HF Habs: The Martin St Louis Thread

[Habs]

Due to a lack of alternatives, the Vets you mention play a big role in our team’s dynamic on and off the ice. Arber Xhekaj does not.

MSL can’t bench Matheson, his workhorse, but he can give Xhekaj’s meagre minutes to other players.

Oh yeah, but soon as anything requiring an ounce of physical play or a message is needed, he immediately needs the guy. I don't mind Arbs getting sat, but that standard has to be held across the entire team. Struble, Savard (even gold boy Hutson has made many awful plays) but he only sits one guy every time. Remember when we had that 9-1 run, and the team was so physical, we all noticed it? What happened? Retreated back to his old methods and we start losing again, we aren't even competing the last 4 games.

 

[ExReHabs]

Oh yeah, but soon as anything requiring an ounce of physical play or a message is needed, he immediately needs the guy. I don't mind Arbs getting sat, but that standard has to be held across the entire team. Struble, Savard (even gold boy Hutson has made many awful plays) but he only sits one guy every time. Remember when we had that 9-1 run, and the team was so physical, we all noticed it? What happened? Retreated back to his old methods and we start losing again, we aren't even competing the last 4 games.

I blame the roster depth more than coaching at this point. MSL is trying to make things work with a limited talent and materials, he's going to lean on the players he trusts and all season it seemed like he trusted Struble and Xhekaj the least (naturally, as they are not established NHL dmen).

I love when the Habs play physical but Xhekaj has to not make such boneheaded decisions and earn TOI. It's disappointing to see him make such an amateur play.

 

[Habs]

I blame the roster depth more than coaching at this point. MSL is trying to make things work with a limited talent and materials, he's going to lean on the players he trusts and all season it seemed like he trusted Struble and Xhekaj the least (naturally, as they are not established NHL dmen).

I love when the Habs play physical but Xhekaj has to not make such boneheaded decisions and earn TOI. It's disappointing to see him make such an amateur play.

But when MM and Savard do the same bi head plays ? You think they are irreplaceable? Cmon.

 

[ExReHabs]

But when MM and Savard do the same bi head plays ? You think they are irreplaceable? Cmon.

For MSL, after the trade deadline? He has no other players, they're functionally literally irreplaceable.

 

[Heineman Mineman]

Well he has never sat or punished MM, Savard, Dvorak, Armia etc, but Arbs makes a mistake, and poooof he's out rest of the game.

Savard has been below 15 minutes for the last five games.

Arbs is a good example of the point I was trying to make as he just missed a first game since October, because in the meantime, he was trying hard to be more responsible, so MSL kept him (even though he has not shown clearly that he is top-6 caliber imo).

MM is the same, MSL forgives his brain farts because he gives his all on the ice. That's the point I was trying to make in the first place, these are all good example of that.

 

[Habano]

Well he has never sat or punished MM, Savard, Dvorak, Armia etc, but Arbs makes a mistake, and poooof he's out rest of the game.

C'mon, didn't you know those are high quality players that make the most meaningful contributions

 

[Mrb1p]

Savard has been below 15 minutes for the last five games.

Arbs is a good example of the point I was trying to make as he just missed a first game since October, because in the meantime, he was trying hard to be more responsible, so MSL kept him (even though he has not shown clearly that he is top-6 caliber imo).

MM is the same, MSL forgives his brain farts because he gives his all on the ice. That's the point I was trying to make in the first place, these are all good example of that.

Arber gives more effort wise on the ice and does less mistakes than MM.

 

[Mrb1p]

I blame the roster depth more than coaching at this point. MSL is trying to make things work with a limited talent and materials, he's going to lean on the players he trusts and all season it seemed like he trusted Struble and Xhekaj the least (naturally, as they are not established NHL dmen).

I love when the Habs play physical but Xhekaj has to not make such boneheaded decisions and earn TOI. It's disappointing to see him make such an amateur play.

All this is moot as Matheson routinely makes the most boneheaded, unforced mistakes on the team.

 

[Heineman Mineman]

Arber gives more effort wise on the ice and does less mistakes than MM.

Let's swap their ice time and see what happens then

 

[Mrb1p]

Let's swap their ice time and see what happens then

Can it be worse than what MM gives? Hes basically giving one goal a game because of dumbass mistakes.

 

[Heineman Mineman]

Can it be worse than what MM gives? Hes basically giving one goal a game because of dumbass mistakes.

My opinion is yes, X is clearly a lesser player than MM. I'm not interested in debating this futher

My initial take was with another poster, I wanted to point out that MSL had his share of weaknesses but I liked the fact that he seemed to be able to forgive mistakes made by the players if these players accepted the role he wants them to play and if they give him their 100% (each player has a different 100%)

Both MM and X have had their faults forgiven on many occasions by MSL and I like that, he's not the Therrien type of coach.

 

[Mrb1p]

My opinion is yes, X is clearly a lesser player than MM. I'm not interested in debating this futher

My initial take was with another poster, I wanted to point out that MSL had his share of weaknesses but I liked the fact that he seemed to be able to forgive mistakes made by the players if these players accepted the role he wants them to play and if they give him their 100% (each player has a different 100%)

Both MM and X have had their faults forgiven on many occasions by MSL and I like that, he's not the Therrien type of coach.

You are blinded by the player MSL was. Hes a terrible coach and clearly has his favorites.

 

[Heineman Mineman]

You are blinded by the player MSL was. Hes a terrible coach and clearly has his favorites.

I just said that there is an aspect of MSL that I liked, I didn't say I wanted to marry him. Yeah, he clearly has is favorites, I agree with that and I never implied anything else, I don't get where the insult is needed. Is it the fact that I mentioned that I preferred him to Therrien that wired you this way?

You're telling me I'm blinded when you clearly have that splinter of hatred in the eye that makes you reply to everything I write, trying to make me say stuff I didn't say

I don't get why you're trying to turn down everything that I write. There is no argument in what you're writing, you're not building the discussion on anything that I wrote, you just reply with an insult. I come here every day, I don't write often and now I remember why that is.

You should maybe wonder why you feel a need to spill that unnecessary negativity around, that can't be good for you in the long run

 

[Paradoxe]

I just said that there is an aspect of MSL that I liked, I didn't say I wanted to marry him. Yeah, he clearly has is favorites, I agree with that and I never implied anything else, I don't get where the insult is needed. Is it the fact that I mentioned that I preferred him to Therrien that wired you this way?

You're telling me I'm blinded when you clearly have that splinter of hatred in the eye that makes you reply to everything I write, trying to make me say stuff I didn't say

I don't get why you're trying to turn down everything that I write. There is no argument in what you're writing, you're not building the discussion on anything that I wrote, you just reply with an insult. I come here every day, I don't write often and now I remember why that is.

You should maybe wonder why you feel a need to spill that unnecessary negativity around, that can't be good for you in the long run

Do not mind him, he's in a rant game since the Subban trade and wants to tell the world he knows everything.

MSL is doing fine with the team he has. People need to understand how the hockey cycle and game cycle work. MSL is the most effective teacher that our team can get. For a team that was supposed to be a last-tier feeder (again), he did more than great.

 

[salbutera]

You are blinded by the player MSL was. Hes a terrible coach and clearly has his favorites.

Nonsensical!!

MSL will likely be a Jack Adams nominee if the team hangs on to a wildcard spot…. and rightfully so

How’s KK’s 70-80pts season coming along?

 

[ExReHabs]

All this is moot as Matheson routinely makes the most boneheaded, unforced mistakes on the team.

Matheson is overplayed and overexposed. Until Guhle and Hutson and Reino push him down the depth chart (or another top3 D is acquired) it is what it is. There's nothing unusual about this situation -- he's our best all-around dman and that is an indictment of the roster not the coach or the player. Too much TOI means too many inflection points means more mistakes are made. A very good d-man makes so few mistakes that he can play 20m+ a night... Matheson is not Shea Weber or Andrei Markov or PK Subban, he doesn't have the juice to be left so exposed and not be victimized for it.

Discussion of MSL's coaching ability should incorporate the context: a roster that is presently quite flawed in every respect.

A few spot improvements will then make the roster factor minimal and we can evaluate MSL's coaching more precisely. I don't agree with all of Hughes and MSL's decisions and am not shy to say so but the context should be acknowledged: Hughes didn't believe in this roster enough to acquire even a single depth player. If MSL gets us into the playoffs it'll have to do with his faith in the electric rookie Hutson and the self-belief he gave the team to go toe-to-toe with all comers on most nights since December started.

If we didn't eat shit for 30 games to start the season, we'd be much more comfortable with the coaching and the roster right now.

 

[Guy Larose]

This board is funny...and sad. This was supposed to be a bottom 5 team (projected) and MSL brought the team where they are LMAO.

 

[habdynasty]

Everyone favourite player got scratched so now the coach sucks. lol lol lol

 

[bcv]

This board is funny...and sad. This was supposed to be a bottom 5 team (projected) and MSL brought the team where they are LMAO.

They weren't expected to be a bottom 5 team.

I'd say overall MSL has done a good job, but he's not above criticism.

 

[Guy Larose]

They weren't expected to be a bottom 5 team.

I'd say overall MSL has done a good job, but he's not above criticism.

That's where they were projected, or close to it, at the beginning of the year, especially with Laine out and before the Carrier trade...and no, he's not above criticism but for some to constantly say he sucks? Come on.

 

[bcv]

That's where they were projected, or close to it, at the beginning of the year, especially with Laine out and before the Carrier trade.

Projected by whom? Certainly not by the management team.

 

[Guy Larose]

Projected by whom? Certainly not by the management team.

Management team was talking about the mix. All pundits, shows, experts, even fans on this board (not that it matters), etc were saying that the team didn't change (except Laine that was out with an injury at the time)

 

[bcv]

Management team was talking about the mix. All pundits, shows, experts, even fans on this board (not that it matters), etc were saying that the team didn't change (except Laine that was out with an injury at the time)

If they really were experts, they'd employed in the NHL not talking nonsense on TV.

Anyway, that's besides the point. MSL is not above criticism.

 

[Mrb1p]

This board is funny...and sad. This was supposed to be a bottom 5 team (projected) and MSL brought the team where they are LMAO.

Msl? Not really. Its mostly on Suzuki and Hutson.

 

[Guy Larose]

If they really were experts, they'd employed in the NHL not talking nonsense on TV.

Anyway, that's besides the point. MSL is not above criticism.

Never said they were...and I've already addressed the second point. Repeating your stance doesn't change what I said. Saying he sucks altogether is not criticism and plainly false.