Game 49 Recap: What Just Happened?

We knew they’d turn a corner once they got healthy. With the key being Gomez, really.

We also need to take a step back and remove the microscope though.

The media seems to overreact and then it is met with an immediate over reaction by us to either a. the move or b. the media. None of us are privy to any of the inner circles information, so we speculate and speculation spirals if the foundation is based on shady information.

It seems as though we have learned nothing from the Carey Price situation and most of our reactions are based on emotion. That emotion is fear. We fear the ridiculous move.

Carey Price was raked over the coals by the media, he was treated poorly by the fans and he had to mature in the burning heat of the spotlight. For everybody who wanted him to stay, every criticism was cutting and it resulted in a defense or rallying around him in fear of a stupid move by management. We treat management like they are bumbling fools, but being in a team environment criticism is rampant, as is accountability. Every successful work environment needs a system of accountability and structure for critical input and growth.

Subban said as much on Tuesday and Price and Cole supported the decision to bench him publicly last night. I love Subban. I want him going nowhere, but the guy is a wild stallion who needs to be broken to a degree. Everything is micro analyzed and blown out of proportion.

Nobody remembers the things surrounding Roy after the 1986 Cup. History can look at statistics and say he was pretty damn great in 87 and 88, but he wasn’t. His stats were marginally better than Bryan Hayward’s and in the 1987 playoffs he was benched in favour of Hayward. He reacted poorly and showed his immaturity, he talks about it candidly in his book. Today it would have resulted in an internet reaction that would talk about maybe it is time for Roy to go. Will the Habs trade Roy, they are making a statement by not trusting him just one year after leading the team to a Cup, etc. etc.

It was the natural maturation process of a young player. Price just went through it in front of our eyes and Subban is going through it right now. This site is a great resource for information, analysis and statistical support, but what Subban is going through is beyond our limited understanding to really comment on with authority. We don’t know if Subban just sat in Cunneyworth’s office and was told, we know we have burdened you with a lot of responsibility and are willing to offer you leeway, but you need to stop criticism A. Then Subban goes out immediately and commits criticism A.

I have been in the locker room. I have had teammates who struggled with accountability. Teammates who are good guys but struggle with authority etc. When Carey Price and Eric Cole essentially call him out, something exists which we are missing.

The medias goal is to drive sales and hits. Creating a Subban trade market does exactly that. That leads to us fearing the worst and over sensitive analysis. Am I afraid the Habs will trade Subban? Not really, but I feel less comfortable when he gets benched or when he is the subject of intense scrutiny.

Gauthier created this sense of fear with his recent actions. The trust was removed so we are like wounded children waiting for the next abuse. With this we are overly sensitive and we are playing right into the hyperbole.

Personally, I am going to step back a little and relax. I am not going to get to worked up based on scenarios that are being driven by my distrust and fear.

The third period is where they really impressed me. The Wings were off-kilter, but nailed two goals on two chances and the habs answered by shutting them off altogether and plugging 6 straight chances. The Wings weren’t the Wings™ but still, the habs could have shelled. But to me, it looks like they collectively tought “screw it” and went for the jugular, again, and harder.

And how they flatly stopped celebrating goals after the 5th. I liked that. Beat them into a pulp, act casual.

That is awesome.

Is this a place known for post-game drinking?

Gomez doesn’t just lead the team in first assist rate… he leads the entire NHL in first assist rate???

Oh my. Small sample and all, but… oh my.

Gomez is inching to that magical 2 points per 60 mark on assists alone.

I’m not too enamored with the way RC goes about things. Frankly, if it weren’t for some really odd decisions (benching Eller after throwing him into the fire) I’d surmise he’s trying to develop players first and win games second. He’s gotten better since his horrible first stretch, but he still makes a lot of odd moves and still seems to have an overly simplistic approach to the game.

Frankly, I’m rather hoping he is a lame duck. I think he needs to take major strides to become a reasonably good coach at the NHL level.

If, in fact, it was Molson or PG’s intent to shake things up by intentionally bringing in an operational mercenary under the guise of an interim role, their execution of this plan would be an utter fail.

At the outset, I suggested perhaps this was a Machiavellian plan to bring in a unilingual coach who, if successful – something which remains to be defined – could possibly stay on beyond the end of the season.

Unfortunately, not too long later, the team’s President/head of an ownership group and, subsequently, the GM, were publicly apologizing for being insensitive in their actions. Doesn’t smack of a thoughtful plan.

Moreover, if you’re really going to bring someone in to do this kind of job, you wouldn’t be doing it with an NHL-inexperienced coach, one who has never had to handle extremely well-compensated superstars, you’d be doing what St-Louis did with Ken Hitchcock.

Finally, there is nothing that RC has done to suggest he is doing anything other than what a head coach is expected to do to motivate the team.

This isn’t Bombardier bringing in Paul Tellier for a couple of years, as it faced imminent financial collapse. This isn’t even McKinsey & Co picking Air Canada apart on a consulting basis.

This just appears to be what it is: An assistant coach assuming the role of head coach on an interim basis. And when you’re interim, and unilingual, and the team’s owner is apologizing that you’re unilingual, there is a big duck walking around the room.

I remain hopeful RC adjusts to the role and achieves success. I am also hopeful that if he is successful, that he will be rewarded with an opportunity to stick around for the long term.

Hopeful.

I can only speak for myself. I never pissed and moaned about the return, my only criticism was the timing of the deal and the lack of patience. A criticism I will stand by regardless of how many goals Bourque scores during his Montreal career.

I was miffed that Cammy was traded at all, personally, even before knowing the return, because it stank of a player getting shipped off because of “attitude” and this had virtually never been profitable for the Habs and I saw little reason to expect otherwise.

Well, Pleks is only making 5 million. ;)

Slippery bastard…

I think that you’re extrapolating a lot considering that he didn’t even raise it to 1.5 cm (close doesn’t count). I think it was on the contrary a clear commentary and rebuke to the French media (remember the draft occured in Quebec) and their rhetoric on Randy Cunneyworth, and an obvious indictment of Geoff Molson’s apology letter.