Defence

Habtastic · Guru

Defence

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

Personally, I am worried.

Desparately worried.

We have proved that our offense rocks, but our defence is suspect. Markov is still very good, and a slow start to the season is par for the course for him, so expect improvement, and he is already doing ok.

Souray is great at special teams, but terrible at even strength, which means for half the game he is rubbish. For our number 2 defenceman that is not good. I prefer a well rounded guy like Bouillon, but wait, he is injured... whoops...

Komi is great defensively, but adds nothing to offense. Solid, which is ok, but again, not great overall.

Niinimaa is nothing spectacular. I say he is below average.

Dandenault is a seventh defenceman when healthy. He is fast, but has no offensive skills other than speed, and no defensive skills other than speed.

Streit is ok. as a seventh defenceman.

Rivet has been a solid improvement over past years, and hopefully will continue to be a good 4th or 5th defenceman. Trouble is we need him to be a 3rd defenceman.

If these guys don't improve and we don't upgrade on them, we better hope we can run and gun with every team in the league.

As for the guys in Hamilton, Cote is injured and ok at best (but a hard worker), Benoit needs a season in the AHL before he comes up to the big league, Traverse is Traverse, and the rest need time to develop before they can becom as good as Traverse, or, if we are very lucky, Streit.

I mean no offense to any of these guys, I love their attitude and I think they are all standout guys, but they are not a playoff core. We had better hope our offense keeps being spectacular and our special teams keeps up the good work.

doodie · Veteran Member

Traveling Hab wrote:

Personally, I am worried.

Desparately worried.

We have proved that our offense rocks, but our defence is suspect. Markov is still very good, and a slow start to the season is par for the course for him, so expect improvement, and he is already doing ok.

Souray is great at special teams, but terrible at even strength, which means for half the game he is rubbish. For our number 2 defenceman that is not good. I prefer a well rounded guy like Bouillon, but wait, he is injured... whoops...

Komi is great defensively, but adds nothing to offense. Solid, which is ok, but again, not great overall.

Niinimaa is nothing spectacular. I say he is below average.

Dandenault is a seventh defenceman when healthy. He is fast, but has no offensive skills other than speed, and no defensive skills other than speed.

Streit is ok. as a seventh defenceman.

Rivet has been a solid improvement over past years, and hopefully will continue to be a good 4th or 5th defenceman. Trouble is we need him to be a 3rd defenceman.

If these guys don't improve and we don't upgrade on them, we better hope we can run and gun with every team in the league.

As for the guys in Hamilton, Cote is injured and ok at best (but a hard worker), Benoit needs a season in the AHL before he comes up to the big league, Traverse is Traverse, and the rest need time to develop before they can becom as good as Traverse, or, if we are very lucky, Streit.

I mean no offense to any of these guys, I love their attitude and I think they are all standout guys, but they are not a playoff core. We had better hope our offense keeps being spectacular and our special teams keeps up the good work.

The guy lapointe's,serge savard's,bobby orrs,are few and far between not to many teams have defenceman that are that perfect "D",same as forwards every player adds a little something to make the chemistry work.I never seen the game but seen the highlights 8 goals,i'm happy happy happy,and what makes it even better the LAFFS got 1 point we got two.Like i said CARBO's got the furnace heatin up and adding more coal "GO HABS GO".

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

Scoring 8 goals still doesn't excuse allowing 5. We will have problems against the best offensive teams.

doodie · Veteran Member

Traveling Hab wrote:

Scoring 8 goals still doesn't excuse allowing 5. We will have problems against the best offensive teams.

So on another post i asked ,HOW DID ABBY PLAY? yes 5 goals,2 goals from SOUREY(DEFENCEMAN) 2 assists 4 points.HOW DID ABBY PLAY? (being sarcastic here)

Desi · Senior Member

Yeah, five goals against is a lot to worry about -- especially when 3 of them are scored in the first six or seven minutes!

The whole team looked flat from the start, including the D and Abby. But they didn't give up -- that's the good news. If nothing else, Gainey seems to have gotten rid of all quitters. Either that or Carbs has laid down the law on that subject.

As for our D, I'd urge us all to remember that it's a team game. This team needs forwards to backcheck and play hard defensively. It needs our checking lines to work as hard in our end and in the neutral zone as in the offensive end. It needs our scorers to score and give us momentum. And then, we need our D-men to play their roles.

For Markov, this is quarterbacking the power play and being there when needed in our own end. He's the rock that this-here church is built upon defensively.

For Souray, it's getting that cannon shot on net as often as possible and trying not to step on himself in our end. When he throws his weight around, he's at his best. But I think the new rules took some of the starch out of his style of play.

For Komi, it means being an intimidator and keeping the front of the net as clear as he can within those new rules. He's also a great corner man. He comnes out of corners with a lot of pucks.

For Rivet, it means playing smart, two-way hockey -- moving the puck out of our zone well and covering for Souray in our end. He hasn't always accomplished the latter, unfortunately, which is why I've always questioned this pairing.

For Niinimaa, it's being a true stay-at-home defenseman who lets forwards get by him at risk of death. So far, I like the job he's done.

For Dandenault, it's being both hammer and tongs -- hammer in our end, good passer in the neutral zone, with the experince of a veteran who's been there before.

For Streit, it's learning to be better in the defensive end while trying to contribute to our breakout plays -- and trying to avoid getting caught up ice.

As for The Cube, as much as we all love the guy for his grit and determination, I don't really see him adding that much to this team. Way too many times over the past two years, he's gotten burned down low. Replay after replay, it's either Cube or Souray who's shown standing there watching as a puck is flicked past an out-of-position Habs goalie. He's got good speed and passes very well, I think. But we don't need another liabiliity on defense, and too often Cube has been just that.

He may have a tough time cracking this lineup assuming that Dandenault makes a speedy recovery.

Les Canadiens sont la

Peart_2112 · Veteran Member

I found this over at Spectors site and I am really hoping that it is just that.....a Rumor................

SPECTOR'S MAILBAG.

"Jocelyn D" sends in the following on the Canadiens: "Pierre Rinfret just told on the tv show 110% (TQS) that he heard that Francis Bouillon will need another knee surgery. This means that he could not play this
season. He was expected to return on the ice around November or December.

This situation might lead to a trade for the Habs."

thehabit · Member

A 7th D-man? I disagree Trav Hab Dandenault knows d fense he's played in D troit (no pun intended). You are comparing Streit to JJ I think JJ has a cup when I last checked. I live in Toronto and looking at their defense I believe Mtl's D is better than the leafs.. yes offfensively not the greatest I personally would take stay at home d man anyday over offence...If a trdes looming then fine, but there all better than D.Hatcher and making way less money$ Yes...Tastic Markov does look a step behind...

Desi · Senior Member

It may be that under the new coach, Markov has been asked to cover in his own end better than in days past. I don't see that he llooks a step slower, just a tad more conservative perhaps...

Les Canadiens sont la

Traveling Hab · Veteran Member

thehabit wrote:

A 7th D-man? I disagree Trav Hab Dandenault knows d fense he's played in D troit (no pun intended). You are comparing Streit to JJ I think JJ has a cup when I last checked. I live in Toronto and looking at their defense I believe Mtl's D is better than the leafs.. yes offfensively not the greatest I personally would take stay at home d man anyday over offence...If a trdes looming then fine, but there all better than D.Hatcher and making way less money$ Yes...Tastic Markov does look a step behind...

Dandenault was a utility player in Detroit and until this season, that's all he has ever been. And when did I compare Streit to JJ?