Nobody’s going to spit on a three-game crop of three points along the way, but is that the problem? Does defeat hurt enough for the Canadian?
I’m not necessarily talking about the 4-2 loss in Dallas where the Habs went 2-0, but I’m talking about all losses in general. We know the team is young, we’re going in the right direction and we’re confident about the future, but there are things that bother me.
Martin St-Louis is looking for solutions, he’s in development mode and he’s not panicking. I also know that he wants to establish a winning culture. But what do we hear very often? We were good five against five, the penalties hurt us and the power play didn’t work.
Players say they are disappointed after losing, but I don’t see anyone in the organization who seems really offended by a loss and that bothers me.
I realized this after the trade that took me from the Canadiens to the Colorado Avalanche. I can tell you that great players like Joe Sakic and Rob Blake have been in good form after losing. Losing was not an option for her. They had what it takes to be world champions.
You can blame the referees and the penalties, but I know coaches who were very strict with players who got bad penalties and reminded them that they were responsible for their stick. It’s time for us to be more disciplined. We don’t have the right to be the most punished team every night.
We will also have to find solutions for the special units. It is important. We have good elements but obviously we lack confidence at the moment. I’m looking at Jonathan Huberdeau in Calgary and he’s not the same powerplay player that he was with the Panthers. He’s trying to play the perfect game, passing instead of shooting, but we know what he’s capable of. He looks for himself. We see that at CH too.
Caufield and Suzuki
Martin St-Louis wants more production from his second, third and fourth lines. He says he feels an evolution from Jonathan Drouin and Joel Armia. Perfect. The memory of Anthony Richard is part of that goal, but on the other hand I’m not convinced that Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki’s split is the solution.
These two are sparks and have shown consistency this year. I don’t mind separating them in certain situations in a match, but they have such good chemistry together that we need them on one line.
St. Louis tried an experiment in Dallas, but I’m not sure the folks at Bell Center would be happy to see Suzuki and Caufield on different lines. They put the show together night after night.
It’s up to others to do more like Joel Armia, Josh Anderson, Mike Hoffman. Jonathan Drouin has been playing very well since his return to the game, we feel he’s involved but he needs to produce. I want to see more sense of urgency from these players.
Is Juraj Slafkovsky beginning that seasons in the NHL are long? If yes, there is a simple solution.
Team of two goalkeepers
Everyone needs to look in the mirror because we can’t blame the guards this year. Jake Allen or Samuel Montembeault does the job and I have to give credit to Allen. Every time Montembeault’s game goes up a notch, he comes back with a vengeance to show he’s number one.
The Canadiens have become a team of two goalies. Let’s hope they become a disciplined four-line team because that will take it until the end of the season.
– Interview by Gilles Moffet
excerpts
Ovechkin and his 802e
Each time my former teammate Alex Ovechkin When I hit a mark, I hurry to text him a congratulatory message. And now that he’s hit the 802 goal mark and passed Gordie Howe, I wish he can make it to 1000. I’m so happy for him. Saying that when he started people said he lacked discipline, that he didn’t take care of his body. He’s 37 years old and still a power player. Ovi is a real machine and it’s amazing to see him walk. Despite all his achievements, I still think he’s underestimated. Maybe there will come a day when he overtakes Wayne Gretzky. I consider myself lucky to have known him.
The impressive Linus Ullmark
I confess to being impressed by the Boston Bruins goaltender’s season Linus Ullmark. It reminds me of Hamburglar’s (Andrew Hammond) year in Ottawa 2014-15, except Hammond (20-1-2/.041/1.79) arrived mid-season. Ullmark left with an incredible 19-1-1/.936/1.94 record. I just don’t know if Ullmark will be a year-old keeper like Hammond, or a Tim Thomas who came on late but had a career with the Bruins. Incidentally, Hammond announced his retirement last week. He will not be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but he made history for Ottawa Senators and is proud of it.
Well done Charlie Lindgren!
There’s no age to make a name for yourself and that’s why I like tenacious goalkeepers like Andrew Hammond and Tim Thomas. In the same way I look forward to Charlie Lindgren, 29, with the Washington Capitals. He did the job in the absence of Darcy Kuemper, who has just returned to the game. Lindgren has won eight of his last nine games and he finally has a full-time job in the NHL.
