November 27, 2024 – I know, I know. I haven’t been writing much of late. Hockey Crunch will most likely be moving behind a paywall on a different website, but for today I wanted to talk about the ills of this season’s Montreal Canadiens. GM Kent Hughes has been playingContinue Reading
March 4, 2023 – The NHL is in a strange place. While the salary cap has been a success, the structure of seasons now seem to be 60 game seasons with a long 22 game wind down until the playoffs start. While mathematically there are still chances for some teamsContinue Reading
DECEMBER 31, 2022 – This is the last Hockey Crunch for the year. As some of our viewers know yours truly was the first NHL Analytics hire, all the way back in 1995 for the Habs. While things have come a long way since I used an old Sony VHSContinue Reading
December 9, 2022 – It’s bewildering at how so many GM and management teams bemoan the cap age in the NHL. It’s really not rocket science. It’s always been a gamble to make a trade, but it’s still the best way to resolve an issue. First off I like JoshContinue Reading
October 16, 2022 – Early days, but a few interesting trends are appearing for both teams. Toronto is 2-1 with its loss coming vs Montreal. The Habs are 1-2. Toronto has 9 goals for and 8 against. That’s not good for the Leafs. Montreal has 5 goals for and 9Continue Reading
October 13, 2022 – It wasn’t a great game, but it was entertaining. The kids were alright except for Slafkovsky who really needs to get to the AHL and play lots of minutes. Mostly he needs to keep his feet moving. Compared to Kaiden Guhle, Jordan Harris, and Arber Xhekaj,Continue Reading
January 23, 2022 – Kudos to Geoff Molson. The Jeff Gorton & Kent Hughes hires feel good. As someone that was the Habs first Analytics guy and video statographer back in the 90’s it’s great to see the team finally take some strong steps forward with a clear focus toContinue Reading
November 30, 2021 – Many people don’t realize that I actually used to work for the Habs. Way back in the 90’s I was their first real analytics guy during the Rejean Houle/Mario Tremblay days. I actually used a VCR with a shuttle that caught fire to crunch video. SometimesContinue Reading
NOVEMBER 28, 2021 – Omicron and an Anglo hire in Montreal management in the same week. It’s going to be an interesting week and the “le Journal de Montreal” crew will have fun with this, but it’s expected that there will be another hire. Anglo Scott Mellanby resigned from theContinue Reading
NOVEMBER 7, 2021- Hoo boy. First we had that lovely start to the season and now it appears, unless Jake Allen notches a shut out, wins will be infrequent. Carey Price is coming back soon, but he didn’t perform much better statistically than Jake Allen last year during the regularContinue Reading
October 28, 2021 – We now know that former 11th overall pick Kyle Beach was John Doe in the sexual assault cover up by Black Hawk management back 2010 that led to other victims before Brad Aldrich, a video coach, was finally charged by police after assaulting a high schoolContinue Reading
October 20, 2021 – The surprise isn’t that this incarnation of the Habs are bad, but simply how bad they are playing. Clearly their coaching has failed. In the off season the Habs did make some positive moves. While the Gallagher contract is putrid and ol stumpy is making prognosticatorsContinue Reading
OCTOBER 15, 2021 – For those of us that pay to watch the Habs online we want our money back after watching the embarrassment in Buffalo. Simple reality. When Dom was hired to replace Claude Julien the team really didn’t improve. They backed into the playoffs. Even their Cinderella runContinue Reading
September 26, 2021 – It was an amazing finish to a frankly disappointing season last year. Injury to your franchise player, mental health issues for your most expensive forward, dealing with a pandemic, and literally backing into the playoffs in a weakened single season division. Them’s not betting odd conditions.Continue Reading
September 7, 2021 – Cap & asset management are critical in today’s NHL. This week we have seen Habs GM Marc Bergevin lose a 3rd overall pick for a 1st and 3rd round pick. Cleary the drafting and development of KK was an error. A bad pick for #3 overallContinue Reading
AUGUST 26, 2021 – Weird things happen in Hockey. The sad prevailing philosophy of the great franchise known as the Montreal Canadians is to “make the playoffs”. Anything can happen. Well it did happen last year. Through misfortune to opposition that no Vegas odds maker would account for the HabsContinue Reading
July 31, 2021 – With Covid-19 impacting the globe it’s no surprise that it would impact the hockey world. Choosing all the way down at 31st the Habs either could trade up; dump the pick, or go all in and draft Logan Mailloux who normally would not be available atContinue Reading
JULY 25, 2021 – The ultimate goal in any professional team sport at the highest level is ultimate victory. The Habs had a taste this year by fumbling into the final before being blown out of the water by the defending Champs. Now with word that Shea Weber may beContinue Reading