The Habs have the league’s worst power play since the Sean Monahan trade

Do you remember the few weeks this season when the Habs had a good power play? One day, I’ll tell my grandchildren and they won’t believe me.

But as we all know, nature often returns at a gallop when we chase it, it’s worth mentioning that for the past few weeks, the Habs have had the NHL’s worst power play.

And as Simon-Olivier Lorange of La Presse points out, it was around the time Sean Monahan was sent to the Winnipeg Jets that the ship started to sink.

After a few prolific weeks, the Habs’ power play hasn’t just slowed down: it’s the worst in the NHL over the past 20 games. Which strangely (or not) coincides with Sean Monahan’s departure.

Analysis of the situation here https://t.co/XB1hnlzx47

– Simon-Olivier Lorange (@SO_Lorange) March 26, 2024

Even taking into account the Habs’ power-play goal on February 6 (Juraj Slafkovsky vs. Washington), we note that since February 2, the day the Habs moved with the Jets, the team ranks 32nd in the NHL with one goal per eight chances: 12.5%.

Yikes.

If we forget that one game (the one where Tanner Pearson was on the first wave… which is crazy when you think that these days, he’s sometimes left out) and take the last 20 games only, the Habs are at 11.3%.

That’s about one chance in nine that will come to fruition.

In his article, the La Presse journalist mentions that between games #30 and #50 of the season, the Habs had an efficiency rate of 27.3%, which is excellent.

But before and after that? It doesn’t work.

We know that, apart from the game where Pearson took Monahan’s place, and apart from a few exceptions here and there, Alex Newhook took the vacant spot on the first power play with Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky and Mike Matheson.

It may seem that Newhook isn’t delivering the goods. That Caufield isn’t scoring enough. That Matheson isn’t passing the puck enough to Slafkovsky when he has the chance.

But don’t underestimate the loss of Monahan. It’s THE logical factor in my eyes.

First, not only has the Habs collapsed on the power play without him, but the Jets have the sixth-best power play in the NHL since February 2. They were 24th in the NHL from October 10 to February 2…

But it’s not just on the power play that Monahan (who has 50 points this season) makes his presence felt. In general, he was a player who helped the Flanelle win games.

The proof?

• Habs before February 2: 48 points in 49 games
• Habs after February 2: 16 points in 21 games

It may sound “not that bad”, but to maintain the pace of the Monahan era, the Habs would have to be much better. After all, we’re talking about 20 wins in 49 games with Monahan, which isn’t bad in a rebuilding context.

And in the last 21 games? Only six wins. Winning more than 40% of your games and winning less than 29% of your duels aren’t the same game.

Of course, the Habs knew what they were doing when they traded him, since Monahan wasn’t going to stay for the long term (at least, Kent Hughes didn’t see a way out last February), he brought the Habs a first-round pick and his departure helps the team tank in 2023-2024, but still.

Speaking of tanking: here are today’s Tankathon rankings.

Remember that in 2022-2023, it was exactly when Monahan was injured in Vancouver that the Habs’ season began to crash for Martin St-Louis’ men.

We’re seeing the same phenomenon this season. Being his agent, I’d say that to the teams this summer, because even if he’s not a point-per-game player in Winnipeg (15 points in 23 games), he still has a major impact on his teams…

Overtime

– In my opinion, the guys are going to give it their all tonight.

– Only the extras will be skating in Denver today. Media availability is on the menu afterwards.

– All the same!

– QMJHL expansion: not for another three to five years. [TVA Sports]

– Luke Richardson is 55 years old.