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Defence woes


titanfan

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I know there is a need for a number one centre, but has this team ever had a worse defence corps?

 

Weber

Markov (39 and slow, but still the smartest player on the ice)  (Side note - is there a better long-term defenceman playing the game that has never won a Norris?)

 

.....

 

Then nothing,

 

Petry - overrated (by a long shot)

Emelin - really...at that $$$$

 

Benn...

 

Anybody...

 

We need HELP on the blueline.  Desperately!  Yes, we could use a top-line centre - but WE HAVE Galchenyuk...if we let him play!

Edited by titanfan
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I think when all is said and done, Eric Staal might be the biggest upgrade on Galchenyuk (if we think of him as a center) out of players who actually might be available out there. Eric Staal on the first line and Galchenyuk on the second line would be fine with me.

 

Galchenyuk had a similar points per game  average as Mikko Koivu, Claude Giroux, Evgney Kuznetzov, Jason Spezza, Logan Couture, Kyle Turrris etc. out of players who are listed as centers. Would those be centers who people would consider a top line center on our team? He also has a much better point per game average than players like Derek Stepan and Patrice Bergeron. Galchenyuk can be a top line center but it's true that he's basically a borderline 1st line/2nd line center as he was actually 30th in the league point scoring per game average amongst listed centers. I want another top 6 center as well simply because Plekanec regressed/may not be here but he doesn't necessarily have to be top 3.

 

As for our defense, I was upset with losing Sergachev and Beaulieu but our defense can still get by. In my opinion we need a little bit more speed and youth back there but Markov's ageing process has been comparatively slow and while I want it to be better I actually think a top 4 of Markov,Weber,Emelin and Petry is serviceable. Perhaps Jerabek is better than I realize as well.

 

This begs the question, which one is a bigger need between a top 6 center and a top 4 defender? Longterm we do need both but if the season were to start tomorrow, I would still go with the center as well. Especially if Plekanec is gone, despite his regression. 

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Petry has been a great second pairing d-man. 

 

I've loved everything I've seen from Benn since we got him.

 

Markov... at some point the wheels have to come off, but for now, this guy is still amazing.

 

I felt better with Emelin injured than when he was in the lineup.

 

At this point i'm rather worried about the third pairing. Looks like Emelin and ... Davidson? Nesterov isn't getting a contract. And what happens when someone gets injured? We obviously need some more D-men.

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Biggest need is a #1 Centre.  Or even a very good #2.

Next biggest need is a solid puck moving LH defenceman to play with Weber.  

 

How Bergevin goes about doing this is the real question/concern.

 

 

 

 

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15 hours ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:

 Perhaps Jerabek is better than I realize as well.

 

I tend to wish the same here.

 

Cuz...

Markov - Weber

Emelin - Petry

Davidson - Benn

Jerabek

 

 cuz we're fawked man... This is weak AF.

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It was just as weak as last year and they won the division. 

 

But Yes, they need an upgrade to play with Weber, The real problem with the D IMO is the foot speed, this group gets exposed all night in open ice. 

 

I'm sure MB will address it. 

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5 minutes ago, Commandant said:

The Draft hasn't happened yet, nor has free agency.  I can almost guarantee that is not the opening night lineup. 

I hope you're right...

 

But, you know,  making trades and signing... it's tough man...

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The only thing that worries me about losing Emelin is that MB will be even more urgently motivated to acquire a top-4 LD. Ordinarily this would be a good thing, but I can see him using it as extra justification for shipping out Galchenyuk: 'with the hole left in our lineup, we had no choice but to make the deal...'

 

That said, I still think the Leddy/Beauvillier rumour was somewhat tempting.

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I dont know so much about this rd or ld needs but is Shattenkirk and Alzner really that bad choices?

Seeing Alzner has not missed a game in many years...

What about Michael Stone?

 

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5 hours ago, Dalhabs said:

I dont know so much about this rd or ld needs but is Shattenkirk and Alzner really that bad choices?

Seeing Alzner has not missed a game in many years...

What about Michael Stone?

 

Shattenkirk is a righty and the Habs are set there.  Same with Stone.  Alzner's a shut down guy (and a lefty) but he's going to get paid way more than he's worth in all likelihood; I'd prefer Montreal stay away from him.  I could see Dmitry Kulikov getting a look.

 

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Just now, dlbalr said:

 

Shattenkirk is a righty and the Habs are set there.  Same with Stone.  Alzner's a shut down guy (and a lefty) but he's going to get paid way more than he's worth in all likelihood; I'd prefer Montreal stay away from him.  I could see Dmitry Kulikov getting a look.

 

 

Kulikov was really bad in buffalo.

 

I liked him in florida though.

 

Question is this a one year aberration from him cause he was on such a bad team or is something else happening?

 

The guy in free agency who looks best to me is trevor daley.  

 

I think it might be a trade though.

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LeBrun and someone else said Montreal has been talking to Minnesota about Scandella for a while now. They have three left handed D in Suter, Spurgeon, and Scandella with two right handed D in Dumba and Brodin. Mike Reilly is their next call up on D and he's a left handed defenceman. Maybe one of those guys can play their off side, but I get the feeling if someone is going it's going to be Scandella and if Bergevin is already interested in him, he's probably going to seal the deal now that he's lost Emelin and Beaulieu on the left side.

 

I don't see anything like Galchenyuk for Scandella. Minnesota would have to up that considerably. But the Wild are weak on their left wing side. I wonder how that fares to what the Habs can offer.

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Is Marco Scandella great defensively or something? Cause it seems to me like the trade should be:

 

Scandella for a third

 

That's kind of a joke, but we just lost a LD for a third, who is 3 years younger and has already posted better point totals.

 

I'm assuming Scandella must be awesome defensively? 

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ok so,

 

(Jerabek) Weber

markov petry

Schlemko Benn

Davidson Redmond

Lernout 

 

-I might be the only one who seems not to care one bit that Markov is one year older... The guy is made of the finest wine...

- trying to see jerabek highligts but cant seem to find good ones.

 

im a believer in Cam Fowler playing the #1LD spot. i just think he and Weber would be an absolute beast pairing together....

 

 

 

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One of, Brendan Smith, Karl Alzner or Simon Despres would be a quick fix UFA Lefty acquisition for our top 4 worth taking a look at if the trade market proves to be difficult.

 

Kulikov at the right price might also be worth a look, although his time in Buffalo was quite unreliable, a calculated risk that a more insulated D-Core in Montreal would help him look more like the guy he was in Florida. He definitely has the most upside but with the greatest risk of flopping out of the bunch.

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The only one I like is Fowler but it also seems that's the least likely to happen. I'd like another LHD who can shoot the puck and put up some points. Alzner doesn't put up the points. 

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