You are right that talented players should be nurtured and to some degree that is what has been done during Galchenyuk's development years.
The thing is....and is my assumption....Galchenyuk will perform equally well as a winger. His faults are less damaging when he is used as a winger. When used as a Center it creates too many disruptions in the roster.
It is not a question of banishing Galchenyuk, it's a question of identity and chemistry for a formidable roster.
Of course, ideally, you keep Galchenyuk, no question. But you can't aspire to hoist up the cup with a dysfunctional roster. Unfortunately, using Galchenyuk as a center tends to show just that.
The dysnfunction of the roster has much more to do with the dysfunctional coach we just fired and the dysfunctional management who flood the roster with scrubs and nobodies every 6 months.
It's beyond me how you can blame Galchenyuk for "roster dysfunction" and not Plekanec who was expected be the 1B/2 and performs like a middling 3rd line C.
As for his faults, I'm not sure what is his fault and what is the lack of chemistry and what is just him not having confidence. Confidence and morale is like a multiplier, you saw it yesterday with Byron trying to make some ridiculous plays just because he felt like he could. I don't see how Chucky would be any better than he is right now as a winger, I can see him not being used to his full potential, that's for certain.
You guys have to temper or adjust your expectations. He was "developing" for five years, and now suddenly he's overcooked and overdone and needs to be moved. This is the bipolar behaviour of Montreal fans that every other fanbase loves to mock. Get a grip, progress isn't linear and Chucky has made improvements since they've tried to bring him to C (despite Therrien's best efforts).
At least you folks can now see why I was pulling my hair and ragging on this terrible coach and GM all this team for how poorly they developed Chucky.
Well Whiskey, if they can find a good centre without giving him up, then by all means. But he'd probably have to be part of the package. I could see him as a 2nd line centre, sure, they are allowed to have those flaws as long as there's a legit 1st liner and someone like Danault on the 3rd. I just don't think it's realistic. Otherwise you're making him a winger, Chuck can possibly slide into 2nd line LW. But the salary cap comes into play and Lehkonen will be a better bargain and Byron doesn't deserve 4th line duties.
Lehkonen has a fart's worth of points compared to Chucky. Byron is a 3rd line player who has caught lightning in a bottle and is playing 2nd line only due to his incredible speed. Neither have the talent Chucky has. Maybe Lehks could get there but as it stands, Lehks, Gallagher, Danault, Byron, Shaw, and whoever else you might muster up are all the same kinda player: grinders. Players who use effort and speed to gain an advantage and score random goals. Lehks has some hands, Gallagher and Danault can make some plays but by and large they're not consistent skilled performers. Chucky is.
I'd move him for Tavares, of course. But I won't get rid of him for the sake of getting rid of him. Talent is rare in the NHL, Chucky has it in bundles.
Were you guys also ragging on Kovalev all the time too?