This is the first in a series of articles from a coaching perspective. All Habs is pleased to introduce Coach K with his piece on three issues currently plaguing the Montreal Canadiens.
by Coach K, Special to AllHabs.net
SAINT-LAZARE, QC–Coaching, at any level of hockey, from minor to pro, is never an exact science. There are always variables a coach must consider in every practice and every game. There is, however, a fine line between progressive coaching and over-coaching.
Over the past few weeks, the Montreal Canadiens have had three major concerns on their hockey club.
- Their deficient (or non-existent) power-play.
- An inability to identify a left winger to play with Gomez and Gionta.
- Trouble getting the puck out of the defensive zone in transition.
In reference to these problems, Canadiens Coach Jacques Martin has created other problems.
Starting with the power play, he taken last year’s most prolific scorer, Michael Cammalleri, and put him at the point. Although Cammalleri has played the point on the power-play before, his biggest asset is being inside the right face-off circle in the offensive zone, prepped to take a one-timer. He doesn’t have the over-powering slapshot, that has been a mainstay on the Habs’ power-play in recent years. His shot is not nearly as deadly as the likes of Sheldon Souray, Mark Streit and, most recently, Marc-Andre Bergeron.
It may sound asinine, but the best options right now are to either put P.K. Subban or Jaroslav Spacek on the power-play with Andrei Markov. Playing P.K Subban on the power-play would require Markov to play on the right side, while Subban would play the left to allow for the one-timer option.
The other option, which some of you are probably laughing at, is putting Spacek out there with Markov. Well, wasn’t that the reason why former Habs GM Bob Gainey signed him in the first place? Besides, a few power-play points for Spacek would go a long way to re-establishing his confidence, something he is lacking right now.
And, to help, stick someone with some size and guts in front of the opposing goalie. An idea, to start would be to stick Hal Gill in front of the net. Why, you ask? Well, he does a hell of a job screening Carey Price from time to time. Imagine the result of his shadow over the opposition’s netminder?
If you look at the left wing position on the Gomez/Gionta line, it’s seen more action than a turnstile in a Montreal Metro station. We’ve had Benoit Pouliot, Travis Moen, Tom Pyatt and Andrei Kostitsyn all give it a shot. In the process, Coach Martin has obliterated his other trios.
With the exception of Kostitsyn, the other three are at best third line players. On one of your top two lines? Can you say, “desperation”?
Part of the problem is personnel, and that’s where GM Pierre Gauthier comes in. With Alexander Picard and Ryan O’Byrne taking up valuable roster spots, it’s tough to make any moves to help boost the roster. Especially, since O’Byrne has a one-way contract, and would have to clear waivers to be sent down to Hamilton.
Gauthier needs to be more bold, and not worry so much about losing someone like O’Byrne on the waiver wire. That’s assuming anyone would grab a defenseman who has been in the press box since the season started. Sending him down would afford Jacques Martin the luxury of bring up players like Aaron Palushaj, David Desharnais or Max Pacioretty (although the latter’s honesty may have shot him in the foot!)
You need to look at your positives and assess the negative. Kostitsyn, Plekanec and Cammalleri would be a positive, which means leave them alone. The same could be said for the PhD line (Pouliot, Halpern and Darche), who have been doing yeoman’s work. With that huge gap on left wing, you could allow a defenseman to go down to Hamilton, and bring up a forward to try and help, couldn’t you? Like the lottery, if you don’t win on a regular basis, sometimes you need to change your numbers, agreed?
Finally, Perry Pearn has been messing with the defense so much, they look like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. He’s split up Gill and Gorges, arguably his best shutdown pair. He’s put Subban and Markov, two offensive defensemen together, and worst of all, he’s left Spacek and Hamrlik intact. Holy …. !!!
As a coach, I would take my best components and leave them alone. So put Gill and Gorges aside for a second. Now, of the other two pairs, it’s obvious that Hamrlik and Spacek need the most help. What do you do? Well, you can put Markov with Spacek, and Hamrlik with Subban.
Sounds simple? There’s more.
Pearn needs to pull Hamrlik and Spacek aside and give them specific roles (i.e. STOP PINCHING UP !!!!). These pairings would also allow for Markov and Subban’s talent to compensate for the lack of speed exhibited by the Habs’ elder defensemen. Another option would be to alternate your two struggling defensemen with either Picard (for Hamrlik) or O’Byrne (for Spacek).
Like I said, coaching is not an exact science. However, like a good chemist, you need to get your formulas in order, before you can address other problems. In my opinion, Coach Martin needs to stabilize his lines and forget his system for now. Once the chemistry between linemates is set, then you can address other issues, like their not-so-efficient power play.
I have always been a Gainey supporter. However, I think he made 2 huge mistakes at the end of his tenure with the Habs. First, the trading for Gomez and more importantly his contract/term that consumes so much of the cap space for so long. Second, the hiring of JM for 3 years.
You have to remember a couple of things when talking about Mr. Gainey:
1) His decision to blow up the team 2 years ago was based on the inner workings in the locker room, and the negative atmosphere that was created.
2) Any decisions he made as far as personnel was concern were in conjunction with then Head of Professional/Assistant GM Pierre Gauthier.
The decision to get Gomez was based more on his popularity amongst NHL players, and his ability to get Brian Gionta on-board. It was the catalyst that got the Habs more free agents in a single off-season than the other 5 previous ones.
As far as length of contract is concerned, the only way to get top level UFAs in any city is to sign them for 3+ years.
He definitely gave it the old football try, but for my dollar, I would have prefered signing Marion Gaborik, who although he gets injured quite often, gives you more with every shift than Gomez (and he wasn’t half bad laast season for the Rangers.)
ummm, actually, JM was signed for FOUR years… :(
What bugs me is where did the October team go? They had a transition game. They had good defensive play. They were following the system. The powerplay would have been fine if they didn’t constantly tinker and move people out of position, and they barely waited for Markov to settle back into his spot. And breaking up the ONE top line that was successful? Ouch. Poor Andrei, he’s gotta be wondering what he did to get separated from his Pleky. If Martin’s so obsessed with pairings, why did he destroy that one? Cammy was fine with Giomez last season even though he was better with Plekanec. Also AK46 is a forward who can launch a fairly accurate wrister from the point and has done so in the past (though, honestly, that was more his BROTHER’S spot while he was at the front of the net to screen, tip, or gather rebounds…).
If these guys keep getting sent out of their elements, I don’t know how anyone can possibly build any consistency.
We’ll just have to wait and see and hope the guys can work through this before the next line shuffle.
Expect the next line shuffle mid-game, folks. JM is desperate for offense. That’s why he’s obliterated his pairings completely. Puttting Gomez with AK46 and Gionta with Plekanec? Wow!
And where’s the D? With all the giveaways of late and the D pairings from hell, it’s a wonder we can get any offense at all.
Where has the October team gone?
Well, it looks like the rest of the league has caught up.
Think back to last year and the lack of coaching until late in the playoffs. This year (Coach K is correct in his assessment)the team is being overcoached. The Canadiens orgainization needs to strike a balance.
Believe it or not , professional athletes are human!
And being human means making mistakes. Everyone makes them, I don’t care who you are. There is a time and a place to correct those mistakes and it is NOT during a game. During the game all you can do is provide some guidance and if that doesn’t work sit out the player making the mistakes.
Hockey like most sports is a game that involves strategy, unforunately things happen so fast out there that you berely have time to think. Players rely on their instincts and habits. In order to insure your instincts and habits are beneficial to you and the team, you need some stability on the ice.
You don’t have the time to be thinking about who are my linemates this shift and how do they play?
Don’t kid yourselves folks, coaching needs to happen in practice and off ice with only a few adjustments during the game. What results from major changes during the game is chaos.
Can you take over for JM? Cuz except for the bit about Cammy on the point (cuz I’m not that sophisticated when it comes to the specifics – so it’s not that I disagree… I just never thought of it), all the other points you made were *exactly* what I was thinking… so if I was thinking it, you *know* it has to be obvious. Why can’t JM see?? =(
It’s not that he can’t see it. He doesn’t know how to correct.
If you watch most NHL teams on the power play, there are no set positions. Every forward is in constant movement. That’s actually the way Alain Vigneault conducts his PP.
10 years ago, coaches always made reference to the left and right wingers, and the centre. Nowadays, the forwards are referred to all F1 thorugh F3, because, other than their alignment on the faceoff, they have no set positions anymore.
JM hasn’t been able to grasp that concept, whereas most of the younger coaches in the NHL have been taught that way.
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