Coaching is a serious problem.

[ReHabs]

I looked at data since 11/11 until 15/12 (I.e. Before the 5 last games), 2.8 GPG, 3.4 GAPG, 31st in shots for, 17th in shots against. 21th in PPG (0.500), I.e. They improved indeed point wise but they still get outshot steadily, they don t have a lot of ozone possession and when they do it is quite sterile.
If the Benchmark is the Show during Heavy losses vs PIT SEA NYR then sure they have improved but to my earlier point, how does it mean this is enough to say this coaching staff is great ?

MSL is a growing coach himself. We'll have a better idea by the end of the season. January should be a treat for Habs nuts like us. Lots of games, lots of data points.

 

[salbutera]

Great that they improve but why would a 5 game sample erase 30 games prior?

Because the team was missing key ingredients to matchup vs opposition - Laine & a legit top-6 NHL RDman

I looked at data since 11/11 until 15/12 (I.e. Before the 5 last games), 2.8 GPG, 3.4 GAPG, 31st in shots for, 17th in shots against. 21th in PPG (0.500), I.e. They improved indeed point wise but they still get outshot steadily, they don t have a lot of ozone possession and when they do it is quite sterile.
If the Benchmark is the Show during Heavy losses vs PIT SEA NYR then sure they have improved but to my earlier point, how does it mean this is enough to say this coaching staff is great ?

Habs are 8OA in the NHL since 11/11 (20GP ago) w .575 pts %

 

[HabbyGuy]

Still think, the best thing for this team is to a hire a real coach in the offseason.

LOL at "real coach" WTF does that even mean?

 

[Naslund]

Still think, the best thing for this team is to a hire a real coach in the offseason.

You are really going to die on that island?

 

[Canadiens Ghost]

The coaching really is a problem. It's hurting our tanking.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

This thread has been real quiet lately

 

[HabbyGuy]

This thread has been real quiet lately

Good, it was always a stupid thread anyway. Hope I never see it again.

 

[Naslund]

Good, it was always a stupid thread anyway. Hope I never see it again.

No chance. I will bring it back from the dead all the time, to teach the younger generations of posters what not do to.

 

[Theodore450]

You are really going to die on that island?

Yes

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

Considering he had them playing man and you saw so many missed assignments. Having Carrier has been a pleasant surprise (at least for me since I didn't know anything about him before the trade) that he is taking that Strubble/Barron spot and making it his own.

I liked the MSL being appointed coach. I never lost faith, but the beginning of the season was rough. Let's see what January has in store for this team to get a better idea of what they can do under MSL.

 

[Naslund]

Considering he had them playing man and you saw so many missed assignments. Having Carrier has been a pleasant surprise (at least for me since I didn't know anything about him before the trade) that he is taking that Strubble/Barron spot and making it his own.

I liked the MSL being appointed coach. I never lost faith, but the beginning of the season was rough. Let's see what January has in store for this team to get a better idea of what they can do under MSL.

You should not need "January" to know the difference between a young team/players learning to get better and a bad coach.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

You should not need "January" to know the difference between a young team/players learning to get better and a bad coach.

January has 14 games, it will be action packed. Are the Habs going to win more than they lose? E

Every month will give you more to disect and therefore get a better idea of what this team is capable of (or not capable of).

 

[Naslund]

January has 14 games, it will be action packed. Are the Habs going to win more than they lose? E

Every month will give you more to disect and therefore get a better idea of what this team is capable of (or not capable of).

The point is that losing many of these January games would not necessarily be an indication that MSL is a bad coach. There are many reasons why teams lose games.

 

[CrAzYNiNe]

The point is that losing many of these January games would not necessarily be an indication that MSL is a bad coach. There are many reasons why teams lose games.

How a coach deals with componding loses sure is telling. Not saying fire him if they have a bad January, it will be interesting after having good spell of games to into a very busy month.

Not sure what you point is, you do not believe at any point you can garner more information about an opinion, whether it supports that opinion, or disproves it?

 

[Chili]

Management finally got around to giving him some help and presto, he's looking good!

 

[tazsub3]

Yes

rip

 

[Adam Michaels]

Management finally got around to giving him some help and presto, he's looking good!

That's what I like about what HuGo did. They saw the team needed some more offense, they get Laine. They see they need to stabilize their defense, they get Carrier.

Two young vets. They didn't make moves for more young players hoping to get going. They got players that will help them move forward.

They're looking to surround their young core in order to enter another phase in the rebuild.

 

[Chili]

That's what I like about what HuGo did. They saw the team needed some more offense, they get Laine. They see they need to stabilize their defense, they get Carrier.

Two young vets. They didn't make moves for more young players hoping to get going. They got players that will help them move forward.

They're looking to surround their young core in order to enter another phase in the rebuild.

I think management addressing two holes in the lineup in the last week or so has inspired the team, plus the boost they got from Laine. They do look like a competitive roster now.

 

[Licou]

That's what I like about what HuGo did. They saw the team needed some more offense, they get Laine. They see they need to stabilize their defense, they get Carrier.

Two young vets. They didn't make moves for more young players hoping to get going. They got players that will help them move forward.

They're looking to surround their young core in order to enter another phase in the rebuild.

Seriously... I don't know if he's still high on adrenaline, but Carrier is a heck of a (defensive) dman... He is nothing like Kovacevic.. He is more akin to a barely poorer man's Vlasic... People that never played hockey tendto underestimate the value of a proper solid dman... Now that Ghule Carrier pair is hard as rocks!

Now that Laine trade.. well all has been said about that one already.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

So, is coaching still a serious problem?

 

[MasterD]

Seriously... I don't know if he's still high on adrenaline, but Carrier is a heck of a (defensive) dman... He is nothing like Kovacevic.. He is more akin to a barely poorer man's Vlasic... People that never played hockey tendto underestimate the value of a proper solid dman... Now that Ghule Carrier pair is hard as rocks!

Now that Laine trade.. well all has been said about that one already.

From the little I've seen, I find Carrier brings pretty much the same thing Guhle brings, but on RD.

I agree with you 100%, flashy guys like Subban or Hutson sell jerseys and are obviously very important, but a solid, two-way/defensive D is so, so important to a hockey team.

I'm 40. Markov and Subban (and Weber, but I didn't like him as much as some other fans) were obviously the top dmen I've seen in Montreal in my lifetime, but a guy like 2008-2009 Hamrlik can completely change and stabilize a D corps. He was a beauty while he was here. I think that's Guhle's upside if he can ever stop getting injured.

So, is coaching still a serious problem?

Yes, but it's improving. MSL would still 100% benefit from an experienced guy like Jacques Martin or Gerard Gallant behind the bench.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Yes, but it's improving. MSL would still 100% benefit from an experienced guy like Jacques Martin or Gerard Gallant behind the bench.

Weird how it improved with Laine coming back and us getting a vet RD who can settle things down.

 

[Kennerback]

No Jacques Martin. Please. He can help a team with no talent do ok. He’ll completely stifle and crush a talented team. He’s the road to nowhere.

 

[ReHabs]

You should not need "January" to know the difference between a young team/players learning to get better and a bad coach.

MSL would’ve been fired long before January if the Habs had any real ambitions. The bad start was very bad and put us in a big hole.

 

[ReHabs]

I think management addressing two holes in the lineup in the last week or so has inspired the team, plus the boost they got from Laine. They do look like a competitive roster now.

This seems to be the case. Improving at the margins (Barron/Struble; Primeau) has a significant impact on the performance.

Carrier being an upgrade on Savard who replaces Barron in TOI means a whole lot more good decision-making will happen which tilts the ice ever so much.

Laine’s entry to the roster added a PPG player out of nowhere. That also can count as a disproportionate improvement because of how bad our scoring depth looked.

And now hopefully Dach and Newhook wake the F up.

I think MSL isn’t out of the weeds just yet, but these roster improvements have really helped him at least ice a team that can compete on a given night.