adplus-dvertising
Connect with us

Sports

Canadiens, coach Julien need to find solutions as offence dries up – Sportsnet.ca

Published

4 years ago

 on


MONTREAL — It’s a difficult balance to achieve — especially when you start the season without a regulation loss in your first seven games and maintain your rhythm over the next three before falling off-pace for four — but as a coach, you have to know when to stick with it and when to make changes.

It’s fair to say Claude Julien is in the middle seat right now, and finding that balance will only be more challenging if things keep sliding.

Julien’s Montreal Canadiens have lost three of four games — including Thursday’s 3-0 shutout to Mike Smith and the Edmonton Oilers — and the scoring has dried up.

The Canadiens, who opened with 44 goals in their first 10 games, have scored just six in their last four. The opposition has tightened up — the Ottawa Senators looked like Team Germany, parking it on their half of the ice through two games and not allowing the Canadiens to gain any traction in transition before the Toronto Maple Leafs put a blanket on Montreal’s offence in Wednesday’s 3-1 win.

And even if the flow was moving in both directions of Thursday’s game, which was delayed an hour for the completion of test results after Oilers forward Jesse Puljujarvi was added to the NHL’s COVID-19 Protocol list, the Canadiens weren’t able to generate more than the one odd-man rush they had early in the first period — a breakaway for Nick Suzuki.

Teams have adjusted to Montreal’s devastating counter-attack and clamped down in the scoring areas, and now it’s the Canadiens’ turn to make their own adjustments.

It’s not like Julien sat on his hands over the last 48 hours. He pulled assistant captain Paul Byron out of the lineup for Wednesday’s game and put him back in Thursday. Corey Perry went from the third line Saturday, to the fourth line Wednesday and to the taxi squad Thursday. Tomas Tatar and Tyler Toffoli switched places on lines two and three against the Oilers, and Jake Allen took Carey Price’s place in front of the net.

But the Canadiens tried hard and lost, the frustration was oozing out of them on the ice — and off of it in their post-game media availability — and it left us wondering if Julien needs to tweak the offensive strategy. Or at least one part of it in particular.

The Canadiens tend to rely on funnelling the puck back to the point a lot in the offensive zone. It’s at least part of the reason they came into the game with the 20th-most goals per game off the cycle at 5-on-5. Considering they lead the league in goals, it’s a concerning number — especially when teams aren’t allowing them to generate as much in transition and off the rush, where they still rank first in goals per game.

That pattern — which we know of thanks to the fine folks at Sportlogiq, who provided the above data — was apparent in Thursday’s game as well, with Montreal’s defence accounting for 40 per cent of the shot attempts in all situations and 16 of 34 shots at even strength.

Prior to the game, Phillip Danault was asked about what the Canadiens could do to be less predictable in this regard, and he said, “I think definitely we should work a little more with us as forwards.”

“Cycle and those little things can help us,” Danault added. “It could be a little different, too — teams are doing video every day, so we’ve got to adjust sometimes on those little things. Those little things can bring you far and win some games, too. So, maybe a little more between the forwards in the O-zone.”

When we asked Julien about it after the loss, he said it came down to the lack of execution of the strategy in place, rather than the strategy itself.

“This (strategy) has been going on since the playoff bubble, which I thought served us well,” Julien said. “It served us well at the beginning of the year, too.”

In fairness to Julien, that’s true to an extent. Montreal’s defence combined for 16 points in 10 games in the August playoffs, and they’ve combined for 34 points in 14 games this season. Those things wouldn’t have happened if this particular strategy wasn’t working to some degree.

We’d even agree with Julien’s explanation of why this strategy works in general, and why it’s not working now.

“When teams swarm and you have no room down low, you want to move it up high,” he said. “But we need to get on the inside, we need guys going to the net, and that’s what’s not happening right now. When you do move it up, sometimes it does open up some space for you to put it back down and use those little plays.

“So I don’t think it’s the system itself, it’s more us not executing properly. And I think when you see our execution come back, those things won’t be in question.”

But how long can he afford to wait to tweak it a bit, to throw a curveball at the opposition on this until the confidence to execute it properly returns?

It’s a shortened season, every point in the early part of it is that much more precious, and a losing spell can put so much in doubt.

We’re not suggesting everything needs to be undone because of a bad stretch, which prompted Julien to say several times, both before and after Thursday’s game, that the Canadiens don’t have their “A-game.”

Both Byron and Brendan Gallagher were asked after the loss if the coach was too reliant on all four lines and both of them practically said the same thing verbatim — a thing we agree with.

“The strength of our team is having four lines that are capable of playing good hockey for our team,” said Byron.

The Canadiens played superstars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner on Wednesday and Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on Thursday, and with respect to Suzuki, Jonathan Drouin and Josh Anderson, they aren’t of that ilk. Even if they’ve produced at nearly a point-per-game rate so far.

This team’s superpowers are its depth and its balanced. If Julien deviates from that just to put a few more goals in, a lot of other areas slip, so we don’t see a reason for him to do that.

And the players have to do their part, too.

“Right now things aren’t going that well offensively, but I think we need to do a better job of going to the net,” Byron said. “Not really playing as much on the outside, find ways to get in front and make life difficult for their goalie. We had a lot of shots, a lot of outside shots, one-and-dones. I think (Smith) saw a lot of the puck tonight and it just makes it easy for him. You’re not always going to score 3-on-2 breakaway goals all the time. Sometimes you’ve got to go to the paint, you gotta get dirty goals, stuff that guys like Corey (Perry) and Gally made a living doing for years. It’s just on everybody to go and do that and embrace that mentality. Put the work boots on and go to the hard areas to score. It’s a big part of our game I think we can improve on.”

The coaches can help the players do it. Julien and his associates have to consider attacking this issue with some new methods before the team slips further into the offensive abyss.

Gallagher’s not sweating it.

“There’s no concern,” he said.

But Gallagher’s not the one holding the clipboard on the bench, and finding that balance of sticking to your plan and adjusting it is always hardest to do when things aren’t going the way you want them to.

Let’s block ads! (Why?)

728x90x4

Source link

Related Topics:
Continue Reading

Sports

CN workers in Jasper face uncertainty as company plans to move rail ops an hour away

Published

4 hours ago

 on

September 19, 2024

By

 

MONTREAL – Canadian National Railway Co. told employees this week it plans to relocate its operations in Jasper to near Hinton, Alta., about 100 kilometres away.

In a memo sent to employees in the fire-ravaged town, the company said it’s aiming to increase efficiency by minimizing train stops between Edmonton and Blue River, B.C., which sits across the Rockies.

CN plans to close its Jasper bunkhouse and build a crew change facility east of Hinton, with workers slated to clock in at the new site starting in September 2025, according to the document obtained by The Canadian Press.

“CN has made the decision to implement operational changes to improve network fluidity,” regional vice-president Nicole James said in the memo.

The union representing rail workers criticized the relocation, which affects about 200 employees, though no layoffs are expected.

“This is another devastating blow to the town of Jasper, after this year’s catastrophic wildfires. Rail is one of the largest industries in Jasper, after tourism, and CN’s move will cripple this community even further,” said Paul Boucher, president of the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference.

“And for the workers who’ve already lost so much — some even their homes — this is a truly cruel blow.”

Union spokesman Christopher Monette noted that most residents or their spouses must work in town to qualify to live there under Jasper National Park’s residency rules. The company has told the union it will apply for an exception for the workers, he said.

CN spokeswoman Ashley Michnowski says the railway is committed to supporting employees through the transition and keeping them updated.

“These types of changes take time to fully plan out and implement. That’s why one of our initial steps was to have this discussion with our employees as well as advising the town of Jasper,” she said in an email.

A wildfire ripped through Jasper in July, destroying a third of the mountain town and displacing many of its 4,800 residents.

The blaze also caused smoke damage to the CN bunkhouse, which the company says it has worked to restore since it was allowed to re-enter the community with contractors on Aug. 16.

Engineers and conductors have been reporting for work in Hinton, roughly an hour away, since the wildfire.

With roots as a fur trade outpost, Jasper launched as a railway town in the early 20th century after tracks built by the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway — CN’s predecessor — paved the way for the municipality.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 19, 2024.

Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR)

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Red Wings sign Moritz Seider to 7-year deal worth nearly $60M

Published

10 hours ago

 on

September 19, 2024

By

 

DETROIT (AP) — The Detroit Red Wings made another investment this week in a young standout, signing Moritz Seider to a seven-year contract worth nearly $60 million.

The Red Wings announced the move with the 23-year-old German defenseman on Thursday, three days after keeping 22-year-old forward Lucas Raymond with a $64.6 million, eight-year deal.

Detroit drafted Seider with the No. 6 pick overall eight years ago and he has proven to be a great pick. He has 134 career points, the most by a defenseman drafted in 2019.

He was the NHL’s only player to have at least 200 hits and block 200-plus shots last season, when he scored a career-high nine goals and had 42 points for the second straight year.

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the league’s top rookie in 2022 after he had a career-high 50 points.

Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman is banking on Seider, whose contract will count $8.55 million annually against the cap, and Raymond to turn a rebuilding team into a winner.

Detroit has failed to make the playoffs in eight straight seasons, the longest postseason drought in franchise history.

The Red Wings, who won four Stanley Cups from 1997 to 2008, have been reeling since their run of 25 straight postseasons ended in 2016.

Detroit was 41-32-9 last season and finished with a winning record for the first time since its last playoff appearance.

Yzerman re-signed Patrick Kane last summer and signed some free agents, including Vladimir Tarasenko to a two-year contract worth $9.5 million after he helped the Florida Panthers hoist the Cup.

___

AP NHL:

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

Source link

Continue Reading

Sports

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom, Karen Paquin lead Canada’s team at WXV rugby tournament

Published

11 hours ago

 on

September 19, 2024

By

 

Veterans Tyson Beukeboom and Karen Paquin will lead Canada at the WXV 1 women’s rugby tournament starting later this month in the Vancouver area.

WXV 1 includes the top three teams from the Women’s Six Nations (England, France and Ireland) and the top three teams from the Pacific Four Series (Canada, New Zealand, and the United States).

Third-ranked Canada faces No. 4 France, No. 7 Ireland and No. 1 England in the elite division of the three-tiered WXV tournament that runs Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 in Vancouver and Langley, B.C. No. 2 New Zealand and the eighth-ranked U.S. make up the six-team WVX 1 field.

“Our preparation time was short but efficient. This will be a strong team,” Canada coach Kevin Rouet said in a statement. “All the players have worked very hard for the last couple of weeks to prepare for WXV and we are excited for these next three matches and for the chance to play on home soil here in Vancouver against the best rugby teams in the world.

“France, Ireland and England will each challenge us in different ways but it’s another opportunity to test ourselves and another step in our journey to the Rugby World Cup next year.”

Beukeboom serves as captain in the injury absence of Sophie de Goede. The 33-year-old from Uxbridge, Ont., earned her Canadian-record 68th international cap in Canada’s first-ever victory over New Zealand in May at the Pacific Four Series.

Twenty three of the 30 Canadian players selected for WXV 1 were part of that Pacific Four Series squad.

Rouet’s roster includes the uncapped Asia Hogan-Rochester, Caroline Crossley and Rori Wood.

Hogan-Rochester and Crossley were part of the Canadian team that won rugby sevens silver at the Paris Olympics, along with WXV teammates Fancy Bermudez, Olivia Apps, Alysha Corrigan and Taylor Perry. Wood is a veteran of five seasons at UBC.

The 37-year-old Paquin, who has 38 caps for Canada including the 2014 Rugby World Cup, returns to the team for the first time since the 2021 World Cup.

Canada opens the tournament Sept. 29 against France at B.C. Place Stadium in Vancouver before facing Ireland on Oct. 5 at Willoughby Stadium at Langley Events Centre, and England on Oct. 12 at B.C. Place.

The second-tier WXV 2 and third-tier WXV 3 are slated to run Sept. 27 to Oct. 12, in South Africa and Dubai, respectively.

WXV 2 features Australia, Italy, Japan, Scotland, South Africa and Wales while WXV 3 is made up of Fiji, Hong Kong, Madagascar, the Netherlands, Samoa and Spain.

The tournament has 2025 World Cup qualification implications, although Canada, New Zealand and France, like host England, had already qualified by reaching the semifinals of the last tournament.

Ireland, South Africa, the U.S., Japan, Fiji and Brazil have also booked their ticket, with the final six berths going to the highest-finishing WXV teams who have not yet qualified through regional tournaments.

Canada’s Women’s Rugby Team WXV 1 Squad

Forwards

Alexandria Ellis, Ottawa, Stade Français Paris (France); Brittany Kassil, Guelph, Ont., Guelph Goats; Caroline Crossley, Victoria, Castaway Wanderers; Courtney Holtkamp, Rimbey, Alta., Red Deer Titans Rugby; DaLeaka Menin, Vulcan, Alta., Exeter Chiefs (England); Emily Tuttosi, Souris, Man., Exeter Chiefs (England); Fabiola Forteza, Quebec City, Stade Bordelais (France); Gabrielle Senft, Regina, Saracens (England); Gillian Boag, Calgary, Gloucester-Hartpury (England); Julia Omokhuale, Calgary, Leicester Tigers (England); Karen Paquin, Quebec City, Club de rugby de Quebec; Laetitia Royer, Loretteville, Que., ASM Romagnat (France); McKinley Hunt, King City, Ont., Saracens (England); Pamphinette Buisa, Gatineau, Que., Ottawa Irish; Rori Wood, Sooke, B.C., College Rifles RFC; Sara Cline, Edmonton, Leprechaun Tigers; Tyson Beukeboom, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England);

Backs

Alexandra Tessier, Sainte-Clotilde-de-Horton, Que., Exeter Chiefs (England); Alysha Corrigan, Charlottetown, P.E.I., CRFC; Asia Hogan-Rochester, Toronto, Toronto Nomads; Claire Gallagher, Caledon, Ont., Leicester Tigers (England); Fancy Bermudez, Edmonton, Saracens (England); Julia Schell, Uxbridge, Ont., Ealing Trailfinders (England); Justine Pelletier, Rivière-du-Loup, Que, Stade Bordelais (France); Mahalia Robinson, Fulford, Que., Town of Mount Royal RFC; Olivia Apps, Lindsay, Ont., Lindsay RFC; Paige Farries, Red Deer, Alta., Saracens (England); Sara Kaljuvee, Ajax, Ont., Westshore RFC; Shoshanah Seumanutafa, White Rock, B.C., Counties Manukau (New Zealand); Taylor Perry, Oakville, Ont., Exeter Chiefs (England).

—

Follow @NeilMDavidson on X platform, formerly known as Twitter

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

Source link

Continue Reading

Trending