Player Discussion Tomas Plekanec - Plekasex Edition

[417]

That's also not on him. That's on MB. But to be fair, no one could have predicted such a monumental offensive meltdown. But now that reality is what it is, they must adjust to it. He has no business on the top 6.

I know of a few people who predicted that it

 

[TheBuriedHab]

Rather have DD centering our 2nd.

 

[VladTheLimpWhaler]

Maybe he's just not playoff material. I expected him to play harder last night, but like others have pointed out, he looked scared. The NHL is simply too tough and intense for him, and he is not willing to pay the price necessary to be a difference maker.

 

[habdynasty]

Maybe he's just not playoff material. I expected him to play harder last night, but like others have pointed out, he looked scared. The NHL is simply too tough and intense for him, and he is not willing to pay the price necessary to be a difference maker.

Maybe ? He has never been playoff material. Let's hope this is his last season here.

 

[Capitano]

Maybe he's just not playoff material. I expected him to play harder last night, but like others have pointed out, he looked scared. The NHL is simply too tough and intense for him, and he is not willing to pay the price necessary to be a difference maker.

We've only been watching him for 15 years...give him some more time maybe he will blossom soon.

 

[VladTheLimpWhaler]

He's been OK in the playoffs before. 2008 he was pretty good. He's had at least half a point per game in the playoffs pretty much every time, but dropped off a cliff in 2014-2015. But even when he was OK in the past, he was never spectacular

 

[Capitano]

He's been OK in the playoffs before. 2008 he was pretty good. He's had at least half a point per game in the playoffs pretty much every time, but dropped off a cliff in 2014-2015. But even when he was OK in the past, he was never spectacular

He has always been an ok player...but he is no leader and 'core' player like we pretend he is.

 

[VladTheLimpWhaler]

He has always been an ok player...but he is no leader and 'core' player like we pretend he is.

Agreed. Maybe 6 years ago he was a core player, but not anymore. He's actually wasting space in our core. It would be stupid to bench a $7 million player, so he keeps playing in our top 6. There are different types of leadership. He used to be a great leader in some ways - reliable, consistent, efficient, doesn't take stupid risks, takes the game seriously, etc; but in the most important ways - when it comes to actually stepping up on the ice - he's never been great.

Honestly, if we healthy scratch him and put Galchenyuk at centre and call up Hudon to take the LW spot, would we really be worse off? Are Plekanec's defensive zone starts that important? He was good in the faceoff circle last night, but he was also -2 in a 2-0 game.

 

[LaP]

Plekases used to be good and imo criticized way too much. He was a good defensive 2nd line center paid accordingly.

But it's not the case anymore. Right now he is a 3rd line center paid like a 1st line center. It's definitively a problem that MB will absolutely need to address this summer.

 

[Bob Cole]

you don't win cups with players like plekanec on your team, shame that he has an "A" on his sweater

i bet he would rather be in Europe now, playoff hockey is a little too rough for him

 

[expy]

Plekanec isn't an offensive player, I think we all know that.

Bergevin failed to grab anyone at the deadline, so Plekanec can't really move.

Plek was the best centre yesterday, besst faceoffs, and is crucial on PK. He does everything but generate offence, that's on Bergevin.

 

[LaP]

you don't win cups with players like plekanec on your team, shame that he has an "A" on his sweater

i bet he would rather be in Europe now, playoff hockey is a little to rough for him

NJ won a cup with Mogilny on their 2nd line and Malakhov on their 2nd pairing.

People who believe you can have a team filled with 20 playoffs warriors are totally 100% delusional. You'll have players like Plekanec in your lineup. As long as they are paid accordingly to what they bring and as long as you realize they can't be your leaders it's not a problem at all.

The main problem with Plekanec right now is not Plekanec. It's the 6 millions cap hit. It's the cap hit that should go to the 1st line center we don't have.

 

[VladTheLimpWhaler]

NJ won a cup with Mogilny on their 2nd line and Malakhov on their 2nd pairing.

People who believe you can have a team filled with 20 playoffs warriors are totally 100% delusional. You'll have players like Plekanec in your lineup. As long as they are paid accordingly to what they bring and as long as you realize they can't be your leaders it's not a problem at all.

The main problem with Plekanec right now is not Plekanec. It's the 6 millions cap hit. It's the cap hit that should go to the 1st line center we don't have.

Agree 100%

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

He is playing the worst hockey of his career, thats for sure. He fell off the cliff pretty rapidly, I don't see him bouncing back next year. The main difference I see is that when he was on top of his game he was one of the fastest skater out there, with is good hockey IQ it gave him quite an edge out there. But with aging he got slower while the league got even faster. I remember him getting breakaway once every couple games or so in the past, when was the last time he actually had one now. He can't create time and space for himself, so he isn't comfortable holding the puck anymore, at this point he is just black hole offensively.

 

[Habs 4 Life]

Maybe he's just not playoff material. I expected him to play harder last night, but like others have pointed out, he looked scared. The NHL is simply too tough and intense for him, and he is not willing to pay the price necessary to be a difference maker.

Dude, Plekanec has been brutal in the playoffs forever, himself admitting to playing like a little girl. He doesn't fight in the corners, he doesn't go in front of the net, he get's rid of the puck to avoid a hit, he is completely useless

Hopefully he is not coming back for his final season next year, last year should have been his last but our dumbass GM gave him an extension after 10 ok games to start the year

 

[VladTheLimpWhaler]

himself admitting to playing like a little girl.

I forgot about that!

 

[Habs 4 Life]

I forgot about that!

From years ago, but it's never ever changed in his case

The last two games, I played like a little girl out there," the Montreal Canadiens centre said yesterday, the day after his team suffered a 2-1 overtime loss to the Boston Bruins. "I didn't respond the way I liked

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/i-played-like-a-little-girl-plekanec-says/article1054414/

 

[Et le But]

I don't really know why people still hold the "little girl" comment against him - he was using it to be critical of himself, you know, "No Excuses" or whatever. He has plenty of flaws but there is a reason every coach loves him, even if he sucks now. The fact is, for a while he was one of the best forwards on this team, because the forward draft has sucked for years. In a perfect world he could have spent his prime playing as a dependable 2 way 2nd C without being expected to carry the offense.

His career numbers in the playoffs aren't that much lower than his regular season numbers, and he has typically played against the likes of Crosby in the playoffs. He deserves his critics but he was never a first liner and being forced to play as one is an indictment more of the last few GMs than the man himself. If he was even the player he was last season he would still be valuable right now, but the warning signs have been there for a few years now.

He is playing the worst hockey of his career, thats for sure. He fell off the cliff pretty rapidly, I don't see him bouncing back next year. The main difference I see is that when he was on top of his game he was one of the fastest skater out there, with is good hockey IQ it gave him quite an edge out there. But with aging he got slower while the league got even faster. I remember him getting breakaway once every couple games or so in the past, when was the last time he actually had one now. He can't create time and space for himself, so he isn't comfortable holding the puck anymore, at this point he is just black hole offensively.

Yeah he might do better than this year but it looks like his offense is shot. His career probably isn't over but he can't really be depended on as more than a third liner at this point. I didn't think he's fall off the cliff this quickly but I guess it shouldn't be that surprising - he's not skilled or strong enough to afford losing a step and still being effective.

 

[Deebs]

If Vegas doesn't take him, can/should we buy him out?

 

[Bloumeister]

Plekasex? More like Plekasux, amirite?

 

[Beendair Donedat]

We've only been watching him for 15 years...give him some more time maybe he will blossom soon.

The most overrated and useless player in recent Habs history (not named Desharnais).

He's a career disappearing act when games get tough.

How anyone could think he was worth 6 million bucks a year is beyond me.

The most anti-clutch player I've ever seen in decades of watching these Habs.

 

[Bloumeister]

Dusting off old 'shoops again

 

[Mr Jackpot]

Radulov in the warmups plays with more intensity than Plek in games

Plek is a big joke, and the blame is all on himself, he plays with no desire whatsoever

 

[417]

NJ won a cup with Mogilny on their 2nd line and Malakhov on their 2nd pairing.

People who believe you can have a team filled with 20 playoffs warriors are totally 100% delusional. You'll have players like Plekanec in your lineup. As long as they are paid accordingly to what they bring and as long as you realize they can't be your leaders it's not a problem at all.

The main problem with Plekanec right now is not Plekanec. It's the 6 millions cap hit. It's the cap hit that should go to the 1st line center we don't have.

And the reason why they're paying him 6M a year, is because he was miscast and misused as a #1C way past his expiry date...

They artificially inflated his value and essentially negotiated his extension for him, against themselves.

This was predictable years ago though... The only good thing is his deal expires next year.

I remember about 3yrs ago asking some of his biggest fans on here if they would be happy when he's making 6M as our 3rd line center...Well, here we are.

 

[G0bias]

I think whatever history Julien had with Plekanec once upon a time is clouding his judgement right now.
Pleks should not be on the ice when we're down a goal with 2mins left.