Coaching is a serious problem.

[Habby4Life]

Short term results are meaningless.

The reason he makes sense is because he’s actually suited for that line. He’s got a great shot, can play two way hockey and is a cerebral skilled hockey player.

I don’t give a shit if he has two goals in four games in Laval or if he has eight goals or zero goals. He’s the guy who makes sense there.

We’re wasting our time with Armia on the 2nd. Dach’s struggling to find his game as it is. Roy would actually help.

All of these great attributes weren’t on display during camp.

Let him prove/earn his call up, he isn’t good enough to be anointed 2nd line status. Other young guys have earned their roster spot and deserve a chance before him.

He is where he belongs, earn a call up.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Caufield-Suzuki-Demidov
Roy?-Dach-Slafkovsky

When Laine’s healthy, he’ll go there. Roy may get there eventually. But he definitely makes sense there now that Laine’s hurt.

Going forward it’s Newhook Roy Beck on the third. That gives us a killer third - and then Hage comes up… we’re in really good shape going forward. Laine leaves, hopefully Roy improves and graduates back to the second. That’s what the ideal scenario looks like.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

All of these great attributes weren’t on display during camp.

Let him prove/earn his call up, he isn’t good enough to be anointed 2nd line status. Other young guys have earned their roster and deserve a chance before him.

I have full confidence they know what they’re doing. If they want Roy to stay down that’s cool. Like I said, I don’t give a shit about the short term.

All I am saying is that right now, he’s the best choice for the second line. But that takes a back seat to Roy’s development. If they feel he needs more time there, I’m fine with it. They may look at this as a teachable moment and I’m okay with that.

But in the meantime, that second line is going to struggle. It doesn’t work with Armia there.

 

[morhilane]

In 3 years, have we seen any improvement in any team aspect play?

Yes, individually, some players improved. But collectively, we still have no structure in any zone, no improvement on the speciality teams, no improvement in forecheck. Nada.

MSL would be better suited as assistant coach. As far as preparation of a team and creating a structure/identity of play, he sucks.

5v5 looked great at the start of last season, lots of hustle and sustained ozone time and they were not pinned in their own zone as much as they are this year (mostly happened with X on the ice). Habs were top 5 at 5v5 until like December. It was the PP/PK that was a serious problem, both at the bottom of the league.

This season, the PK look fixed somehow (some of the units are still too passive, but it's #2 in the league right now) and the PP is currently ~20% which is good, but it's mostly CC shooting for 30% and Hutson giving life to a 2nd wave. They still have issues settling in the ozone to cycle.

But 5v5 is godawful to watch so far. Outside of Evan's line and Heineman/Kapanen, the forwards have no hustle. As a result, the 5v5 is at the bottom of the league already. The scary thing is that in the last two seasons, the 5v5 started on fire and collapsed mid-season...

 

[Habano]

The 2nd line needs Joshua Roy. He’s the only healthy player we have who makes sense there.

I hope you're right and I'm proven wrong but Roy, imho, just doesn't look like a 2nd line Nhler. Skating issues, soft and dubious effort. Like I said, you have no idea how badly I want to be wrong.

 

[Habit11]

5v5 looked great at the start of last season, lots of hustle and sustained ozone time and they were not pinned in their own zone as much as they are this year (mostly happened with X on the ice). Habs were top 5 at 5v5 until like December. It was the PP/PK that was a serious problem, both at the bottom of the league.

This season, the PK look fixed somehow (some of the units are still too passive, but it's #2 in the league right now) and the PP is currently ~20% which is good, but it's mostly CC shooting for 30% and Hutson giving life to a 2nd wave. They still have issues settling in the ozone to cycle.

But 5v5 is godawful to watch so far. Outside of Evan's line and Heineman/Kapanen, the forwards have no hustle. As a result, the 5v5 is at the bottom of the league already. The scary thing is that in the last two seasons, the 5v5 started on fire and collapsed mid-season...

Specifically they are 32nd at 5v5 in all of the following: corsi %, fenwick %, expected goals against, expected goal differential, expected goals against/60, high danger shots against... so yeah, not great. These may be imperfect metrics, but it correlates to what we are seeing basically every game so far except vs Ottawa.

It's a young defence group, granted, but there hasn't been a lot of roster turnover since last season, so there should be familiarity with how they are supposed to play as a 5 man unit. They can and should be better than this, and they need to figure it out soon or they'll be out of the mix by December.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

They really have to put newhook on the 3rd or 4th line, he is really bad, I wouldn't mind trying Heineman on the 2nd line

No, Hughes' clients get top priority in the lineup

Newhook and Matheson are untouchable

Habs are 1-pt out of 2nd place in the division AND wildcard spot - can we at least wait till US thanksgiving for the seasons last will & testament?

It’s mind blowing the “Habs are a bottom 5-10 team this season” are yet losing their minds with the present over performance of the team….

Great, and we're 1 point away from being last in our division

 

[Habs]

MSL fanboys, you gotta admit we don't have a system that doesn't include - 'Give the puck to Caufield he will be on the left circle waiting for it'

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I hope you're right and I'm proven wrong but Roy, imho, just doesn't look like a 2nd line Nhler. Skating issues, soft and dubious effort. Like I said, you have no idea how badly I want to be wrong.

You may be right. Skating is an issue and he’s not a blue chip second liner. But I think right now, he’s our best option.

I like his potential but I’m not sitting here saying he’s blue chip for anything.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

MSL fanboys, you gotta admit we don't have a system that doesn't include - 'Give the puck to Caufield he will be on the left circle waiting for it'

And?

 

[Tabarouette]

MSL fanboys, you gotta admit we don't have a system that doesn't include - 'Give the puck to Caufield he will be on the left circle waiting for it'

no system works when our first line looks like this trying to handle a basic pass under absolutely no pressure

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

I have no opinion on MSL either way but I wouldn’t come to too many hard conclusions when the roster isn’t there yet

 

[Habby4Life]

MSL is just the guy for the job if you want a top 5 pick.

Just a PR move, that’s all it was.

 

[salbutera]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1848018218541072453

I take it the coach bears no responsibility for improving what was putrid the last few years and one of the areas of focus entering the season…

 

[vokiel]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1848018218541072453

I take it the coach bears no responsibility for improving what was putrid the last few years and one of the areas of focus entering the season…

With the amount of penalties during preseason, I'm guessing this is normal.

They got to practice it at lengths.

 

[Kennerback]

I hope you're right and I'm proven wrong but Roy, imho, just doesn't look like a 2nd line Nhler. Skating issues, soft and dubious effort. Like I said, you have no idea how badly I want to be wrong.

« just doesn't look like a 2nd line Nhler. » I would say that statement also applies to everyone on our 2nd line right now,

 

[HuGort]

Didn’t say I wanted him back.

Just think MSL is in over his head, team needs better coaching. Both are not very good.

I think lack of experience. MSL hadn't coached before. On rebuilding team he just let them go. Different this year team was expected to be better. When he had to play structured game. Some people just can't teach.

You got structurely sound coach, experienced developing young players.

 

[Habs]

And?

Do you not think trying to cycle the puck to other guys is a good idea at some point? You know they will eventually cover Cole?

 

[salbutera]

In 3 years, have we seen any improvement in any team aspect play?

Yes, individually, some players improved. But collectively, we still have no structure in any zone, no improvement on the speciality teams, no improvement in forecheck. Nada.

MSL would be better suited as assistant coach. As far as preparation of a team and creating a structure/identity of play, he sucks.

PK?

 

[FerrisRox]

Slaf for starters?

We saw an enormous upswing in Cole Caufield when MSL took over, too.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

MSL has developed who exactly ?

Slaf, Caufield, Dach, Suzuki, Matheson, Kovacevic, etc. have all made great progression under Marty.

 

[BLONG7]

Slaf, Caufield, Dach, Suzuki, Matheson, Kovacevic, etc. have all made great progression under Marty.

Marty has done a great job helping those kids......................he needs an Associate Coach to handle the X and O's to help with systems.

 

[salbutera]

Marty has done a great job helping those kids......................he needs an Associate Coach to handle the X and O's to help with systems.

What do you think Roger Grillo’s there for? He’s got an exceptional reputation as a tactician…

 

[BLONG7]

What do you think Roger Grillo’s there for? He’s got an exceptional reputation as a tactician…

Roger Grillo better buckle up.....................MSL needs more help than he is getting. One shift last night, them were hemmed in their own zone for 4 minutes, 5 on 5..............
Maybe Grillow can put a shirt and tie on, and get behind the bench?

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Do you not think trying to cycle the puck to other guys is a good idea at some point? You know they will eventually cover Cole?

I’m pretty sure other players are getting shots.