Habitant Wagons head out West

On a windy and rainy Sunday Fall morning here in Montreal, les Canadiens are 9-0. This should give fans pause and time to reflect so lets say it again, the Montreal Canadiens are 9-0, all wins coming in regulation. This is by any measuring stick an impressive start to the 2015-16 season. Nearly everything on the team is firing on all cylinders, even the Powerplay has come to life. Heck even the advanced stats are looking good.  Another sign of an evolved team is that the Habs just beat two bad teams (Sabres and Leafs) even if they did not play their best on the second game. In previous years, the Habs tended to lack hustle or determination when they faced basement dwelling teams, not so much this year. Finally, this start is so good that it has forced the Therrien haters to retreat back into their lair and mutter in low tones amongst themselves. That is also a sort of  "win" for most fans of the Bleu, Blanc, Rouge. So, instead of a long, drawn out blog I will simply offer up some "puck musings" on this club thus far. 

Puck Musing 1: Speed kills...yes it really does

This team is suddenly faster, across the board. They are fast skaters and in a way this is not new; they also play fast by which I mean they execute well and fast, leaving opponents little time. They are also fast on the puck and now carry that black disk into the opposing zone more.  Every line has speed and plays fast, every defensive pair has mobility and plays fast. 

Puck Musing 2: Patience is a virtue

Looking back at the Bergevin tenure as Habs GM you see a patterns and a plan. This team is the fruition of that plan. The plan was based on patience, development of young players and putting them into roles when they were ready. Bergevin also works in near complete isolation of fan whining which is a critical trait in Montreal. The relationship between the coach, the GM and the hockey staff is healthy and productive. As fans patience is not easy and neither is resisting the urge to play armchair GM or coach. Bergevin also knows how to play the media in Montreal and deflect attention from issues, another key trait for him in this hockey-mad market.

Puck Musing 3: A coach coaches with what he has...system evolution 

Therrien is not perfect. In fact far from it. Still, he tends to get wins and that is  a somewhat important trait for a NHL coach. Therrien, like all coaches out there, also coaches with what he has. Case in point: the system tweak this year. Now the Habs play a more aggressive system, they carry the puck more as well. Well lets look at the changes made since deadline day last year: Petry (puck moving D), Mitchell (right handed C, speed), Flynn (4th line speedster), Flash (speed and decent hands), Semin (hands and somewhat of a gamble). Therrien now has true speed and puck ability on ALL lines and on ALL D pairs. This means he can afford a more aggressive, puck carrying style. It also means players are now in their proper roles, at the proper level. Cases in point: Galchenyuk at center (they put him there now when they felt he was READY and oh look he is thriving), Eller on the wing (Therrien had the luxury to tell him to play there because he now has true depth), DD as 3rd line Center (in a better spot and his line has looked great), Emelin (looking like the old Emelin since he plays with Petry), 4th line (speed, speed, speed and more speed).

Puck Musing 4: Depth takes time to build

It took a few years of trading and developing and drafting but the Habs are now deep at nearly every position. This is Bergevin's work and the scouting staff work. The development part is also a credit to the coaching staff in Hamilton and in Montreal. Players are groomed now instead of rushed and it shows. the depth also means the team can play players in their roles but also that the coach has press box options, when the time is right. The team now has 2 NHL-caliber D-men on the pressbox and one NHL-caliber forward. In St-John's, the team has a few more decent d-men but mostly some good forwards that will feed the big club in years to come. 

Puck Musing 5: Chucky got it

We all remember the Bergevin presser and the ensuing losing of the minds amongst many fans that this team would "ruin" Galchenyuk or that he would "never" play center, NEVER. Next thing you know we find out Bergevin and Therrien told Chucky BACK IN JUNE that he would play Center this season. Oh my, that was odd, did Bergevin just deflect attention by giving the media a false bone to chew on thus leaving Chucky time to train for a clear goal during the summer? Did this also mean the team gave Chucky the chance for Center when he was READY for it? Still, Chucky got it and it shows that he was ripe to play Center. 

Puck Musing 6: Trades...give em time

Bergevin does not decide which coffee to have in the morning with a plan. It is therefore hard to imagine he would make a trade without it fitting into his plan or without it being a very well calculated gamble. This GM also makes smart future-oriented trades (ex: freeing up cap space, moving contracts...) without giving away any core pieces. Most of his trades work out because they move surplus and fill team needs. Most are unspectacular moves and most seem to pay off. Look at Petry, Mitchell, Flynn and DSP. All are now key contributors to the team in their way. Petry took the Habs D to the next level, Mitchell, Flynn and DSP have turned into one of the NHL's best 4th line. What did Bergevin pay for this? Next to nothing, the only player that went the other way that had potential was Sekac. the thing is the Habs did not need Sekac as much as they needed a DSP-style player. For the most part, Bergevin has made excellent to decent trades. None of these moves have blown up in his face (yet) and surely some will at some point. the other thing is that Bergevin trades for players that reinforce the teams style of play. This indicates a solid two-way street between him and the coach.

Puck Musing 7: Looking ahead...the D

Markov's minutes were well managed initially but have now climbed in certain games. I think at some point the team needs to move Markie off the PK and to keep him at 18-20 minutes. With Petry in the line up the Habs can afford to do this. Gilbert has played well this far but he would be the trade option if MB and MT want to make room for Pateryn. 

Puck Musing 8: Looking ahead...the F

Tough to make line up changes when the team is 9-0 and all lines are firing. Still, with this western swing perhaps it will be time to tweak things a little. Semin has looked on and off (expected) but his line has looked decent. I would hesitate to scratch him because he might not the player that responds well to this. I would leave him in for a few more games. How do you play Byron? The better question to me is: do you need to play Byron? This is the 13th forward we are talking about no? Barring injury this guy will have a hard time cracking the line up in my opinion. As for the rest, I do not see an immediate need to shuffle lines as everyone looks good where they are. Each line is producing offensively. 

Puck Musing 9: Improving the team

The season is young but the GM is a wheeler and dealer so you can expect trades this year. I am sure Bergevin is looking at his team and seeing where he could improve it. He has trade chips to make a move but he will not move his core. What does that leave? Time will tell but my prime trade target would be Gilbert. Plekanec is a valuable trade chip and his new deal has no NTC or NMC. his new contract only increases his value but to make such a move the team would need to get a solid 1A-1B Center to shelter Chucky and no, Eller is not that guy! Eller is thriving at wing because he does not have to make on-ice decisions like a Center does. He is a reaction-type player and as a winger he can do that. Were he to play on a lower line, say the 3rd, he could then be a Center as there would be less offensive pressure on him. One thing is for sure, the trades when they come, will be unexpected, this is the M.O. of this GM!

Puck Musing 10: Enjoy the ride folks

This is the best Habs team we have had sine 1993. Yes I just said that. They are fun to watch, deep, fast and talented. Just ENJOY this folks, it is meant to be fun! I know the temptation to criticize is high and healthy constructive criticism does lead to good discussion but the ole bash and and whine fest would look rather silly now no? Well you can always complain about Therrien's suits if you wish! Fashion is subjective. As for me, the coach could wear a big bird suit and as long as they win, that would be fine by me. 

A presser to remember by Bergevin: 

Reading between the lines and looking ahead with an objective calm head

So, here were, nearly a week after the Habs were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of their second round series. As with all playoff defeats, this one led to some disappointment, to some sadness and in my case to an odd sense of satisfaction that this team is still heading in the right direction. I am a lifelong fan of the Habs, I watch nearly every game and in the past 3 years have been better than the past 15 by a long, long country mile. Sure my Habs had spurts of good play under the Gainey regime (midway through and before Mr. Gainey lost is daughter) but it was never sustainable progress. This time the upswing is led by youth who form the core of the team.This team the Habs have a solid management team from GM down to coach who stick to their plan. This is how long term contenders are built folks and at the very least the GM and his staff are trying to do just that. Of course, this being Montreal, the fanbase and media make doing this very hard. thankfully this GM and this coach are able to ignore the worse of the idiocy that comes from some fans and the agenda pushed by some media. This to me is a pre-requisite to do well in the Montreal market! 

Now on to this blog, I will tackle a few issues-points I feel are interesting and or amusing  and also try my hand a bit of off-season forecasting. One thing is for sure, if you are a sensitive soul who cannot handle a bit of sarcasm and dark humor, you might want to stop reading now...

The fans

The Habs fan base is for the most part passionate and fun. I am part of that fan base and until the advent of massive social media was, like most of you, shielded from most of the dementia and low-brow attacks-tantrums that some of the fans throw after games, during games, between games....That kind of behavior was the purview of that lone guy at the bar who had drunk too much. Now, its in your face via twitter and while it is for the most part amusing, it can get a bit depressing at times when some of the fans go beyond the pale or start to think they are GMs, Coaches or even journalists who know hockey like Red Fisher did. I am not one of those, I consider myself as having decent hockey knowledge, no more. I do not pretend to be a journalist (hint: a media pass does not make you a journalist), just an interesting observer. 

So, this presser by Bergevin was something I actually ENJOYED. As someone whom I highly respect on twitter said, Bergevin sure dished out some cold harsh truths in this presser about his team. I agree this was well overdue and deserved, He also (finally) responded to the mud-slinging campaign that has been going on about his coach. While I think Therrien has flaws, I also thinks he wins more than he loses and that he took a team with little offense to 2 consecutive 100pts seasons and two playoff runs that were decent. Sadly, when discussing Therrien, balance is out the window and virtiol is the name of the game. Sadly, the language issue is also there like an ugly pile of stinking refuse, being used maliciously by some fans with an agenda that goes well beyond hockey. So, Bergevin was right to take the media and by extension the fans to task on this Therrien crap. It was reminiscent of Gainey coming out to defend Brisebois years ago. That too was a warranted move by the GM. 

Bergevin laid it out for media and fans and if one can calm down and read between the lines, he said very many interesting things. I will try and tackle them here:

1- The #1 Centre

The GM said TRUE #1 centres with size and skill are almost never acquired via trade and that it is extremely hard to do. Fans and some media went bonkers at this. To them the translation was: Bergevin will not even try. This is where that handy skill of reading between the lines or seeing the second degree comes in rather handy! Could it possibly be that the GM would NOT wish to reveal is exact strategy to fans and media in a public presser? GASP! SHOCK! This could not possibly be, especially from a GM most would qualify as stealthy when it comes to transactions. No that seemed to sophisticated for the more angry portion of fans, to them, the GM said he would make no moves in the summer and that the team was doomed. As you can see, the divide is pretty wide between rationality and irrationality! 

My take: the GM is WELL AWARE of team needs at Centre and will try to fix them over the summer by trading 1 or 2 of his current centres. He does NOT have to acquire a top 1C with size and all the bells and whistles, all he has to do is acquire a solid big centre that can play a 1A-1B role, thus shielding whomever becomes the #2 centre next year. Yes I know such logic is scary because it means the GM is not updating you every day personally and telling you all he will do in exact detail.

2- Galchenyuk

Bergevin said chucky may not play centre. When that happened, that rabid portion of the fan base lost their minds (again). I assume they would be tired by now having expended so much emotional energy by then but twitter proved me wrong and gave me (and others) a real chuckle! Chucky is 21 years of age. He is still developing, As the same person whom I highly respect said, lots of centres make it to the NHL as Wingers and go on to thrive. I personally think Bergevin was also sending out a message to his extremely talented 21 year old player. The message was: this organization has a plan and we decide where players play, unless they force us to do so otherwise. Chucky has tons of talent, he also has a bit of a pouting attitude at times, which is normal as he is a 21 YEAR OLD. I will not spontaneously combust and call the Habs a failure if chucky ends up as a winger. I expect they try him at centre at camp and see what he can bring. It will then be up to HIM to grab the brass ring, much like Subban, Beaulieu, Pacioretty, Gallagher and other young guns did. They listened and they adapted and now they are all thriving and improving....think about that one for second as you sharpen your anti-therrien pitchfork and warm up your tub of tar. 

3- The coach

Bergevin did what a good GM does: he defended his coach. This sadly played right into the hands of the more unstable portion of the fan base who hate Therrien and everything he does. Heck, I assume they even hate the brand of cereal he eats in the morning, especially if it is a cereal with a french name....So Bergevin set the record straight as far as he he concerned. This does not mean Therrien is impervious to being fired, it means firing him now has no foundation or logic at all because he wins. 

Now the coach needs to be fired narrative is hilarious onto itself because most of the firetherrien crowd use contradicting arguments that discredit their own points. Heck, no need to argue back, just let them rant and after a while they are so busy shooting themselves in the feet with a rock salt shotgun or tossing live grenades down their own pants that it becomes hilarious. Lets examine a few of the more amusing self-defeating arguments...

I- This coach cannot develop youth. 

He may have issues with SOME young players (then again find me one coach who does not) but in general terms the following players have all taken huge strides under him: Subban, Pacioretty, Gallagher, Price (with the help of Waite who is the key player here), Beaulieu. All these players have one thing in common: they listened and then they grabbed the brass ring and never let go. They each became or are becoming leaders and core players. That is on the coach in some ways but it is also on them for choosing to put in the work. the anti-coach narrative says they developed despite Therrien, or to spite him. Ok, then. 

The same fans quote the Penguins winning the cup after Therrien had been fired. That is interesting because Therrien had take the same Pens squad to the finals already. His main fault in Pit was mostly how he dealt with media and passed on messages to player through media. As you may have noticed, he almost never does this now. The other aspect is that Bylsma never even came close to sniffing a cup finals after he won with what was essentially Therrien's team. This happens all the time in pro-sports. Therrien did build and develop that team and Crosby had his best offensive season under him. So I guess he can develop young players in some way or another....yes I know this is impossible!

II- This coach stiffles offense

This is usually filed under the "system" heading. Therrien's current system (yes he can change folks...just like J. Martin changed his system in Ottawa when he had to guns up front) is defensive and that is because he has very little to work with in his top 6. This is where it gets very interesting. the rabid fans will argue that Therrien stiffles the offensively talented Habs but usually the very next sentence is that the Habs have at most 3 or 4 true top 6 forwards. Now THAT is some funny crap! So which is it: too much talent being stiffled or not enough talent? 

My take: this team has 3 true top 6 players: Patches, Galchenyuk, Gallagher (a 2nd line winger ideally) and one borderline top 6 player in Plekanec. Plekanec is a solid centre but his age and play style would make him a superb defensive 3rd line centre who can chip in offensively. Sadly he is miscast as a 1C in Montreal due to the lack of a 1C on the roster. With such an "offense" and with a superb goalie and a good defensive core, ANY competent coach would push for a defensive system. Furthermore, in another city a coach coaxing two 100+ point seasons out of this roster of forwards and 5 playoff rounds would be seen as pretty darn good. Not so in Montreal where he gets lambasted as crap. Under Therrien, the true top 6 players have thrived with Patches scoring 35+ goals each season under Therrien (or on pace to do so in lock out season) all the while becoming a complete player who plays PP and PK and a leader, Gallagher scoring more goals in the past 2 seasons, Chucky with all his ups and downs managed to score 20 goals this year and had he not hit a wall in the final 20 some games, would perhaps have scored 25 or 30. Plekanec had his best offensive season in a few years this year but yes, I know, this happened despite this horrible stifling evil coach...who speaks french (yes I am making that reference again because it is part of the narrative sadly).

So the presser covered a lot of ground and in my estimation set the record straight: this team is on the upswing but still needs some pieces. 

2- The off season

Bergevin has some work to do this off-season but he is working with a solid base. The following players will be let go: Flynn, Gonchar (Moen trade thus freeing the team from a contract that was till valid), Weaver, Allen (Bourque trade thus freeing the team from a contract that was still valid), Malhotra. 

Mitchell may be signed if the price is right (no more than 1M) and could be the teams 4C next year. 

Petry if signed will cost 5 to 5.5M, if the price goes to 6M then Bergevin will pass and wisely so. 

Galchenyuk will get a bridge-deal, that is the way Bergevin will work it. 

Beaulieu will either get a bridge deal or an intermediate length contract (2 years or perhaps 3-4 like Eller). 

I expect the team to retain DSP on a 1-2 year deal as well. 

In terms of roster, the team will look within for offense and will likely give a shot in camp at Andrigetto, Hudon, perhaps McCarron and Sherbak. If chucky cracked the line up at 19, perhaps Sherbak can too. 

I fully expect Bergevin to be active on the trade market and with UFAs. He has been active every year since hired. but wait, at the conference he said he would do NOTING! How can this be???? ;)

In my estimation, the Habs are a very good team but need help in the top 6 and perhaps on D should Petry not be signed. 

My moves would be as follows (and I am aware that they might not happen...)

Trade DD, its time, the kid has done what he can here as a stopgap player. His value is limited but he can be useful to a team. 

Trade Plekanec, this hurts badly, but its time. Trading DD and Plekanec means acquiring a veteran Centre with size who can play 1A-1B while Chucky develops as a 2C next year, well shielded. 

My Centre line would be: Thornton (or E. Staal if the price is right) - Galchenyuk - Eller (who is truly a 3C) and Mitchell or DeLarose. 

A winger would need to be acquired or signed and I would think Parenteau would be moved. PAP cannot play bottom 6 and is not a true top 6 anymore. If they keep him, then play him on the 2nd line with Chucky.

On D, sign Petry and trade Emelin to make room. Markov needs to be moved to the second pairing. At camp let Pateryn, Beaulieu and Tinordi battle it out for where they will play on depth chart but retain them all. 

To get that winger and that centre, the Habs will need to pay. In terms of chips, they have Fucale who is expendable, Plekanec, DD, PAP, Emelin and a few prospects that could attract interest. 

I personally think its time to make a big trade to get a big time winger and that the Habs can afford to pay the price now. 

I finally think that the Habs need to get an assistant coach that can truly replace Gallant and that has PP knowledge.

So, thats it, enjoy  your off-season and see you at the draft folks!

Remember stay calm and rest assured Therrien will be there in septembre ;)

Trade market closed; entering final stretch

Now that silly season, a.k.a., the NHL trade deadline has come and gone we can focus on the final stretch and the playoffs. Gone are the trade rumors, many of them silly, now its nose to the grindstone and on to the big spring dance. For that the Habs are well positioned. they are more focused on securing a favorable playoff position than on battling for that last playoff spot. This means the team may have the luxury of doing a few things. 

First they can perhaps find ways to rest some of the key veterans like Markov and give Price a breather before the playoffs start. The coaching staff can also continue to tinker with the line up to find the right combos for the playoffs. Bergevin may have said that the Habs do not have that "check" next to their name but for all intents and purposes the team is a playoff lock. 

This entry will thus be a speculative one but will also include a brief overview of what Bergevin did at the deadline. 

The Deadline

My grade for Bergevin's work at the deadline is a solid A-. It is not an "A" because that would have required a "homerun trade". It is however a solid day of work for the following reasons:

• He did not give up a single top prospect, roster player or a 1st round pick
• He added depth to the team and in doing so fueled the healthy internal competition that is at the core of most successful teams
• He added depth on defense in the form of another very good puck moving dman. 
• He did not get suckered into a gross over payment of a deal or sell off the future for some ill-advised big name player addition. 

The players he acquired will help the Habs and add depth to the NHL roster. No coveted top 6 forward was acquired but that may come in the summer. 

The Habs are winning this year and they have from all accounts that matter great team chemistry. Under those circumstances, the GM was wise not to mess with this. The Habs are on the upswing but not quite there yet so that major deal many fans crave (sometimes for the sake of seeing a major deal alone) may not have been well timed this year. 

Add yesterday's work to what Bergevin has done since last summer and you see what I alluded to in a previous entry on this blog: this GM has a plan and makes SMART trades that consider the present, the future, the cap this year and next year and team needs.

I for one am quite comfortable with the moves he made and with the team at this point in time. I fully expect more moves in the off-season. I also prefer to wait a while before judging trades so that the players and assets moved all fall into place and have a chance to show what they can or cannot do. Case in point would be the Diaz for Weise deal. 

Points of note

1- When Emelin returns, the Habs will have some interesting options on D. Weaver seems to be the odd man out but that was expected considering his deal and place on the roster. Emelin was playing better just before getting hurt and his physical presence may be sorely needed in the playoffs. As such who sits? Well the Petry acquisition creates some stiff internal competition for a guy like Gilbert and continues to challenge Beaulieu to excel. Gonchar will also need to keep playing well. 

2- The player uber love or uber hate from fans of this team is astounding. It is often a case of all or nothing. Case in point Lars Eller. Those who hate him see nothing good, those that love him find all sorts of excuses for his lack of production (none being the players fault). Can there not be some form of middle ground where Eller's problems are in large part of his own making? My view is that Eller is miscast by many fans and that this creates unrealistic expectations. Eller is a 3C with defensive aptitudes & size. He can produce offensively but not all that much due to his very average hockey sense or offensive vision on the ice. Guess what? He is also paid like a 3C at 3.5M. 

3- The firetherrien meter has gone down a bit lately, largely due to the fact that the team sits in first place of its conference. You still hear echoes of the vitriol but they are not as prevalent. We all know that a couple more losses and the possee will be out in full force. Heck, Therrien gets blamed for everything, possibly including Climate Change. Yet this coach just keeps winning. Yeah sure he rubs some people the wrong way, he always has. Yet he wins. The main counter-argument his winning will be that he is just "lucky" to have Price. That is true, he is lucky to have such a goaltender but guess what, most top end teams rely on a very good to great goalie (see: Predators, Rangers, Kings...). The fact is that Therrien seems to get a lot out of many of his players and that the team seems very united and tight. 

4- For a coach that "hates" or cannot develop young players, Therrien sure plays a lot of them on the team and in key situations too. Some of those young players he hates and cannot develop seem to have magically developed, I assume despite him. Case in point: Pacioretty taking huge strides since Therrien  has been his coach, Gallagher making the team as a rookie and becoming part of the core, Galchenyuk developing at a nice pace, Beaulieu, DLR and Subban also taking huge strides under this coach. Sure he aint perfect, but he seems to either be the luckiest coach in the history of hockey or to perhaps know what the heck is doing....you can choose which interpretation according to your preferences!

5- Beaulieu has clearly understood the message from MB and MT. He gets it. He forced the team's hand and grabbed a spot for himself through his play. In short, he earned his spot. Tinordi is not quite there yet but in my opinion will get there with a bit more work in the AHL. We have very little patience in Montreal but Bergevin is clearly applying the Detroit and Chicago development approach. That is the patient approach. 

6- PA Parenteau is in a hot spot. He cannot play bottom 6 so he MUST produce in the top 6. He will now get a few games to show that he can. This guy was acquired to get rid of Briere. He does not truly fit the Habs mold in terms of the players the organization wants. He is thus in a tough spot. 

7- Most smart GMs and coaches work together to build a team based on a plan and on a philosophy. Successful teams seem to all apply this rule. This means drafting and developing players that fit organisational style but also acquiring or trading those that fit or do not fit the coach and the system. This is pretty basic stuff. Holland does it in Detroit with Babcock for example. Bergevin clearly does this with Therrien. To me that is just sound. I could be wrong...

8- Price will need some rest before the playoffs. The Habs position in the standings may allow for that to happen. Price also gets run sometimes. The Habs can address this in only one way: get the puck out of their zone fast. That seems to be the intent of the team as the d-core is based on puck movers instead of bruisers. This will be the Habs best defense against Price getting run. It is a risky approach but having a bruiser or two is also not a guarantee against Price being run. 

9- Markov is enjoying his best season since before his series of injuries. He is solid out there. Sure  he benefits from playing with Subban but guess what PK also benefits from playing with Markov. 

10- Subban should be in the conversation for the Norris. In my opinion, has stiff competition for the trophy in the name of Shea Weber and others. 

11- Price is in the lead for the Vezina and certainly in the conversation for the Hart. If I had to bet: he wins the Hart and Rinne gets the Vezina. If I was choosing or saying who deserves it: Price deserves both trophies. 

The approaching trade deadline

In hockey parlance it is silly season right now. The trade rumors swirl, one being often sillier than the other. Fans go bonkers online speculating, fueling and sometimes creating their own rumors. Some rumors end up being trades, others pipe dreams born of hopeful fans and yet others hilariously improbable games of message warping where one rumor is mentioned and substantiated only by online comments. 

With the rise and spread of social media, fans have direct access and direct input on any and all rumors. This usually makes for great discussion among fans of various teams but it also means fans often rely on doubtful sources because as we all know: if it is posted online, it MUST be true!

So as a Habs fan how do you make sense of it all?

This blog piece will not be about rumors or even players that may interest the Habs as this has been done and continues to be done to death on twitter. I will instead engage in a little bit of GM-centric analysis. A note to the wise: this is just my take on the Habs GM based on his history when it comes to trades as the team's GM. 

At the end of this piece, I will discuss a few issues that I like to call my Points of note. 

Forecasting Bergevin and the deadline

In Marc Bergevin the Habs have a GM who sticks to his plan. When looking at his trade and signing history, you see a GM who does NOT overpay for trades and who seems to always consider the key points of his team development mantra:

1- Develop key young players.

2- Do not trade high value assets for quick fixes 

3- Develop an "Earn it" culture within the team for players

4- Always consider the cap situation and contracts well ahead

5- Auto-correct when signed players no longer perform (ie trade them away)

These 4 points have in my opinion guided most of Bergevin's moves. A recent example being the trades of Moen and Bourque for two players on expiring deals, thus freeing nearly 5 million CAD for this summer. When we hear the cap will not rise by much next season and knowing Galchenyuk must be signed, these deals become brilliant. This GM will NOT handcuff this team with a bad deal for a player on a bad contract. 

As the deadline looms ahead, and considering past deadlines under this GM a quick trend becomes clear: acquisitions are for players on expiring deals, reasonable deals and at a reasonable price. Bergevin also goes for depth, especially on defense. 

I for one am convinced he is well aware that this edition of the Habs is still developing into a full fledged contender. Right now they are one of the good teams in the East and may yet do some more damage in the playoffs. However this does not seem to be THE year where he goes all in for a big trade to try and win the Stanley Cup. 

With all this being said, I expect Bergevin to make 1-2 smaller trades involving depth players that can help the team. We may yet see a "Vanek' type deal but the price would have to be right. I do not see Bergevin trading a 1st round pick and a top prospect for a rental and I am not even sure he would deal these assets for a signed player unless he was everything this team needs. Bergevin will more likely make smaller more affordable deal that will help the team in other ways like last season when he acquired Weaver and Weise, two players who became key contributors for the final season stretch and playoff run. 

This is just my read on things and I could certainly be wrong. Fans will continue to post EA sports-like trade scenarios online because it is fun and often amusing. Thankfully, the Habs GM is not a virtual franchise mode GM but rather a pretty damn smart hockey man. 

Points of note

1- Emelin: This guy, along with DD has become the whipping boy of a slice of the fan base. His play has dipped since the injury and to me he has clearly lost a step. This means his timing is off and that he is unable to deliver those timely bone crunching hits. Take this out of his game and he suffers. This guy still has time to right the ship and playing on the bottom pair may allow him to do so. However, with a 4M cap hit, bottom pair duty is not what the GM wants. As Gorges did last summer, Emelin may become a cap casualty.

2- Dale Weise on the top 6. This has sent many fans into complete mouth-frothing bouts of delirium! The fact is that with Parenteau out and with other wingers not performing as expected, the coach has to make adjustments. Weise is not a longterms solution on the top 6 but he can do well there until a solution is found or until the team acquires more depth at winger. 

3- The firetherrien meter rose a little bit higher with the two losses earlier in the week. This seems to be the unavoidable reaction to anything this coach does. I was not a big fan of the hire when it happened but results are hard to argue with. This guy finds ways to win and to get his players going. they (players) clearly buy into the team concept. For all the ills heaped on this coach, namely that he does not develop or play young players, evidence points otherwise (look at the players he plays)

4- DD is the main team whipping boy for a slice of the fan base. You will read many things about mighty little Davey online, some criticism warranted, some clearly fueled by "non-hockey" issues and some by fans like of other players. In my opinion, DD is truly a 2C or 3C that can produce 40-55pts with good wingers. For the past few seasons he was pushed into the 1C chair, where he does not belong. This was because he earned a shot early on but also because of necessity. Much like Koivu (before you go bonkers, I am not saying DD is as good as Koivu was, Captain K was far better), DD was the team's 1C by default and necessity. Furthermore, DD was, in my mind, always a stop gap until other players developed into solid NHL caliber centers. This has not yet happened on this team so DD floats up and down the lineup. This player has 2 years left at 3.5 and has produced 40-50 points each season since he became a regular. That makes him quite tradeable for a team looking for an offensively gifted 2C. Oh and lets drop one silly point: players in the NHL perform based on who they play with, except for the franchise caliber players. So of course DD needs to play with quality wingers. My guess is this guy gets traded this year or next summer. 

5- Pacioretty will, in my opinion, be the next Captain. The guy has grown in leaps and bounds and became a complete player. He is also asking for residency and learning french (with a tutor). This guy cleary gets it and clearly wants to be here long-term. He will make a fine captain for this team. He has really developed well under this team's management. Yes that includes the coach...

6- Subban was fined for diving-embellishment. Fans got angry. I was surprised it took this long for him to be fined as he has been a pretty consistent abuser of the embellishment. To be clear: he is far from alone in doing this but that does not mean he does not do it. The fine was warranted and Subban being the smart player that he is, he will correct this part of his game. The other option is to keep doing it and to hurt his team through penalties (called against him or not called when players take liberties with him). This is all part of the growing process for this incredibly talented and clutch franchise d-man. 

7- Beaulieu clearly got the "Earn it" concept. When he was recalled last time he showed that he wanted it and thus earned a spot and then climbed into the top 4 on D. this speaks volumes to the development of players under this team's management. Great to see this kid continue to develop.

8- Tinordi on the other hand still has to show he can "earn it". This may yet happen as he is still on the team's top prospect-young player list. However, he will get a spot when management feels he has earned it. 

9- Lars Eller....good ole Lars! I personally think that this player has shown he will be a 3C, nothing more. He can become a solid 3C but he simply does not have the offensive vision and instincts to play as an offensively minded C. He does not have the consistency to do so nor the vision. Fans lament he does not get his "chance" but the flip side is that you have to earn that chance through hard play and yes production! Looking at Lars when did he score last? This has become a trend with him which does not mean he is not one of the key players on this team. When the Center line settles with something like Galchenyuk-Plekanec as the 1-2C he can be a good 3C. Manage your expectations as such.

10- The Maple Leafs have become pity worthy. At least their fans have. My hatred of this franchise and team has been tempered by more kind heated sentiments towards a fan base that deserves better. It is also better when the Leafs are good as it becomes fun to hate them!

The Plan, the team and the players: normal evolution

Habs GM Marc Beregin and his coach Michel Therrien, along with the rest of the team management team have been working according to a team plan and structure that will lead the Habs to become a regular contender at some point in the near future. When this all started the Habs had just finished at the bottom of the NHL and then there was the lockout. Coming out of the lockout, Bergevin started showing signs of what his plan was: make the team younger (when the kids are ready), deeper, bigger and more structurally sound. This would be done without trading blue chip prospects or top draft picks. 

Looking at the moves made by the Habs, they have stuck to this plan. Bergevin has also managed to sign players to very reasonable deals in terms of length and cap hit. This means the Habs have room to maneuver but also that players are for the most part all trade chips if need be.  

Most recently we have seen proof of this with Moen being traded what has proved to be a very useful Sergei Gonchar. All the while saving precious cap space for this summer with the unloading of Moen's deal. Bourque was also moved, along with his contract for a depth dman whose contract expires. Bergevin collects dmen and this will not change. This means the Habs are deep on D and can hopfully deal well with injuries there. Before fans whine and cry about these two old d-men Bergevin acquired, look at their deals: they expire this summer. That tells you that these guys are there for depth but also to allow the Habs to properly develop Tinordi and Beaulieu. That is the smart and patient approach that Bergevin uses and while fans may cry about it, demand he "lets the kids play", this will only happen when he and the coach feel its time and when the kids force themselves onto the lineup through play. Then and only then will Bergevin move someone to make room or will Therrien sit a vet to let a kid play. This is how this team is run and their record since Bergevin and Therrien took over says they seem to be doing something right. 

When you look at contracts and young players coming up you can see how the Habs being patient with Galchenyuk may have paid off. They put him at center when they felt he was ready. David Desharnais, the focus of much hatred and bashing from fans, was moved to the 3rd line at center and then on the wing when Eller returned. This was all very predictable in my opinion. Desharnais got a deal that screamed temporary solution. 3.5M for 4 years is a very reasonable deal for a playmaking 2C or 3C that produces 45-50 points per season. That kid was put in as 1st center by default and until chucky was ready. Now that this has happened and if Eller grabs onto his opportunity at center, Desharnais will be traded. Not to disappoint his haters but he is not that hard to trade. His deal is reasonable and he has shown he can produce when put in the right spot. He is also a hard worker. I figured Desharnais was always vulnerable to trade and that is fine by me. I hope the kid lands in a good spot. 

For all this to happen, Eller has to produce on a regular basis and be present and accounted for in terms of effort everynight. If he goes to sleep for a while, you can expect him to be moved to the wing to wake him up and then Desharnais could slide back in at Center. 

On defence, Beaulieu has been playing since injuries occurred. He has done well in my opinion but he needs to do a bit more to win a regular spot. I am not of the school of thought that he should be playing top 4 or nothing. I am perfectly comfortable with Beaulieu playing on the bottom pair and EARNING more ice time. Tinordi will be called up at some point to show if he has progressed according to what the team asked of him. Before losing your minds, consider that Duncan Keith in Chicago played TWO FULL SEASONS in the AHL before earning a spot with Chicago. Also consider what Detroit does with their prospects, keeping them in the AHL longer. There is not just one way to develop young players and the Habs seem to be using the slow and patient approach. The things is, they can afford too! Their core is young and maturing and they have good veterans for now. Bergevin is not building to patch for this year, he wants long term success and for this to happen he needs young players to develop properly. 

Notes and tidbits:

1- Subban while enjoying a decent season, is not playing like a true #1 dman yet. I am sure he will be fine but he needs to pick it up a little bit. Danny Dubé, a pretty competent hockey analyst provided some insight on this. As he observed, Subban seems to be coasting a bit more out there, perhaps to save some energy. This is hurting his game. Not a bad theory. Subban may also be feeling the pressure of his mammoth deal and trying to do too much. This should all fall into place soon. 

2- Gilbert while excelling with breakout passes is proving to be a liability in many other situations. This may correct itself but there is a reason he only got a 2 year deal!

3- Malhotra may be a stud on face offs but he has 1 point this year after 30+ games. He needs to produce a bit more and if he slips in face off proficiency at all, he will lose his spot.

4- Bergevin did not force Therrien to do anything with the lineup. Thinking that in my opinion means that one does not understand the Bergevin - Therrien relationship very well at all. They do consult with each other but I am convinced Therrien has the final call on the line up. 

5- Emelin is an adventure...one night he can be great then he can be a skating disaster the other night. One hopes that at some point he will settle down!

6- 67-27-11 looks like a solid line but with all due respect Gallagher is NOT a 1st line RW. This will need to be addressed at some point.

7- Parenteau seems like a good fit on the 3rd line, I think he may click with Eller. 

8- Sekac is something to watch. He has really found his groove since being sent to the pressbox. This may have been a good learning experience for him: bring it everynight.

9- Price is well...Price...just give him the Molson Cup for the rest of the year.

10- Prust is back to his old self. He is such a versatile player and a team guy. Great guy to have in your line up. 

HABS AT 30 GAMES (+1): WHO ARE THEY?

As we are now past the 30 game mark, its time to ask ourselves who these Habs are? First the basic facts:

Record: 19-10-2

Rank: 3rd in their division (1 pt out of first), 4th in the conference (1pt from first)

This taken on its on is pretty impressive. It would say the Habs are a top tier team in the East. The underlying numbers tell a different story:

1- Habs tend to have horrid starts and typically spot the opposition the 1st and sometimes 2nd goal

2- Habs tend to get outshot on a regular basis

3- Habs goal differencial is a pedestrian +4 (thanks to 6-2 win over Kings last night)

4- Habs PP is a bottom feeder

So, how did this team manage to end up 1 point from 1st after 30+ games? The answer would be goaltending, opportunistic scoring and a bit of luck. 

In my opinion, the Habs are still a developing team that is grooming some kids and positioning itself to be a steady contender. The encouraging signs are there in terms of young players and prospects. What happened, again in my opinion, is that last year's playoff run warped fans perceptions and thus their expectations. Management however is clearly not fooled and has held the course development wise. This is evident in the way they have approached their two young d-men (Tinordi and Beaulieu). They gave each a fair shot at camp and early on and neither of them showed that he truly belonged. Instead of throwing them into the fire on a bottom D pair, the Habs sent the two back to the AHL tlo log heavy minutes and to develop certain aspects of their games. Then Bergevin acquired veteran depth at D to give them and his team time to let the young D develop. This should tell you all you need to know about Bergevin and his plan. As a point of reference, Duncan Keith spent two full seasons in the AHL before cracking the Blackhawks as a regular Dman (2003-2005). Bergevin is clearly applying the patient development method but the team will also make room for young players who force their way onto the lineup through their play (Galchenyuk and Gallagher a couple of years ago stand out). The two young D are seen as top 4 material. It seems apparent the Habs want them playing in their top 4 in the future, hence they are adopting a careful development method with them.

That should tell you all you need to know about this team: they will take their time developing their players because they see things in the long term as opposed to right now. To be honest, what has the "right now" approach done for the Habs before Bergevin arrived? The answer a middling to bad team that got patched every year. I for one prefer the patient approach that is FINALLY being used by the Canadiens. 

Kids will get spots in the line up when they EARN THEM. 

Veterans will get a bit more slack because that is how all pro sports work. A veteran who has a track record will get a bit more leeway if he struggles. 

This brings me to the issue of balance...

Every team needs a mix of young players, young veterans and veterans with experience. That is how you WIN. The "play the kids" chant while highly entertaining has moved into the ludicrous zone with many Habs fans. I am all for giving young players a shot but some balance is needed and more to the point management has to be ready to act if certain kids show they are not ready. I prefer being patient than seeing a player burnt out because he was rushed to the lineup. 

So, that brings me back to my original point: Habs are still developing. This progression may go faster or slower at times and fans need to be aware of this. For once we have a smart management team. Let them do their work!

If the Habs continue to play with fire, they will get burnt. That will happen when Price cannot save the team from disaster. The team needs to improve overall D-play and to generate more offense. The PP also needs to get going because while it does not win you most of your games, it can make a significant difference in certain games with that timely goal or two. 

Going forward the Habs have needs to address. They need a true no 2-3 Dman and a top 6 (or even top 3) RW. 

They have chips to trade and at some point you can expect Bergevin to make that blockbuster trade. He will do that when the time is ripe and one thing is for sure, no one will see it coming!

Other tidbits and issues

1- Habs will shed 2-3 dmen this summer. Gonchar, Allan and Weaver will all see their deals expire. That means SPOTS will be available for the kids but also valuable CAP ROOM for the Habs. I expect the team to get one veteran d-man, if possible a top 4 one via trade before that happens. 

2- Gallagher contract was another Bergevin homerun. I expect the same with Galchenyuk (not same money but a smart deal). Bergevin is cemeting his reputation as a solid GM. 

3- Centre line is looking interesting. Desharnais ran out of rope or hung himself with his own rope (whatever you prefer). When Eller returns, it will get interesting but I think that unless Desharnais catches fire on the third line or unless Galchenyuk turns into a Titanic-like disaster on the first line, he will be the odd man out. In my opinion, Desharnais was always a short term solution for the Habs at centre. His deal proves that: 3.5M for 4 years is a pedestrian deal for a 45-50pt centre. Yes that is what he is a playmaking 45-50pt per year centre. The Habs cast him as their 1st line C by default (much like Koivu was misscast for most of his years in MTL and NO I am NOT saying they are comparable players). Desharnais is really an offensive playmaking 2C. His defensive game is not that great. He needs to be used based on that to be effective. I think the Habs centre line will be Galchenyuk - Plekanec - Eller sooner than later. If Eller shows he can produce on a constant basis then Plekanec may become your 3C on a shutdown line as he gets older. Desharnais will be traded and contrary to demented popular opinion a 45-50pt playmaking center at 3.5M per season for 2 more years is a tradeable asset. 

4- Last week Bergevin came out and said something that should resonate with fans of all ilks. The statement went something like: the Habs will, at equal talent, pick the francophone player. The coach will speak French, that is a must. Now this should be clear enough that some fans will get that this is a Habs management decision top to bottom as Molson has stated as much too. These initiatives speak to the history and culture of the team and of the place where they play. This does not mean settling for less. The Habs have over the years hired some good to great french speaking coaches. Just for shit and giggles: Julien (1 Cup win, 1 Cup appearance), Vigneault (2 cup appearances), Therrien (1 cup appearance), Martin (boring as heck but decent record as a coach overall), There are quality french speaking coaches out there and the Habs recognize the importance of this for the bulk of their fans. That is not to say that if Mike Babcock became available and the Habs were looking for a new coach that he would not be a candidate. Concerning francophone players the policy seems reasonable as well. At equivalent talent (in terms of overall game) the team will choose a francophone player. Then again, Timmins is a superb scout and would not pass up a player he wants in the 2nd round to pick a francophone player. There will always be fans who will say a player or coach was drafted or hired ONLY because he speaks French. That is manure and it is pretty ugly prejudice. Perhaps one day it will disappear or be swept under the rug but with twitter that is unlikely. Venturing out on twitter or reading various blogs you can get a pretty complete tour of the sewers when it comes to this issue. 

5- When Desharnais is traded, I wonder which player will become the target of the posse. They seem to need a target on a visceral level. I mean Desharnais has been demoted to the 3rd line, gets next to no PP time and some of the uglier fans still attack the kid with insults and demeaning comments. You would think he was making 7M per season, oh wait that was Gomez. So when Desharnais gets traded, the posse will turn on someone else to vomit on. Therrien might get the brunt of it...hmmm...see a trend there? No that is just, in the words of Ralph of the Simpsons UMPOSSIBLE. 

6- Bold prediction: Habs will make the playoffs and will battle for top 3 in the division. Bergevin will continue to wheel and deal to mold the team into what he wants. 

7- My Niners will get thumped in Seattle this weekend. This season has been a disaster.

8-  The Maple Laffs are showing signs of life...will it last?

9- That guy in Detroit sure can coach....

10- Lecavalier will not be traded to Montreal. His contract and his play make him a player you stay away from.

HABS GM IN A WORD: SMART

It has been a while since we could say this about the Habs GM and mean it as a comprehensive judgement on his work. In the recent past the Habs had half-decent to downright bad GMs. Now they got their hands on a pretty darn good one. Putting aside the fact that Bergevin has the near perfect personality fit for the crazy hockey market that is Montreal, his most impressive attribute can be boiled down to one key word: smart. Let us look at examples of this....


Smart: personnel hire

Bergevin has surrounded himself with good to great hockey people.This means that while he is the boss and makes the final calls, he is also extremely well advised. A guy like Dudley for example is a perfect fit. He also hired good people to take care of player development and implemented an organizational re-structuring of the Habs that saw key people moved or kept in key positions. This is true from the GM's decision group to scouting and yes to coaching. He picked a coach I was not thrilled with. In fact, I was not happy at all when Therrien was hired. However, it is hard to argue the results as this coach just keeps winning and now has a deep playoff run under his belt. What interests me here is how the hockey department under Bergevin works hand in hand with the coaching staff when it comes to player movement and development. This is a real organizational strength in my opinion as there is an inner coherence that means moves are made through careful thinking and considering of the entire picture.

Smart: Free Agent acquisitions/signings

Thus far, Bergevin has made next to no significant mistakes on the FA market. He has not handed out dumb contracts for crazy term. All of his FA signings have been in the reasonably price and range category. There is no David Clarkson contract in Montreal for example. The mistakes he has made, ie players that did not work out, he corrected as I will show later. A brief look at his FA record shows smart acquisitions that fill a team need but that also leave the Habs with cap flexibility (more on this later). These FA pickups are either internal (players already on the team that would become UFA) or open market pick ups (free agents in the summer). This past summer would be a pretty good example of smart FA work with the signing of 3 players at very reasonable contracts to fill team needs. Malhotra on a 1 year deal fixes the 4th line center problem and is among the leagues best face off guys, this was a clear need. Gilbert for 2 years at a very reasonable rate beings balance to the D in terms of playing D on their natural side, adds a puck mover and a decent option for the second wave of the PP. Finally, Sekac is a smart addition, a winger with size, speed and decent hands, again at a reasonable price. The FAs he has signed internally have been for good prices or at the very least market prices. Markov and Subban are good examples of D-men signed to good contracts. Guys like Eller at 3.5M and Desharnais at 3.5M are also very reasonable signings in terms of contract length but also cap hit. Eller was paid for potential, Desharnais was paid for production (a 50pt C for 3.5 is pretty reasonable if you look around). The key for me is that if these players do not work out, they can be moved because they all have reasonable contracts. this brings me to part two of this section; correcting one's "mistakes". When Bergevin has signed a player that did not work out, he typically has managed to trade him without getting saddled with a crap contract. In fact, he usually managed to trade that player and free up cap space for that coming off-season (see Cole for Ryder, Moen for Gonchar). He then turned this cap space into a player that fit a need or used the money to re-sign one of his own key players. In other instances he traded a guy that did not work out and got a younger player that can contribute by eating one year of contract (see Brière for Parenteau). This shows that this GM is able to correct his mistakes but to do so by considering his teams needs and the al-valuable asset that cap space is.

Smart: Trades

Let us begin by asking a question: when is the last time a Habs GM made a spectacular trade on deadline day and ended up not overpaying? The quick answer is Bob Gainey trading for Kovalev and paying only a guy named Belaj. Beregin acquired Vanek last year and paid well below typical rental player price. In fact, when has Bergevin paid either a 1st round pick or a top prospect to acquire a player? The answer is never. Thus far Bergevin's real strength is trading for character players that fill key roles on the team and paying bargain basement prices for them. Weaver for a 5th and Weise for Diaz stand out here. The common theme for Bergevin's trades are that they do not cut off the team at the knees in terms of cap hit, that he never overpays and that all his moves are reasonable. This means that Habs under him remain well positioned to make trades and sign players because they have cap space now or in the upcoming offseason and that team needs are met.

Smart: player management and development

Under Bergevin and yes Therrien, this team has opened spots in the lineup for young players like it has almost never done in the past. Lots of fans whine and shout that #letthekidsplay chant but reality, if you look at it is that the GM and coach have made moves to allow kids to play when they earned it. Cases in point? Galchenyuk and Gallagher making the team 2 years ago. Eller earning a contract is another good example and the list goes on. Players that do not earn an immediate spot are told to keep working and an honest look at the Habs shows them that at some point they will have a spot. The D is a good example this year because for all of the griping done by fans, at seasons end Gonchar and Weaver are GONE. Their contracts will be up and thus spots will open up on D. Markov has 2 years left on his deal which means yet another spot opening up in the near future. Gilbert will be done in at the end of next season. This means Tinordi and Beaulieu will have spots on the Habs D but will have been groomed and developed for these spots. They have been and will continue to ve given the chance to prove themselves by playing a few games here and there. As Bergevin and Therrien have often said kids will get spots if they force us to give them spots, in clear: spots are earned. The team also keeps a good stable of crafty and valuable veterans but is not afraid to let some go. This beings us to asset management.

Smart: assets

Bergevin has managed to keep the Habs in a good position with the Cap to either make trades during the season (see: Vanek, Weaver, Weise, Gonchar...) or to have room to sign or re-sign players in the summer (see: Moen for Gonchar, Cole for Ryder, Vanek acquisition last year). The Habs also seem to manage the cap better with player movement from the AHL to the NHL. These micro-moves when added up save cap space as the season progresses. Finally, Bergevin has made moves to either get rid of issues or to make space for a player. He traded Gorges and his 4M contract and signed 2 players to replace him. He waived Bourque who was an anchor and he traded Moen to free cap space but also to open up a spot at F (that means two spots with Bourque being waived). The spots are for Sekac (if he continues to earn it) and probably for Bournival when he returns. He traded Budaj to make room for Tokarski and thus avoid losing the goalie to waivers.


Conclusion

Bergevin is not perfect but he is a pretty good GM. It has been a long time since we had a GM that had a plan (a smart one anyway) and stuck to it through intelligent moves. I would say Bob Gainey was a bit like this before he lost his daughter. Bergevin however is building a pretty good team through smart building block moves all the while avoiding idiot signings or trades. He drafts well through Timins for the most part and develops these players.

To me this bodes well for the future.