It’s going to be a long season if the Habs are this bad on special units.

If the Habs are to progress, they need to find ways to be better on their special units.

Because if the club maintains the same performance during the season as it did in the preparatory games, it’s going to be a long year.

The Habs aren’t scoring with the man advantage (0 in 25) and they’re giving away powerplay goals. Just yesterday, the Sens scored all four of their goals on the power play…

But it’s not just the club’s PP success rate or PK efficiency that’s causing concern right now.

It goes deeper than that.

On the powerplay, the main problem is this: the guys aren’t moving on the ice.

The Habs players aren’t moving around the opposition zone enough to create passing lines or scoring chances, and that’s a problem.

But it’s harder when the guys are always in the same position, because the plays are 100 times easier for the opposition to read.

It doesn’t often work when players stay in the same position, and this is a good example:

I want everyone to look at how not to run an Umbrella power-play in the NHL. Five players, all standing in the same position, no movement away from the play, no presence in front of the net, no one trying to get a lane going. This 22-second clip produces one shot. pic.twitter.com/HUTGLCtsNa

– Jesse Marshall (@jmarshfof) January 27, 2021

Martin St-Louis has taken over Alex Burrows’ powerplay role and he needs to get creative.

Because right now, the club is going in circles…

The Habs are also struggling on the power play, and that’s not hard to understand either.

The players lack energy, they’re not aggressive enough in the defensive zone and that means there are too many open corridors for the opposing team.

It really was a walk in the park for the Senators yesterday:

The #Sens powerplay is looking GOOD! #GoSensGo pic.twitter.com/t5hCB9R2yb

– HEISENSBERG (@heisensberg_) October 2, 2024

If the Sens players had fun on the powerplay yesterday against the Habs, imagine what the big clubs are going to do.

News flash: it won’t be pretty if the Habs can’t find ways to improve, because other teams will be able to take advantage.

All this to say that, with one week (to the day) to go before the start of the season, the Habs’ special units are a cause for concern. A lot, in fact.

But you practice like you play.

Overtime

– Macklin Celebrini is injured.

Per https://t.co/ZCL5KJNTp7, Macklin Celebrini is day-to-day due to a lower-body injury he suffered last night against Utah HC. #thesickpodcast #SJSharks @MurphysLaw74 pic.twitter.com/UROmkI1Crq

– The Sick Podcast – The Eye Test (@sickpodnhl) October 2, 2024

– Sick.

We met LEGEND Mario Parent last night ACTIONNNNN pic.twitter.com/NpgpsctnNA

– HFTV (@HFTVSports) October 2, 2024

– The idea returns… Again.

The Habs need Arber Xhekaj for his physical play, but he doesn’t seem to belong in the top-6 anymore…

Could he be used as a forward? pic.twitter.com/gyrcnIadfQ

– BPM Sports (@BPMSportsRadio) October 2, 2024

– For sure.