We all remember this classic altercation between former Nordiques head coach, Pierre "le savant" Pagé and Mats Sundin!!! One has to wonder if this was the type of treatment Reway got this week-end in the far woods of l'Abitibi!?!? I for one sure hope so....this is a serious season and half-measures won't be tolerated!!! If there's one thing I love about Groulx, it's his short temper in relations with players who don't give the full effort!!!
I believe we have not seen that short temper a lot in the last few years because he was over his heads in responsabilities with the team, this season he will have more time to coach and by benching one of his best players in the third of the game while another one already has a 2 game suspension, shows exactly that....he will not be dupped by players who don't take this season seriously!!! Play hockey or hit the stands...I stand by that and I believe Groulx will stand by that aswell!!!
What the hell happened in VDO for us to loose 5-0 against a team that will proabably finish in the bottom 6 of the league...well it's easy to figure out. First road trip of the year is always a tough one add to that when your best players come back from their NHL tryouts they always seam to take a little while to adjust to junior speed (everything is much slower) and they're also often tired from all the emotions that an NHL camp brings to the table.
Not to worry about that loss, they're will be a few more before this seasons ends, but 5-0 is a little bit hard to swallow...these type of games will have to be avoided has much has possible, because these are the types of games that make coaches make bold moves....and these bold moves in the past have not proven to be successfull all the time if you look at Groulx's track sheet considering trades and all!!! To be noted, Brouillard is already suspended for 2 games, his second game will be against Rimouski this friday at the Bob...this will have to avoided big time...I don't like the fact that it took only 3 games before Brouillard getting canned for 2 games by the league...regardless of the play itself...a 20 year old player should lead by example...and this is not the way to do it!!!
I will be very hard this season on Brouillard, Steeves and Tardif-Richard...your 20 year old players should always be your best players on the ice and in a year where your suppose to be VERY competitive...they should help you obtain your goals....I don't believe they will be any of help if there in the stands serving suspensions....of course in the case of Steeves, suspensions should not be a factor...if they are I'll probably end up liking him even more, but you get the picture....are 20 year old players have to be productive and Steeves has to stop pucks!!!
I keep reading in the papers about our offense scoring goals like crazy....5 goals opening night against VDO, 6 goals 2 days later against Sherbrooke...then we get shutout in VDO but we followed up with another 6 goal game in Rouyn the very next day....do the math people and you end up with 17 goals in 4 games for an average of 4.25 goals per games!!! That's great....but we all knew we had a good offense before this season started...so am I impressed in bloody September that we can score 4 goals a games against weak\sub-par teams?!?!? NO I AM NOT!!!
For the real question at hand....question not answered or talked about in the papers...I guess one journalist doesn't want to have the team in the organisation on his back early in the season!!! Here's the question...how's the defence been doing??? Since this will be our problem now and later on!!!
Well not that great....actually....not good at all....they gave 2 goals against VDO on opening night...then they gave 2 more 2 days later against a weak Sherbrooke team....5 in VDO and 4 more in Rouyn the very next day....for a total of...13 goals against in 4 games....in average we're giving 3.25 goals a games against teams that will not be hunting late in the season for the same trophy we're looking for...remember folks...this is September...so don't take anything for granted yet....teams are still waiting for players to come back....lots of adjustements will have to be made for an organisation to called themselves a contender....but 3.25 goals a games against is a concern....speacially for a coach that prides himself has being a defensive one!!! This defense cannot win a Championship and more then one modification will have to be required!!!
Another thing that won't help us win championships his our stinking power-play....how long will we have to endure this bullcrap has fans?!?!?! Again last week-end, our beautiful power-play went 1 for 14 and this is with our big guns back in the line-up!!! Why is it, that we can't find the back of the net on the power-play like any other good teams of the past can?!?! This will burn us, AGAIN....if modifications are made!!!
Here's an idea...have Sheppard in front of the net to screen the goalie...Deslauriers at the point, Reway high slot because of his vision on the ice....and Poirier and Dunn down low for your first power-play!!! The organisation and bloggers keep on saying that Deslauriers is that goot...well give it a real test. Put him alone on the point with four forward on the first power-play....then come back with Carrier/Beauregard on the point with Tardif-Richard, Burke and Brouillard for your second. Of course your first play could be an umbrella formation and your second should be totally different. Have a defencemen come down from the point to put pressure in the high slot when the puck his on the other side of the zone or jam the net like crazy and send everything in that direction!!! Regardless of the strategies involved, our power-play needs to score and with out offense at hand this season...excuses won't be tolerated by the general public....in my case they haven't in the last 2 seasons either!!!
So in conclusion, was they're a lesson to be learned last week-end?!?!?! Not really, it's the beginning of the season and anything can happen....maybe the lesson to be learned should be this one...
The moment of truth doesn't come in September and great players don't have to be great right now, they simply have to be good and lead by example...and the best way to lead by example...is to be made an example of...until next time...
Keep dropping the gloves kids, it's part of the game!!!!
What a freakin joke to scratch Reway for one bad game or a stupid penalty. How many bad games (and very stupid penalties) did a guy like Bourret get last year? And Reggy? And Chapman? Very inconsistent from year to year, from game to game. Reway's apparent reaction this week as I've been told? "Screw Groulx. I can't wait to be outa here".
RépondreSupprimerIf you're going to bench someone for a bad game, the little Berube should have been benched 4 times. My God is he terrible and soft. No way this team wins when the going gets tough later on in the season with such a soft defense. Only Beauregard is throwing his weight around. No coincidence that the other have no weight to throw around. They better hope little Carrier doesn't get hurt again as the coach relies on him for 30 minutes a game.
Poirier will score 50 this year. Burke will be a point a game player. Steeves will be very good if his relationship with the coach is better that last year.
mj
I was about to say exactly what Anonymous said in his first paragraph. After Bourret, Regimbald and Chapman last year... Groulx is a fucking idiot.
RépondreSupprimerAnd Desbiens was suspended for a clean hit.
Hull4life, what the hell are you talking about our power play going 1 for 14?????? Sorry dude :), we gave up three fucking goals when we were on the powerplay, so we were -2 for 14!!!!!!!!!!!!
RépondreSupprimerI repeat, Groulx is a fucking idiot.
What I don't get is the constant praise Groulx gets in Quebec and from the Quebec media (Le Droit, RDS). He gets tons of credit when a player like Poirier develops but how many very good and promising players does he drive away because of his antiquated coaching methods and his favouritism. How many players couldn't play for him yet thrive elsewhere. Wouldn't the team defense be better with the likes of Poulin, Cortese and the big guy they cut at tryouts (can't remember his name) instead of small guys like Berrube, Smith and Henry... or rooks like Crevier and Lutulipe who will hardly play? What did they get for Cortese? Turns out to be an 8th round pick (what they got for eventually trading Bent)!
RépondreSupprimerA great coach would be able to teach a power play, especially with the talent at hand. A great coach would not have scratched one of his best players after ONE game when he let so many things slide from his vets last year. A great coach would be a communicator, not a tyrant,and would inspire players, not terrorize them. A great coach indeed. In the mold of a great team president. I contend that they will still do OK this year but it will be in spite of this great coach, not because of him.
mj
I'm certainly not going to disagree with much of what you 2 guys said, but I will say this...it's only 4 games in the year...with Groulx in the driving seat (he has lots ot offer to other teams)...changes will be made here and there.
RépondreSupprimerI don't believe Groulx thinks he can win with this team, he knows he has strenghs but he needs to mousse up his back end...and like I said many times...i'm not sure where Steeves can lead us eventually.
Has for Reway, the kid was probably flapping his gums too much after being a hit at Habs camp, so Groulx...has only Groulx would do, brought his back on earth!!! I don't necessarily question the move...but I would be curious has to how it was brought to Reway!!! We heard so many stories in the past about players being mad at him. Groulx's never going to be a therapist...that's for sure, let put it that way!!! Reway needs to man up aswell.
Groulx is the type of coach who will be harder on his best players...if they don't like it...they will eventually play elsewhere...if they stand it and take it like men...then could become future NHL stars!!!
If you do the math at the end of the day....you will loose more players with this mentality then create NHL stars...that's a no brainer!!! For a junior team, it's not necessarily a great thing, i've been saying it since the yee-haaaa days!!!
Groulx has 3 guys that he has to get on his side this season...Dunn, Reway and Brouillard. Poirier, Burke, Beauregard, Carrier are already in his hand...which is a good thing, because they believe in Groulx's system or human nature if you prefer. The problem here is evident, Brouillard and done are 2 hot heads, i'm not saying there are not great players for us...but there wild guys...Reway is the same...if not under control and in belief of Groulx's system, these guys could turn around the attitude in the locker in a heartbeat!!! I was concern at the draft about there acquisition and i'm still worried to this date. Will know real soon how Groulx handles his locker room this season and Reway's suspension could be seen has a good thing in about a month or so from now or on the other hand it could be the spark that lid the fire!!!
With an healthy team...right now, we can beat just about anyone...I did say healthy and I did mean September by saying ...right now!!
Well said, both of you.
RépondreSupprimerThere are several good things I have always said about Groulx too.
He runs a great bench during games, he is a real pro in this respect. His teams play TEAM hockey. He is NOT a goon coach. When he gets the right combination of personalities in the dressing room he can win.
This is the target year, he will make some moves at Christmas and go for it. I like our chances of at least making the final four, hopefully the finals.
He is not a goon coach but his teams usually lead the league in stupid penalties and too many men bench minors.
RépondreSupprimermj
@anonymous
RépondreSupprimerI completely agree with you're last 2 points you just made, iv'e been saying for years and it was the same 2 years ago when we picked Garrett Clarke before the playoffs, he was the king of stupid penalties!!!
It's a mystery to me how come we get so many bench minors, It could have to do with players playing scared or players thinking too much making them take bad penalties or jump on the ice too fast!!! Without trying to avoid to make a mistake they end up doing exactly that before being involved in the play!!!
@stooy
I like the points you brought up as in regards to Groulx's style of coach and again I agree...but I will say this...he did not prove he could win with a Ok/bad team (last 2 seasons)...so having said this...he must win something this season to at least maintain his status has a great coach when he has great players!!!