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"Definitely got holes": Ex-NHL head coach bluntly criticizes Montreal Canadiens defense as losses pile
Former NHL coach Bruce Boudreau offered a blunt critique of the Montreal Canadiens’ defense on Saturday's episode of TSN's "That's Hockey." With only four wins in their first 12 games this season, Montreal's struggles have exposed troubling gaps in their defensive lineup. Boudreau noted that giving up many goals shows deeper issues in their defense.
“Teams are really exposing Montreal’s deficiencies,” he said.
The Canadiens' defensive issues have led to several games where they allowed at least six goals. Boudreau also mentioned that goaltender Samuel Montembeault has not performed well lately.
“I think they’ve definitely got holes in their game that they’re starting to see,” he said.
As the Canadiens face these issues, Boudreau suggested that the team is starting to realize the severity of its defensive gaps.
“I think Montreal’s in a little bit of trouble because they're realising their team is not very good defensively right now,” he said.
The Montreal Canadiens’ defensive struggles could impact not only their performance this season but also their long-term development as a team.
Montreal Canadiens focus on finding balance for steady growth this season
This season, the Montreal Canadiens are concentrating on development. Coach Martin St. Louis said he wants to see steady progress from his team, but finding consistency has been difficult. After a tough 6-3 loss to the Capitals, the Canadiens improved their puck management against the Penguins, though they still lost 3-1.
St. Louis said he wants his players to find a balance between smart puck control and creating offensive chances.
“Yeah, a little bit, it’s finding that balance,” St. Louis said (via nytimes.com). “I lived it as a player. But we’ll find the balance. I think we can execute more things without taking any risk, and I feel sometimes we got pucks deep when we could have done something better with it.
"But I think it comes with maturing as a group a little bit and understanding that there’s stuff out there that we can do without taking any risk. But I don’t see this transition as going from zero to 100. I think it’s going to be (gradual). But we’ll get there,” Louis added.
The Canadiens’ season has been a mix of brief successes followed by disappointing losses, like their 7-2 defeat to the Rangers. Players like Kirby Dach have expressed optimism that sticking to the fundamentals would lead to better outcomes. Still, the team’s persistent inconsistency has been difficult to ignore.
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