL coaching in Laval, they wouldn’t even look near what they look right now. And Vincent in MTL, we would look a lot less messy and terrible. Maybe we wouldnt have more victories but we would look way better structure wise.

 

[Tyson]

Pascal Vincent is already ten times better coach than MSL.

It was said that Laval will use MTL system of play. Hell, Laval looks that much better in all three zone. Defensive play, transition and forecheck. Vincent is doing that with a inferior roster. I would bet my pay that MSL coaching in Laval, they wouldn’t even look near what they look right now. And Vincent in MTL, we would look a lot less messy and terrible. Maybe we wouldnt have more victories but we would look way better structure wise.

 

[le_sean]

Let me know when his team loses 5 in a row at home while giving up 30 goals.
The problems we face are in front of us for all to see no need to deflect the issues and look elsewhere.
Let me know when you have something positive to say about this coaching staff and their methods in game or otherwise.
10 games into the season and we are still lost in our own end lost on our breakouts and lost on our fore check.

No worries the PK and the PP are doing well...

Plus the Canucks were actually good last year. Where has the improvement been with the Habs the last 3? They look even more lost than before defensively. Poor example to use

 

[morhilane]

Pascal Vincent is already ten times better coach than MSL.

It was said that Laval will use MTL system of play. Hell, Laval looks that much better in all three zone. Defensive play, transition and forecheck. Vincent is doing that with a inferior roster. I would bet my pay that MSL coaching in Laval, they wouldn’t even look near what they look right now. And Vincent in MTL, we would look a lot less messy and terrible. Maybe we wouldnt have more victories but we would look way better structure wise.

Vincent is getting his players, including the rookies, to execute what the Habs are failing at doing.
Most of the time anyway. They can be sloppy too, and it looks exactly like the Habs when that happens. But in two games I watched, I have only seen them play like that in 1 period. They are also always ready to play and most of the players give their 100% every shifts on both side of the ice.

And, the Ds cheat way less in Laval.

 

[Rapala]

Plus the Canucks were actually good last year. Where has the improvement been with the Habs the last 3? They look even more lost than before defensively. Poor example to use

I agree this is an ongoing issue it's not like it hasn't been discussed going back to last season.
It's not like a gazillion analysts haven't questioned what we are doing.

 

[Tyson]

I agree this is an ongoing issue it's not like it hasn't been discussed going back to last season.
It's not like a gazillion analysts haven't questioned what we are doing.

Progress and effort is what fans who signed up for a rebuild want.

 

[Sorinth]

Decades of playing hockey...

Even in Junior levels, players will make and hone moves they will make for all their NHL career. For example something like gap control, it's the same judgement...but vastly different speeds.

We had players like Komisarek who was beaten like a mule on the outside. He started playing hockey at 11. Most Canadian kids have enormous amount of hours of play and practice already sunk into the sport at various levels.

Komisarek never learned and was gone by his early 30s.

I'm struggling to understand what point you are even trying to make and how it relates to the Habs coaching.

 

[OnTheRun]

Progress and effort is what fans who signed up for a rebuild want.

Sure, but the problem is both those things are dissonant with the fans habit to analyze everything on a game-to-game basis.

 

[HuGort]

That back end he should of acquired a few vets to blend in with his rookies. Has too much youth on Blueline at same time.

Pickup a vet like Martinez. He signed with Chicago for little. Has 3 rings. Trade a Matheson, get a good haul. sign a guy like Martinez. You are double gaining, helps out more in own end. Walman, the Sharks made a good move acquiring him. Many vets was available

 

[Habs Halifax]

Somewhat agree..................that said a good coach knows how a timeout, or a goalie change can help a team. MSL has made some weird decisions recently. Too many.
I think he needs an Associate coach beside him.

What do we know though? In terms of having any credible context?

I do agree he needs someone near him to lean on though. However, I think fans/media are expecting too much. The narrative heading into this season was to improve and we are what... 10 games in?

I honestly believe that even if we had the best coach in the NHL, he will say there is too much youth and especially on D. Depth at center is meh after Suzuki. Dach has to prove he can be the guy we think he can be.

 

[Habs Halifax]

As happy as a BUF sabres fan possibly. If you rush a rebuild you will fail, if you are too patient with a rebuild you will fail. When your first line players are in their D+6 to D+8 years and you don't see any result, either the core is not good enough or the rest of the roster needs major shake up (see what TBL did with Coleman Goodrow Hagel..., FLA with Reinhard, Montour, Verhaege, Tkachuk, Bennett...) you can't just say the draft and development will take care of everything, it is completely false.

I do like the last line very much.

 

[BLONG7]

What do we know though? In terms of having any credible context?

I do agree he needs someone near him to lean on though. However, I think fans/media are expecting too much. The narrative heading into this season was to improve and we are what... 10 games in?

I honestly believe that even if we had the best coach in the NHL, he will say there is too much youth and especially on D. Depth at center is meh after Suzuki. Dach has to prove he can be the guy we think he can be.

I think for the most part, we agree on most of this................that said it does not take a rocket scientist to call a timeout to help your club, and stop the bleeding.
I am a fan of MSL, and I can also call him out..............he has to be better.
Goalie changes, and timeouts happen all the time, especially when you are getting spanked by the Kraken, who are not the 72 Soviets.................be better is my focus. The coach is not above getting better. He needs to learn this also. He has become a little too arrogant for my liking.
Again, I am a fan of his, but disappointed.

 

[Canadiens98]

We can't keep playing all these young guys on the blue line ...

Edit* This is me asking for a trade

 

[le_sean]

bUt ThE cANuCKs arE gIVinG uP gOAls

Again, complete refusal to call a timeout or do anything. This team is worse defensively than the one that picked 1st overall

 

[le_sean]

I wasn’t on the fire bandwagon, but Armia and then Dvorak on a 5 on 3 is basically a fireable offence on its own.

 

[Chili]

Coaching is one issue; they could use a guru to come in help Marty put some structure in their play. The youth of the d is another problem. It is no surprise they are making lots of mistakes; it is a long apprenticeship to become a good NHL dman in my opinion. They all have some upside but if they begin to regress it's a slippery descending slope (hopefully Xhekaj is not on that track already).

The Habs had 29 goals for going into the game tonight, the same as Dallas (in one fewer game). So, they are scoring enough to be competitive, But the Stars had 17 goals against compared to the Habs 41. Six more tonight and 47 is two more then the worst team in the league San Jose in 11 games.