He hit 60 points last year, which was probably overachieving. I would have expected him in the 50-60 point range this year, and he'll get there, only 4 points below 50 with 15 games left.
Plekanec had an uneven year last year but finished strongly and I even gave him props for his year last year, though he was brutal in the playoffs. It's great that he'll likely get to 50pts this year, but that doesn't mean he's had a good year.
Just like Pacioretty finishing with 30-35 goals doesn't mean he's had a good year.
You seem to value goals far more than assists, that's fine, whatever. Points are points. The guy is still a force, he's inexplicably a plus player on a terrible team, he is the backbone of the # 5 in the league penalty kill having spent 108 minutes killing penalties. He's always on the ice in the last minute if we are up by a goal or down by a goal.
Not really, I just think without context...goals/assists can mean different things, for different people. Plekanec's 46pts points this year is an illustration of that. He might reach his 50pts this year, but he's been below average all year.
But the second we think we have another good centre we're ready to throw Plekanec in the trash bin?
Who's throwing him in the trash bin?
Galchenyuk is on fire now and is getting a lot of props, deservedly so. We seem to have forgotten Plekanec, who was just as hot for just as long, but that happened 3 months ago so we'll ignore it and pretend he's insignificant now?
3 months ago? Maybe you haven't followed Plekanec's play this season, but at no point was he ever as hot as Galchenyuk currently is.
Plekanec is no longer a # 1 centre (despite his production which would suggest that he is). That's fine. Roast him if you will for "inconsistency" in his production, which happens to virtually everyone. Fortunately we don't need him to be a # 1 centre going forward. He shouldn't be (and won't be) on the main PP unit.
It actually suggest he's more of an adequate #2
What he will continue to do is put up points while playing against the best players on the other team. He's a perfect # 2 centre, despite how much you might personally dislike him. He's a solid piece of our Top 6, and a vital player. Removing him only creates yet another hole in our Top 6 that would need filling. Could you find an equal replacement for slightly less than $6 million? Possibly. But do we have to get rid of the guy? Not at all
I do not dislike Plekanec, I admire his professionalism and approach to the game and I think he's a solid 2 way player.
But I also think he gets away with a lot of quasi-efforts on the ice, his game is heading south, while his use (up until recently) was going up and he's never held accountable for anything, he rarely if ever is present after games to talk to reporters, he just goes out and plays. Doesn't get involve, just does the bare minimum....that's ok for some
I'm not ok with it personally...that doesn't mean I want to get rid of him, i'll settle for the team realizing what he is and that's an adequate #2C that they should actively trying to improve on, whether that's within or from outside
31 pts in 51 games is a 50 point pace for the season. Fantastic? No. Terrible? No.
Look around, $6 million doesn't get you what it used to. The last big name centre to sign as a UFA was Paul Stastny at $e7 million and he has.... 31 points in 50 games this year.
31pts in 51 gams is a 50pt pace?
You sure about that?
As for the rest of your post, I don't care about Paul Stastny, if he was a Habs, I'd have the same issue.
Personally, the coaching staff has finally done what I was hoping they'd do, and they've removed Plekanec as the #1C, as the guy who plays 18-20 mins a game with our best wingers, 1st unit PP, etc....
They've finally given that role to Galchenyuk instead of just recycling Plekanec/Desharnais over and over again....
So if they can find some wingers for Plekanec this year, I'm fine with keeping him.
Expectations? You want to talk about expectations? Tell us what were your expectations at the beginning of the season?
The whole team just went trash since december and every single guy on the team under performed . Plekanec still somehow managed to put up points and is going to end the season with close to 60 points, that he averages since the start of his career.
Do you even watch other teams or check out stats of other players in the league? The scoring has plummeted drastically league wide as of late.
Maybe you have to revisit your expectations and stop thinking that the grass is always more green at neighbors.
Plekanec is gonna come close to reaching the 60pts he's averaged for his career?
This is Plekanec's 12th NHL season, he's reached the 60pt plateau 3 times....I don't know if that's enough to call it an average, but whatever....
Furthermore....he's going to need a he'll of a finish this year to get to 60pts, and he's not going to benefit from getting his usual 18-20 mins per game
So we'll see about that...
DD is getting the soft minutes.
Pleks has to go against Crosby and the likes.
Haters gonna hate
So I guess your solution would be to do the opposite?
Give Plekanec the soft minutes (which BTW, he's gotten PLENTY of) and give Desharnais the matchups against Crosby and the likes?
Yeah, seems like a plan for success
