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We're Third Place and....

Andy

Andy

Registered User
Jun 26, 2008
32,153
20,242
Montreal
...I just can't identify with this team this year (one of the major reasons I haven't been on HF in the last month and a half, which is probably a relief for some). I also get the sense from reading this board that I am not the only one.

Sorry to rant here, but I felt the need to say it before the post-season.

The team has such a good place in the standings, yet I find myself having trouble getting excited for games. Something about this team just rubs me the wrong way. The Habs win, yet I seldom walk away feeling satisfied. The whole year has seemed like the habs have lucked their way to victory all season long, taking games they deserved to lose...blowing leads, being consistently outshot and outplayed.


I don't know what it is, but there is just something about the current team that makes me feel flat when watching. They aren't particularly exciting to watch; it's frustrating seeing no structure in the team's game and the decisions made behind the bench perplex me over and over again - even in the face of the decisions actually pulling through...though barely.

I hope this changes in the post season and next year, but I feel as though the Habs haven't been this talented in the longest time, yet they are also one of the most boring Habs and unidentifiable teams in recent memory. Even Martin's team was more exciting, playing a rigid D structure with less talent - especially in 2010-2011, that team was fun to watch.

That being said, for those who don't care, flame away, for those who do, what are your 2 cents?
 
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As long as MT remains the head coach of this team, your anxiety will not go away. I feel the same way.

Constantly changing personnel, no system, no accountability, no PP.
They're winning inspite of the coach and lack of system. In the playoffs, the successful teams are well coached and have structured systems. Doesn't look good for the Habs.
 
I kind of feel the same way.

My reasons are because they are not build the way i like. I love big, skill team with toughness + aggressive style of play. We're far away from being that.

I'm just mad jelly at the Bruins, LA, Philly, Blues, etc.

This is my main reason i'm not excited watching Habs games. I can't identify myself to this team entirely.
 
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Andy said:
...I just can't identify with this team this year (one of the major reasons I haven't been on HF in the last month and a half, which is probably a relief for some). I also get the sense from reading this board that I am not the only one.

Sorry to rant here, but I felt the need to say it before the post-season.

The team has such a good place in the standings, yet I find myself having trouble getting excited for games. Something about this team just rubs me the wrong way. The Habs win, yet I seldom walk away feeling satisfied. The whole year has seemed like the habs have lucked their to victory all season long, taking games they deserved to lose...blowing leads, being consistently outshot and outplayed.


I don't know what it is, but there is just something about the current team that makes me feel flat when watching. They aren't particularly exciting to watch; it's frustrating seeing no structure in the team's game and the decisions made behind the bench perplex me over and over again - even in the face of the decisions actually pulling through...though barely.

I hope this changes in the post season and next year, but I feel as though the Habs haven't been this talented in the longest time, yet they are also one of the most boring Habs and unidentifiable teams in recent memory. Even Martin's team was more exciting, playing a rigid D structure with less talent - especially in 2010-2011, that team was fun to watch.

That being said, for those who don't care, flame away, for those who do, what are your 2 cents?
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Are you sure you're reffering to the habs not the LEAFS?!?!?!
 
I don't even know where to start.

You can't identify with Price whose having the best season of his career? You can't get excited when you see Patch close to 40, and the magic btwn him Vanek and DD? How about the comeback? Or the moments against Boston?

I know there are very few MT fans in this city, but some people's hate for him has surpassed their love for the team. Its reached the point where some of us b*** just for the sake of it, and rant at the first sight of trouble. Keep the complaining until after the playoffs- I've never seen a Habs team with so much success yet most people in this city treat them like we're last place in the conference. This is why we don't deserve nice things.
 
I almost seems that some people think that with a superior coach the Habs would be pretty much invincible.

Hard to imagine how they might feel about the other 6 Canadian teams.... were they to be fans. :help:

High expectations around here...
 
The Real Guy Lafleur said:
Last time I checked we will be the ONLY Canadian team in the playoffs.

We should all be happy about that.
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Not according to the Canadian Tire flyer received today.....

"Get ready for the playoffs." Shows the Habs logo yes, but a full picture of a Leafs jersey....snicker....hehehe....HAHAHAHAHAHA

Sorry but that was my reaction when I saw it.
 
habster said:
Are you sure you're reffering to the habs not the LEAFS?!?!?!
Click to expand...

Andy is probably partly right. Habs possession numbers and shot numbers are not exactly good.

But hey... In a salary cap world, when your goalie has one of the higest salary (at his position), he has to be one of the best. Top-5. Not Top-15. Mind you, Top-5 is exactly what Price was this year. The salary going to Price is not going to another player, or to another option (with a 4.5 M dollars goalie, we would expect slightly worse performances from our goalie, but it also means we would pay the-guy-taking-Bouillon's spot in the lineup 3 millions instead of 1.5... which might indeed have resulted in less shots against/more shots for).

Some would say it's a bad thing that this year's performance is too dependant on Carey Price. Yet, when we look at the payroll... if would be abnormal if the Habs WOULDN'T be dependant on Price.
 
Agree. Last year this team played like the diet version of the Blackhawks, not quite as deep or talented but we rolled 4 lines and outshot, outscored, and outchanced the opposition. This year we're more like the full fat version of the Leafs. Getting outshot every game, 17th in 5v5 goal differential, and holding on because of Price's Vezina calibre year.

The most frustrating part is the sentiment that Therrien is doing "all he can with this roster". That's just garbage, the roster is very talented and this stupid dump and chase crap and trying to get Subban to play like Gorges is the furthest thing from being efficient with the roster. The difference between this year's team and 2010-11 under Martin is going to be a maximum of 4 points and 2 wins. This roster is so much better than that.
 
I think the problem is expectations. Last season we played an exciting brand of hockey, had so many player have breakout years and all the new faces were big contributors. Then this year we play a boring brand of hockey, get outplayed a lot more often, the newcomers are mostly flops so it's a big let down.

So it's not that this years team is worse or more boring then most other teams we've iced for the past 10 years, it's that you know they have the potential to be dominant and because they aren't it's kinda frustrating.
 
I feel the exact same way as Andy. I just don't feel a connection with this team anymore, and it really ****ing sucks because the Habs have always been a huge part of my life. For the first time ever, I find myself caring more about individual players (Subban and Price) rather than the team as a whole. I don't know what it is... maybe it's me?
 
PyrettaBlaze said:
I feel the exact same way as Andy. I just don't feel a connection with this team anymore, and it really ****ing sucks because the Habs have always been a huge part of my life. For the first time ever, I find myself caring more about individual players (Subban and Price) rather than the team as a whole. I don't know what it is... maybe it's me?
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Sad thing is, this is the best roster we've had in years.

Good news though, Tampa is beatable... even with MT as our coach.
 
Markov4Captain said:
I don't even know where to start.

You can't identify with Price whose having the best season of his career? You can't get excited when you see Patch close to 40, and the magic btwn him Vanek and DD? How about the comeback? Or the moments against Boston?

I know there are very few MT fans in this city, but some people's hate for him has surpassed their love for the team. Its reached the point where some of us b*** just for the sake of it, and rant at the first sight of trouble. Keep the complaining until after the playoffs- I've never seen a Habs team with so much success yet most people in this city treat them like we're last place in the conference. This is why we don't deserve nice things.
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Indeed. I've never seen such a bunch of drama queens.
 
I love this team. MT changed the style this year because he knew it would not work in the playoffs.

The team is way better than anything we had under Martin. Martin would never trust the Gallys like MT did. Pacioretty almost busted under him while he played Darche,Pyatt,Halpern and Blowmez to death.

While i dislike the way they handle PK (and the D-corp overall) i appreciate the solid season by guys like Price,Pacioretty,Plekanec,Gallagher ect. The grit on the bottom lines. The trust in young Bournival..ect.

My .02 cents.

GHG

tumblr_n3u4jfbGxR1shr61qo1_500.gif
 
I feel like if this team loses in the first round then they're meeting my expectations. If they happen to succeed then they're exceeding my expectations.

It's not normal to feel this way but this team is like that, I feel like they've been overachieving all season long. When they're not good it's the real habs, and when they're good we're being lucky.

Maybe it's a pessimistic view of things, and I don't like to see things this way, but that's the way it is.
 
Noob616 said:
The irony is that the negativity is because the team could be better than it is.
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We're on the verge of a 100 pt season. We have the 3rd best record in the East. Are you going to tell me we're better than that? Better than Boston? Pittsburgh? We've had to deal with the losses of injured players and bad seasons from others. We are a good team, and a few years from now, we are going to be a great team. People on this board were more positive when JM was our coach- and last time I checked, his game plan in the 2010 PO was a hot goalie and a near-perfect PK. We were outshot, out chanced, out-everything. This team can win 20 games in a row and one bad performance will have all the naysayers coming out of the woodwork within seconds. The players on this team AND the coaching staff have not gotten the credit they deserve this year. In a season where we are the ONLY Canadian team to make the playoffs, still with an even brighter future ahead, we still manage to sh*** all over it.
 
a 100 point season is definitely better than anything i ever expected from this team. i cant say i am disappointed in any way but i have a hard time believing this team can win in the playoffs.

i think it can get better in the future though with the defensive depth that is starting to form. my hope is that they will continue to draft well and get even deeper in defensemen and be like the elite teams.
 
Noob616 said:
The irony is that the negativity is because the team could be better than it is.
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Oh yeah ? Look at the standing league wide. Take a look and tell me the habs are as good as the teams above them.

Until trade deadline we had one impact forward, ONE. Pacioretty.

Plekanec, DD, Gallagher, etc all fine players but the only star player is Pacioretty up front. Show me a team ahead of us with one star player up front. It hurts even more that Pacioretty is a winger and not a center.

It's not perfect. Nothing ever is but this "the team could be so much better" stuff is just whining for whining's sake.

1. Boston 115 pts
2. Anaheim 112 pts
3. Colorado 111 pts
4. St-Louis 111 pts
5. Pittsburgh 107 pts
6. Chicago 107 pts
7. San Jose 107 pts
8. Los Angeles 99 pts

Perphaps the blues have a comparable forward corps? I don't know.

But none of this matters... we made the playoffs. All that matters is how we will do once we're there. If we finish top 10 league wide and didn't have to spend all of our energy getting there then there is cause to remain hopeful that the team has another gear saved for the playoffs. If the team sucks and doesn't compete that will be the time when people can cry non-stop. Until that happens, you're all just drama queens. Sorry to say.
 
These feelings come and go. Sometimes obsessive fandom can lead to this situation, where you realize no matter how much you put IN, you can only get so much OUT.

No one's going to sell you on this team's quality - we've had very little drama this year and we're not underdogs - you're going to have to evaluate what brings you to the table every night. I like seeing defense (not defensive, protect-the-tie tactics - there's a difference) and as such this year's system is more enjoyable (but more boring) than last year's heart-attack-Habs.

I think once the playoffs start and the hate naturally erupts out of both fanbases, things are going to get intense and draw everybody back in.
 
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