The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Gomez will play 2nd line. Ha ha, funny, I don't even think about that idiot when imagining the Habs's roster any more. Clearly, he's dead to me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I've watched Leblanc a lot, and I just don't see a future for him at Centre. Very much like Chris higgins when he was touted by many as a Centre just cause he played there in College. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 I've watched Leblanc a lot, and I just don't see a future for him at Centre. Very much like Chris higgins when he was touted by many as a Centre just cause he played there in College. Well, there is a case to be made for trying guys like Leblanc and Eller at LW rather than Desharnais. He, after all, has earned his spot; they haven't. The flip side is the concern about mucking up their development. Decisions, decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSoloCup Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Maybe we send Louis to Hamilton to learn to play LW for the year seeing as that's a weakness I've written Nokia off as a waiver guy, maybe that's premature but other than faceoffs he doesn't bring much White wasn't exactly terrible on the draws in his smaller sample set and Montreal is a different team when he's in the lineup hitting and scrapping, expect him to put up more points as he finds his game at the NHL level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 White was Calgary's best centreman in junior if i remember correctly ( he took key faceoffs at least). But not sure if he has even been used at centre in Hamilton has he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Well, there is a case to be made for trying guys like Leblanc and Eller at LW rather than Desharnais. He, after all, has earned his spot; they haven't. The flip side is the concern about mucking up their development. Decisions, decisions. Eller just looks much better at Centre than at Wing. We've seen him at both and it really is a night and day difference. White was Calgary's best centreman in junior if i remember correctly ( he took key faceoffs at least). But not sure if he has even been used at centre in Hamilton has he? He was almost exclusively a Centre in Hamilton. His faceoff skills are decent, but he doesn't have the footspeed, or the vision to play centre in the NHL. Well, there is a case to be made for trying guys like Leblanc and Eller at LW rather than Desharnais. He, after all, has earned his spot; they haven't. The flip side is the concern about mucking up their development. Decisions, decisions. Assuming we go into camp with this lineup; I'm betting that Leblanc, Palushaj, Geoffrion, Gallagher, and even Holland will get a look at LW in Training camp. For 4 of those guys they are RH shots though, which makes it difficult. I say assuming we go into camp with this lineup, because I'm still not convinced Bergevin is done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Don't forget Galchenyuk. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Don't forget Galchenyuk. Absolutely. He might be the best bet to steal that job. Especially if we have a short lockout and he spends a month or two in Sarnia, and is at game speed and is called back to tryout for the big club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Absolutely. He might be the best bet to steal that job. Especially if we have a short lockout and he spends a month or two in Sarnia, and is at game speed and is called back to tryout for the big club. That could be the best situation for him, gaining confidence in the ohl as well as getting his sea legs back after such a long injury. Then once he has peaked jumps up and plays with the big boys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSoloCup Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 We've waited forever for a big centremen, I'd rather take the hit on LW with band-aids this year when we're not competing for anything Let Galchenyuk develop in Sarnia if he can't make the club at his natural position, think that's more important in the long run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 We've waited forever for a big centremen, I'd rather take the hit on LW with band-aids this year when we're not competing for anything Let Galchenyuk develop in Sarnia if he can't make the club at his natural position, think that's more important in the long run One year on the LW is not going to ruin Galchenyuk. Unless you think it somehow ruined second overall pick Tyler Seguin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSoloCup Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 One year on the LW is not going to ruin Galchenyuk. Unless you think it somehow ruined second overall pick Tyler Seguin. I dont think it will ruin him but Seguin also didn't miss a year of junior If they at least gave Alex some spot duty at centre maybe but don't want him to go nearly 2 years of prime development without playing there and then hope he can flick the switch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 We've waited forever for a big centremen, I'd rather take the hit on LW with band-aids this year when we're not competing for anything Let Galchenyuk develop in Sarnia if he can't make the club at his natural position, think that's more important in the long run Yeah, playing one season at wing certainly hurt Tyler Seguin, Steven Stamkos, Jamie Benn, Claude Giroux, Patrice Bergeron, and others. Playing 15+ minutes at NHL speed, even if its at wing is better for his development than 20 minutes in a league he is too good for and will dominate. He can be transitioned to centre later IMO. NHL is just a faster, stronger, game... and the sooner you adjust to that the better IMO. He won't suddenly forget how to play centre in one year at LW. Heck he might even learn something playing with Plekanec about developping his two way game further. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 The real question with Galy is not whether a year at LW would ruin him, it's whether he'd be better off spending the year in Sarnia or the NHL. Given that he missed a season, I still think Sarnia is more realistic, although the 'lockout' scenario that sees him come up in January is intriguing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 The real question with Galy is not whether a year at LW would ruin him, it's whether he'd be better off spending the year in Sarnia or the NHL. Given that he missed a season, I still think Sarnia is more realistic, although the 'lockout' scenario that sees him come up in January is intriguing. I think "if he's ready" he's better off in the NHL. The only question to me is the "if he's ready" part of the equation. If he's good enough to get 15 minutes a game in the NHL and produce, he should play in the NHL.... Only way I want to see him in Sarnia is if he needs more development and isn't ready for that kind of icetime in Montreal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 The real question with Galy is not whether a year at LW would ruin him, it's whether he'd be better off spending the year in Sarnia or the NHL. Given that he missed a season, I still think Sarnia is more realistic, although the 'lockout' scenario that sees him come up in January is intriguing. Right on, all sounds good; but reality is he will play in OHL and unlikely he will even match Stamkos's last year with Sarnia with 105 points, if he does great, but "too good for" the OHL i just dont buy it? Not sure why playing wing would have any negative affect on his development? Still havent heard of any domestic guy with only 1 year CHL experiance jump straight to NHL? So my money is on 1 more full year in OHL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 I know it breaks convention and it would have never happened before and blah blah blah but the people who believe that Galchenyuk can still play this year in the NHL are the people who understand that we might possibly have one of the best conditioned and hard working 18 year old hockey prospects ever. Read the bold. We got a special player folks. This is why some people expect special things. This is not rushing a prospect. This is letting a prospect dominate. Betting favours him playing in Sarnia but if he doesn't, it's because he's already the fifth best forward on the team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Still havent heard of any domestic guy with only 1 year CHL experiance jump straight to NHL? So my money is on 1 more full year in OHL. Patrice Bergeron is one. The reality though is most top 10 picks have 2 years of experience, because most top 10 picks were playing in the CHL at 16, where as guys who didn't make the CHL til 17 and played Junior A in the interim, usually get drafted much lower as their talent level is usually lower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 I know it breaks convention and it would have never happened before and blah blah blah but the people who believe that Galchenyuk can still play this year in the NHL are the people who understand that we might possibly have one of the best conditioned and hard working 18 year old hockey prospects ever. Read the bold. We got a special player folks. This is why some people expect special things. This is not rushing a prospect. This is letting a prospect dominate. Betting favours him playing in Sarnia but if he doesn't, it's because he's already the fifth best forward on the team. i am glad you think so highly of him, but team is rebuilding, few people even think habs will make playoffs and none seriously think team is a contender, so no need to rush Galchenyuk is there, let him get a ton of icetime and 1st unit PP time in junior and pack on a few more pounds by next fall. Both Leblanc and Bournival were tops in physical testing in their draft year and both are supposedly very hard working also. But still means little if they havent ever lined up vs a Chara/Stamkos type player, who trains just as hard and are much bigger/stronger or faster and with only 1 year playing vs teenagers in OHL, Galchenyuk would likely be at a severe disadvantage. But no matter with lock-out only a few weeks away, he will play where he should and just too bad Yakupov will be playing overseas and not on his line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Patrice Bergeron is one. The reality though is most top 10 picks have 2 years of experience, because most top 10 picks were playing in the CHL at 16, where as guys who didn't make the CHL til 17 and played Junior A in the interim, usually get drafted much lower as their talent level is usually lower. Hey, i hope he runs over Yemelin in training camp and makes Price look like a sieve and i am sure there is great pressure to fast track Golden Boy, but no chance i dont think and lock-out will solve that question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted August 22, 2012 Share Posted August 22, 2012 Wait, playing Galchenyuk when we're not a playoff team doesn't make sense? Explain Edmonton playing 18 year olds then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dlbalr Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Wait, playing Galchenyuk when we're not a playoff team doesn't make sense? Explain Edmonton playing 18 year olds then. Their GM is a complete idiot? That sentence can more or less cover any question regarding Edmonton and their lack of success. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lazy26 Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Wait, playing Galchenyuk when we're not a playoff team doesn't make sense? Explain Edmonton playing 18 year olds then. Their GM is a complete idiot? That sentence can more or less cover any question regarding Edmonton and their lack of success. Gotta put butts in the seats, right? Showcasing lots of young talent was pretty much their only option save hiring competent management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedSoloCup Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 I've got zero issue with Galchenyuk playing in Montreal this year if he's ready, just saying if he's not ready enough to crack our not-so stacked centre ice position why move him to the wing just because he's our best option there when we are not expecting to compete and he's touted as the centremen we've been waiting nearly 2 decades to get. Different story if he hadn't missed last year, by all means have him up and play wherever if he's out grown junior to get him exposed to the NHL, I've never seen him play outside of highlights so no clue where he's at in development. As for the Edmonton comparison their best fwd played an extra year junior and it didn't hurt Eberle while Nuge & Hall have both missed considerable time, Gagner has never fulfilled potential and Paajarrvi will probably end up back in Sweden after being rushed. Different for all players Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commandant Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Were Paajarvi and Gagner rushed or were they just not that good? Gagner comes from a draft class in 2007 that was really weak. Yes Montreal did great in that draft in getting McDonagh, Subban and Pacioretty but we probably got 3 of the top 6 guys in the entire class. 2007 sucked, and yeah Gagner's a top 10 pick, but outside of Patrick Kane and Logan Couture, what top 10 picks are doing well? Paajarvi never scored in the SEL. It was thought, hey he's got talent, he'll score once he matures. Hasn't happened for him so far. But its the same risk taken with Forsberg, and we've taken with Collberg. Lots of Swedes like Nick Backstrom couldn't score as 17 year olds vs Men but later started scoring as they got older. We hope this is what happens with Forsberg, Collberg, Paajarvi, etc... but sometimes it doesn't happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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