The surprising Montreal Canadiens are headed toward the Stanley Cup Final. To get there, they’ve beaten three really solid teams during the regular season. Who would have thought?
First, the Canadiens beat the Maple Leafs in seven hard-fought (except for the last one). Next they swept the Winnipeg Jets. Finally, they beat a tough Vegas Golden Knights’ team in six games.
One of the trademarks of their victories has been their defense. Another has been their transition game. Finally, the last line of defense has been Carey Price in goal. When teams have threatened, Price has stopped puck after puck.
Some critics suggest that the Canadiens are a one-trick pony, and play the trap to perfection. Even if that’s true, not every NHL team have the defensive talent, the will to carry out their jobs, and the goaltending to make it all work effectively. But the Canadiens have done it well.
What’s the Neutral Zone Trap?
For fans who haven’t heard of the trap, the trap – more correctly known as the neutral zone trap – is a defensive strategy used in hockey to stop your opponent from moving easily through the space between the blue lines (the neutral zone). The task is to clog that space, to trap the puck carrier and prevent passes, and to force turnovers. Then, if you cause a turnover, you go the other way quickly.
Playing the trap effectively means that your defenders don’t engage in heavy forechecking or pinching in the offensive zone. Instead, they drop back to ensure the puck doesn’t get behind them. That means that either two or all three of the team’s forwards simply don’t push the attack but head back to defend.
What Has the History of Trap Been?
The trap has been successful before and can be highly effective, especially during the playoffs when obstruction penalties (like holding and hooking) aren’t called with the same regularity as during the regular season. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the trap was a defensive system many coaches used.
Most effective were the New Jersey Devils coached by Jacques Lemaire, who led the Devils to three Stanley Cup championships (1995, 2000, and 2003). Lemaire had been taught the trap by the great Montreal Canadiens’ coach Scotty Bowman. Using the trap and adding the great goaltending of Martin Brodeur, the Devils defense shut down their opponents and changed how the game was played. In fact, it was so good (and so boring) that the NHL instituted rules to help neutralize the trap’s effectiveness.
Looking at the Playoff Success of the Canadiens
Thanks to my hockey friend Stan Smith, I want to look at the scoring of the three teams the Canadiens have played during these postseason playoffs.
The Maple Leafs
During the regular season, the Maple Leafs top three scorers were Mitch Marner, Auston Matthews, and John Tavares. During the playoffs, Marner scored 0 goals and had 4 assists; Matthews scored 1 goal and added 4 assists; and Tavares was hurt and didn’t score.
The Winnipeg Jets
During the regular season, the Jets top three scorers were Mark Scheifele, Kyle Connor, and Nic Ehlers. During the playoffs, Scheifele got suspended early. Connor had a goal and two assists. And Ehlers had no goals and a single assist.
The Vegas Golden Knights
During the regular season, the Golden Knights top three scorers were Mark Stone, Max Pacioretty, and Jonathan Marchessault. During the playoffs, Stone didn’t score a goal or an assist. Pacioretty had a goal and two assists. And Marchessault had no goals and a single assist.
In Summary
To summarize, none of those great forwards scored more than a single goal. Matthews had the most points with five. Marner was second with four. Connor had the best points-per-game average at .75. Matthews was second at .71, and Marner third at .57.
If you’re a Maple Leafs’ fan, these numbers and the Canadiens’ success make William Nylander, Alex Kerfoot, and Jason Spezza’s production look really good. However, they likely would not have faced the Phillip Danault line, which is the best trapping line on the team.
The great current Canadiens’ defense might create boring hockey games; but, as the numbers suggest, it has been highly effective. And, it’s coming full circle. That defense owes its roots to former Canadiens’ icons Bowman and Lemaire.
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