Jump to content

Philadelphia at Montreal | October 5th, 2013 | 1900


lazy26

Recommended Posts

Sigh.

History shows players with these clauses can still be moved...but in this case it likely wouldn't be until a fair bit of unpleasantness had ensued (Briere is benched, Briere is given diminishing ice time, controversies erupt, etc.).

Oh well. Let's hope he picks it up.

i'm more concerned about DD, then Briere. DD is holding back Eller and his line. Briere at least is good in the playoffs - but that is only good IF we make the playoffs.

I really don't understand the following about MT:

-ice time and prime PP time given to DD

-Subban NOT being used regularly on the PK. Hell his name his PK - use him on the PK!!!! He us MUCH better the Diaz, Bouillon, Markov, Tinordi defensively.

-Ice time given to Bouillon - why he is on the PP, when Subban should be playing the full PP, if not close to it (like most elite Dmen), is beyond me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Upon further reflection, Desharnais and Briere were saddled with Prust all night. Now Prust is an admirable plug, but he ain't going to make any line better except the 4th.

And it has only been 2 games...

Should more patience be in order?

...

...

...

No. No, not at all. Trade Desharnais immediately. There must be some team that desperately needs an offensive center. Just give us a RW over 6' and we're good.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If DD was on two years he'd be good trade bait, I'm not so sure teams are ready to take on four years of him in his current form.

I still think he'll start producing, and if he finishes with 50+ points he must be worth something.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you look at the ice time last night, dd received less ice time than any of the other top 9 forwards, so I'm not sure Therien can be faulted on that. The fact is, the egg line is taking over as the number one line on this team, Eller is that elusive big, strong centre we've lacked for years, and the 2 galys are playing great. Its only 2 games, too early to write off Briere or DD, but they are looking more like our 3rd ;line, especially with Patches out.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey I saw Briere make a picture perfect pass up ahead to spring DD, and I bet any other top 9 forward we have would have took full advantage of that pass to score. And instead we'd be talking about the nice pass Briere made to put the game 2 - 0 in the second.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Really, there are two issues here...one is the specific merits and demerits of Briere and DD as hockey players. The other is whether the Habs can carry two players of this profile, given that Gionta and Gallagher are also on the team (and vastly better players).

On the first question: it's certainly too early to hurl anathemas at Briere. Many players need some time adapting to a new team, system, linemates, etc.. So he may well improve on his current state of near-total uselessness. It's harder to be patient with Desharnais, since his early-season suckage is a continuation of last season's. That's the problem; he needs to make a statement that last season was aberrant, and he's doing the opposite, quite probably because he just isn't a good enough hockey player when separated from behemoth linemates Cole and Patches.

The second issue - team balance - is what's puzzled us all along about the Briere signing. Too many small, defensively questionable forwards in the top 9. And it likely won't go away unless and until we move one of these guys.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bouillon isn't good on the PP, but he's better than Gorges. Fact is we have three defensemen with almost no offensive ability.

Agreed and on 3 defensive-only d-men, that Is likely on par for league isn't it?

But I would guess that the offense PK, Markov and Diaz bring, Habs should above-average to near top in offensive #s from backend.

Just need more sound defending by Diaz and I think group would be fine.

And with PK playing as well as he is for 1/2 the game, makes it easier for the rest, cept Markov who is still playing a bit too much and Tinordi could likely handle more than 10 minutes?

Just how good can that 3rd line get? Eller finally on the PP, took long enough.

48-51 at least got icetime they should, hoping Briere is maybe a slow starter?

Price was normal, solid with 1 glaring fumble. But 22 saves vs a weak looking Flyer team, shouldn't been 1st star over, maybe Bourque or one of other forwards (or Subban?).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Stogey24

Montreal should have a forward on the PP2 D position with Diaz. No sense having Cube or Gorges there at all.

This is where Beaulieu would come into play.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Montreal should have a forward on the PP2 D position with Diaz. No sense having Cube or Gorges there at all.

I know, right? We've got 9 forwards (in a healthy lineup) that can score goals. Someone must be worth having as a 4th forward on the 2nd PP unit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is where Beaulieu would come into play.

I don't think he's going to play unless he's taking Diaz's spot which would leave the team with a similar problem. He was sent back down after the game last night although I imagine he'll get recalled on Tuesday.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know, right? We've got 9 forwards (in a healthy lineup) that can score goals. Someone must be worth having as a 4th forward on the 2nd PP unit.

Does Therrien even run two lines? Sometimes feels like three.

I know we tried Plekanec there once but he worked better up high. Why not try DD there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Does Therrien even run two lines? Sometimes feels like three.

I know we tried Plekanec there once but he worked better up high. Why not try DD there?

Cuz he totally can't back check quickly enough if the opposing team start a rush.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That 4th goal was very nice! Eller got the 2nd assist and he wasn't on the ice when the goal was scored due to a line change. That's pretty rare, as I can't remember the last time I've seen that.

Yes an assist on an ES goal and no +1 is quite odd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could see Therrien trying Beaulieu with Markov on the upcoming road trip and Tinordi with Diaz. He would certainly help the powerplay.

I'm with those that think having both Brière and Desharnais is redundant. Why not move Eller to the second line with Pacioretty & Brière and play Bournival on the wing with Galchenyuk and Gallagher? Then trade Desharnais to Edmonton for Mike Brown.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could see Therrien trying Beaulieu with Markov on the upcoming road trip and Tinordi with Diaz. He would certainly help the powerplay.

Do you think he pulls Bouillon out of the lineup for that to happen? If he gets a game, I suspect Tinordi would come out to avoid playing two rookies at once.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I could see Therrien trying Beaulieu with Markov on the upcoming road trip and Tinordi with Diaz. He would certainly help the powerplay.

I'm with those that think having both Brière and Desharnais is redundant. Why not move Eller to the second line with Pacioretty & Brière and play Bournival on the wing with Galchenyuk and Gallagher? Then trade Desharnais to Edmonton for Mike Brown.

Wow. that team would kind of suck. Bournival isn't good enough to play with Gallagher and Galchenyuk, so we're left with two effective lines and 5 fourth liners.

Let's not get too excited about trading DD. Who wants him?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow. that team would kind of suck. Bournival isn't good enough to play with Gallagher and Galchenyuk, so we're left with two effective lines and 5 fourth liners.

Let's not get too excited about trading DD. Who wants him?

Suck? You really think that highly of DD? Heck, you could bench him right now and it wouldn't make a difference. I say give DD 12 games to get his act together or trade him. Like I said, Edmonton would probably take him. And if MT is going to keep Bournival in the lineup, he needs to eventually play with better players. Give him a chance playing with the kids and see how he does.

Do you think he pulls Bouillon out of the lineup for that to happen? If he gets a game, I suspect Tinordi would come out to avoid playing two rookies at once.

Two rookies played together last year (Galchenyuk, Gallagher) and look how they did?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the DD line has and will always go the way Pacioretty goes. Pacioretty is streaky, so expect some hills and troughs for the whole line. Unfortunately, the Habs are stuck with DD so he'll continue to get ice time. When the DD/Pacioretty combo is on though, it's usually a fun few games because they score in bunches. Luckily, the Habs don't necessarily need them because they already have two strong lines, including one (Plekanec's) that is utilised against the top line of the opposition.

I don't think there are any realistic scenarios where you can take DD out and put player X in and see a big difference, even if player X was a 6 footer (omg!) DD is one-dimensional. There isn't much else to it, we should just accept it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the DD line has and will always go the way Pacioretty goes.

I don't disagree with this statement, which begs the following question:

Can they leave Patches with DD when the former is on a longer dry stretch, or does Therrien shuffle him to a centre that can help pick up his game. And more importantly, if Patches comes off DD's line, then what happens to the latter?

We talk about three reasonable centres now, Eller, Plex, and DD, but if DD is really struggling and, after 15-20 games really doesn't find himself, what then? And how is that question complicated by a (more than likely) continually improving Galchenyuk who *is* a centre of the future - and I suspect sooner rather than later. We can't worry about not having enough centres for once. If DD continues to suck and Galy continues to shine, then does the latter get his own line - with Patches? Where does that leave DD?

Really, looking at the lineup with a critical eye, one would have to see DD as a placeholder not for another centre - Galy is already there - but rather as a bigger winger. At this point, it should be considered irresponsible if MB *isn't* looking to use DD as the start of a package. He just has to hope DD plays at least a little better to raise his value a little.

In fact, my guess is that once (oh please let it be so) DD starts to find some game and some kind of consistency, we'll start seeing trade rumours flying and they'll all be based on some grains of reality. I can't see DD having any long-term future with this club at all, he's merely the aforementioned placeholder. The club is just in a holding pattern waiting for a) Galy to continue his emergence, and b) DD to generate some value.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Colin, that's a wise post. DD is indeed a placeholder. It's very clear that MB has no visions of this particular team as a Cup winner (which also explains the Briere signing). Frankly, the real question might be whether we see a contender here 2-3 years from now. I have trouble seeing this myself, but I may be a bit pessimistic. In any case, if DD is not gonzo by then, something wil have gone fairly radically awry, I suspect.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DD won't be moved until the offseason at the earliest, giving him time to establish his value and allowing Galchenyuk to develop. We still need to be able to roll three scoring lines.

I'm not convinced that Bergevin sees what we all do - that when Galchenyuk is ready for the centre position, DD is markedly worse than any of our other C's. I'm wondering how much he's beholden to political pressures; the Briere signing is worrisome in this respect. But - here's my little pet theory - maybe the Briere signing makes it easier to move Desharnais, giving us a prominent veteran French guy to tide us through this season and the next. If Desharnais was moved and we only had an unlikely-to-be-resigned Bouillon, along with a fringe rookie or two, the political slant would be much worse.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm of the belief that Bergevin wants to build the French Canadian identity through prospects and draft picks. Desharnais, Briere and Bouillon are just popular whipping boys right now. When Bergevin signed DD, as Commandant has mentioned before, was to avoid dealing with arbitration after he had the best season of his career. The contract is still quite tradeable. I'm sorry, in a world where Matt Stajan had value for Dion Phaneuf I don't see how DD won't have value in a package either. Briere we signed for the playoffs. Bergevin pretty much said it. Our biggest problem in the playoffs against Ottawa wasn't defence like we have wrapped in our minds to believe. We couldn't score on Anderson first and foremost. If Briere has an average season I'm okay with it if he performs in the playoffs. Same way I looked at Cammalleri. Cube was signed because he's Therrien's pet. All for the comfort of the coach. Don't see him lasting beyond this year.

We're two games in. We know how our lines are going to go. Eight more games in it might be about how DD and Briere are hot and what were we thinking. The whole point of running three scoring lines is to ensure there's a potential line to be hot whenever a line is cold.

That all said, this would look pretty good soon:

Pacioretty - Eller - Briere

Prust - Galchenyuk - Gallagher

Bourque - Plekanec - Gionta

Moen - White - Parros/Bournival

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nobody, and I mean nobody wants David Desharnais. An undrafted shirmp with one good season signed to a long term deal. Unless the Flyers replace Paul Holmgren with a poster from hockeyhf.com, he will not be traded. He's staying. He has no value whatsoever. Look at how long Edmonton has tried to trade Ales Hemsky. The league is trending toward size and strength and two-way play. who would want a smurf who makes a nice pass every three games? Contrary to fans' beliefs, GM's don't trade their trash to fill their needs, they make difficult decisions about what's a priority.

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...