Positivity – Cheering The Logo

By JD Lagrange – While the Montreal Canadiens aren’t doing as well as they were in the first couple of months of the season, there are some positive aspects on which fans can focus on. Felling that I’ve written a couple of not-so-positive articles lately, I thought about returning to my glass half-full mindset and highlight some of the positive points – or Habsitivity – happening around the team that we adore.

Sam Montembeault

After a strong start of the season, where the coaching staff was sheltering him a bit, Monty fell hard in December, much like the rest of the team. But in his last three starts, he has bounced back recently, taking full advantage of Jake Allen’s injury. In his last four starts, Montembeault is 2-2-0 with a 2.28 goals against average and a .943 saves percentage.

DATE	TEAM	GA	SA	Svs	Sv%
Jan.15	NYR	1	39	38	.974
Jan.14	NYI	2	38	36	.947
Jan.12	NSH	3	42	39	.929
Jan. 9	SEA	3	40	37	.925
		9	159	150	.943

No, the Canadiens are NOT going to trade Allen based on (x number of games by Monty) games. But he might be earning some consideration to get more starts when Jake the Snake returns.

cole caufield

Let’s face it, with 26 goals in 44 games, Caufield has been a model of consistency for most of the season, and I’d venture to say even more so than his good friend Nick Suzuki. But he did go through a stretch of four games in late December without a point, and his play had gone down substantially during that stretch.

Since December 31st however, we are fortunate enough to see him heating up again. Since then, he has eight points (7 goals) in eight games. At the time of writing this, he is tied with none other than Leon Draisaitl for 9th in goals in the entire NHL… five ahead of Rocket Richard Trophy winner Auston Matthews.

Josh Anderson

While I know full well that some disagree, the fact remains that Anderson is having one of his best seasons in a Canadiens’ uniform. They will look at the fact that he’s been held off the scoresheet in his last four games to say that he’s not playing well. Yet, it cannot be further from the truth. He is on pace for yet another 20-plus goals season but more than that, he is more consistent, even when he does’t score.

While he will never be nominated for a Selke Trophy, he has greatly improved defensively, to the point where Martin St-Louis utilizes him to kill penalties! He also carries the puck a lot more and a lot better, and the coaching staff asks him to be the swingman to gain zone entry on the power play on the second unit (Suzuki does it on the first unit).

All in all, we are noticing Anderson every game now, and for the right reasons. Does he still need some polishing? Yes. Does he have things to work on? Absolutely. But if one cannot recognize the improvement and what he brings to this team, we can certainly question the reasons behind this inability to acknowledge it.

KIRBY DACH

Let’s face it, Dach is a pleasant surprise and the gamble taken by Kent Hughes trading for him seems to be paying off. The 6-foot 4-inches, 212 forward has been excellent defensively and he is becoming more physical, following in the footsteps of Anderson it seems.

Dach has four points in his last four games, three of which being goals. He now has a career-high 27 points in only 44 games. His previous high was 26 points in Chicago, but in 70 games. Unless disaster strikes, this could very well be his breakthrough season in the NHL.

Jesse Ylönen

After a slow start to the season in Laval, Ylönen has been one of the Rocket’s best players in recent weeks and as we’ve noticed in our feature “In the system”, he has been on a steady climb for the past couple of months now. He has fully earned his call-up and in both games that he’s played, he has looked very good. In three games so far, he has one assist but beyond the points, he has been reliable defensively and he’s a threat on offense.

Good skater, the Finnish winger benefits of an above-average hockey IQ. He has good hands, a good shot and he plays a 200-foot game. Some fans are worried about the fact that he’s not overly heavy, a legitimate point. But thus far, he is showing that it’s not an issue.

Jonathan Drouin

Since returning from injury, Drouin is a changed player. He has been a lot more intense, more involved at both ends of the ice and the coaching staff has trusted him at the center position. Known as a pass-first type of player, the Ste-Agathe native has been taking more shots on goal too, something he hasn’t always been doing throughout his career.

His hard work and better dedication playing a solid 200-foot game is paying off on the scoresheet too, as he has been piling up the points lately.

On December 28th, Drouin had five points in 19 games. Since then, he is second on the Canadiens with seven points in nine games, trailing only Caufield by one point. He also seems to be making better decisions from the point on the power play.

Joel Armia

Ever since he scored his first goal of the season (and a few games before), we can see the Joel Armia that we are accustomed to seeing. Much like Joel Edmundson, missing training camp really put him behind and with the team playing so well at the beginning, it was difficult for him to catch up.

	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-
by Jan. 4	26	0	3	3	-7
since Jan. 5	6	3	1	4	0

Always reliable defensively, he is getting his scoring chances in just about every game. He still has some work to do, but there is finally room for optimism now.

JAKE Evans

It’s been a very disappointing season for Evans this year. But the timing of his injury is very unfortunate as he had been a lot more implicated in the play and, with his linemates, he was starting to created more scoring opportunities.

By January 3rd, had seven points in 38 games all season and he wasn’t playing particularly well. But prior to being injured by Brock Nelson falling onto his leg against the Islanders, he was riding a hot streak in which he had four points in four games. He was also a key player on the penalty kills.

EVGENII Dadonov

In the past few games, Dadonov is showing that he actually has a pulse. Still far from the type of player that I like because he is often letting the opponent get the puck to avoid contact, he has been generating a bit more offense and has put up a few points on the board lately.

	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-
by Dec. 1	19	1	1	2	-9
since Dec. 2	16	1	7	8	+1

Admittedly, I’m not a fan of Dadonov but force is to admit that he has been playing better in the past six weeks or so. He has been held off the scoresheet in his last four games so here’s hoping that it’s not a sign of him packing it up… again.

Now, let’s see if Mike Hoffman can do the same when given the opportunity. No one thought that the Habs could trade them by trade deadline, let alone getting something in return. If they keep this up, Hughes might be able to entice someone to take them, without having to give up another asset to make it happen… even if the return is minimal.

More reading…

The Gallagher Situation by Bob Trask
Prospect Rankings – Goaltenders by Bob Trask
In The System – January 16, 2022 by JD Lagrange

Good question. If we were trying to create a definition, it would likely look something like this…

Habs·i·tiv·i·ty

noun

– the practice of being or tendency to be positive or optimistic in attitude towards the Habs, the Montreal Canadiens.

¤ø ¸„ø¤ GO HABS GO ø¤º°¨¨¨°º¤ø ¸„ø¤ GO HABS GO ø¤º°¨¨¨°º¤ø ¸„ø¤ GO HABS GO ø¤º°¨¨

Easier said than done this season when you’re a Habs’ fan, isn’t it? It seems like their performances are forcing fans to work very hard to remain positive about the team and its future. But difficult as it might seem, it’s not an impossible task.

“You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind.” – Joyce Meyer

A wiseman once told me that in life, you always have choices. Even doing nothing is a choice, he said. He continued in saying that when faced with a difficult situation (or any situation for that matter), ask yourself the following question: “Is there anything you can do about it?” If the answer is yes, do it now.

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorns have roses.” – Alphonse Karr

If the answer is no, why do you worry about it? Worrying will only add to your stress level and won’t change the situation. If anything, it will make it appear worse than it really is. That, folks, is positivity. By the way, that man is my father.

“Surround yourself with positive people and you’ll be a positive person.” – Kellie Pickler

But how does one do that when it comes to hockey, being a fan? Well, the first thing to remember is “can you do anything about it”? Yes, yes you can. While you may not be able to make trades and create lineups, you can decide your outlook.

“Instead of worrying about what you cannot control, shift your energy to what you can create.” – Roy Bennett

You can choose to complain about it. You can choose to follow and hang out with people who share a negative outlook. This will feed into your mindset of negativity, providing you with a sense of justification for being frustrated. It will emphasize your unhappiness and contribute to being miserable.

“The less you respond to negative people, the more positive your life will become.” – Paolo Coelho

The other choice you have is to use Habsitivity. Use what?!? HABSITIVITY. It’s positivity as a Habs’ fan. It’s choosing to make a conscious effort to focus on the positive aspect of situations. It’s a choice you make to surround yourself with people who are more positive and understand that it’s not worth getting all upset, even losing sleep over hockey.

“When you are joyful, when you say yes to life and have fun and project positivity all around you, you become a sun in the center of every constellation, and people want to be near you.” – Shannon L. Alder

“Well I’m not going to become a cheerleader, I have a mind of my own”, some people will say. No one is suggesting that you shouldn’t have a mind of your own. When using Habsitivity, you can acknowledge that things aren’t going well, that players, coaches or managers are underperforming.

“Every day may not be good… but there’s something good in every day.” – Alice Morse Earle

But there is always a silver lining, a second side to a medal. Habsitivity is a state of mind choosing to look at the other option, by trying to see the positive in things as there is always some. You woke up this morning to live another day this morning. You have a team to cheer for, unlike Nordiques’ fans who lost theirs. That’s positive, right?

“You have to train your brain to be positive just like you workout your body.” – Shawn Achor

Habsitivity is not something that comes naturally, at least not to everyone. I mean, we’re surrounded by bad news everywhere we turn, particularly in the news. They show us the black man that was beaten up by a white cop. We never see the white cops in the news helping black people, something that happens daily. We focus on the odd wrong instead of the countless right. It’s crucial to know that there is positive in this world. We see our goalie allowing a weak goal. We don’t see him signing hundreds of autographs, making highlight moments for those kids.

“Positive thinking is more than just a tagline. It changes the way we behave. And I firmly believe that when I am positive, it not only makes me better, but it also makes those around me better.” – Harvey Mackay

The Canadiens are having an awful season. What a mess they’re in, particularly after the great hopes and feelings they gave us by reaching the Stanley Cup finals just months ago. But boy is Nick Suzuki fun to watch progress as a player, isn’t he? What a turnaround by Cole Caufield! Look at how Justin Barron and Jordan Harris are playing and imagine, within a couple of years, them and other prospects having an impact on the team.

“Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow.” – Helen Keller

By using Habsitivity, you will find your outlook to be in the sun more than in the shadow. Your mind will thank you in the long run. The more you work on it, the more you use it, the more you hang out with those using a similar outlook on life and on hockey, the happier you will be in your own personal life. Soon, you’ll be able to apply it to every facet of your life, not just the Habs.

“Iv’e always believed that you can think positive just as well as you can think negative.” – James Baldwin

Our brain has been trained to see the negativity in life. Just like your body, one has to train their mind to see the positive in people and in different situations. It won’t take away all of your frustration, your sadness, and the bad things happening around you, around the Habs. But your reaction to those situations will make for a better outcome for yourself and for those around you.

Here at Cheering The Logo, we chose to take a different approach than many of the mainstream media. We don’t want to focus on the negativity. We’re not focused on sensationalism. We see it, but we choose to work on finding some Habsitivity around the Canadiens. We’re no cheerleaders. We’re people like you. We want the Canadiens to win as much as anyone and we will celebrate victories. Through Habsitivity though, we will not let negativity bring us down. It’s our choice. It’s our mission statement.

Tag: Positivity

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