While many people are only now contemplating what changes they’d like to make in the New Year, Michel Therrien wisely gave his team a three-week headstart.
On Dec. 9, the Montreal Canadiens started a five-game home stand with a serious makeover. In advance of that contest versus the Vancouver Canucks, the Habs had lost six of their past seven outings, lending credibility to those who argued the club would eventually be done in by bad possession numbers.
Regardless of what metrics you were mulling, the need for alteration was clear. With that in mind, Therrien torched his old lineup card and produced a new one so different from the last it was almost as if the Canadiens had made a major trade. Far and away the most notable development was the long-awaited move of Alex Galchenyuk from wing to centre, beside top sniper Max Pacioretty.
In terms of the team’s record, the Canadiens have done a perfect 180, winning six of their past seven games. And while the shake-up hasn’t been a complete panacea for the team’s problems, there are some promising aspects to Montreal’s current formation.
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The big story, of course, is Galchenyuk’s switch to his natural position. The Habs brought him along slowly on left wing during his first two-plus seasons in the league, but at some point they had to set the 20-year-old free. Even in the tiny seven-game run there’s been some ups and downs for Galchenyuk, but his four goals and three assists in that stretch demonstrate the kid feels pretty comfortable in his new role.
In terms of everything else that goes with the position—and as any coach would be happy to tell you, there’s a lot—Galchenyuk is getting by. So while he won’t soon be a finalist for the Selke Trophy, the youngster is managing to learn without being a liability.
If Galchenyuk’s production was a welcomed result of the change, the points created by a displaced David Desharnais register as a beautiful surprise. Desharnais has essentially played centre beside Pacioretty since becoming a full-time NHLer in 2011-12, and was a popular whipping boy in rocky times. (It’s actually amazing a guy with his small stature can serve as such a huge target for criticism.)
Whatever was at the root of Therrien’s hesitance to separate Desharnais and Pacioretty, the former has shown—in the short term, at least—that he’s far more adaptable than most would have guessed.
Not only has Desharnais been skating beside new linemates, he’s also been swapped out to left wing the past few games in the wake of Lars Eller returning from a short stay on the injured list. Before the move, Desharnais had two goals in 29 contests. Since the switch, he’s potted three goals in seven outings, tossing in a couple assists to boot.
As for Pacioretty, he’s let his inner playmaker out since he stopped playing beside a born passer, registering six helpers.
Should the fact Desharnais has outscored Pacioretty three goals to two since Therrien turned the roster upside down remind us to be suspicious of small sample sizes? Absolutely. By the same token, it’s very plausible that both players had been heavily typecast and are now revealing the underused tools in their kit.
Not to be lost in all the forward talk is a development on the blueline that’s seen Nathan Beaulieu given a more prominent role with the club.
Though Beaulieu’s plight isn’t exactly the same as Galchenyuk’s, there’s definite overlap in the way the organization has been extremely cautious bringing both first-rounders along. Essentially, it’s only been the past two games where Beaulieu—who’s logged significant AHL time this season—was leaned on as a top-four defenceman, playing beside Sergei Gonchar. While the points have yet to follow, Beaulieu’s speed and ability to move the puck can certainly play a role in helping Montreal limit the amount of times opponents are directing shots at its own net.
While nothing is carved in stone, it appears Therrien is more ready than ever to give Beaulieu some leeway in the name of realizing his upside.
If someone wanted to get picky about the Habs’ new-look success, he or she could point out two of their six wins have come against the bottom-feeding Carolina Hurricanes, while two more were achieved against the opponent’s decidedly second-string goalie. And the issue with giving up more shots than they take essentially remains unchanged.
That said, Montreal’s current mold has been able to generate wins for a club that was starting to sag. And considering the people in new places are either kids just getting started or established players expanding their repertoire, there’s reason to believe the revamped lineup’s best games wait in 2015 and beyond.