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Galchenyuk at Center


Trizzak

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Since this seems to be the hot topic in other threads, may as well give it it's own...

Assuming Galchenyuk is our future #1 center, with center also currently being our deepest position, does someone need to vacate that spot this season for Galchenyuk to assume the role?

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Not to start this season, because he hasn't forced anyone out of their spot. He has a lot of room for improvement positionally and physically.

Here's hoping that his play forces the conversation this year.

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Not to start this season, because he hasn't forced anyone out of their spot. He has a lot of room for improvement positionally and physically.

Here's hoping that his play forces the conversation this year.

Agreed.

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I sure hope he does force the issue soon. I just can't get my head around us being a serious contender with DD as our number 1 centre. And just to preempt the inevitable, I am aware we nearly got there last season, I just don't think we can do it consistently with him there.

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In exhibition, the team could try Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Gallagher and see how they do together.

Otherwise I don't see the rush. Galchenyuk is still only 20 years old. He's guaranteed the top six LW position right now. At center there are no guarantees for top six time. I want Galchenyuk guaranteed top six minutes before we guarantee him a center position.

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No doubt he will have the chance at center for a while in camp, hopefully he sticks there.

If the plan is to put him at center this year, who's spot does he take? DD, Eller, Plek? Can't be fourth line minutes, so maybe there will be a trade if Galchenyuk at center works out.... with him at center maybe Bournival gets more icetime?

I'm ok with him at wing, so long as he gets the icetime he needs to get better at the defensive side of things, his strength builds, and his experience grows....

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I sort of agree with guaranteeing him top six minutes first, but not if it's with Pleks. Pleks is a great all round, responsible player. But he doesn't have a creative bone in his body - he probably can't even spell creative (sorry for the Burkiness). For Galchenyuk to truly reach his potential, he needs to play with finishers or other creative players.

DD and Pleks are guaranteed top 6 minutes. One of them has to go. DD is joined at the hip with Maxpac. That means pleks needs to go even if we have Eller centring Galchenyuk. We need to get both Eller and Galchenyuk meaningful PP time. Last year that didn't happen, with gionta and pleks around. I think we should move pleks now for another scorer - someone like Kane.

In exhibition, the team could try Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Gallagher and see how they do together.

Otherwise I don't see the rush. Galchenyuk is still only 20 years old. He's guaranteed the top six LW position right now. At center there are no guarantees for top six time. I want Galchenyuk guaranteed top six minutes before we guarantee him a center position.

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Hopefully malholtra can teach him something about face offs. I've actually felt at times that if Galchenyuk was a 50% face off man he'd already be a centre. Therrien doesn't trust him at the draw, and rightly so if I remember his record correctly. Hovering in the mid-low 40's.

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I don't see the rush to move galchenyuk to center and why plex needs to go... Plex needs to be used at 3rd line center on a very good habs team and play him as a shut down center with offensive upside. We should be employing him the same way we employed guy carboneau... He will flourish even more there with less pressure. Frankly, I don't think galchenyuk is ready for top 2 center role just yet... He's still a little soft on the puck and not nearly as responsible in his own end quite yet. Not to mention he can't take a face off.... If he can stay healthy all year and really break out this coming season next year will be his year to make the move.

DD

Eller

Plex

Malholtra

Prust

Bournival

Center depth for next season

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Hopefully malholtra can teach him something about face offs. I've actually felt at times that if Galchenyuk was a 50% face off man he'd already be a centre. Therrien doesn't trust him at the draw, and rightly so if I remember his record correctly. Hovering in the mid-low 40's.

He was just 5/15 last year. His career numbers are a bit better, 64/153, or just under 42%. That will need to be improved, Malhotra should be a big help there.

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I don't see the rush to move galchenyuk to center and why plex needs to go... Plex needs to be used at 3rd line center on a very good habs team and play him as a shut down center with offensive upside. We should be employing him the same way we employed guy carboneau... He will flourish even more there with less pressure. Frankly, I don't think galchenyuk is ready for top 2 center role just yet... He's still a little soft on the puck and not nearly as responsible in his own end quite yet. Not to mention he can't take a face off.... If he can stay healthy all year and really break out this coming season next year will be his year to make the move.

DD

Eller

Plex

Malholtra

Prust

Bournival

Center depth for next season

Hard to argue with this post, makes the best team on the ice, out of the players the Habs already have...

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I agree that Tomas Plekanec should play third line, but let's not forget he's a 20 goal scorer last season. Plekanec with the right linemates is a 60+ point player. Plekanec with whoever is a 40 point centerman. Aside from 2011-2012 he's been a guarantee for 20 goals in a full season. It pissed me off that Andrei Kostitsyn got fawned over for his 26 goals in 07-08 when Plekanec was a wrist shot shy of 30 goals and nobody seemed to care or pay attention to Plekanec's goal scoring ability. Kostitsyn flamed out. Plekanec is still a consistent 20 goal man.

I think something along the lines of Sekac - Plekanec - Bourque works quite well for the third line. That leaves Pacioretty, Desharnais, Galchenyuk, Gallagher, Parenteau and Eller for the top six. That's three scoring options.

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Guest Stogey24

Hopefully malholtra can teach him something about face offs. I've actually felt at times that if Galchenyuk was a 50% face off man he'd already be a centre. Therrien doesn't trust him at the draw, and rightly so if I remember his record correctly. Hovering in the mid-low 40's.

It wasn't all about faceoff percentage. He looked lost on the defensive side of things at centre.
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Count me among those who just do not understand the rush to ship out good players in order to "make room" for a guy who has not yet forced himself into a top-6 role. I have no doubt that the time will come when Galy does what Koivu did almost immediately, i.e., rocket up the depth chart and make one of our existing C redundant (probably DD, although it's possible that another feeble year by Eller will see him getting shipped out instead). Until this happens, there is simply no "problem" here that we need to solve. This team now has depth up the wazoo at C, and people are acting like that's a bad thing :rolleyes:

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I do believe Galchenyuk has forced himself into a top six position. He just hasn't forced himself beyond that.

Last season, he had a .48 PPG average. Gionta had a .49, Vanek had a .83. Drop those two and Galchenyuk is fifth for Montreal forwards. Add Parenteau's .60 and Galchenyuk is still top six.

He's much less of a question mark for me than Eller. Why? Eller is a Home Warrior. Eller had 16 Home points out of a possible 26 in the regular season and then 9 of a possible 13 points at home in the playoffs. Makes me wonder if Eller can't take the tougher matchups on the road.

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I do believe Galchenyuk has forced himself into a top six position. He just hasn't forced himself beyond that.

Last season, he had a .48 PPG average. Gionta had a .49, Vanek had a .83. Drop those two and Galchenyuk is fifth for Montreal forwards. Add Parenteau's .60 and Galchenyuk is still top six.

He's much less of a question mark for me than Eller. Why? Eller is a Home Warrior. Eller had 16 Home points out of a possible 26 in the regular season and then 9 of a possible 13 points at home in the playoffs. Makes me wonder if Eller can't take the tougher matchups on the road.

Well, if you're arguing for Galy as a top-6 W, that's one thing. My suggestion is more that he hasn't yet dislodged either Pleks or DD at C.

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Well, if you're arguing for Galy as a top-6 W, that's one thing. My suggestion is more that he hasn't yet dislodged either Pleks or DD at C.

I agree, though I do want to see Chuck and Gally with Pacioretty at least once in exhibition. If Galchenyuk can build some early chemistry with Pacioretty, maybe the team will be more comfortable with a line juggle:

Pacioretty - Galchenyuk - Gallagher

Eller - Desharnais - Parenteau

Sekac - Plekanec - Bourque

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no matter how you mix n match, this years habs should have 3 solid scoring lines and a fourth line that can wheel and pop the occational goal

I agree in general, but I'm a bit leery of everyone's default third line (Bourque, Eller, Sekac). Not one player in that configuration can be considered in any respect reliable. The rest of the lineup looks pretty solid, assuming that the adjusted D is equal to or better than what we saw last season.

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I agree in general, but I'm a bit leery of everyone's default third line (Bourque, Eller, Sekac). Not one player in that configuration can be considered in any respect reliable. The rest of the lineup looks pretty solid, assuming that the adjusted D is equal to or better than what we saw last season.

sekac and plekanics wouldn't be a bad idea..the kids gotta learn how to effectively play in his own end..and who better to learn from right?

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Ahhh, don't you guys worry, Therrien will have some line combinations for us to complain about.... :nuts:

Bourque and Eller could be very important upgrades for the team this season, lord knows they didn't do much last season, it will be like two new players this year.....

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I wouldn't put much stock in Bourque's playoff play continuing, unless you think he will get 45-50goals.

I expect 10-15 goals and 1 assist for him and many games in press-box.

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I wouldn't put much stock in Bourque's playoff play continuing, unless you think he will get 45-50goals.

I expect 10-15 goals and 1 assist for him and many games in press-box.

I like a man with realistic expectations :thumbs_up:

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I wouldn't put much stock in Bourque's playoff play continuing, unless you think he will get 45-50goals.

Ha.

I wouldn't be surprised if he never breaks 20 again in his career.

On the other hand, I wouldn't be surprised if he did have another 25 goal year, either.

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