Jeff Price (no relation) Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 It's painfully obvious Montréal needs offense, after that debacle in the first round of the playoffs this year. The thing is, what constitutes a number one center? There are 30 teams in the NHL...well, 31 next year, so I suppose it would be the top 31 Centers by points, yes? This doesn't necessarily rate how good they are, just that they're the top 31 offensive centers in the league by points scored. (Note, I'm not picking the top on every team. Some teams had two number one centers -- like Pittsburgh -- or even FIVE, like Toronto. Others had none -- see Montreal.) Don't argue with me that "That guy didn't usually play that position..." -- this is what the NHL has them officially listed as. Connor McDavid (yeah right) Sidney Crosby (ha) Nicklas Backstrom Mark Scheifele Leon Draisaitl Ryan Getzlaf Evgeni Malkin Tyler Seguin Auston Matthews Mikael Granlund Joe Pavelski Jeff Carter John Tavares Eric Staal Nazem Kadri William Nylander Mitch Marner Ryan Johansen Evgeny Kuznetsov Alexander Wennberg Sean Monahan Ryan Kesler Jonathan Toews Mikko Koivu Claude Giroux Jack Eichel Charlie Coyle Brayden Schenn Ryan Oreilly Tyler Bozak Now, if you step back a bit and look further down the list, you see some of the centers below Bozak were are better than many of the centers above him, so let's include a few more. Derek Stepan David Krejci Vincent Trochek Makael Backlund Patrice Bergeron Nathan MacKinnon Logan Couture Aleksander Barkov Bo Horvat Anze Kopitar Rickard Rakell Jonathan Marchessault Sam Gagner Jason Spezza Henrik Sedin Joe Thornton There we have the top 47 centers in the NHL, listed by point totals in 2017. This also represents a spread of 50 points -- from McDavid's 100, to Joe Thornton's 50. Not all number one centers are created equally, it would seem. Several of these guys, I'll freely admit, elicit a response of "Who?" from me when I read their name -- mostly western conference players on teams I don't give a shite about. Others I think of as fringe players, and yet here they are, in the list of the top 47 centers by points. So we know Montreal needs a number one center. I just don't see how getting Tyler Bozak or Ryan O'Reilly makes us that much better. Keep in mind, a "number one center" cannot mean "only an elite center." Let's face it -- on that entire list, I see maybe 8 guys I'd consider "elite" -- and we're never getting any of them. So let's take it down a notch, and remove McDavid, Crosby, Backstrom, Scheifele, Getzlaf, Malkin, Matthews and Toews from contention. They're not moving. So...what about Leon Draisaitl? Does he make us much better? I don't see him as the missing piece of this team. Nazem Kadri isn't going to save us, either. And what would we have to give up to get a guy like Seguin or Pavelski? Again, I don't see it happening. We all talk about needing to get a center as if it's the simplest thing in the world to go out and get another GM to hand one over. I'll list two on that list I think could be game changers in Montreal, who could possibly move at a reasonable price...MAYBE: Eric Staal or John Tavares. What do we have to give up to get one of those guys on this team? Because neither one can carry the team on their own. We need the core of the team intact for these guys to matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Why points Wouldn't PTS/GM be a better measure, to not exclude guys who were injured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Price (no relation) Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 11 minutes ago, Commandant said: Why points Wouldn't PTS/GM be a better measure, to not exclude guys who were injured. There's lots of things that would be a better measure. But I composed this post in 5 minutes. Let's look at the same top 47 by points per game, and see what changes. Players who move into the top 47 are in bold. Connor McDavid Sidney Crosby Steven Stamkos ^^ Evgeni Malkin Nicklas Backstrom Mark Scheifele Samuel Henley (1 game, 1 goal) Ryan Getzlaf Leon Draisaitl Jack Eichel Tyler Seguin John Tavares Aleksander Barkov Mikael Granlund Auston matthews Joe Pavelski Jake Guentzel (because Pittsburgh needed a 3rd top line center) Jonathan Toews Jeff Carter Bryan Little Eric Staal Mitch Marner Ryan O'Reilly William Nylander Nazem Kadri Ryan Johansen Alexander Wennberg Jason Spezza Mikko Koivu Alex Galchenyuk (Well, well, lookie here) Evgeny Kuznetsov Rickard Rakell Logan Couture Sean Monahan Ryan Kesler Claude Giroux Tyler Bozak Kyle Turris Artem Anisimov Brayden Schenn Mathieu Perrault Anze Kopitar Charlie Coyle Tyler Johnson Jonathan Marchessault Derek Stepan Patrice Bergeron So now, we have #30 on the top Centers by offensive production per game already in Montreal. At that point, it seems we need a SECOND number one center. And with the possible exception of a healthy Steven Stamkos, whom I don't see us getting, not one of those guys I just added in makes Montreal into a dangerous offensive team. Some who now dropped off the list (Joe Thornton -- and Henrik if he came as a package with his twin) are probably better than most of the ones who were added onto it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Charlie Coyle has been more RW than centre, but I really like him. Montreal should have drafted him instead of moving up for Tinordi. I am sure some would hate the idea of two centres still learning to take faceoffs but both guys are smart offensive players. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Price (no relation) Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 I'll freely admit one of my favorite players in the NHL is very low on this list - Patrice Bergeron. I think of him as a bona fide, complete package, pure gentleman center man. Three problems I see with him: (1) He's in Boston. Trading with Boston would be hard. (2) He's got a history of injury, which when combined with his age, I'd be reluctant to take on. (3) He doesn't add enough offense on his own to make us an offensively capable team (He's not even Boston's #1 center) -- although the idea of Bergeron on a line with Pacioretty makes me giddy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 1 hour ago, Machine of Loving Grace said: Charlie Coyle has been more RW than centre, but I really like him. Montreal should have drafted him instead of moving up for Tinordi. I am sure some would hate the idea of two centres still learning to take faceoffs but both guys are smart offensive players. Evgeny Kuznetsov should have been the Tinordi pick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 Guys I'd knock off that list. Henley (sample sizes matter, use Pts/Game, but probably need 40 games to count). Guentzel (played as winger) Marner (winger) Nylander (winger) Coyle (winger) Thornton (played more as a winger, Pavelski is on his line, and Pavelski does the centre work now) Pavelski had about 100 more faceoffs (they split draws to get on the strong side but Pavelski has the defensive centre responsibility and plays middle of the ice) Marchessault (winger) Perreault (winger) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 7 hours ago, Commandant said: Evgeny Kuznetsov should have been the Tinordi pick. Always thought Stephen John's should of been the pick that was traded away to move up and a big stay at home d-man of course should only be taken in 2nd round or later. As far as centres go, Bergy likely will trade for someone that many haven't considered a likely target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Price (no relation) Posted June 15, 2017 Author Share Posted June 15, 2017 8 hours ago, Commandant said: Evgeny Kuznetsov should have been the Tinordi pick. I'm sorry, my brain immediately goes to a hockey version of the Who's on First routine when I see that name. Commentator: "Do you think Evgeny Kuznetsov will pick up the pace this series?" Russian coach: "He vould have more goals, but some not count." Commentator: "Why did they not count?" Russian coach: "Kuznetsov." Commentator: "Yes, Kuznetsov. Why did his goals not count?" Russian coach: "Kuznetsov." 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 15, 2017 Share Posted June 15, 2017 I for one have never obsessed over the Stud #1 C. Yes, if you have a Malkin, that's ideal. But what you really need are quality pivots who can generate offence, period. IF the Habs are prepared to accept that Galy at C is close to a PPG producer, and that he may never become Kirk Muller in terms of being a 'complete' player, then we do have one such C, and what we need is a legit #2 guy. Say, 50-60 points and reliably dynamic, like Pleks used to be. If the Habs continue to insist that Galchenyuk is worse than Danault - who is an excellent player but not a top-6 pivot on any contending team, ever - then they need to go out and get two top-6 C. Two 2nd line Cs would be better than zero top-6 Cs at all. In short, we just need centremen, period. Whether it's a beast like Tavares or middling guys like Stepan is secondary, because as things stand the addition of ANY top-6 C would constitute gigantic improvement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.