by Gregorio Lentini, Staff Writer, All Habs Hockey Magazine
The question I think most fans are currently asking themselves is: Is it time to panic?
For many, it certainly feels like the right time. However, the panicking really started when the Habs lost six straight in the preseason.
Actually, maybe it started when General Manager Marc Bergevin was unable to sign Andrei Markov or Alex Radulov. On second thought, I think it dates back to when Bergevin traded fan-favourite P.K. Subban for Shea Weber last season. Now that I think even more, I remember it starting when Carey Price was severely injured two seasons ago.
The truth is: there seems to be a constant sentiment of panic in Montreal. If the Canadiens win, either it wasn’t by enough goals or it was only because of Carey Price. If they begin losing, there are calls to fire the head coach, general manager, and president.
Though it is true that, sometimes, Carey Price will bail the team out or the head coach will make a bad decision, it always feels to me that any positive aspects of the Canadiens’ games get lost.
This is what disheartens me because, right now, even with the losses, the Habs are doing a lot of things right. First, however, let me address some common complaints about their game.
Defense
Many have complained that the Habs’ defense is too slow and cannot compete in the modern-day NHL. However, the truth is that they have the pieces to be defensively mobile.
Victor Mete, Jeff Petry, David Schlemko and even Jakub Jerabek are all considered to be quick skaters. The real reason the Canadiens’ defense seems shaky is not so much their speed as their coordination with each other.
With Claude Julien taking over the team midway through last season, the players have not yet become comfortable with his system. They don’t seem to know where exactly to be and when to pinch. It was to be expected that, with so many new faces on defense, players would require a bit more than five games to fully understand the intricacies of his structure.
I believe that this area will constantly improve over the following weeks. The real problem I see is not systematic. The real problem is abject performances of a few individuals, namely Jordie Benn, Jeff Petry and Mark Streit.
Luckily, this area is also correctable.
Streit is no longer with the team. He was replaced by Brandon Davidson, who looks to have finally found his game. Benn has made some very costly mistakes, but with the eventual return of David Schlemko, Benn will most likely be a healthy scratch.
Therefore, the only player who must turn his game around is Petry. He has showed glimpses of his old self during this season, so I honestly believe that it is only a matter of time before he plays with his usual vision and fluidity.
Power-play
The Canadiens power-play has only been able to score once out of sixteen occasions. Once again, I do not think this can last.
Unlike previous seasons, the Habs have finally developed creativity in the offensive zone. They also have a potent weapon in Jonathan Drouin.
Julien has made necessary adjustments, such as adding Victor Mete to the first unit, to set up Shea Weber. Drouin wasn’t able to set the tee for a Weber blast.
The power-play finally broke through last game with a beautiful shot by Alex Galchenyuk. With increased chemistry and so many options — Drouin, Weber, Galchenyuk and Pacioretty — it’s hard to believe that the power-play will remain unsuccessful for much longer.
Goaltending
I never thought that this would be a problem for the Canadiens, but, in my opinion, it is.
Whether it is due to the smaller pads, or just bad luck, Carey Price has not played consistently well. Over the past three games, it is my belief that he has allowed preventable goals. As a team leader, Price took the blame last game whether it was deserved or not.
Some of the onus belongs to the defensemen who have made some blatant errors, but the rest belongs to Price.
No matter the reason for his poor play, in my eyes, I cannot see it lasting too much longer. Price is a Vezina and Hart Trophy winner who still has a lot of hockey left in him. Once the defense get used to Julien’s system, I predict Price will return to his usual, dominant self.
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The truth is, there are many reasons to believe this slump is temporary. The Canadiens have dominated time of possession in most of their games. The biggest problem has actually been falling apart for a short period of time.
In Washington, Montreal allowed three goals in three minutes. Against Chicago, they gave up two goals in thirty seconds. And on Saturday night, the Maple Leafs scored two goals in fifty seconds.
If they could have avoided those lapses, there is a good argument to be made that the Habs could have won those games.
If you’re an analytics fan, just look at how unsustainable a low shooting percentage is and how many high-danger chances the Habs have generated. If you distrust the numbers, look at how fast the transition game is and how much puck movement there is in the offensive zone.
So, is it time to panic?
Even if it feels right, I don’t think it is.
The Canadiens are facing a perfect storm of unlucky offense, shaky defense, and poorer than expected goaltending stats. I see it as highly likely that at least two of these facets will return to their normal (and thus improved) state.
Several of the Canadiens’ current issues are fixable while several of their strengths are maintainable.
Pushing the panic button is up to you, but with only six per cent of the season completed, I’m going to have to see more games before I do it.