Solution pollution (November 2002)
This is what my handy little pocket dictionary says:
solution: se'loosh'n - noun: solving or means of solving a problem or difficulty
These days, everybody is offering a solution to something. Whether it's an e-commerce solution, a health club solution or a stamp-collecting solution, someone is forever trying to sell you something wonderful, the answer to all the woes you didn't even know you had. "Listerine, your bad-breath solution!" Oh please.
And while I'm the first person to say "stop with the frickin' solutions, already!", I'm also the first to admit the Montreal Canadiens could use a couple. And soon. We're about a quarter of the way through the schedule and already it feels like a playoff race. It already looks like Boston will win the Northeast Division and the Sabres will be lucky to win 10 games. Montreal took the early leap on the sluggish Senators and sloppy Maple Leafs and looked to be in pretty fair shape.
Not so fast. All of a sudden, Ottawa is surging, Toronto is coming out of its slump and the race is on. A ton of teams in the Eastern Conference are starting to make the Habs sweat too. I mean if the New York Rangers are a threat to your post-season dreams, you know you're in trouble.
What's the problem? How many times do I have to write this? Penalty killing, defence, power-play, continuity, confidence. Pick one and I'll sell you a solution. In fact, I could offer a solution that might solve all the troubles in one fell swoop.
The idea first came into my little brain during the Hall of Fame Game in Toronto a few weeks ago. One of the players who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame this year is a former Montreal Canadien. He played in the NHL for 15 years. He won 2 Norris Trophies as the best defenceman. He won a Stanley Cup in his first season. And in his speech to the Hall's dignitaries, he said he would like to turn to coaching.
The man of course is Rod Langway, the defenceman who quietly dominated the league in leadership, strength and smart stay-at-home play in the 1980's and early 90's. He won his 2 Norris awards when the NHL boasted a guy named Larry Robinson, another named Denis Potvin, and an up-and-comer named Ray Bourque. Langway was never as flashy as those Hall of Famers (or future Hall of Famers in Bourque's case), but man did he mean business! Even in his 2 years with Montreal, it looked like he was going to be the next Larry Robinson: tough, confident and in position at all times. Even in those crazy 80's when offence was everything (Wayne Gretzky, Michel Goulet, Denis Savard and the like tearing up the score sheets), you always knew if Langway was out there, he would stop the best of them.
So what am I saying? Dump Michel Therrien and bring in a guy who's never coached in the big leagues? Of course not. While I've always been indifferent to Therrien, you can't deny that the Canadiens have played above and beyond their means under his reign (though Andre Savard may have had something to do with that too.) And don't get me wrong, I respect assistant coaches Guy Charron and Rick Green, but Guy Carbonneau they ain't.
Bring Langway on board, let him learn the ropes. The Canadiens are near the bottom of most defensive statistics this year. And their penalty killing is literally killing them. Imagine what a guy like Langway could do to slap these guys into shape. Even Patrice Brisebois, though he is playing his best hockey this season, could use a few pointers from him. Karl Dykhuis is a good stay-at-home defenceman; Langway could help him take the next step. For goodness sake it's a team that is suiting up Patrick Traverse every night, how confident does that make you feel?
Montreal has a lot of potential on the blueline. From Andre Markov to Ron Hainsey, and let's not forget Mike Komisarek waiting in Steeltown for his big chance, the Habs could have one of the best defence units for many years. Especially if they have a guy like Rod Langway around, reminding them that he won his trophies with his size and his smart play, not with points on the stats sheet. A team relying on a lot of nifty little offensive players needs a leader like Langway to get the defence to do their thing.
Rod Langway. Your bona fide defence strategy solution for 2002 and beyond. Don't wait much longer, M. Savard, or no doubt some other team will hire him.