HabsWorld.net --
Although the playoffs ended amidst a cloud of negativity, 2012-13 was still a
positive season for the Habs, particularly on the blueline. P.K. Subban
became a legitimate Norris candidate, Alexei Emelin and Raphael Diaz had strong
sophomore years, and perhaps most surprisingly, Andrei Markov actually had an
injury-free year. Those weren’t the only positives though as shown in Part
One of the Habs’ final grades.
Similarly to the Hamilton grades, skaters must have played in at least 40% of
Montreal’s regular season games (19 in total) to be evaluated.
Goaltenders
Peter Budaj: The start to his season couldn’t have been much worse
(nine GA in the first two games) but he was more or less rock solid the rest of
the regular season which helped offset Price’s late struggles. In the
postseason though, he wasn’t at his best – the OT goal in Game 4 was iffy at
best while he got shelled in the deciding contest. There was much more
good than bad though for the Slovakian netminder.
Season Grade: B+ Playoff Grade: D+
Carey Price: The first two months of the year were what we’ve come to
expect from Price. He allowed two goals or less in nearly 70% of his
starts and the Habs were challenging for top spot in the East.
Unfortunately, it went downhill from there – he allowed three goals or more in
57% of his regular season games. Obviously goals allowed doesn’t solely
tell the tale but when the calendar hit March, something went awry for
Montreal’s starter. In the postseason, he was hot and cold…and evidently
playing through some long-standing discomfort. He’ll need to be better and
more consistent next year.
Season Grade: C Playoff Grade: C-
Defencemen
Francis Bouillon: When he was brought in, many figured Bouillon would
be a #6/7 defenceman, a buffer to the promising rookie crop in Hamilton.
Instead, he often found himself in the top four early on before settling into a
third pairing role later in the year. He looked like he was out of gas as
the year went on but injuries didn’t allow him any chance to be rested. He
earned his one year extension where early on, it appears many figure he’ll be a
#6/7 defenceman; will history repeat itself next year?
Season Grade: C+ Playoff Grade: C
Raphael Diaz: With Subban’s contract negotiations carrying over into
the season, Diaz had a chance to make a positive impression in his absence and
he made the most of it. He became one of the biggest powerplay threats in
the league early on and was a key part in the Habs’ transition game. A
late February concussion derailed his year though – he came back just before the
postseason but he didn’t look 100% and the Sens took advantage of that in the
first round.
Season Grade: B+ Playoff Grade: D+
Alexei Emelin: It seems to be the case every year and this one was no
exception – a natural left d-man was forced to play his opposite side.
Usually Gorges was the one to move but this season it was Emelin. There
were times throughout the campaign he got caught out of position but beyond that
he was solid. He was the lone Hab to have a quality and consistent
physical game while his shot started to garner some attention until the end.
His contract year is off to a rocky start already though as he is out for at
least the first month of 2013-14 with a knee injury.
Season Grade: B Playoff Grade: N/A
Josh Gorges: Among the regular defencemen, his year was the most
disappointing. In 2011-12, Gorges stepped up and showed he could be a
legitimate second pairing defenceman but all season long, he seemed a step slow
and his defensive awareness wasn’t as sharp as we’ve come to expect. That
continued to be the case in the playoffs as his pairing (with Diaz) was
frequently hemmed in their own end leading to numerous opportunities and goals.
He’ll need to be a lot better next season and I think he can be.
Season Grade: C Playoff Grade: C-
Andrei Markov: I don’t think anyone saw this coming – he played in
every game this year. Early on in the season he was the Markov of old, a
big threat in the offensive zone while being at the very least defensively
competent. As time went on though (and into the postseason), he slowed
down badly which really affected his play in the defensive zone. That
said, he had a strong year and set aside any thoughts that he was washed up.
Management of his minutes will be crucial for 2013-14 but he can still be an
important part of this team.
Season Grade: B Playoff Grade: C
P.K. Subban: Missing training camp and the first couple of weeks of
the season seemed to have little affect on Subban who started the year off
strong and kept it up all year long. Defensively he took a step forward
while on the offensive side of things, he contended for the league lead in
points by a blueliner shortly after signing. Towards the end of the year
he started falling into some bad habits and letting his emotions get the better
of him but that’s the only blemish on what was a fantastic season.
Season Grade: A+ Playoff Grade: B+
