Sunday, October 2, 2011

Toughness

Last night was the only pre-season game worth watching, as far as the Canadiens are concerned. Even though the fourth line was made up of aspiring guys and not real NHLers, it was the closest to an opening-night lineup we've seen.

The relief of the matter was that the Canadiens...the real Canadiens...were fast, opportunistic and aggressive on the rush. The D got the puck out quickly and didn't give Tampa a chance to line up in their zone. And Carey Price was solid when he had to be, spectacular when required.

The only bruise on the body of an otherwise great game came when Ryan Malone, who'd been looking for trouble all night, came rushing at Chris Campoli, elbow up. He struck Campoli in the head, making no attempt to play the puck. Campoli, predictably, went down hard, body spinning. Malone got a match penalty and an undermatched revenge fight with Josh Gorges, who took a significant cut on the forehead in the process.

Now, today, many Habs fans are screaming for revenge. They want a guy who can go out and revisit the violence on offenders from other teams, or who can prevent said violence in the first place, with a well-placed glare or icy stare indicative of the consequences to be suffered by messing with Canadiens. The more experienced of us know that doesn't work. Not in this day and age, when head shots are being punished and the league's chief of discipline is looking at fighting as a contributing factor in the NHL's high rate of brain injury.

We know goons don't work. We've seen too much of Georges Laraque chasing Milan Lucic around the ice, and Derek Boogaard playing three minutes a game. Now we see the "new" version of enforcers...decent players with a mean streak...being reeled in by NHL discipline for their tendency to hit people in the head. So, what's a team to do?

In the case of the Canadiens, they're doing the right thing. They're icing a team that can play the game. All four lines can skate hard and pressure the opponent. The defence can move the puck up and out quickly and the goalie can stand against the other team's rush. The Canadiens play hockey. The cries of those who bawl for the Habs to employ some other strategy that can intimidate opponents in the old-school way are wrong-headed. Revenge, head shots and maybe even fighting are on the table to be removed from the game. What does that leave? It leaves a skilled team with the ability to beat the other team on the ice, not in the alley. That's the Habs.

If Brendan Shanahan can reel in the unnecessary violence and intimidate players who intend to hurt for the sake of hurting, it gives the Habs a leg up in the league. They don't have people who employ those tactics and can't compete with those who do. But if the teams that depend on intimidation are limited, it gives teams that play hockey a chance.

Brendan Shanahan, in the end, could be the difference between the Canadiens competing for the Cup or not. That's some kind of power. That's tough.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great posting J.T.!

Let's just hope that Shanahan is able to continue with his plan to clean things up once the season starts and the pressure from the Neanderthals starts to build up.

moeman said...

From Dryden's recent words to GM Bob Gainey's original team philosophy and with today's opponent-respectable Gauthier/Martin team, the Canadiens represent what is good about skill vs. violence. I read somewhere that even Stevie Y. wants to see and end to the fisticuffs. It'll be fun watching the violence pedlars like cherry/kypreos/stock/milbury/burke nut jobs lose their collective lunches.

seriousHabit said...

Great read and spot on, I am now waiting to see how far the new NHL will continue this get tough policy. I am still reserved to see what will happen when Shanahan has a showdown with the true powerbrokers of the NHL like Burke, Schirelli and the likes.

Let see how he handles the teams that mysteriously evaded judgement in the past, will we see a Star player treated justly when they cross the line? Tomorrow's judgement showed prove interesting.

Ralph said...

I certainly hope you're right. But I'd rather have a Plan B in my hip pocket, just in case. Would it have caused insurmountable problems to sign Ben Eager, who can also play a decent game? The fact he snaps now and then can be a very positive factor for his teammates. Then the brain trust let Konopka sign with Ottawa. Again, not a game changing move, but two subtle signings that would have sent a clear message to the rest of the league that sand kicking is no longer permitted. I certainly hope that Shanahan gets it right. The only reason Boston won the Cup last year was due to their version of thuggery, along with timely injuries to their opponents. Shanahan has the power to bring down that level of intimidation. Let's hope he uses it and allows skill to determine champions.

dusty said...

Well said. The Habs don't need an enforcer what they need is a strong fourth line which they don't have. Would love to have seen PG acquire Hunter but the Kings got him for peanuts.

The early indication is that Malone won't be suspended. Saw the hit and thought he was in line for 5 games but no it was Campoli's fault.

Number31 said...

Praise for ShanaBan was slightly premature. He absolutely missed the ball on this one, and his explanation behind his decision leaves me more annoyed. This team's faith in the League they play in has to be seriously thin right now...

Guess it'll take a player with a broken neck to have nearly died on the ice for the NHL to get really serious. Oh wait.

Pisano said...

I agreed with J.D. until the Shanahan cop-out today. I stated to those screaming that les Canadiens need an enforcer that we have one: Brendan Shanahan. Then, Shanahan decides the hit to the head is legal.

This is the same as the old discipline with the characters changed. Once tarnished, there is no going back. Shanahan, like hockey-dad before him, has his favourites and they will be seen.

As of now, les Canadiens need some tough enforcers because once the playoffs start, it will be the same as it has been for years. Players like Malone will dominate, les Canadiens will be intimidated, at least the healthy players they have will be, and it will be another early exit.

Continuously turning the other cheek has not been to our benefit. Skill is fine but when the goons show up, we have no recourse, as we are in a gun-fight with a knife.

Shanahan proved it is the same ol', same ol'. Fans, meet the new sheriff, same as the old sheriff, just different favs...

Anonymous said...

I hope Campoli will e-mail or text Malone and apologize for having been the one responsible for this whole incident. Let's hope he doesn't get suspended for this bad deed...