JCPetit Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Galchenyuk needs to go to centre. Ferraro was on TSN and said you gotta put this kid a centre too. He said you make him practice faceoffs all year, don't worry about anything else right, let him play his game. I can't agree more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Galchenyuk needs to go to centre. Ferraro was on TSN and said you gotta put this kid a centre too. He said you make him practice faceoffs all year, don't worry about anything else right, let him play his game. It's counter-intuitive to me that a guy could be middling (with gusts to struggling) at W, and then do well at the much more demanding position of C - but then again I have a lot of respect for Ferraro's judgement. It certainly couldn't hurt to give Galy a sustained look at C early in the season - the only danger being throwing away points and/or shattering his confidence, dangers that could be contained by judicious management. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hab29RETIRED Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Guy also said that Gallagher and pleks were his favorite players on the team and they both play the game the right way. wings fans and rangers fans saying same thing i'm sure....."we out played them some of the games" I know my buddy the sens fan says the same thing to me about round one. Nobody is blowing up anything. Habs will move forward. Heck we finished 28th in 012 with the practically the same main core we have now. (Price, PK, Max, Pleks), we didnt blow it up then, we sure as hell aint gonna now. But watching the semis this year tell us all, the habs have a long way to go..............and nobody is waiting for us to get to the next level. Everyone is building towards the very goals MB preaches about. Nobody is standing still. I see Guy quoted as saying next captain should be Gally and Chucky should get extended shot at center. Like it when the greats agree with me. He also gave MT a vote of confidence...well two outta three aint bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovett's Magnatones Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I'm just not convinced he needs a blockbuster. More scoring could come piecemeal, from a better PP and smaller-scale improvements to the forward configuration as well as internal improvement from young guys. I could be wrong, of course, but I still see Zoot adding Williams/Frolik type(s) as UFAs, bolstering the D either via Petry or someone else, and shopping around for an upgrade on DD without necessarily pulling the trigger if the price is too high. And hey, I think this approach could mostly solve the scoring problem. We came within a few goalposts and 2-3 power play goals of beating the current Cup finalist from the East, after all; arguably that is not a case for a core-rattling 'blockbuster' move. Making a blockbuster deal or signing a big UFA makes hid beloved plan look flawed. 1. Build through the draft. 2. ???? 3. Stanley Cup no 24 In all seriousness, he sounds contented with what's going on, but another 3-0 start to the second round or exit will make him shift personnel. Next year: -Markov has one more year on his deal -Plekanec is UFA -Galchenyuk, he'll have a better idea of his ceiling. -Prust is UFA -Emelin has one more year on his deal I don't see him making major changes when he has a big summer coming up in 2016. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovett's Magnatones Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 There's nothing special on free agency, but there are guys who can score 20 goals or close to it. There's a possibility Bergevin could scoop up a Drew Stafford for cheap, who put up 19 points in 26 games when getting out of the Buffalo Sabres purgatory. But really there's nobody exciting unless they can get them from Russia. Derek Roy is not an upgrade to David Desharnais. I don't know how anyone could think that. Roy is 32 and hasn't put up 40 points since 11-12. Desharnais has 48, 52, 28 (in 48) and put up 60 points in 11-12 compared to Roy's 44. If Derek Roy was an upgrade to Desharnais, he wouldn't be playing for the Oilers. They have to get that guy out of the center position. Eller/Plekanec/Desharnais need a shakeup, unless the plan is to roll with them until 2020. They've been the center core since 2011-2012. It's counter-intuitive to me that a guy could be middling (with gusts to struggling) at W, and then do well at the much more demanding position of C - but then again I have a lot of respect for Ferraro's judgement. It certainly couldn't hurt to give Galy a sustained look at C early in the season - the only danger being throwing away points and/or shattering his confidence, dangers that could be contained by judicious management. Give him 20 games with Max and DD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted May 31, 2015 Author Share Posted May 31, 2015 Screw it, the team as is, is just spinning it wheels..Blow it up! Let Julian Brisbois be new GM, Fire Therrien, bring in Bouche to be new coach and maybe they will build through the draft, be patient, be conservative and draft & develop own prospects better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stogey24 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Screw it, the team as is, is just spinning it wheels..Blow it up! Let Julian Brisbois be new GM, Fire Therrien, bring in Bouche to be new coach and maybe they will build through the draft, be patient, be conservative and draft & develop own prospects better. The Habs have 3 huge corner stone pieces. Montreal isn't a team like Columbus who is young all over. We're a couple pieces away from being a serious threat. That's why a blockbuster trade is in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovett's Magnatones Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 The Habs have 3 huge corner stone pieces. Montreal isn't a team like Columbus who is young all over. We're a couple pieces away from being a serious threat. That's why a blockbuster trade is in order. No one is coming to help them, they have the best prospects up already. I wouldn't count on Charles Hudon and Nikita Scherbak to put them over the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stogey24 Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 No one is coming to help them, they have the best prospects up already. I wouldn't count on Charles Hudon and Nikita Scherbak to put them over the top. Not in the next two years anyways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs30/31 Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I can't agree more. What Ray Ferraro said about moving Chucky to center I have been saying all season. MT will no longer be able to justify staying fixated on DD. He is already hearing it around the league....from Lafleur, Ferraro, Mackenzie, Mike Boone, .............. you guys will be hearing what i have said all season (add nausea) from more than just me. How Chucky does at center is one thing. Not finding out how he plays at center by keeping on the wing in favor of other (weak) centermen. Well that's just over coaching and/or plain stupid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Stogey24 Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 What Ray Ferraro said about moving Chucky to center I have been saying all season. MT will no longer be able to justify staying fixated on DD. He is already hearing it around the league....from Lafleur, Ferraro, Mackenzie, Mike Boone, .............. you guys will be hearing what i have said all season (add nausea) from more than just me. How Chucky does at center is one thing. Not finding out how he plays at center by keeping on the wing in favor of other (weak) centermen. Well that's just over coaching and/or plain stupid. He was draft as a centre. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs30/31 Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 He was draft as a centre. Yes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 What Ray Ferraro said about moving Chucky to center I have been saying all season. MT will no longer be able to justify staying fixated on DD. He is already hearing it around the league....from Lafleur, Ferraro, Mackenzie, Mike Boone, .............. you guys will be hearing what i have said all season (add nausea) from more than just me. How Chucky does at center is one thing. Not finding out how he plays at center by keeping on the wing in favor of other (weak) centermen. Well that's just over coaching and/or plain stupid. Shockingly, I more or less agree. Given DD's demonstrable inability to produce in the playoffs, we need to look elsewhere, and - logically, given how hard it is to make deals and the dearth of decently productive UFA centremen - the first place should be the kid. I would not be surprised if it doesn't work out (and I don't think in today's era of parity you can carry an incompetent top-6 C for, like, 40 games); but as long as Galchenyuk is working hard and doing what you ask of him as a coach, then you at least have to give it a decent shot, say, 15-20 games, barring disaster, with good W. It's time to take the concept for a definitive test-drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toronthab Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Shockingly, I more or less agree. Given DD's demonstrable inability to produce in the playoffs, we need to look elsewhere, and - logically, given how hard it is to make deals and the dearth of decently productive UFA centremen - the first place should be the kid. I would not be surprised if it doesn't work out (and I don't think in today's era of parity you can carry an incompetent top-6 C for, like, 40 games); but as long as Galchenyuk is working hard and doing what you ask of him as a coach, then you at least have to give it a decent shot, say, 15-20 games, barring disaster, with good W. It's time to take the concept for a definitive test-drive. Maybe. Maybe not. How many points can you afford to lose in the regular season? I don't think MT and MB can't evalutate the situation in the light of team objectives. Didn't Chucky say he wasn't comfortable at centre earlier this year? Just sayin' .. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 What Ray Ferraro said about moving Chucky to center I have been saying all season. MT will no longer be able to justify staying fixated on DD. He is already hearing it around the league....from Lafleur, Ferraro, Mackenzie, Mike Boone, .............. you guys will be hearing what i have said all season (add nausea) from more than just me. How Chucky does at center is one thing. Not finding out how he plays at center by keeping on the wing in favor of other (weak) centermen. Well that's just over coaching and/or plain stupid. Good job 30/31 bring the board over to the dark side--- their weakness at center has been excruciating painful for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habs30/31 Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Good job 30/31 bring the board over to the dark side--- their weakness at center has been excruciating painful for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davehab Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 No matter what else happens I would love to see chucky at center. But he would thrive in a situation where he didnt have to be the man right away. It would behoove MB to bring in an experienced Vet Number one Center like Thornton or Backes to insulate Chucky for a couple of seasons before feeding him to the best defenders in the league. Thornton only has two years left on his current deal so it would be ideal, provided he waives his no move to come to Montreal. MB seems slick enough to make it happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Maybe. Maybe not. How many points can you afford to lose in the regular season? I don't think MT and MB can't evalutate the situation in the light of team objectives. Didn't Chucky say he wasn't comfortable at centre earlier this year? Just sayin' .. There seems to be debate about what Galchenyuk did or did not say about his comfort level at C. If it's true that he wasn't comfortable, then that alters the equation, obviously. You also make a good point about throwing games away. Desharnais IS a good regular-season player, and if Galy struggles and the team loses games, the temptation to revert back to Desharnais is going to be overwhelming. (And all the people on this board who talk about 'toughing it out' with Galy at C for half a season will be singing a different tune the minute the team starts losing games because of it, although of course they will blame Therrien, not Galchenyuk; nothing is ever a player's fault, unless that player is Gilbert, Desharnais, Emelin, or Plekanec). It's a balancing act. I also disagree with the apparent belief of some that Galy at C is somehow bound to work out. It may, or may not. But IF Galy is comfortable with it, and IF there are no other coaching-related issues with him - e.g., if he's implementing what you asked him to do - then surely this is worth trying. All of this comes with a big caveat, though. Bergy indicated considerable skepticism at his press conference that Galchenyuk does indeed have the tools to play C. I tend to agree that a player who has been so-so at W is unlikely to excel at C, myself. So, if Zoot Suit chooses to go out and acquire a C rather than experiment with Galy in that spot, I think that will be a very reasonable move based on his professional assessment of the player. I trust Bergevin's expertise at player evaluation. Failing such an acquisition, though, we are better off at least trying Galy at C than hoping Desharnais suddenly figures out how to be effective in the playoffs. DD is now definitively proven to be just too small and slow to prevail against the heightened obstruction at playoff time, and that is the fundamental issue that all of this is meant to address. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 Don't you know it is idiotic to not force him to centre right now. Patience is way overrated, same as why isn't Tinordi in the top-4, coaches are stunting his growth also, his father said so! This team has so many top six wingers they can give Plekanec & Galchenyuk any 4 of the super top-6 wingers to help them succeed. There is Pacioretty, Gallagher and ...well maybe can give them each just one solid winger and all will still be fine, as long as coach gets head out of ass and makes Galchenyuk a 20 minute centre, who will shut down best opposition while also dominating over toughest checkers. Good ideas folks, am amazed how y'all dont have a NHL coaching gig, with well thought out plan like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICEWATER77 Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I find it ridiculous that one player or one position switch will cost us games/points.This is the NHL, and it takes a collective effort to win games. The only player that MAY cost us a game(s) will be the goalie. With MVPrice playing 75% of the games, I find that unlikely. Therefore, I say move AG to center and everyone must deal with the consequences and repercussions...including ALEX! I for one, have said many times that MT must take the kid-gloves off and treat Alex like a man and make him play the f'n position. This isn't novice hockey where we're asking kids which one of them wants to play goalie this week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Chicoutimi Cucumber Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 Don't you know it is idiotic to not force him to centre right now. Patience is way overrated, same as why isn't Tinordi in the top-4, coaches are stunting his growth also, his father said so! This team has so many top six wingers they can give Plekanec & Galchenyuk any 4 of the super top-6 wingers to help them succeed. There is Pacioretty, Gallagher and ...well maybe can give them each just one solid winger and all will still be fine, as long as coach gets head out of ass and makes Galchenyuk a 20 minute centre, who will shut down best opposition while also dominating over toughest checkers. Good ideas folks, am amazed how y'all dont have a NHL coaching gig, with well thought out plan like that? Ha! Yeah, I love the idea that Eller or Galy's struggles are OBVIOUSLY the fault of Therrien for sticking them with dud wingers. It's as though the primary job of Pacioretty and Gallagher is to be an affirmative action program for mediocre 'young' players. (The scare quotes are there because L'il Baby Lars isn't actually all that young any more, even though some mollycoddlers on here still treat him like an 18 year old). This mentality that players are not responsible for their own performance drives me batty. That said, I'm not talking about 'forcing' Galchenyuk to play C against his will. I'm talking about it as a worthwhile experiment if we cannot otherwise upgrade on DD at C. The kid is going into year four of his NHL career. If he's ever going to be a centremen, this would seem to be the time; he can't wear training wheels forever. ICEWATER77, one of the interesting things about this board is the extent to which it's slipped into taking regular season success for granted. (That's why some posters on here can talk as though a second-overall team sucks). If you substitute an effective top-6 C (Desharnais) with an ineffective one (Galy, if unsuccessful), that could indeed cost us wins, especially given that this is very much a team that wins by slim margins. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DON Posted June 1, 2015 Author Share Posted June 1, 2015 With a nice off-season training and increase in strength/confidence, sort of how Pacioretty really bulked up to become a more confident winger, maybe Galchenyuk would become a better fit at centre next season, will see come Sept/Oct. But already short of top six wingers and to remove another one will require Bergevin to add one/two and skip on Petry for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ICEWATER77 Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 That's why I'm saying it takes more than one player to cost us games. We're ALREADY a good top level team, and one position switch won't compromise that. Hell, look at the number of times MT has switched players throughout the lineup, in and out of the lineup and used players out of position..IT HAS BEEN DONE ALL SEASON. I agree with you Chic about the training wheels..100% Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machine of Loving Grace Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 If anyone actually paid attention to Galchenyuk's games besides the hat trick, they'd know that Galchenyuk was falling apart in the position. His game at center took a nose dive when the defence started brutalizing him in corners and cutting out his space. As a center you have heavier expectations than the winger and he looked like he was begging to be put back on wing. It's no different to the praise of the EGG line and forgetting how it was falling apart and was propped up by one high scoring Islanders game. Galchenyuk wasn't ready this season. Maybe he's ready next season with a little weight and experience. But if we had forced Galchenyuk at center with Pacioretty all season we'd probably see 10 less goals from Pacioretty and 10 less points from Galchenyuk. You do the math on what that would have cost the club. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueKross Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 CC- i take exception to the statement that DD is a good regular season player--- he would be good in a reduced role but not the way he is being played Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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