GDT Mar. 18, Avs vs Habs, 7:30 PM

[sakiqc]

Just watched the Vanek interview in the dressing room, and of course, some reporter asked Vanek how he felt when the 21000+ fans started chanting his name.

Vanek was polite and said he had chills!

Then some idiot reporter asks him if this will make him stay in Montreal at the end of the season. I swear, sometimes reporters can be such idiots!

Unbelievable. Can't stand most of them.

[JoeLassister]

They should have made it rain with hats

Throw your 30$ cap on the ice or not ?

Good question. Especially when the guy might just be on the team for 30-40 games...

[sim.on]

Well see ya later Prust. That shoulder needs surgery at some point

He did come back to play quite the game but that shoulder hasent been right for a while.

Any word on what the nature of the injury is?

[sim.on]

Throw your 30$ cap on the ice or not ?

Good question. Especially when the guy might just be on the team for 30-40 games...

apparently you can go get the hat back after the game

[habs rule]

Great game for the guys. Weiss is making a difference, the 4th line guys can't slack off there is too much depth. Fork up and you are on the bench, you gotta work real hard to stay in the lineup on this team. Great to see Vanek knock em in, I been screaming for 2 years that we need a sniper now we got one, I feel like the kid asking his dad about the puppy, can we keep him PLEEEAASE. I like the Vanel patch dd line. Can we keep MT from forking with it? Carey looked to be at about 98% which is reeal good news. Oh well hope they keep it up and we have a nice deep run in the playoffs.

[JoeLassister]

apparently you can go get the hat back after the game

Really ? I'd find kinda hard to prove that the hat is yours...

[KoRP]

The Tinordi Weaver pairing looks better every game, nice to see them skating and get a win none of us really saw coming....now Beaulieu in for Cube and I'd almost be happy...

[JCPetit]

Awesome game from the fourth line. We finally had two scoring lines - the first and the fourth.

Vanek is just what the doctor ordered for this team. Each of his goals were scored around the net, and the second and third in particular showed some nifty skill. He also is instrumental in helping his line gain and maintain puck control.

I like his passes. He is a good playmaker.

[Neech]

I like his passes. He is a good playmaker.

Yeah, he's definitely a big step up from Gallagher in that regard. Pacioretty also made a very nice pass for Vanek's second.

I hope playing the off-wing doesn't bother Vanek too much, because this could be a better incarnation of the 2012 Patches - DD - Cole line.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Yeah, he's definitely a big step up from Gallagher in that regard. Pacioretty also made a very nice pass for Vanek's second.

I hope playing the off-wing doesn't bother Vanek too much, because this could be a better incarnation of the 2012 Patches - DD - Cole line.

I think for a player, he lines up at RW and feels off position. But when Pacioretty plays, he loves to rip down the off wing at times. He learned that from Cole. It lets Vanek still move to the LW against a right wing/right defence opposition. When it came to his hat trick, he wasn't on either wing. He played the slot around center. That's because DD put himself in a passing position to send out to both Pacioretty and Vanek going to the net. That's why the goals started pouring in. It all became out getting to the net.

I got real worried at one point when Vanek took a Subban slapper but that worry lasted maybe 10 seconds. I'm sure he used to deal with Spacek's random bombs before too.

[Guest Stogey24]

I think for a player, he lines up at RW and feels off position. But when Pacioretty plays, he loves to rip down the off wing at times. He learned that from Cole. It lets Vanek still move to the LW against a right wing/right defence opposition. When it came to his hat trick, he wasn't on either wing. He played the slot around center. That's because DD put himself in a passing position to send out to both Pacioretty and Vanek going to the net. That's why the goals started pouring in. It all became out getting to the net.

I got real worried at one point when Vanek took a Subban slapper but that worry lasted maybe 10 seconds. I'm sure he used to deal with Spacek's random bombs before too.

I'd like to see Galchenyuk thrown in Pacs spot from time to time. Give the kid a chance to score some goals and use his vision with some real goal scorers.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

I'd like to see Galchenyuk thrown in Pacs spot from time to time. Give the kid a chance to score some goals and use his vision with some real goal scorers.

It will come eventually.

Galchenyuk and Eller are hopefully going to be facilitated by Gionta to play smarter. Listening to him would be great for them. Eller's choices with the puck in the opposing zone have been terrible.

Next year will be interesting. I don't know if I'd rather see Galchenyuk as a top six LW or Galchenyuk as a top nine C. As a top nine C that would mean we re-sign Vanek but move Eller:

Pacioretty - DD - Vanek

LW - Galchenyuk - Gallagher

Prust - Plekanec - Briere

As for Eller... ugh. He got his chance and his confidence hasn't returned. Some might argue Gallagher got removed too quickly but it was clear the line desperately needed a defensively aware forward. He probably isn't good enough but I bet Eller would play great with Weise.

[Guest Stogey24]

It will come eventually.

Galchenyuk and Eller are hopefully going to be facilitated by Gionta to play smarter. Listening to him would be great for them. Eller's choices with the puck in the opposing zone have been terrible.

Next year will be interesting. I don't know if I'd rather see Galchenyuk as a top six LW or Galchenyuk as a top nine C. As a top nine C that would mean we re-sign Vanek but move Eller:

Pacioretty - DD - Vanek

LW - Galchenyuk - Gallagher

Prust - Plekanec - Briere

As for Eller... ugh. He got his chance and his confidence hasn't returned. Some might argue Gallagher got removed too quickly but it was clear the line desperately needed a defensively aware forward. He probably isn't good enough but I bet Eller would play great with Weise.

Eller is a tough one man

The bright side is he will probably resign for cheap

[sim.on]

Really ? I'd find kinda hard to prove that the hat is yours...

I know, you raise a really good point. I dont remember where I heard that but I seem to remember it being from someone in the media, possibly McGuire.

[Guest Stogey24]

Throw your 30$ cap on the ice or not ?

Good question. Especially when the guy might just be on the team for 30-40 games...

Vanek is on the roster right now, that's all that matters. I'd be tossin' my hat in a heart beat.

[sim.on]

Eller is a tough one man

The bright side is he will probably resign for cheap

He is an odd case.

His numbers have really regressed

2012-13 46 gp 8 g 22 a (projects over a full season to almost double)

2013-24 69 gp 11g 12 a

Imagine the team if Eller regularly put up numbers at his 2012-13 pace.

I think everyone would be happy if over a full season Eller could be relied on for 15 g 35 a , strong at the dot and responsible defensively.

I definitely think MB is going to make him an offer and coming off a season like this it will be pretty reasonable. If this year turns out to be a blip and he returns to last years pace, 3 years at 5 mill total could be one of the better contracts in the NHL.

[Toronthab]

Great game for the guys. Weiss is making a difference, the 4th line guys can't slack off there is too much depth. Fork up and you are on the bench, you gotta work real hard to stay in the lineup on this team. Great to see Vanek knock em in, I been screaming for 2 years that we need a sniper now we got one, I feel like the kid asking his dad about the puppy, can we keep him PLEEEAASE. I like the Vanel patch dd line. Can we keep MT from forking with it? Carey looked to be at about 98% which is reeal good news. Oh well hope they keep it up and we have a nice deep run in the playoffs.

Amen brother.

[Habsfan]

Vanek is on the roster right now, that's all that matters. I'd be tossin' my hat in a heart beat.

So I was on the RDs website, and alot of people were saying that nobody threw their hats cause they all thought that Emelin had scored the goal... and by the time they announced that Vanek had scored the goal, the play had started.

[Habsfan]

He is an odd case.

His numbers have really regressed

2012-13 46 gp 8 g 22 a (projects over a full season to almost double)

2013-24 69 gp 11g 12 a

Imagine the team if Eller regularly put up numbers at his 2012-13 pace.

I think everyone would be happy if over a full season Eller could be relied on for 15 g 35 a , strong at the dot and responsible defensively.

I definitely think MB is going to make him an offer and coming off a season like this it will be pretty reasonable. If this year turns out to be a blip and he returns to last years pace, 3 years at 5 mill total could be one of the better contracts in the NHL.

I blame Therrien for ######ing up Eller's season. The EGG line was doing quite well at the beginning of the season. Instead of breaking up these young guys and messing up their confidence, Therrien should have looked elsewhere to fix the DD/Patches line! (which was struggling early on)

[Machine of Loving Grace]

What's funny is that Eller is dependent on Gallagher and that's okay unlike Desharnais' dependence on Pacioretty.

[Lovett's Magnatones]

What's funny is that Eller is dependent on Gallagher and that's okay unlike Desharnais' dependence on Pacioretty.

It was a smart coaching decision to break up the EGG line. Defense aside, you have to rely on your horses, ie Desharnais and Pacioretty. The kids weren't going to keep it up forever. And they didn't.

[bigbigbear]

It was a smart coaching decision to break up the EGG line. Defense aside, you have to rely on your horses, ie Desharnais and Pacioretty. The kids weren't going to keep it up forever. And they didn't.

Not sure if I would agree, MT has juggled his lines in order to try and maximize the most of his players.

The EGG line was producing, an alternative player in a trade early in the season could have worked and solved the problem. (LOL, who would of thought of the Vanek deal at that time, now if he can sign....hmmm.)

Who would of thought that Bourque would be watching the games at this point of the season....

Having said that, injuries were something that he has had to handle.

Even now, we're missing Gorges and that affects the defensive pairings. MT now has to match his lines with his D-pairings.

[The Chicoutimi Cucumber]

Eller is supposed to be an NHL player. The idea that he can dictate his linemates, and that it's oh-so-unfair to him if he does not have exactly the same linemates night after night, is patently ridiculous mollycoddling. I don't hear anyone arguing that Gallagher's development was hurt by moving him off EGG, or that it was horribly unfair to Galchenyuk to take him away from the anchor that is Lars Eller.

The parallel with Desharnais is interesting, admittedly. There are differences, though. Part of the difference is that your best forward (Patches) has been very vocal about wanting to play with DD - so unlike the EGG line, the dependency goes both ways. By contrast I don't hear anyone going, "gee, I could really do better if I could be allowed to realize my incredible chemistry with Lars Eller." Also, a duo (Patches-DD) is distinct from a trio (EGG). The contemporary NHL has a long track record of duos. But you don't see teams locking themselves into fixed lines all that much anymore, because you need to have the flexibility to mix and match pieces from your roster.

Eller seems to be one of these guys who needs everything to go just so in order for him to realize his potential. The problem is that in the NHL things hardly ever do go "just so" for long. I've seen enough of these types of players - the Zedniks, the Bulises, the Perezhogins, the Kostitsyns - come and go over the years that it is hard to be other than pessimistic. Some guys just do not have the character required to realize their potential at this level. Eller has always been a passenger and it's looking increasingly like he always will be.

The one X-factor here is coaching. Therrien's young players have mostly stagnated or regressed, and many of us do not trust him. It's possible that another coach could get better results and help Eller becomes the Jordan Staal Redux that he has the potential to be. That said, Eller has looked like a dope now under two veteran NHL coaches (JM and MT); so whether it's really Therrien's fault is at best an open question. At some point you have to stop making excuses and put the responsibility squarely on the player.

[Neech]

Eller seems to be one of these guys who needs everything to go just so in order for him to realize his potential. The problem is that in the NHL things hardly ever do go "just so" for long. I've seen enough of these types of players - the Zedniks, the Bulises, the Perezhogins, the Kostitsyns - come and go over the years that it is hard to be other than pessimistic. Some guys just do not have the character required to realize their potential at this level. Eller has always been a passenger and it's looking increasingly like he always will be.

That seems true, and I'd put Bourque in that category as well. The thing is, Bourque had two 27-goal seasons. Zednik potted 30. Eller's entering his prime years, and while it's unrealistic at this point to expect him to show the consistency of Jordan Staal, I would expect two or three productive seasons out of him in the next few years.

He doesn't look like the building block we thought he was, but with his two-way abilities, his talent and age, he's an asset I'd hold to for the next little while.

[Machine of Loving Grace]

Eller is supposed to be an NHL player. The idea that he can dictate his linemates, and that it's oh-so-unfair to him if he does not have exactly the same linemates night after night, is patently ridiculous mollycoddling. I don't hear anyone arguing that Gallagher's development was hurt by moving him off EGG, or that it was horribly unfair to Galchenyuk to take him away from the anchor that is Lars Eller.

The parallel with Desharnais is interesting, admittedly. There are differences, though. Part of the difference is that your best forward (Patches) has been very vocal about wanting to play with DD - so unlike the EGG line, the dependency goes both ways. By contrast I don't hear anyone going, "gee, I could really do better if I could be allowed to realize my incredible chemistry with Lars Eller." Also, a duo (Patches-DD) is distinct from a trio (EGG). The contemporary NHL has a long track record of duos. But you don't see teams locking themselves into fixed lines all that much anymore, because you need to have the flexibility to mix and match pieces from your roster.

Eller seems to be one of these guys who needs everything to go just so in order for him to realize his potential. The problem is that in the NHL things hardly ever do go "just so" for long. I've seen enough of these types of players - the Zedniks, the Bulises, the Perezhogins, the Kostitsyns - come and go over the years that it is hard to be other than pessimistic. Some guys just do not have the character required to realize their potential at this level. Eller has always been a passenger and it's looking increasingly like he always will be.

The one X-factor here is coaching. Therrien's young players have mostly stagnated or regressed, and many of us do not trust him. It's possible that another coach could get better results and help Eller becomes the Jordan Staal Redux that he has the potential to be. That said, Eller has looked like a dope now under two veteran NHL coaches (JM and MT); so whether it's really Therrien's fault is at best an open question. At some point you have to stop making excuses and put the responsibility squarely on the player.

Agree 100%.

I've been hard on Eller this year but I'm also willing to see him on the third line next season at 25 and see if he recognizes his potential futility. It's also possible that like a lot of players (Joe Colborne is a current example in my mind), he has reached his peak in Montreal out of expectations and results.

I'd probably flip him for another struggling but extremely talented player like Jakob Silfverberg in Anaheim. Both are upcoming RFA and Silfverberg is a natural right winger.