Coaching is a serious problem.

[Lafleurs Guy]

His system is pond hockey. A lot of our fans are falling in love with his personality and forgetting that he actually needs to be able to coach. And going off of his last 3 years, he’s not very good. It’s not a small sample size anymore.

2nd youngest team in the league and we’ve had horrible injuries since he’s come on board. We were deliberately rebuilding to boot. None of that should be unexpected.

Are our players developing well? I’d say: YES absolutely. At this stage that’s what matters.

So much of our success this season was going to hinge on a healthy Kirby Dach. He was supposed to stabilize the 2nd line. That’s not happening now and it’s hurting us. I expect him to find his way out of this but he’s going to need time.

We also should get a bet on the blueline. That would help stabilize things. Next year we can deal off Scard but in the meantime I think we need help back there. The D is just too green right now.

 

[malcb33]

Hutson also brings a lot of confusion because he plays like a rover as a D and with so much ice time with the Matheson injury, the other players around him need to adapt their positioning. Marty's positionless system is already complicated enough in terms of needing good on ice awareness before adding him to the equation.

I agree with your take on Hutson. I think he has the ability to be one of our best players, but he needs high IQ players that can adapt and/ or a system that is designed to work with his style of play.

He has the ability to change a game with one shift, but there's also significant risk in the plays he makes. If players don't cover for him the risk increases.

 

[Archijerej]

It’s not about underachieving. It’s not about the last 5 games either.

It’s about three years in and they have no clue what to do without the puck, they have zero structure. They are a three alarm fire in their own end every night. At some point warm fuzzy feelings need to be replaced with actually coaching.

I agree and the organisation agrees as well, as they have clearly stated numerous times going into this season.

Another bottom 5 finish is going to be seen as a failure and St.Louis will start to feel the heat and deservedly so.

Your description of what they are playing is not fair, because you focus on weak points only. There is a lot to like about this team's 5 on 5 offensive game since MSL got here and if defence is an area he placed less focus on during the first phase of the rebuild, then so be it. It's logical in my opinion.

Now, he has the mission of improving defense and special teams this season and I certainly won't cut him any slack if he doesn't. But 5 games into the season, this smacks of "Ottawa is going to burn your village" and "The Maple Leafs are going to seriously compete for the Cup" threads we see every October.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Learning how to play structured hockey should be part of the rebuild. This is St. Louis’s 4th season here. At what point do we actually put a little bit of expectations on what he’s doing with the players?

He could play the trap. That would improve things short term.

Long term it would stunt our players but it wouldn’t definitely give us short term results.

Is that the right decision? I don’t think it is.

 

[Toene]

Marty has the team playing the modern game for the first time ever. It's just not a very good team.

We have a decent (but not great) 1st line, and nothing after that.

Theyve got to go and get some serious top-6 help, because it sure as hell aint coming from inside the org. Dach is rusty af, Newhook is a whole lot of meh, Armia is slow.

Roy sucks right now (maybe rusty too?) and even if he wasnt, he's not a play driver, he's a complimentary forward/finisher. But he's the only one with legit top-6 talent. Idk man. I'm so deflated after being so excited by the Laine trade.

Another bottom 5 finish is going to be seen as a failure and St.Louis will start to feel the heat and deservedly so

Why? Name 5 worst rosters.

 

[calder candidate]

I feel like guy just aren’t moving their feet…
The coach as some responsibility but players aren’t executing when you aren’t first on puck, alert, finishing your check, lose your battle or turn the puck over it is hard for to have a impact and it is hard for everyone else to react…
Coaching we should have gotten a expirenced Ass. someone like Gallant a long time ago… We have a core of young guys and they are getting so much attention and praise, they have big contract and now there kinda running around town, OF model, chewing, being on podcast, commercials kid will be kid but you don’t see many elite guys running around town they doing everything(eating, sleeping, training) geared toward performing. I’m not so sure that is what happening right now and it impossible for a coaching staff to have any control when they get so much validation everywhere else.

 

[Gains]

I think we'll eventually hire Montgomery when he's available. Coaching is not the problem, but I don't think MSL will be the coach to lead us all the way.

I also think it's time to decide which young guys are part of our core and which aren't. We have some kids that I don't see being here long-term, but we're still hoping that they all develop. We could use a few more veterans while the actual good prospects marinate.

 

[MarkovsKnee]

When MSL was hired the love in began but three years in and this team needs a better coaching staff.

We want to see progression in the players but why not with the coaching staff?

No D zone structure, horribad PP and PK and it ain’t getting better.

If they insist on keeping MSL, they need to hire a veteran assistant.

IMO, it’s time to cut MSL loose and bring in a veteran staff that can teach these guys how to play with and without the puck.

Our PK is actually great because Evans has been an absolute beast on it. Guhle is pretty good, too.

5 on 5 and PP are dog shit, though.

 

[Toene]

I think we'll eventually hire Montgomery when he's available. Coaching is not the problem, but I don't think MSL will be the coach to lead us all the way.

I also think it's time to decide which young guys are part of our core and which aren't. We have some kids that I don't see being here long-term, but we're still hoping that they all develop. We could use a few more veterans while the actual good prospects marinate.

Problem is we're stuck with terribad veterans in Gally, Andy, Dvo, Armia, etc. and their contracts.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Problem is we're stuck with terribad veterans in Gally, Andy, Dvo, Armia, etc. and their contracts.

They’re fine for the bottom six.

However… they’re being paid top six money. Doesn’t matter much now though and they’ll be gone by the time it does.

Hate Armia in the top six. That should be Roy’s spot but he f***ed it up.

 

[nhlfan9191]

He could play the trap. That would improve things short term.

Long term it would stunt our players but it wouldn’t definitely give us short term results.

Is that the right decision? I don’t think it is.

Playing with structure doesn’t mean just playing with a trap. They look unorganized on the ice. I understand that naturally they aren’t going to look super fine tuned because of the age and experience of the team but it shouldn’t look like they’re just roaming the ice with no system either. That’s been my biggest criticism of MSL. I’m not calling for Marty to be fired at this point in a rebuild, but eventually we have to place some expectations on him. He’s a guy I really like just having around the team, but from what I’ve watched I think he’s in the wrong role.

 

[Rapala]

I don't think it's unreasonable to expect some growth from our coaching contingent.
I'm just not sure I'm seeing any.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Playing with structure doesn’t mean just playing with a trap. They look unorganized on the ice. I understand that naturally they aren’t going to look super fine tuned because of the age and experience of the team but it shouldn’t look like they’re just roaming the ice with no system either. That’s been my biggest criticism of MSL. I’m not calling for Marty to be fired at this point in a rebuild, but eventually we have to place some expectations on him. He’s a guy I really like just having around the team, but from what I’ve watched I think he’s in the wrong role.

Is it chicken or egg though? His D is crazy green and Dach is missing in action. 2nd youngest club in the league.

Be honest, if I asked you a hypothetical about where you think a rebuild club would be in year three what would your answer be?

More than anything I think they need a vet D. That would settle things down a lot.

I agree the club’s been brutal - worse than the record suggests - and things can be tightened up but MSL isn’t playing from a position of strength right now. The D was always going to be bad this year but with Dach going sideways early on, it’s a real challenge.

I think Dach just needs time. Hopefully Roy comes back and that should settle things down on the second line. Armia makes no sense there. But even if that happens I think we need a vet to come in now - esp since RB won’t be playing with us at any point this year.

It’s not unexpected that we’d see a thread like this five games in. This kind of silliness happens after every winning or losing streak, fans have no patience. They say they want a rebuild but when it comes they freak out over not having immediate results and the coach is always the first victim.

I’m not sure what MSL can do right now but I think more than anything a vet on RD would make a bigger difference than the coach can.

 

[eklund the clown]

Progression with kids takes time.Let's just give it another 10 games or so and see where we are.Have to keep playing the young guys to see what we have.Even with Laine at his top form we would still be where we are.I think we expected too much especially at the start of the season.When your top line has been crap what do we expect?

 

[MXD]

That's just not a very good trolling attempt.

Or somebody blatently admitting he or she doesn't really understand what hockey is.

At this point, the Canadiens :
- Have three 4th line centers
- Their best D (and by FAR) is probably best cast as #2 playing with a better #1 or somewhat easier minutes as the leader of a 2nd pair.
- Have Alex Newhook as the best player on the second line, when he should, in the absolute worst case scenario, be your 6th forward, realistically on a 3rd line and, in the best case scenario, on another team's roster

Like, there's about 4 guys in the right chair, maybe 6 with Dach (who absolutely can be a 2C, but is not here yet this season) and Hutson (rookie, will have ups and downs). One of them is Xhekaj, as 6th D, who is having an awful start. Another is Emil Heineman, as 4th-line winger, and the only guy who could probably play ABOVE his spot.

 

[StCaufield]

When i said some habs fans wouldn’t be able to handle a rebuild, that’s exactly what i was referencing.

Maybe if management didn’t say the rebuild is over and looking to contend for the playoffs there wouldn’t be pissed off fans. I know they didn’t say it was over but they didn’t say it’s over but saying playoffs says otherwise

 

[LaP]

This team wil need better coaching when it will be ready to win. For now the last thing this team needs is a coach that will throw kids under the bus after every mistake. Good team can win regular season games despite the coach.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Maybe if management didn’t say the rebuild is over and looking to contend for the playoffs there wouldn’t be pissed off fans

Yeah… right.

 

[Habsfan18]

Know what would go a long way? Our top line not getting routinely outplayed EVERY single night.

Not sure if it's a lack of fire, or simply being unprepared for the seasom but their play has not been encouraging in the slightest. Your best players have to be your best players if you want to win in this league.

It's still early, but Slaf and Nick in particular? Not even close to being good enough. .

 

[StCaufield]

Sorry but the goaltending duel was one where this game could’ve easily been 3-3 or a win. I donMt think it was a question of outcoaching.

It could’ve been 4-1 after the first. Monty made the score respectable

 

[The Real Timo]

I really don't understand why is it unreasonable for some to think that coaching is a big part of the problem. Nobody's arguing that this team should be winning the cup or even coming close to contending. But when for 3 years it's absolutely the same dog's breakfast for the opposition in the Habs zone and when team year after year looks like they have no clue what's going on on the ice, why is it unfathomable that coaching is the issue?

Lack of talent may be an excuse for not scoring 3+ goals every game, but there is no excuse for getting pinned in your own end 2 minutes at the time on practically every shift, not being able to make one simple pass, having a ridiculous puck turnover rate, etc. That speaks to positioning, assignments, knowing who's doing what... all of that is on coach. These guys didn't make it into the NHL because they don't know how to pass or skate.

 

[StCaufield]

Yeah… right.

Don’t tell the base that they want to contend for the playoffs if it’s a rebuild. That’s not how it works at all it’s pretty black and white. It’s too young in the season to say fire anyone anyway

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Don’t tell the base that they want to contend for the playoffs if it’s a rebuild. That’s not how it works at all it’s pretty black and white. It’s too young in the season to say fire anyone anyway

I’m sure that the fans would be perfectly patient if mgmt had just said the right things…

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I really don't understand why is it unreasonable for some to think that coaching is a big part of the problem. Nobody's arguing that this team should be winning the cup or even coming close to contending. But when for 3 years it's absolutely the same dog's breakfast for the opposition in the Habs zone and when team year after year looks like they have no clue what's going on on the ice, why is it unfathomable that coaching is the issue?

Because it’s the first three years of a rebuild.? Why is this some mystery that you think needs solving. Look at the roster we’ve had ovet the last three years and factor in the injuries… no coach is going to lead those clubs to the playoffs.

Dont scream for a rebuild and then complain when it arrives. This is what it looks like.

 

[morhilane]

Not sure if it's a coaching the issue or a communication problem between the coaches and the players (or between the players) since post-scrum MSL talked about playing a deep forechecking game and the players not executing. And it's the second post-game scrum where he talks about it.

The weirdest part is that some of the players are clearly frustrated over it. Guhle last game with his complaining about them always starting flat. Savard this post-game.