Nice write up, I have enjoyed watching the Montreal/Vegas series the most so far this playoffs. I think I definitly fell into the group of people saying 'oh montreal is boring, theyre not actually good' without properly watching them, and I can say I was definitely wrong. I want them to win after watching Marc Bergevin hugging all the players on the ice last night, so heartwarming
Great write up! Something about the way a lot of non-Habs fans talk about the team makes me feel like they don’t watch the games, but you hit the nail on the head. Regardless of what happens next round, I’ll also be remembering this playoffs fondly :)
Gonna go ahead and subscribe to your newsletter after reading this. The line about the Pens somehow learning the wrong lesson from their own Cup win had me laughing, man.
Thank you for this. I am absolutely biased, as a Habs fan, but the narratives out there are killing me. Make Lambert and Wysh read this PLEASE.
Especially Lambert. Normally I love him, but he's falling into the 'old, 200 hockey men' trap that he rallies so hard against. All the sudden his whole analysis of the Habs is narrative-driven and based on the eye test.
MTL has always been an exciting team, if possession-driven hockey is your thing. I love a strong forecheck and lots of zone time. That's what they do well.
What they didn't have, and now do, is that Toffoli - Suzuki - Caufield line. Next season that will be a top line in the NHL, guaranteed.
The Gallagher injury was huge, but so too was the schedule. Look at the other teams that had to have a condensed schedule (of an already condensed schedule) due to a COVID outbreak. All of them missed the playoffs except for Montreal. Add into that, they had a new coach who had 5 (five!) practices with the team as head coach. They played every other night for 6 weeks. Then they got nine days off before the Leafs series and could actually practice.
So I dunno...maybe the regular season wasn't the best indicator of the team?
Yeah, the Gallagher injury happened on top of other injuries (Weber, Price) along with a rough schedule stretch. They were never a worse team than the Oilers or Jets this regular season imo and the standings didn't accurately reflect at all how capable they were. Similar story to the 2017 Preds, who finished at a low seed but went to the finals.
I love your stuff in general, but it really smacks of cherry picking the stats. IIRC the xG% in the Toronto series as a whole was tilted away from the Habs. The Jets at the start of the playoffs were a terrible team who lost one of their few good players, which shows how bad the collection of individuals that are the Oilers is. I think the narrative of the Vegas series would be very different if Fleury hadn't Fleury-ed them.
I'm just really cautious about anointing a mediocre team as anything but because they manage to win some playoff overtime games. I truly hope TB blows the doors off of them in the finals and I can't stand TB.
Great article. I can't understand how people can find this Montreal team to be boring to watch. I wish I could watch this style of hockey on a nightly basis. The pass by Danault on the series clincher, the chip past McNabb by Caufield on their goal before it, the patience from Suzuki on his game 1 goal against the Jets, the backhanded pass from Kotkaniemi that Anderson perfectly bats out of the air while somehow staying onside, into one of the most beautiful pump fake assists I've seen in my life from Byron. This team has me getting excited about seeing Corey Perry with the puck on his stick (Me from 10 years ago would puke at the thought) and that's all without even mentioning guys like Toffoli or Gallagher. All 12 forwards on that roster last night are capable of highlight reel offense and we've been seeing it regularly. In comparison you've got Vegas routinely sending out guys like Ryan Reaves and William Carrier. I'd much rather see teams winning the Cup with a system like Montreal's than watch a team stifle their opponents offense via headshots, knees, elbows, etc.
I'll just comment on one thing, when you wrote the following:
"They both generate offence primarily through a combination of point shots, scramble plays at the net-front, and quick-punch rush attempts."
I couldn't help but think that this has changed completely in this Habs run. They take a lot less point shots, and instead have scored with creative plays down low and/or rush opportunities. It seems like there has been a definite change of tactics in the offensive zone.
Yeah, I've noticed that the 4th line in particular is more insistent on going straight for the front of the net, and the Suzuki/Caufield/Toffoli line likes the slot a bit more. The Habs aren't just point shooters, and their series xG against Vegas really demonstrated that.
By the end of the regular season they were always just sending it back to the point, their offense had no creativity whatsoever. Now they find dangerous opportunities with ease, it's been a drastic change indeed. That 4th line didn't exist until a few weeks ago and it's truly remarkable.
All the lines are different; Suzuki's line is creativity and offense, Danault's is a shutdown line, Kotkaniemi's is all about rush offence, and Staal's line relies on the cycle and puck protection.
Good fucking article. And I'm a Leafs fan, lol.
Nice write up, I have enjoyed watching the Montreal/Vegas series the most so far this playoffs. I think I definitly fell into the group of people saying 'oh montreal is boring, theyre not actually good' without properly watching them, and I can say I was definitely wrong. I want them to win after watching Marc Bergevin hugging all the players on the ice last night, so heartwarming
Great write up! Something about the way a lot of non-Habs fans talk about the team makes me feel like they don’t watch the games, but you hit the nail on the head. Regardless of what happens next round, I’ll also be remembering this playoffs fondly :)
Gonna go ahead and subscribe to your newsletter after reading this. The line about the Pens somehow learning the wrong lesson from their own Cup win had me laughing, man.
Well written, and you defended your points extremely well. Very nice
Thank you for this. I am absolutely biased, as a Habs fan, but the narratives out there are killing me. Make Lambert and Wysh read this PLEASE.
Especially Lambert. Normally I love him, but he's falling into the 'old, 200 hockey men' trap that he rallies so hard against. All the sudden his whole analysis of the Habs is narrative-driven and based on the eye test.
MTL has always been an exciting team, if possession-driven hockey is your thing. I love a strong forecheck and lots of zone time. That's what they do well.
What they didn't have, and now do, is that Toffoli - Suzuki - Caufield line. Next season that will be a top line in the NHL, guaranteed.
The Gallagher injury was huge, but so too was the schedule. Look at the other teams that had to have a condensed schedule (of an already condensed schedule) due to a COVID outbreak. All of them missed the playoffs except for Montreal. Add into that, they had a new coach who had 5 (five!) practices with the team as head coach. They played every other night for 6 weeks. Then they got nine days off before the Leafs series and could actually practice.
So I dunno...maybe the regular season wasn't the best indicator of the team?
Anyway, thanks again for this!
Yeah, the Gallagher injury happened on top of other injuries (Weber, Price) along with a rough schedule stretch. They were never a worse team than the Oilers or Jets this regular season imo and the standings didn't accurately reflect at all how capable they were. Similar story to the 2017 Preds, who finished at a low seed but went to the finals.
I love your stuff in general, but it really smacks of cherry picking the stats. IIRC the xG% in the Toronto series as a whole was tilted away from the Habs. The Jets at the start of the playoffs were a terrible team who lost one of their few good players, which shows how bad the collection of individuals that are the Oilers is. I think the narrative of the Vegas series would be very different if Fleury hadn't Fleury-ed them.
I'm just really cautious about anointing a mediocre team as anything but because they manage to win some playoff overtime games. I truly hope TB blows the doors off of them in the finals and I can't stand TB.
Is there a way I can share this article with all the talking-head Homers on TSN and Sportsnet?
Lightning/Islanders in 4
If you're going to create a new user name to just troll, at least spell the team's name correctly.
Habs in six
Great article. I can't understand how people can find this Montreal team to be boring to watch. I wish I could watch this style of hockey on a nightly basis. The pass by Danault on the series clincher, the chip past McNabb by Caufield on their goal before it, the patience from Suzuki on his game 1 goal against the Jets, the backhanded pass from Kotkaniemi that Anderson perfectly bats out of the air while somehow staying onside, into one of the most beautiful pump fake assists I've seen in my life from Byron. This team has me getting excited about seeing Corey Perry with the puck on his stick (Me from 10 years ago would puke at the thought) and that's all without even mentioning guys like Toffoli or Gallagher. All 12 forwards on that roster last night are capable of highlight reel offense and we've been seeing it regularly. In comparison you've got Vegas routinely sending out guys like Ryan Reaves and William Carrier. I'd much rather see teams winning the Cup with a system like Montreal's than watch a team stifle their opponents offense via headshots, knees, elbows, etc.
Amazing article. Eight thumbs up!
I'll just comment on one thing, when you wrote the following:
"They both generate offence primarily through a combination of point shots, scramble plays at the net-front, and quick-punch rush attempts."
I couldn't help but think that this has changed completely in this Habs run. They take a lot less point shots, and instead have scored with creative plays down low and/or rush opportunities. It seems like there has been a definite change of tactics in the offensive zone.
Yeah, I've noticed that the 4th line in particular is more insistent on going straight for the front of the net, and the Suzuki/Caufield/Toffoli line likes the slot a bit more. The Habs aren't just point shooters, and their series xG against Vegas really demonstrated that.
By the end of the regular season they were always just sending it back to the point, their offense had no creativity whatsoever. Now they find dangerous opportunities with ease, it's been a drastic change indeed. That 4th line didn't exist until a few weeks ago and it's truly remarkable.
All the lines are different; Suzuki's line is creativity and offense, Danault's is a shutdown line, Kotkaniemi's is all about rush offence, and Staal's line relies on the cycle and puck protection.
hello
gay
Oops
So many words so many charts and yet so little appropriate analysis and relevant evidence and so wrong.
Thank you for stating what should in fact be obvious but is in fact ignored and avoided. Solid argument (and the right one).