I was watching the game last night with a couple of friends, and between complaints about the lack of scoring and the lousy defence, one of them said something pretty wise. The NHL, he said, is a house league. They play 82 games to eliminate fourteen teams, but pretty much anyone who can stay above .500 will get a playoff spot. He's right. The Canadiens are having trouble right now, but looking back at season results from the last five years, there are five-game losing streaks and five-game winning streaks over the course of each of them. There are periods when nothing goes in the net and they get shut out two games out of three. There are also periods when they score 30 goals in seven games.
The Habs can play better hockey than we're seeing. We know Mike Cammalleri and Brian Gionta can score. We know we'll see better defence and more energy and better outcomes as the season goes on. At the moment, though, when we're frustrated by blown chances and dumb plays, it feels like the team is worse than it is.
There's no question there are problems that need to be fixed. Half the defence is over 35 and shows it when they play against young, fast forecheckers. That can easily be changed. Alex Picard and Ryan O'Byrne are available and offer size and youth to a D-corps that has shown it really needs those things.
The top-six forwards aren't scoring much. David Desharnais is scoring in Hamilton and is salivating for a call-up. So is Ryan White who plays every shift like it's his last, while Dustin Boyd and Maxim Lapierre do not. The lack of aggression and committment from the fourth line negates their purpose for playing at all. They're supposed to bring intensity and help set the mood for the rest of the team, even if they're not scoring. When they fail at that, they become at best a non-entity and at worst a liability. White would love the chance to take one of those guys' jobs.
Call-ups at the moment are tough because the team is healthier than it's been in two years. The roster is full unless someone is demoted, and that means waivers. We know, however, that things can change very quickly in the course of a long season and the team that finishes a season is rarely the same as the one that starts it. Trades happen, injuries and call-ups happen and teams evolve.
That doesn't make us feel a lot better about the slow, lazy-looking style we're seeing on the ice right now. It's hard to think "this too shall pass" when we're watching Spacek lose the puck in the corner and Gill screen Price on a point shot in exactly the same way he did last week. It will, though. Things will change. When Gionta's and Cammalleri's shots start going in and Subban has a monster night on the blueline, everything will be rosy again.
Such is life in house league. We just have to remember it's only important to end the season in the top eight, no matter what it takes to get there.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Sens vs. Habs - Deja Vu Edition
Notes on the first:
-Watching Price during the anthem, I wonder what goes through his mind at that time.
-Good on Martin for breaking up Gionta and Gomez. Something had to give, and maybe Pleks can get the captain moving. Gionta's like a beer in the freezer. Sooner or later, it's gonna bust Onopen.
-Lapierre is as effective as a neutered dog at a breeding farm.
-Is it just me, or is Price ducking when the puck comes at him high?
-The PP is so bad, it's soon going to be the benchmark for other bad things. "How's the weather there today?" "Oh, man, it's as bad as the Habs' PP."
-Martin looks like he wants to choke Cammalleri and chop the body into tiny bits.
-One of the great modern mysteries of sport: How Scott Gomez once scored 33 goals in a season.
-Gionta's going to have to get Price to sacrifice his cursed stick. It worked for Gorges two years ago.
-Not a bad period, but the Habs are as lucky as the White Star Line in 1912.
-Watching Price during the anthem, I wonder what goes through his mind at that time.
-Good on Martin for breaking up Gionta and Gomez. Something had to give, and maybe Pleks can get the captain moving. Gionta's like a beer in the freezer. Sooner or later, it's gonna bust Onopen.
-Lapierre is as effective as a neutered dog at a breeding farm.
-Is it just me, or is Price ducking when the puck comes at him high?
-The PP is so bad, it's soon going to be the benchmark for other bad things. "How's the weather there today?" "Oh, man, it's as bad as the Habs' PP."
-Martin looks like he wants to choke Cammalleri and chop the body into tiny bits.
-One of the great modern mysteries of sport: How Scott Gomez once scored 33 goals in a season.
-Gionta's going to have to get Price to sacrifice his cursed stick. It worked for Gorges two years ago.
-Not a bad period, but the Habs are as lucky as the White Star Line in 1912.
Aftermath: A Few Good Men
Picking up a free agent can be a very risky move for a team. If it's a top-tier guy, the money he makes becomes a factor in determining how much other guys get paid and whether another player stays or goes in a cap-tight lineup. Even if it's a bargain-basement kind of addition, though, there's risk involved.
Usually, a team brings in a guy like that to do a specific job. He's got to be the solution to a problem. Can't win draws? Bring in a faceoff specialist for cheap. Need veteran leadership? Get yourself a guy who's been around. Problems with the PK? Find a low-priced defensive-minded forward. If he does the job you pay him for and doesn't cost a lot, he can be a valuable addition. If he doesn't, it costs a roster spot and a chance for a young player to develop, as well as wasted cap space.
There are intangible risks involved with adding any player. Nobody knows how a new guy will fit in, whether he's got the right attitude for the role he's hired to fill, or whether there'll be personality clashes with the guys who've been there longer. When you've got a team that becomes as tight as the Habs did in last year's playoffs, it's sometimes tough for a new player to fit in. It's really a crap-shoot, even knowing the player's history elsewhere. Sometimes you get a Sergei Samsonov or a Georges Laraque. Sometimes you luck out and get a Jeff Halpern.
Halpern is a more than pleasant surprise. When he signed with the Habs, he was supposed to offer a right-handed option up front, take some of the PK load off of Plekanec and win important faceoffs. He's done all of that, but nobody really expected the offensive contributions he's been making. Nobody could have dreamed of the impact his straightforward style would have on the development of young linemate Benoit Pouliot.
Halpern fits into a hardworking crew of veterans like Scarlett O'Hara into a corset. He's smart, quiet and gives an honest effort every night. Pouliot and Mathieu Darche are benefitting from playing on his wings because hard work will often generate second chances and dirty goals, and goals of any sort help build confidence.
It's great to see that line come together and have its efforts rewarded, as happened in last night's game. Those three players were almost entirely responsible for the two points the Habs acquired. Almost, because Carey Price had a pretty big part in the victory as well.
Price is playing some good hockey, although he's often the victim of the fairly frequent defensive breakdowns in front of him. Last night he made three or four huge saves to keep the game close and let his team come back to win. That's all you can ask of a goaltender, and Price is doing his part to help the team.
Right now, the Habs are scratching out points as best they can while hoping for the goal-scoring dam to burst for Cammalleri, Gomez and Gionta. The Canadiens have a good idea that there's better to come from last year's big acquisitions. While they're waiting for that to happen, Jeff Halpern is doing a good job proving he's one of the good guys.
Usually, a team brings in a guy like that to do a specific job. He's got to be the solution to a problem. Can't win draws? Bring in a faceoff specialist for cheap. Need veteran leadership? Get yourself a guy who's been around. Problems with the PK? Find a low-priced defensive-minded forward. If he does the job you pay him for and doesn't cost a lot, he can be a valuable addition. If he doesn't, it costs a roster spot and a chance for a young player to develop, as well as wasted cap space.
There are intangible risks involved with adding any player. Nobody knows how a new guy will fit in, whether he's got the right attitude for the role he's hired to fill, or whether there'll be personality clashes with the guys who've been there longer. When you've got a team that becomes as tight as the Habs did in last year's playoffs, it's sometimes tough for a new player to fit in. It's really a crap-shoot, even knowing the player's history elsewhere. Sometimes you get a Sergei Samsonov or a Georges Laraque. Sometimes you luck out and get a Jeff Halpern.
Halpern is a more than pleasant surprise. When he signed with the Habs, he was supposed to offer a right-handed option up front, take some of the PK load off of Plekanec and win important faceoffs. He's done all of that, but nobody really expected the offensive contributions he's been making. Nobody could have dreamed of the impact his straightforward style would have on the development of young linemate Benoit Pouliot.
Halpern fits into a hardworking crew of veterans like Scarlett O'Hara into a corset. He's smart, quiet and gives an honest effort every night. Pouliot and Mathieu Darche are benefitting from playing on his wings because hard work will often generate second chances and dirty goals, and goals of any sort help build confidence.
It's great to see that line come together and have its efforts rewarded, as happened in last night's game. Those three players were almost entirely responsible for the two points the Habs acquired. Almost, because Carey Price had a pretty big part in the victory as well.
Price is playing some good hockey, although he's often the victim of the fairly frequent defensive breakdowns in front of him. Last night he made three or four huge saves to keep the game close and let his team come back to win. That's all you can ask of a goaltender, and Price is doing his part to help the team.
Right now, the Habs are scratching out points as best they can while hoping for the goal-scoring dam to burst for Cammalleri, Gomez and Gionta. The Canadiens have a good idea that there's better to come from last year's big acquisitions. While they're waiting for that to happen, Jeff Halpern is doing a good job proving he's one of the good guys.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Habs vs. Sabres: Bonfire Night Edition
Notes on the third:
-I like Gorges with Markov. They're both smart players with complementary skills.
-If Cammalleri is arguing that that's not holding, he's probably also arguing with God that he's not short.
-The thing with Price is, he doesn't have to *make* himself big. He IS big. He just has to not make himself small.
-The PP is like a fat spinster; hoping to get some, but pretty sure it won't.
-The good thing about Gill is when he falls in the D-zone, he's got a 50/50 chance of covering the puck.
-Martin has the weirdest ears ever. The tops turn out like the handles on a sugar bowl. Sugar Bowl Martin.
-Nice D at the end of the period. They can crush the life from a game when they want to...you have to give them that.
Notes on the second:
-It's great that the Halpern line is scoring. It sucks that the Halpern line is the ONLY line scoring.
-How is it that the Bruins seem to ALWAYS have played five fewer games than the Habs?
-AK46 looked to his left on the 2-on-1, saw Gomez, sighed and took the shot.
-Price is the Black Knight tonight. "None shall pass!"
-Not smart to let Kaleta take out both Markov and Gorges. That's his job, and the Habs can't let themselves be suckered into falling for it. Especially not with blind refs calling the game.
-The whole problem for the Habs is their passing. It's bad. Fix it and you'll see a different team. Well, that, and actually hitting the net when they shoot.
-Markov's not himself. I don't know who he is, but I don't like that guy.
-Nice move by Pouliot. I'd say it's time to take him out of fourth-line purgatory, but that would only put him in Gomez hell.
-AK couldn't hit the floor if he passed out tonight.
-RDS on the Poo-Poo go-ahead: Quelle SNAP! Indeed!
-Better period, but not by much. The D are still looking like they already set their clocks back.
Notes on the first:
-Completely without having seen any of these pairs together, I really like the idea of Gorges with Markov and Subban with Gill. It makes perfect sense to those of us who pulled our hair out watching Gorges save Gill's ass every night.
-Games without Pleks are like baked potatoes without sour cream.
-You know who sucks this year? Lapierre.
-Good for Eller to have Cammalleri on his wing. Bad for Eller to also have Moen.
-Gill handles the puck like Paul Bunyan handled trees.
-Gomez sent the train to the station. AK46 failed to jump on board.
-Good thing the PK is working or the Habs would be so far north of shit creek they'd have frostbite.
-Decent rush, Gomez has the puck, he leaves it for a Sabre to avoid a hit. He's doing that waaaay too much this year.
-It's 8:05. Do you know where YOUR power play is?
-Spacek is the worst defenceman in the world. There are insomniac grannies who play better D than him.
-Halpern, on the other hand, was a genius pickup. He's now got more goals than Cammalleri, Gomez and Gionta. Take note, expensive ones.
-Mediocre period, but at least they're not getting totally killed here. Time to step it up in the second and justify Price's good work.
-I like Gorges with Markov. They're both smart players with complementary skills.
-If Cammalleri is arguing that that's not holding, he's probably also arguing with God that he's not short.
-The thing with Price is, he doesn't have to *make* himself big. He IS big. He just has to not make himself small.
-The PP is like a fat spinster; hoping to get some, but pretty sure it won't.
-The good thing about Gill is when he falls in the D-zone, he's got a 50/50 chance of covering the puck.
-Martin has the weirdest ears ever. The tops turn out like the handles on a sugar bowl. Sugar Bowl Martin.
-Nice D at the end of the period. They can crush the life from a game when they want to...you have to give them that.
Notes on the second:
-It's great that the Halpern line is scoring. It sucks that the Halpern line is the ONLY line scoring.
-How is it that the Bruins seem to ALWAYS have played five fewer games than the Habs?
-AK46 looked to his left on the 2-on-1, saw Gomez, sighed and took the shot.
-Price is the Black Knight tonight. "None shall pass!"
-Not smart to let Kaleta take out both Markov and Gorges. That's his job, and the Habs can't let themselves be suckered into falling for it. Especially not with blind refs calling the game.
-The whole problem for the Habs is their passing. It's bad. Fix it and you'll see a different team. Well, that, and actually hitting the net when they shoot.
-Markov's not himself. I don't know who he is, but I don't like that guy.
-Nice move by Pouliot. I'd say it's time to take him out of fourth-line purgatory, but that would only put him in Gomez hell.
-AK couldn't hit the floor if he passed out tonight.
-RDS on the Poo-Poo go-ahead: Quelle SNAP! Indeed!
-Better period, but not by much. The D are still looking like they already set their clocks back.
Notes on the first:
-Completely without having seen any of these pairs together, I really like the idea of Gorges with Markov and Subban with Gill. It makes perfect sense to those of us who pulled our hair out watching Gorges save Gill's ass every night.
-Games without Pleks are like baked potatoes without sour cream.
-You know who sucks this year? Lapierre.
-Good for Eller to have Cammalleri on his wing. Bad for Eller to also have Moen.
-Gill handles the puck like Paul Bunyan handled trees.
-Gomez sent the train to the station. AK46 failed to jump on board.
-Good thing the PK is working or the Habs would be so far north of shit creek they'd have frostbite.
-Decent rush, Gomez has the puck, he leaves it for a Sabre to avoid a hit. He's doing that waaaay too much this year.
-It's 8:05. Do you know where YOUR power play is?
-Spacek is the worst defenceman in the world. There are insomniac grannies who play better D than him.
-Halpern, on the other hand, was a genius pickup. He's now got more goals than Cammalleri, Gomez and Gionta. Take note, expensive ones.
-Mediocre period, but at least they're not getting totally killed here. Time to step it up in the second and justify Price's good work.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Aftermath: Ugh!
A colleague asked this morning, "Who'd the Canadiens play last night?" The only possible answer was: "They didn't play." As a long-suffering Islanders fan, he didn't get it. For Habs fans who expect a little more, however, there are no words to describe how generally awful the Canadiens were last night. There were so many terrible aspects of the way they played, it's tough to consider them in isolation. It's easier, instead, to pick out the positives. So, here are the top ten notable things about last night's game:
10. Tomas Plekanec finally stopped making Scott Gomez look bad.
9. The power play didn't stick out as the worst part of the team's game.
8. Jaroslav Spacek helped the coaches know their concerns about his play to date were right on target.
7. Brian Gionta is one game closer to his big scoring break-out.
6. Benoit Pouliot only fell down twice.
5. Carey Price whiffed one on the blocker side, so now people can stop whining about his glove hand.
4. P.K.Subban, in solidarity with his ancient defence mates, considerately slowed his game to AHL levels to match their pace.
3. The team's collective no-show helped Ryan O'Byrne feel less bad he wasn't in uniform.
2. The equipment guys work pretty hard when the team's on the road, so the lack of sweat really made their job easier.
And the number one positive from last night's game:
1. It's over.
10. Tomas Plekanec finally stopped making Scott Gomez look bad.
9. The power play didn't stick out as the worst part of the team's game.
8. Jaroslav Spacek helped the coaches know their concerns about his play to date were right on target.
7. Brian Gionta is one game closer to his big scoring break-out.
6. Benoit Pouliot only fell down twice.
5. Carey Price whiffed one on the blocker side, so now people can stop whining about his glove hand.
4. P.K.Subban, in solidarity with his ancient defence mates, considerately slowed his game to AHL levels to match their pace.
3. The team's collective no-show helped Ryan O'Byrne feel less bad he wasn't in uniform.
2. The equipment guys work pretty hard when the team's on the road, so the lack of sweat really made their job easier.
And the number one positive from last night's game:
1. It's over.
Hab vs. Jackets - Ruby Tuesday Edition
Notes on the third:
-Two words to describe the Canadiens attitude: Ho, and Hum.
-Emailing every move in advance is not going to convince Garon to allow a goal.
-Markov is looking more like a private than a general.
-It's great to know Playoff Gill and Playoff Lapierre and Playoff Spacek exist. Too bad we have to depend on their regular season versions to get the team TO the playoffs in the first place.
-I thought the Jersey game was the worst of the season. Turns out the Habs have even worse in them. It's like thinking fuschia was the worst colour in the world, then discovering puce.
-If an alien came here right now and asked, "What is this thing you're watching?" I could not explain hockey to him.
-When the only question is "will they break the shutout?" it's time to go to bed early.
-Here we are now at the dreaded crossroads. The Plekanec line has cooled off and nobody else...as has been the case all season so far, Gomez lovers...is scoring. What to do?
-Price is doing well, considering that he's got the defensive equivalent of the Belgian airforce in front of him.
-Apparently, a season can't be complete unless there's a healthy measure of abject humiliation included. Way to go, Habs.
Notes on the second:
-The Habs look like ghosts in those whites. Maybe they're still in Halloween mode. Or maybe their physical bodies just aren't there.
-I've always said the stupidest penalty in hockey is the delay-of-game for shooting the puck over the glass. I retract that. It's now the slashing the stick penalty on those stupid, brittle composites.
-Gorges playing goalie, and Price knocking the net off on purpose. Whatever it takes, boys.
-WHEW...Spatch was THAT close to pulling an OB. (Just thinking only Habs fans would know what that means.)
-Just out of curiosity, is there a specific time in the game when they're down 2-0 when they're supposed to start caring?
-The D coverage is sparser than Mariah Carey's clothes.
-Another twenty minutes of suckage for the time capsule. If the time capsule hopes to preserve an anthology of "ways to NOT win a hockey game."
Notes on the first:
-Five minutes into the period, and the Habs look depressed. I don't blame them. What a lousy place to have to play.
-Oh, right, Umberger. It's funny how even the most blazing hatred can burn down to the ashes of indifference when a guy leaves Philly.
-Way to go, Spatch. Taking the first penalty isn't helping your case.
-For those who keep arguing that Gomez is actually playing well, exhibit A: first wave of the PP. Gomez dumps the puck in the corner, can't retrieve it. Then he scrums along the boards and can't dig it out. He passes to Subban in traffic, they lose control and Columbus gets a scoring chance. Finally, he takes a couple of strides in off the right boards and takes a low-percentage shot that's easily stopped and turned back the other way. After the game, it'll show he had a minute of PP time and took a shot. Whoopee.
-Nash's goal froze Price like Bambi. Not good.
-The goal was also evidence that the only time Hal Gill should pinch is when someone says, "Wake me, I'm dreaming."
-Brutal PK breakdown on an unnecessary penalty by Pouliot. Martin looks troubled when he looks at the kid.
-Subban is playing at AHL speed tonight. Twice, he's hesitated long enough for the Jackets to get in his lane and cause trouble.
-RDS drinking game: take a sip every time they say "Price perde la rondelle." Drink the whole think when they say "Ay yi yi."
-Crap period. Habs need to get it together in every aspect of the game.
-Two words to describe the Canadiens attitude: Ho, and Hum.
-Emailing every move in advance is not going to convince Garon to allow a goal.
-Markov is looking more like a private than a general.
-It's great to know Playoff Gill and Playoff Lapierre and Playoff Spacek exist. Too bad we have to depend on their regular season versions to get the team TO the playoffs in the first place.
-I thought the Jersey game was the worst of the season. Turns out the Habs have even worse in them. It's like thinking fuschia was the worst colour in the world, then discovering puce.
-If an alien came here right now and asked, "What is this thing you're watching?" I could not explain hockey to him.
-When the only question is "will they break the shutout?" it's time to go to bed early.
-Here we are now at the dreaded crossroads. The Plekanec line has cooled off and nobody else...as has been the case all season so far, Gomez lovers...is scoring. What to do?
-Price is doing well, considering that he's got the defensive equivalent of the Belgian airforce in front of him.
-Apparently, a season can't be complete unless there's a healthy measure of abject humiliation included. Way to go, Habs.
Notes on the second:
-The Habs look like ghosts in those whites. Maybe they're still in Halloween mode. Or maybe their physical bodies just aren't there.
-I've always said the stupidest penalty in hockey is the delay-of-game for shooting the puck over the glass. I retract that. It's now the slashing the stick penalty on those stupid, brittle composites.
-Gorges playing goalie, and Price knocking the net off on purpose. Whatever it takes, boys.
-WHEW...Spatch was THAT close to pulling an OB. (Just thinking only Habs fans would know what that means.)
-Just out of curiosity, is there a specific time in the game when they're down 2-0 when they're supposed to start caring?
-The D coverage is sparser than Mariah Carey's clothes.
-Another twenty minutes of suckage for the time capsule. If the time capsule hopes to preserve an anthology of "ways to NOT win a hockey game."
Notes on the first:
-Five minutes into the period, and the Habs look depressed. I don't blame them. What a lousy place to have to play.
-Oh, right, Umberger. It's funny how even the most blazing hatred can burn down to the ashes of indifference when a guy leaves Philly.
-Way to go, Spatch. Taking the first penalty isn't helping your case.
-For those who keep arguing that Gomez is actually playing well, exhibit A: first wave of the PP. Gomez dumps the puck in the corner, can't retrieve it. Then he scrums along the boards and can't dig it out. He passes to Subban in traffic, they lose control and Columbus gets a scoring chance. Finally, he takes a couple of strides in off the right boards and takes a low-percentage shot that's easily stopped and turned back the other way. After the game, it'll show he had a minute of PP time and took a shot. Whoopee.
-Nash's goal froze Price like Bambi. Not good.
-The goal was also evidence that the only time Hal Gill should pinch is when someone says, "Wake me, I'm dreaming."
-Brutal PK breakdown on an unnecessary penalty by Pouliot. Martin looks troubled when he looks at the kid.
-Subban is playing at AHL speed tonight. Twice, he's hesitated long enough for the Jackets to get in his lane and cause trouble.
-RDS drinking game: take a sip every time they say "Price perde la rondelle." Drink the whole think when they say "Ay yi yi."
-Crap period. Habs need to get it together in every aspect of the game.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Money Changes Everything
Imagine, if you will, a tale of two forwards. One of them is young and promising. At 21 years old, he's just getting started on an NHL career so the coach has him playing with low-scoring wingers, getting fourth-line minutes as he gets his feet wet in NHL waters. It's tough, because he's primarily a playmaker, and he's managed only one assist in 11 games. Even so, he's showing a nice passing ability and conscientious backcheck.
The other player is a veteran with a Calder Trophy and two Stanley Cup rings in his pocket. He's also a playmaker, but he's got one of the team's best snipers on his wing and gets first-line minutes and PP time every night. Still, he's got only one (rather flukey) goal and a pair of assists in 11 games. The main differences between the two men are their relative years of experience and their contracts.
Of course, the two are Lars Eller and Scott Gomez. It's understandable, in terms of experience, why Jacques Martin is giving Gomez every chance to get his game going. The guy consistently puts up 40-plus assists every year, even when his goal totals hover around 15 a season, give or take a couple. When a player depends as much on his linemates' production as Gomez does, it's not fair to blame him for low point totals just because his wingers are snakebitten. That's the reasonable argument for Gomez' continued preferred treatment by the coaching staff. When you know what to expect from a guy with experience, you have to give him a chance to do what you know he can. It's much tougher to give an unproven player that kind of leeway because you don't know what you should really be expecting from him.
The question with Gomez is, how long does Martin wait before the "experience" advantage runs its course? One answer is surely: not much longer. The unfortunate truth about the Canadiens offence all season is if Tomas Plekanec's line doesn't score, the team has a tough time winning. Luckily, Plekanec's line has scored in nearly every game so far. The Halpern line is contributing some secondary scoring, which is what fans can expect of them. The heavy lifting, though, is supposed to be split between Plekanec and Gomez. Pleks is doing his part. Gomez is not.
Part of the reason is Gionta's stunning bad luck in finishing. Part of it is the revolving winger on Gomez' other side. I think a lot of Travis Moen as a hardworking grinder, but he is not a natural goal scorer. Benoit Pouliot has two goals and six points in 11 games on the third line. One might think he'd offer more options for Gomez if given a longer stint on the second line, but Martin seems uninterested in reuniting that combo.
So, here we have a second-line that's severely underperforming and there seems to be no immediate solution because the coach insists on maintaining status quo between Gomez and Gionta. We can understand it to some degree. They've had success before and there's no reason to think they won't have it again. The problem is, they're not having it now. While Gomez' struggles rest partly with his wingers, a big part of the blame has to fall on him. He's been working solo too often, blowing through the neutral zone and ending up in the other team's end alone, and then giving the puck away. He's making bad, low-percentage passes into traffic and he's almost always looking for Gionta while ignoring the revolving winger on his line. He's just not playing very well.
Sometimes, when that happens, it's worth moving a promising kid onto that line for a few games. Perhaps switching Eller and Gomez would work on a number of fronts. It would poke Gomez a bit, maybe make him mad enough to step up his intensity level. It would also force him to work a bit harder on the creativity side to have to adjust to different linemates. And it would give Eller a chance to show what he can do with better wingers. Maybe he's the one who'd be able to get Gionta and Pouliot going.
Maybe none of that would happen, but at this stage of the season, is there anything wrong with trying it to see? Would it be worse than putting Travis Moen out there with Gomez and Gionta? The problem is, Gomez gets preferential treatment not only because of his experience, but because of his contract. It would look bad for Martin to demote the guy making the most money on the team to the third line, so he holds his nose and hopes to hell the guy starts performing.
Paul Coffey appeared on TSN's Off the Record last week. He was part of a panel talking about Ilya Kovalchuk's benching, and he explained the politics of money in the NHL.
"The problem I have in today's game is the coaches treat guys different because they make more money," he said. "And to me, I don't care. There can only be one set of rules."
He went on to say that that's not the case these days. There are two sets of rules; one for the ordinary player and one for the guys making top-of-the-line salaries. Owners, GMs and coaches have to justify the money they spend, so they give those guys every possible chance to succeed. It's like the treatment first-round draft picks get, versus fourth rounders. The organization will always favour the guy in whom it's invested more.
Right now, it's early in the year and Gomez will probably get back on track. It's just disappointing to watch his aimless play continue while the coach does nothing to shake things up in the meantime. Moving him to another line wouldn't destroy him, but it would send the message that everyone on the team is equal and will be played according to effort and performance. Leaving him on the second line while he's doing nothing to deserve it isn't fair. Pouliot got demoted and Dustin Boyd scratched, and neither of them has played worse than Gomez.
If the coach is seeing signs Gomez is about to get it together, or knows his experience will get him going, that's one thing. If he's continuing to give him good linemates and high minutes because he's the team's highest-paid player, that's another thing altogether.
Seeing Martin apparently willing to scratch Jaro Spacek in favour of Alexandre Picard is encouraging. Spacek has his good points, but he's been playing poorly this year. If he sits because his play dictates he should, regardless of his salary, Martin will be making the right choice. Still, Spacek's money is nowhere close to Gomez'. It would be nice to see Martin break up the second line for a little while, despite Gomez' salary. Something's got to give to get those players moving before too much time passes. We'll see if Martin's got the 'nads to move the team's highest-paid player around in the lineup, for the good of the whole group.
The other player is a veteran with a Calder Trophy and two Stanley Cup rings in his pocket. He's also a playmaker, but he's got one of the team's best snipers on his wing and gets first-line minutes and PP time every night. Still, he's got only one (rather flukey) goal and a pair of assists in 11 games. The main differences between the two men are their relative years of experience and their contracts.
Of course, the two are Lars Eller and Scott Gomez. It's understandable, in terms of experience, why Jacques Martin is giving Gomez every chance to get his game going. The guy consistently puts up 40-plus assists every year, even when his goal totals hover around 15 a season, give or take a couple. When a player depends as much on his linemates' production as Gomez does, it's not fair to blame him for low point totals just because his wingers are snakebitten. That's the reasonable argument for Gomez' continued preferred treatment by the coaching staff. When you know what to expect from a guy with experience, you have to give him a chance to do what you know he can. It's much tougher to give an unproven player that kind of leeway because you don't know what you should really be expecting from him.
The question with Gomez is, how long does Martin wait before the "experience" advantage runs its course? One answer is surely: not much longer. The unfortunate truth about the Canadiens offence all season is if Tomas Plekanec's line doesn't score, the team has a tough time winning. Luckily, Plekanec's line has scored in nearly every game so far. The Halpern line is contributing some secondary scoring, which is what fans can expect of them. The heavy lifting, though, is supposed to be split between Plekanec and Gomez. Pleks is doing his part. Gomez is not.
Part of the reason is Gionta's stunning bad luck in finishing. Part of it is the revolving winger on Gomez' other side. I think a lot of Travis Moen as a hardworking grinder, but he is not a natural goal scorer. Benoit Pouliot has two goals and six points in 11 games on the third line. One might think he'd offer more options for Gomez if given a longer stint on the second line, but Martin seems uninterested in reuniting that combo.
So, here we have a second-line that's severely underperforming and there seems to be no immediate solution because the coach insists on maintaining status quo between Gomez and Gionta. We can understand it to some degree. They've had success before and there's no reason to think they won't have it again. The problem is, they're not having it now. While Gomez' struggles rest partly with his wingers, a big part of the blame has to fall on him. He's been working solo too often, blowing through the neutral zone and ending up in the other team's end alone, and then giving the puck away. He's making bad, low-percentage passes into traffic and he's almost always looking for Gionta while ignoring the revolving winger on his line. He's just not playing very well.
Sometimes, when that happens, it's worth moving a promising kid onto that line for a few games. Perhaps switching Eller and Gomez would work on a number of fronts. It would poke Gomez a bit, maybe make him mad enough to step up his intensity level. It would also force him to work a bit harder on the creativity side to have to adjust to different linemates. And it would give Eller a chance to show what he can do with better wingers. Maybe he's the one who'd be able to get Gionta and Pouliot going.
Maybe none of that would happen, but at this stage of the season, is there anything wrong with trying it to see? Would it be worse than putting Travis Moen out there with Gomez and Gionta? The problem is, Gomez gets preferential treatment not only because of his experience, but because of his contract. It would look bad for Martin to demote the guy making the most money on the team to the third line, so he holds his nose and hopes to hell the guy starts performing.
Paul Coffey appeared on TSN's Off the Record last week. He was part of a panel talking about Ilya Kovalchuk's benching, and he explained the politics of money in the NHL.
"The problem I have in today's game is the coaches treat guys different because they make more money," he said. "And to me, I don't care. There can only be one set of rules."
He went on to say that that's not the case these days. There are two sets of rules; one for the ordinary player and one for the guys making top-of-the-line salaries. Owners, GMs and coaches have to justify the money they spend, so they give those guys every possible chance to succeed. It's like the treatment first-round draft picks get, versus fourth rounders. The organization will always favour the guy in whom it's invested more.
Right now, it's early in the year and Gomez will probably get back on track. It's just disappointing to watch his aimless play continue while the coach does nothing to shake things up in the meantime. Moving him to another line wouldn't destroy him, but it would send the message that everyone on the team is equal and will be played according to effort and performance. Leaving him on the second line while he's doing nothing to deserve it isn't fair. Pouliot got demoted and Dustin Boyd scratched, and neither of them has played worse than Gomez.
If the coach is seeing signs Gomez is about to get it together, or knows his experience will get him going, that's one thing. If he's continuing to give him good linemates and high minutes because he's the team's highest-paid player, that's another thing altogether.
Seeing Martin apparently willing to scratch Jaro Spacek in favour of Alexandre Picard is encouraging. Spacek has his good points, but he's been playing poorly this year. If he sits because his play dictates he should, regardless of his salary, Martin will be making the right choice. Still, Spacek's money is nowhere close to Gomez'. It would be nice to see Martin break up the second line for a little while, despite Gomez' salary. Something's got to give to get those players moving before too much time passes. We'll see if Martin's got the 'nads to move the team's highest-paid player around in the lineup, for the good of the whole group.
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