Seb Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 http://www.montrealgazette.com/sports/hockey/montreal-canadiens/healthy+Eller+itching+back/8747943/story.html Oh boy, I'm pretty pumped to see him play this season. Weight helps to a certain point, then it becomes a detriment. Curious to see if Eller found the peak efficiency point. (If he's too heavy, losing a bit of weight is easier than gaining.) Also, this guy is 6'2 and 210 lbs according to Crossfit.com (for comparison's sake): Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trizzak Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 He's also a Taurus and likes long walks on the beach... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMMR Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 And has a 10 month old. I'm excited for him, I really hope he gets PP time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neech Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 This thread title is either an example or parody of Habs fans' issues with size. Anyways, I share the excitement about Lars' upcoming season. If he breaks out for 60+ points (which is a possibility if he gets PP time) we'll quickly run into the tougher consequences of the Subban bridge contract. We could consider him our first line centre by years' end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycing Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Eller's smart. He saw an opportunity to be the club's only big center and he grabbed it by the horns. The Habs have a need and he's helping them fill it internally. Can't wait to see if it pays off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huzer Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 But when will he be 6'4" ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 He could be 8'0 and we'd still hear about how the Habs are 'small' up the middle and a 'team of smurfs.' Unlike, say, the towering muscle-men of the Chicago Blackhawks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycing Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 But when will he be 6'4" ? When he laces up his stilt skates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stogey24 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I was just reading that Eller just went through a bunch of neurological testing and got the all clear. Lets just hope there are no set backs. I would hate to see Eller have concussion problems down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 When you read the article on the main page and see that Eller's pro-rated points totals would have clocked in at 51 points over 82 games, all without significant PP time - and all at age 23! - you begin to realize just how promising a player this kid has become for us, and what a canny acquisition he was. We forget that he was considered a blue chip prospect, but last season saw him beginning to deliver on that pedigree. I've gone from utter bewilderment over Eller to guarded but serious optimism. There is a realistic chance that he will quietly become a real core guy for us - a 60-point, does-it-all C with size - for years to come. Props to The Goat for getting us this player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 When you read the article on the main page and see that Eller's pro-rated points totals would have clocked in at 51 points over 82 games, all without significant PP time - and all at age 23! - you begin to realize just how promising a player this kid has become for us, and what a canny acquisition he was. We forget that he was considered a blue chip prospect, but last season saw him beginning to deliver on that pedigree. I've gone from utter bewilderment over Eller to guarded but serious optimism. There is a realistic chance that he will quietly become a real core guy for us - a 60-point, does-it-all C with size - for years to come. Props to The Goat for getting us this player. Proof that kneejerk reactions are just that. Eller wasn't the most exciting prospect from St. Louis because he wasn't an immediate NHLer like Perron, Backes and Berglund. I recall some Blues fans being unhappy for losing him and other Blues fans calling them crazy because hey they got Perron/Backes/Berglund in the NHL already. Well last season, Eller would have been second in scoring for the Blues behind Chris Stewart. Blues fans are actively screaming for St. Louis to trade for a top center. They wouldn't be if they still had Eller. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 When you read the article on the main page and see that Eller's pro-rated points totals would have clocked in at 51 points over 82 games, all without significant PP time - and all at age 23! - you begin to realize just how promising a player this kid has become for us, and what a canny acquisition he was. We forget that he was considered a blue chip prospect, but last season saw him beginning to deliver on that pedigree. I've gone from utter bewilderment over Eller to guarded but serious optimism. There is a realistic chance that he will quietly become a real core guy for us - a 60-point, does-it-all C with size - for years to come. Props to The Goat for getting us this player. Yes Gauthier wasnt all bad and most of his moves were fine. Hopefully Galchenyuk has strengthened a bit as well and with 14-81-27 at centre things are looking up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seb Posted August 8, 2013 Author Share Posted August 8, 2013 I think if he delivers 50 points each year he will be one of the most valuable pieces on the team. Watching him play, you can see scoring isn't even the strongest part of his game, and depends a lot on who he is playing with. IMO Eller is a puck-possession beast and strong two-way player who covers a ton of ice with his size, speed and reach. Let him continue to improve, and he could be a Patrice Bergeron-type defensive forward, who has the ability to put up 50-70 points per year. That's an incredible player. Which makes you look at the centre position for the Habs in the coming years, with the three top centres being Plekanec, Eller and Galchenyuk (not necessarily in that order). There is size and skill in abundance there, and not all three are on the same spot in their development curve (which seems like the Oilers are realizing is a pretty big detriment.) Regardless of wingers, whether they're too small, too slow or whatever, if they're viable top 6 or top 9 wingers (which are easier to find than top 6 pr top 9 centres), you should be able to get some pretty good production from them. The future looks good. I am so grateful I am not a Maple Leafs fan. Holy crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I think if he delivers 50 points each year he will be one of the most valuable pieces on the team. Watching him play, you can see scoring isn't even the strongest part of his game, and depends a lot on who he is playing with. IMO Eller is a puck-possession beast and strong two-way player who covers a ton of ice with his size, speed and reach. Let him continue to improve, and he could be a Patrice Bergeron-type defensive forward, who has the ability to put up 50-70 points per year. That's an incredible player. Which makes you look at the centre position for the Habs in the coming years, with the three top centres being Plekanec, Eller and Galchenyuk (not necessarily in that order). There is size and skill in abundance there, and not all three are on the same spot in their development curve (which seems like the Oilers are realizing is a pretty big detriment.) Regardless of wingers, whether they're too small, too slow or whatever, if they're viable top 6 or top 9 wingers (which are easier to find than top 6 pr top 9 centres), you should be able to get some pretty good production from them. The future looks good. I am so grateful I am not a Maple Leafs fan. Holy crap. agee 100% cept, am sorry to say, the Leafs do actually have some good young players and prospects and Reilly should be a super d-man down the road. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neech Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 But the Leafs turned oodles of cap space into questionable deals (Bozak, Clarkson) and they haven't even resigned possibly their number two D-man AND forward. I agree that they have some promising young players but they're going to have trouble holding on to them in the near future, and their cap management this offseason has been suspect at best. Luckily we have the humourous lense of Down Goes Brown through which to experience the schadenfreude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 The cap will rise like crazy after next season. As always, these cap concerns are overblown, although I have no doubt the Clarkson deal will end by looking terrible. That day is probably 3-4 years off, however; in the meantime they have a beast of a power forward. I think we should face the facts, the Leafs are akin to the Habs in being an organization that is on a decidedly upward arc. In this sense they remind me of Habs/Bruins in 2008 - both teams that appeared to be moving in the right direction. My guess is that we are deeper in good young talent than they are, but ultimately it remains to be seen which franchise will have a higher ceiling. The Leafs did better than us this year, taking the Conference champs to the absolute extremity. I'm not gonna be smug about them until they are definitively in our rear-view mirror. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neech Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 The cap will rise like crazy after next season. As always, these cap concerns are overblown, although I have no doubt the Clarkson deal will end by looking terrible. That day is probably 3-4 years off, however; in the meantime they have a beast of a power forward. I think we should face the facts, the Leafs are akin to the Habs in being an organization that is on a decidedly upward arc. In this sense they remind me of Habs/Bruins in 2008 - both teams that appeared to be moving in the right direction. My guess is that we are deeper in good young talent than they are, but ultimately it remains to be seen which franchise will have a higher ceiling. The Leafs did better than us this year, taking the Conference champs to the absolute extremity. I'm not gonna be smug about them until they are definitively in our rear-view mirror. The cap will go up, but there's no guarantee about the rate at which it will rise (if the Canadian dollar falters, that will slow it down). Also, they're in cap trouble for this season, with two of their best players unsigned, and next year with Kessel and Phaneuf's contracts ending. As for their upward arc, I agree that their youth should make them a solid team for a while, but it's important to remember that according to their possession/shots numbers they rode good goaltending and luck to their record last year, and should experience a regression. (While we, on the other hand, had positive possession numbers and overcame below-average goaltending). I'm definitely not ready to call Clarkson a beast - his numbers leave a lot to be desired, and of his 15 goals last year only 5 came in his final 33 or so games. He'll make the team better, but he could be little more than an overacheiving third liner. Switching Grabovski for Bolland is questionable as well - Bolland had poor numbers lining up primarily with Sharp and Kane. I think, in the end, the Leafs are in the same boat as us - teams that will be pushing for a playoff spot until the end of the year. But the numbers point to us being on better footing heading into next year. And while Bergevin is not unimpeachable, I'm glad to have nothing to do with Nonis and MLSE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovett's Magnatones Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 The Leafs are horrible. Forget the cap, when your go to guy is Phil Kessel, that's not a good thing. They have two goons taking up twelve roster spots and mediocrity abounds. (Bozak, Gunnarsson, Mark Fraser, Jake Gardiner, Bolland, platoon style goaltending). Even before I saw the fancy stats, I said that the MLSE is a crap organization with few prospects aside from fighting it out for the 8th playoff spot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 The Leafs are horrible. Forget the cap, when your go to guy is Phil Kessel, that's not a good thing. They have two goons taking up twelve roster spots and mediocrity abounds. (Bozak, Gunnarsson, Mark Fraser, Jake Gardiner, Bolland, platoon style goaltending). Even before I saw the fancy stats, I said that the MLSE is a crap organization with few prospects aside from fighting it out for the 8th playoff spot. The Leafs are horrible. Forget the cap, when your go to guy is Phil Kessel, that's not a good thing. They have two goons taking up twelve roster spots and mediocrity abounds. (Bozak, Gunnarsson, Mark Fraser, Jake Gardiner, Bolland, platoon style goaltending). Even before I saw the fancy stats, I said that the MLSE is a crap organization with few prospects aside from fighting it out for the 8th playoff spot. I dislike leafs and think Nonis made shortsighted and typical moves for Bolland/Clarkson, but I think they will do OK and be a pain for Habs for awhile. But they do not have a match for Eller, who I think might even get some PP time this year and I doubt he will be a healthy scratch for any games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Sheesh, people sure are hard on Kessel. He's merely a 37-goal scorer and PPG player with blazing speed. I agree that he isn't a franchise player, but the Habs have no single forward of that offensive calibre. Anyway, I'm not denying that we're a more solid organization than TO - but I also heard a lot of analysis back in '08 about how the Bruins had some nice pieces but couldn't match our up-and-coming crop of talent, etc.. Like I say, I'll dismiss TO when we have clearly left them in the dust. Not before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meller93 Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Kessel is madly underrated. One of the best scoring wingers in the league. Maybe not a franchise player, but not many have his skill level. Who's our go to forward? No one as good as Kessel. YET Galchenyuk and Pacioretty will probably get there Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Kessel reminds me a lot of Brett Hull. Hull was supposed to be THE MAN in St. Louis and they built a team around him but St. Louis could never win with him as the best player. Even when they brought in Gretzky they couldn't do it. It wasn't until Hull started becoming a hired gun that he started winning Cups. He was no longer the centerpiece. The less pressure on him the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbp Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 Kessel is madly underrated. One of the best scoring wingers in the league. Maybe not a franchise player, but not many have his skill level. Who's our go to forward? No one as good as Kessel. YET Galchenyuk and Pacioretty will probably get there The main reason for this is because his career will be over shadowed by the trade that brought him to Toronto. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 The main reason for this is because his career will be over shadowed by the trade that brought him to Toronto. no it is because he is softest player in the league (Cammalleri was just as bad); but he a super offensive winger and maybe what Collberg or Lehkonen will be like in a few years? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted August 9, 2013 Share Posted August 9, 2013 That trade was stupid, but mainly because it ended up involving Doug Hamilton, not because of - as is popularly believed - Seguin. Over the first three years of that deal, TO has had the better player, and despite all the hype it remains unclear whether Seguin really will emerge as a better player than Kessel, who is an elite young offensive talent in the NHL. I don't see why Kessel should play out his days overwhelmed by the looming shadow of Doug Hamilton. This wasn't Ribeiro for Nobody, McDonagh for Gomez, or Chelios for Savard. They got a terrific young player back. Now Kessel gets grief in TO simply because he's not the kind of guy who can carry a team on his back single-handedly - ridiculous and unfair, albeit typical of what TO directs at players who are miscast in their role - and scorn from fans in other cities because, well, he's a Leaf. None of this constitutes a valid criticism of a guy who is a dynamic and exciting PPG machine in both the regular season and playoffs. "Soft" is an OK criticism, but again, no one is paying him to be Milan Lucic. I'll take a 'soft' 37 goals and 80 points, thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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