Jump to content

July 1st: Who do we want, who can we get?


Commandant

Recommended Posts

I dont expect Cole to repeat nor Moen

Gio's return would offset both of those at least imo. Not to mention Bourques presumable 20 odd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont expect Cole to repeat nor Moen

I don't expect Plekanec's numbers to drop or stay at 17. He'll score more.

Moen has scored eight, six and nine in Montreal. You don't expect him to repeat nine? Okay cool... he scores seven. Shocking drop!

Subban will score more than seven. DD at 16 sounds reasonable. Prust will either score five goals or more than 10 goals. Armstrong is the real wildcard as people forget he's usually solid for 10+ per season. His last season with Toronto was filled with injury.

I know I'm sounding, "everyone is going to do better next year" but what I mean to say is I don't believe it's as dire as people try to make it sound. I don't see sub 200 goals unless we get some major injuries. Even if Markov isn't the same player, a full season of him could be a huge difference to the point totals of all of our major players.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't expect Plekanec's numbers to drop or stay at 17. He'll score more.

Moen has scored eight, six and nine in Montreal. You don't expect him to repeat nine? Okay cool... he scores seven. Shocking drop!

Subban will score more than seven. DD at 16 sounds reasonable. Prust will either score five goals or more than 10 goals. Armstrong is the real wildcard as people forget he's usually solid for 10+ per season. His last season with Toronto was filled with injury.

I know I'm sounding, "everyone is going to do better next year" but what I mean to say is I don't believe it's as dire as people try to make it sound. I don't see sub 200 goals unless we get some major injuries. Even if Markov isn't the same player, a full season of him could be a huge difference to the point totals of all of our major players.

Way I see it is that the entire team will go as far as markov's knee. If healthy Markov is the best PP player in the game. Our PP was horrendous last season so what happens if we bring that back to among the leaders like it has been for 4-5 years.

I don't think COle will have the same type of year but Gionta will be there, Plekanec will be better, Bourque will be better, Eller continues to develop, Amrstrong should be better than Darche......not difficult to forecast a better season IMO

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why does everyone think Cole's numbers will drop? If healthy i expect he'll have 30-35 goals. Pacs and DD will be better. That was both of there first full years. With a second line that will produce offensively, it should only make those guys better. Teams won't be able to shut one line down. I'm not worried about that line. The 2nd line is the real issue. 3rd and 4th llines have both ben significantly improved.

As Wiley points out, Markov will help the PP. If i'm not mistaken Cloe was stapled to the bench on the PP under JM. I think JM went off and said Cole's PP numbers were bad in Carloina so he wouldn't use him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think most people expect Cole's numbers to drop because he had a career year at the age of 32 and he'll probably return to the 25-30 goal form he's shown the rest of his career.

Chris makes a good point about the PP, though. It's bewildering that this fleet-footed bison of a player was never used on the power play in Carolina. His goals totals were up by nine; he had 11 goals on the PP, and that was 8 more than his total the previous season, so it doesn't take a genius to figure out what caused the spike. We should therefore expect roughly comparable totals this season, unless he loses a step due to age or is mishandled by Therrien.

When you go on to consider that MaxPac is very young and may not yet have hit his ceiling, and that - which everyone forgets - that Desharnais is also young, just came off his first full season and also have room to get better as well - I don't think a repeat for both Cole personally, or for that line as a whole, is out of the question at all.

It's our second line we should be worrying about. There we have a C who needs to bounce-back offensively, paired with a RW with whom he has notoriously weak chemistry (Gio) and an enigmatic slug on LW (Bourque). Yikes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He didn't score on the PP in Carolina, he got lots of PP minutes.

He was playing 2:42 per game on the PP in Carolina in 2010-11. Clearly was on the 2nd unit of the canes PP by ice time for forwards.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

He didn't score on the PP in Carolina, he got lots of PP minutes.

He was playing 2:42 per game on the PP in Carolina in 2010-11. Clearly was on the 2nd unit of the canes PP by ice time for forwards.

Didn't know that (presumably I was whitewashed by JM's explanation). So, you're positing that he just got 'hot' on the PP one year? Or does being on the first unit - or, perhaps, with these specific linemates - make that big a difference?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Chris makes a good point about the PP, though. It's bewildering that this fleet-footed bison of a player was never used on the power play in Carolina. His goals totals were up by nine; he had 11 goals on the PP, and that was 8 more than his total the previous season, so it doesn't take a genius to figure out what caused the spike. We should therefore expect roughly comparable totals this season, unless he loses a step due to age or is mishandled by Therrien.

When you go on to consider that MaxPac is very young and may not yet have hit his ceiling, and that - which everyone forgets - that Desharnais is also young, just came off his first full season and also have room to get better as well - I don't think a repeat for both Cole personally, or for that line as a whole, is out of the question at all.

It's our second line we should be worrying about. There we have a C who needs to bounce-back offensively, paired with a RW with whom he has notoriously weak chemistry (Gio) and an enigmatic slug on LW (Bourque). Yikes.

Honestly that's why i would swap DD and Pleks. When Pleks centered the 2 bgi guys the line scored 4 goals in 2 games. Let's see what DD can do for Bourque.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Honestly that's why i would swap DD and Pleks. When Pleks centered the 2 bgi guys the line scored 4 goals in 2 games. Let's see what DD can do for Bourque.

DD is really creative with the puck maybe all lazy Bourque will have to be is be on the right end of the ice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DD is really creative with the puck maybe all lazy Bourque will have to be is be on the right end of the ice.

The only concern about this plan is breaking up one of the best lines in hockey - killing the golden goose. But you're right, it's worth a try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only concern about this plan is breaking up one of the best lines in hockey - killing the golden goose. But you're right, it's worth a try.

I completely agree, we should see if it carries over into next season. I mean they did that well and were the only line the other guys really had to worry about.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Didn't know that (presumably I was whitewashed by JM's explanation). So, you're positing that he just got 'hot' on the PP one year? Or does being on the first unit - or, perhaps, with these specific linemates - make that big a difference?

A system that is more suited to him?

The right linemates?

His old numbers on PP in Carolina were decent, but his numbers in 2010-11 werent. Perhaps its part of having a down year on the PP followed by an up year the next and he settles somewhere in the middle?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only concern about this plan is breaking up one of the best lines in hockey - killing the golden goose. But you're right, it's worth a try.

This is what exhibition will be all about. Trying new line combinations and seeing where the chemistry is.

I'd love to try out Bourque - DD - Cole and Patches - Plek- Gio at some point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I dont think it would matter who is between Cole-Pacioretty.

I would bet Plekanec or Eller would do very well centering these guys?

Also i bet Desharnais would do well even centering a 3rd line of Leblanc and Moan, he is just a smart shifty playmaker?

But just have to remember Plekanec took on the opposition's best and the sooner Galchenyuk can develop into a NHL centreman the better!

Til then, i would stand pat on the back end and still try and upgrade at centre somehow, even if pushs Desharnais to the wing.

There has to be some digruntled top 2 centre loking for new scenery out there isnt there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It makes me laugh that nobody is even putting Gomez on their line proposals. If MB is done shopping, I Guarantee that Gomer will be in the line up. The only way he get's sent down is if MB can find the right guy for the top 2 lines at the right price.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It makes me laugh that nobody is even putting Gomez on their line proposals. If MB is done shopping, I Guarantee that Gomer will be in the line up. The only way he get's sent down is if MB can find the right guy for the top 2 lines at the right price.

I agree with that, I just don't know what there are going to do with him. Has he ever played wing? I believe it is possible that he gets pushed out of the lineup, though, in which case, he may indeed be booted to Hamilton.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't be surprised if he plays with Gionta.

Pac DD Cole

LL/Eller Plek Armstrong

Borque Gomer Gio

Prust White/Eller/Noke Moen

Gio on the 3rd line? No thanks.

Pacioretty / Desharnais / Cole

Bourque / Plekenec / Gionta

Moen / Eller / Armstrong

Prust / Nokelainen / White

That seems ideal given our current lineup, although I think it would be good to start Leblanc on the second line with Gionta and Pleks, bumping Bourque to 3rd line, Moen to 4th and White to 13th. If not, Leblanc should play in Hamilton. Ditto with Gallagher. It would also be great if White could learn to play center at the NHL level, as Nokelainen is easily the weakest link in that lineup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the young kids... either Leblanc, Palushaj, Geoffrion, Gallagher, or Galchenyuk should start the season in the top 9 if no other changes are made.

Whoever does best at Training Camp.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the young kids... either Leblanc, Palushaj, Geoffrion, Gallagher, or Galchenyuk should start the season in the top 9 if no other changes are made.

Whoever does best at Training Camp.

Seeing as the AHL will start sooner than the NHL with how things are going might as well make it Galchenyuk so the other guys can bond on the Bulldogs ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Every one of you guys has Gomez not playing but no top 6er coming in. Unless he is a massive distraction, I do not see him getting sent to the minors. He will be on the team unless there is help from outside.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...