Post-Game Talk: Habs 3, Pens 2 - To Me It Looks Like Monkeys Trying to Hump A Football

[Pancakes]

Alright negative nancies. Out of the playoff picture. You think we're not competing for a playoff spot in the next 2-3 years?

We'll turn it around with the right coaching staff, aka a staff that isn't what we have now.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Alright negative nancies. Out of the playoff picture. You think we're not competing for a playoff spot in the next 2-3 years?

Understood. I took the term to mean something a little different.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

We'll turn it around with the right coaching staff, aka a staff that isn't what we have now.

The right staff would likely save a playoff berth, but no one's coaching up this defense you can mark that down. It doesn't seem like they've been terrible so far but don't worry it'll come.

 

[Pancakes]

The right staff would likely save a playoff berth, but no one's coaching up this defense you can mark that down. It doesn't seem like they've been terrible so far but don't worry it'll come.

Yeah our defense will be terrible regardless of the coach but a good coach would at least get us scoring goals.

Pouliot having a bad camp basically ruined us. The Pens were counting on him to be able to play top 4 minutes.

 

[KIRK]

if THIS top-6 CAN'T execute your system, then your system sucks. There is no way this group of players CAN'T execute it, but your system is brilliant.

Dan Bylsma in the playoffs to the contrary notwithstanding?

The distinction between players aren't executing to players can't execute is a fine line. There is also a distinction between players working hard and players working effectively.

In terms of players aren't executing, I thought the players could have done better with is receiving passes. There were a lot of tape to tape passes attempted that jumped off the receiving player's sticks. Crosby, Kunitz and Kessel in particular seemed to struggle.

In terms of players can't execute, zone exits, zone entries, and the neutral zone structure seem to be major areas of concern.

EDIT: I also think these past few games exemplify why I think Johnston's obsession with conditioning in practice is stupid. Use practice time to work on zone entries, zone exit, etc with game-like conditions. Use it to work on passing and chemistry with game-like conditions. Don't use it for bag skates.

Great points. Wholeheartedly agree.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

Yeah our defense will be terrible regardless of the coach but a good coach would at least get us scoring goals.

Pouliot having a bad camp basically ruined us. The Pens were counting on him to be able to play top 4 minutes.

I'm still hopeful. He's got the raw talent IMO. All he needs to do is come up, which we all know he eventually will, and minimize those goof ups he's had being so young. Some of our guys are so bad that that's all he'd have to do to improve the defense somewhat IMO. He can skate and helps puck possession so if he can iron out his game a little it'll be a clear win for us.

That's what I was hoping he'd do starting immediately though so hopefully he just needed a kick in the ass. Like you said that screwed us. I figured if he could at least take the next logical step we'd have some semblance of a D corps.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

if THIS top-6 CAN'T execute your system, then your system sucks. There is no way this group of players CAN'T execute it, but your system is brilliant.

Pretty much all that needs to be said.

While the offense should suffer because of the lack of transition from the defense, it shouldn't be this bad.

 

[Pancakes]

I'm still hopeful. He's got the raw talent IMO. All he needs to do is come up, which we all know he eventually will, and minimize those goof ups he's had being so young. Some of our guys are so bad that that's all he'd have to do to improve the defense somewhat IMO. He can skate and helps puck possession so if he can iron out his game a little it'll be a clear win for us.

That's what I was hoping he'd do starting immediately though so hopefully he just needed a kick in the ass. Like you said that screwed us. I figured if he could at least take the next logical step we'd have some semblance of a D corps.

I'm hoping this is the case. Pouliot has always struck me as a guy who raises his level when the games matter. The higher the intensity of the games the more he seems to get focused.

In preseason he was just overthinking everything. If he gets called up it will just be an NHL game with NHL speed and he won't have time to overthink his decisions, and hopefully that will bring back the kid we saw glimpses of last year.

 

[AjaxTelamon]

Larkin has taken 59 shifts almost all with Z, while Sprong has taken 36 almost entirely on the fourth line.

It's the Pens. Really, it's our fault for hoping they would do this right.

Oh well, at least they are winning and blowing up the red light.

And ya know, playing the actual best players, and at this point in the season, using youth and upside as a tiebreaker, sure wouldn't hurt.

Our defense isn't playing great, and it's mostly self-inflicted. Maatta can't carry a pair right now, he's 20 and rusty, he should be with Letang, and Dumo and Cole should be together as a 2nd pair. DP playing terrible really did screw us up, because that third pairing should be DP and probably Clendening, with Lovejoy as a cheap vet #7.

It's not like this is round 1 of the playoffs. And even if it was, we're not winning anything with Scuds or Lovejoy on the 2nd pair.

 

[UnderratedBrooks44]

And ya know, playing the actual best players, and at this point in the season, using youth and upside as a tiebreaker, sure wouldn't hurt.

Our defense isn't playing great, and it's mostly self-inflicted. Maatta can't carry a pair right now, he's 20 and rusty, he should be with Letang, and Dumo and Cole should be together as a 2nd pair. DP playing terrible really did screw us up, because that third pairing should be DP and probably Clendening, with Lovejoy as a cheap vet #7.

It's not like this is round 1 of the playoffs. And even if it was, we're not winning anything with Scuds or Lovejoy on the 2nd pair.

The only problem with those pairs you mentioned is you can't play Scuderi-Lovejoy on the road. I mean you wouldn't want to anyways but you simply can't when the other team has the last change.

 

[IcedCapp]

Given the way Pouliot and Maatta look, and the fact that Maatta was injured at the time, the Despres trade is even more indefensible. And this is why i'm going to keep bringing it up. Because it DOES make a difference and it WILL continue to impact this team long after Lovejoy is forgotten (when he's out of the NHL 11 months from now)

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

If they take a clean loss tomorrow night I think we will see some crazy ****, whether it makes sense or not. Going 0-5 at the hands of Toronto would have to be the tipping point. I really believe that. If I'm wrong on the changes well, MJ deserves to go even more obviously than before. If I'm wrong on the firing, they'll get what they deserve this year. You simply can't have zero points after 5 games.

Let's hope that Kapanen scores a hattie against the Pens....

 

[DrDangles]

Given the way Pouliot and Maatta look, and the fact that Maatta was injured at the time, the Despres trade is even more indefensible. And this is why i'm going to keep bringing it up. Because it DOES make a difference and it WILL continue to impact this team long after Lovejoy is forgotten (when he's out of the NHL 11 months from now)

Bringing it up isn't going to reverse the trade.

Have to wonder how soon MJ could be replaced if we continue to under perform. At the end of the day we're 3 games in. We looked like a completely different team early last season when healthy. This fan base is incredibly bi polar and changes opinions nearly shift to shift.

 

[IcedCapp]

Bringing it up isn't going to reverse the trade.

Have to wonder how soon MJ could be replaced if we continue to under perform. At the end of the day we're 3 games in. We looked like a completely different team early last season when healthy. This fan base is incredibly bi polar and changes opinions nearly shift to shift.

nothing we bring up on this site will have any effect on anything.

The more you know.

 

[SidDidNothingWrong]

Bringing it up isn't going to reverse the trade.

Have to wonder how soon MJ could be replaced if we continue to under perform. At the end of the day we're 3 games in. We looked like a completely different team early last season when healthy. This fan base is incredibly bi polar and changes opinions nearly shift to shift.

Nothing we do on this website does anything.

 

[SidDidNothingWrong]

nothing we bring up on this site will have any effect on anything.

The more you know.

I remember the first time I met IcedCapp...

 

[crossicepass]

I'm enjoying that Rossi was right, not that their losing, just that Rossi was right

 

[DrDangles]

nothing we bring up on this site will have any effect on anything.

The more you know.

Ah ****, really?

Here I was thinking each NHL was run as a democracy with input from a bunch of idiots on the Internet.

If constantly whining about the Despres trade doesn't do anything why do you continue to do it? Keep punching that brick wall if it helps you feel better I guess.

 

[IcedCapp]

I'm enjoying that Rossi was right, not that their losing, just that Rossi was right

whose losing?

 

[IcedCapp]

Ah ****, really?

Here I was thinking each NHL was run as a democracy with input from a bunch of idiots on the Internet.

If constantly whining about the Despres trade doesn't do anything why do you continue to do it? Keep bunching that brick wall if it helps you feel better I guess.

If constantly whining about lines doesn't change it, why do people do it?
If constantly whining about the coach doesn't change it, why do it?
If constantly whining about anything on this board doesn't change it, why do it?

I thought I was clear enough the first time, but clearly I had to spell it out for you extra slowly and in BIG
BOLD
LETTERS.

Hopefully you got it this time. If not, it's on you to figure it out. My community service is limited to two posts.

 

[xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

If constantly whining about lines doesn't change it, why do people do it?
If constantly whining about the coach doesn't change it, why do it?
If constantly whining about anything on this board doesn't change it, why do it?

I thought I was clear enough the first time, but clearly I had to spell it out for you extra slowly and in BIG
BOLD
LETTERS.

Hopefully you got it this time. If not, it's on you to figure it out. My community service is limited to two posts.

Bruh, get over it. Despres isn't Bobby Orr.

 

[The Old Master]

Bruh, get over it. Despres isn't Bobby Orr.

and off come the gloves.

 

[Beau Knows]

The Depres trade hurts, but he wouldn't take our current blueline to acceptable levels. The biggest issues are obviously Scuderi being a fixture for life and DP's game weakening to the point where he can't even make the team. Either we messed up with the DP pick, or his development is going to take a while, I think it will turn out to be a wasted pick that will cost us. I was fine with this season being a transition season for the defense, but I don't see much help coming from inside the organization in the near future.

MJ isn't going to last 30 games in my opinion. I don't see how this team can possibly play the kind of hockey expected of them (whether or not those expectation are realistic). Lots of pressure with the ownership trying to sell the team, wouldn't be surprised if we make a shortsighted trade to bring in some immediate help on the blueline.

 

[SHOOTANDSCORE]

I'm glad someone else saw this movie. It was on AMC recently. I still have it recorded. I love that movie.

We may be the only two.

There's a fine line between players not working hard enough and players being put into a position that no matter how hard they work, they're ******. I don't know where it is, but they definitely crossed it with Johnston sometime last season.

Exactly. That's the type of thing that snowballs. Lose faith in the system, lose confidence in the coach, run around overcompensating, eventually wear down and just start going through the motions.

I'm enjoying that Rossi was right, not that their losing, just that Rossi was right

He was right. The old twinkies tasted better.

Bruh, get over it. Despres isn't Bobby Orr.

More like Bobby Clarke. Or maybe Bobby Probert.

 

[Waffle Fries]

The Depres trade hurts, but he wouldn't take our current blueline to acceptable levels. The biggest issues are obviously Scuderi being a fixture for life and DP's game weakening to the point where he can't even make the team. Either we messed up with the DP pick, or his development is going to take a while, I think it will turn out to be a wasted pick that will cost us. I was fine with this season being a transition season for the defense, but I don't see much help coming form inside the organization in the near future.

MJ isn't going to last 30 games in my opinion. I don't see how this team can possibly play the kind of hockey expected of them (whether or not those expectation are realistic). Lots of pressure with the ownership trying to sell the team, wouldn't be surprised if we make a shortsighted trade to bring in some immediate help on the blueline.

Yes he would. With Despres, we'd either be able to role a monster pairing of Maatta-Letang for 25+ minutes a night or two very solid 20+ minute a night pairings of Despres-Letang and Maatta-Cole. We'd have two pairings that can transition the puck well rather than one, and Scuderi's pairing would get less ice time.