A conversation about the C position

NotProkofievian

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
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Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Bergevin gets his things in order and he finally gets us that big centerman that we've always wanted. His name is Ryan O'Reilly, and we had to trade our first, and Poehling for him. And then Bergevin goes out and he signs Stastny.

Where do you think this gets us? If you would like him to do such a thing, tell us why. Let's have a conversation.
 

mariolemieux66

Registered User
Sep 17, 2008
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Vancouver
Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Bergevin gets his things in order and he finally gets us that big centerman that we've always wanted. His name is Ryan O'Reilly, and we had to trade our first, and Poehling for him. And then Bergevin goes out and he signs Stastny.

Where do you think this gets us? If you would like him to do such a thing, tell us why. Let's have a conversation.
In the playoffs most likely, but we aren't winning the cup and we gave a top5 1st pick. ROR is a 60 points player and Stastny a 40 points player. I am not interested in any of those players.
 

JianYang

Registered User
Sep 29, 2017
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Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Bergevin gets his things in order and he finally gets us that big centerman that we've always wanted. His name is Ryan O'Reilly, and we had to trade our first, and Poehling for him. And then Bergevin goes out and he signs Stastny.

Where do you think this gets us? If you would like him to do such a thing, tell us why. Let's have a conversation.

It potentially gets the Habs in a playoff position, but the cup still remains a pipe dream. ROR is not a top end center that teams will win cups with.
 

NotProkofievian

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
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Is there anyone willing to argue that there's no way we wouldn't be successful if only we had ROR on the team?
 

JianYang

Registered User
Sep 29, 2017
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Is there anyone willing to argue that there's no way we wouldn't be successful if only we had ROR on the team?

How do you define success? I think everyone here so far is saying that it won't be successful, if success means being a Stanley cup contender.
 

The Great Weal

Phil's Pizza
Jan 15, 2015
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Is there anyone willing to argue that there's no way we wouldn't be successful if only we had ROR on the team?
I mean, I'm pretty sure we get in the playoffs with him. So if you are like Bergevin and think getting in the playoffs is considered successful, and anything more is just bonus, then sure.
 

Bring Bak Damphousse

Fire Bergevin...into the Sun
May 27, 2002
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Stastny and O’Reilly would be a good start, but MB’s still got a long ways to go. Lets say our center depth becomes O’Reilly, Stastny, Danault, than we trade Galchenyuk because lets face it he’s never going to succeed on this team, for a second pairing dman, were still missing a top 4 D and probably atleast 1 legit top 6 winger. And Weber, price, pacioretty and stastny would all be nearing the end of there primes sooner rather than later, I’m still not sure we compete with that roster. In the long run wouldnt it just make more sense to finish out of the playoffs for the next few years, and build through the draft?

Edit: didnt realize the trade for O’Reilly involved our 1st this year aswell as Poehling. I’d give a first, but not a potential 1st overall.
 
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417

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I mean, I'm pretty sure we get in the playoffs with him. So if you are like Bergevin and think getting in the playoffs is considered successful, and anything more is just bonus, then sure.
It's going to be difficult to make the type of moves we'll need to be a contender next year.

It's going to have to be a process...we can't just dismiss options because they don't turn us into contenders on their own.
 

Tighthead

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Nov 9, 2016
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Would likely put us in the playoffs, but the moves would be about 2-3 years too late.
 

417

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Feb 20, 2003
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Stastny and O’Reilly would be a good start, but MB’s still got a long ways to go. Lets say our center depth becomes O’Reilly, Stastny, Danault, than we trade Galchenyuk because lets face it he’s never going to succeed on this team, for a second pairing dman, were still missing a top 4 D and probably atleast 1 legit top 6 winger. And Weber, price, pacioretty and stastny would all be nearing the end of there primes sooner rather than later, I’m still not sure we compete with that roster. In the long run wouldnt it just make more sense to finish out of the playoffs for the next few years, and build through the draft?

Edit: didnt realize the trade for O’Reilly involved our 1st this year aswell as Poehling. I’d give a first, but not a potential 1st overall.
Why is that?
 

Habs100

Registered User
Nov 6, 2013
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Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Bergevin gets his things in order and he finally gets us that big centerman that we've always wanted. His name is Ryan O'Reilly, and we had to trade our first, and Poehling for him. And then Bergevin goes out and he signs Stastny.

Where do you think this gets us? If you would like him to do such a thing, tell us why. Let's have a conversation.

Unless we get Tavares and Dahlin, rebuild through the draft for many years (i.e. tank). It's the only way to avoid mediocrity, i.e. making the playoffs and getting bounced in the first or second round, which we're far from now, but that is your scenario's CEILING.
 
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417

BBQ Chicken Alert!
Feb 20, 2003
51,255
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Ottawa
Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Bergevin gets his things in order and he finally gets us that big centerman that we've always wanted. His name is Ryan O'Reilly, and we had to trade our first, and Poehling for him. And then Bergevin goes out and he signs Stastny.

Where do you think this gets us? If you would like him to do such a thing, tell us why. Let's have a conversation.
If the Habs trade a 1st + Poehling for ROR...then I don't see why they'd then need to go out and sign Stastsny.
 

Shabs

Registered User
Nov 16, 2017
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We are in a deep deep hole. Our defence is not good. Our prospect depth is not good. There is no quick fix. This team needs chemotherapy.

Even if we get Tavares and RoR, I still think we are not up to it. Pitt has Crosby and Malkin but also a better D and a ton of better support players. And still they aren’t even favourites. You need 4 lines that can score in today’s NHL. Also, you need a strong farm team so that if one of those guys on the 3 or 4th line is hurt, there is another good player ready to take his place.

We don’t have that and we won’t get there for a long time and never with the stooges we have in charge.
 

LyricalLyricist

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Aug 21, 2007
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In the playoffs most likely, but we aren't winning the cup and we gave a top5 1st pick. ROR is a 60 points player and Stastny a 40 points player. I am not interested in any of those players.

Stastny over 82 games is like a 50-60 guy. A solid #2. Should not be a #1.

I would do Tavares-stastny-danault no problem.
 

NotProkofievian

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
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If the Habs trade a 1st + Poehling for ROR...then I don't see why they'd then need to go out and sign Stastsny.

Because Drouin sucks dick at center. The question was, though, ''where do you think this gets us?''

Thoughts?
 
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LyricalLyricist

Registered User
Aug 21, 2007
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Unless we get Tavares and Dahlin, rebuild through the draft for many years (i.e. tank). It's the only way to avoid mediocrity, i.e. making the playoffs and getting bounced in the first or second round, which we're far from now, but that is your scenario's CEILING.

If we’re tanking for many years why would Tavares even consider us? Not saying he’s coming, but he won’t even think of us in that case.
 

JianYang

Registered User
Sep 29, 2017
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We are in a deep deep hole. Our defence is not good. Our prospect depth is not good. There is no quick fix. This team needs chemotherapy.

Even if we get Tavares and RoR, I still think we are not up to it. Pitt has Crosby and Malkin but also a better D and a ton of better support players. And still they aren’t even favourites. You need 4 lines that can score in today’s NHL. Also, you need a strong farm team so that if one of those guys on the 3 or 4th line is hurt, there is another good player ready to take his place.

We don’t have that and we can get there for a long time and never with the stooges we have in charge.

We are in la la Land here but tavares and ROR does make this team a potential contender. Peices just start falling into place where they should be through a domino effect... Which means guys like drouin, galchenyuk, lehkoben,hudon etc, all have improved numbers.

The focus then would shift to finding another top 4 puck moving dman, which is the easier part.
 
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NotProkofievian

Registered User
Nov 29, 2011
24,476
24,599
Stastny and O’Reilly would be a good start, but MB’s still got a long ways to go. Lets say our center depth becomes O’Reilly, Stastny, Danault, than we trade Galchenyuk because lets face it he’s never going to succeed on this team, for a second pairing dman, were still missing a top 4 D and probably atleast 1 legit top 6 winger. And Weber, price, pacioretty and stastny would all be nearing the end of there primes sooner rather than later, I’m still not sure we compete with that roster. In the long run wouldnt it just make more sense to finish out of the playoffs for the next few years, and build through the draft?

Indeed, would it not?

Edit: didnt realize the trade for O’Reilly involved our 1st this year aswell as Poehling. I’d give a first, but not a potential 1st overall.

You can assume that we wait until after the draft lottery to make the trade if that changes your position at all. Although I agree with it as it is.
 

Spearmint Rhino

Registered User
Sep 17, 2013
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I think we are still back to relying on Price standing on his head to have any success, D still sucks. If you can find a way to get ROR with keeping our 1st - flip Pacioretty to Florida for a package and add Poehling to that it maybe looks a little better if we grab Hughes in the 1st. No interest in Statsny, JT or broke :laugh:
 

Bring Bak Damphousse

Fire Bergevin...into the Sun
May 27, 2002
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Why is that?

Galchenyuk was just below a ppg before being injured last year, this year when we were desperate for a top line center they played everyone else there but him, they’d rather try to turn Drouin into a center than try Chucky there again. We saw superstar in the making De la rose centering chuckys line but not Galchenyuk, do you honestly believe this team has Galchenyuks best interests at heart? I think at this point its more about not being proven wrong, than doing what may actually benefit the habs, because there is no good reason for 27 to not be playing center.
 
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sandviper

No Ragrets
Jan 26, 2016
13,364
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Toronto
We’d be improved up the middle, no question. Assuming we keep Patches and Galchenyuk, which I guess we will since we moved Poehling and our first, we may be stronger offensively and I’ll be optimistic and say we solved that problem.

However, while we’ll win more face offs, our defence is the same. Maybe it’ll be better next year of certain youngsters progress and Weber is 100%. However, it’s still too slow as a group and no real dynamic puck mover back there.

Anyhow, say if everything is status quo, plus ROR and Statsny, we will be better and I think a 98pt team, so a playoff team most likely. However, we still lack high-end talent both up front and in back. Since we dumped Poehling and our first, our prospect pool will continue to be unimpressive.

What this means although we are better next season, we’ll be right back where we are in 2-3 years.
 
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mariolemieux66

Registered User
Sep 17, 2008
16,315
7,252
Vancouver
We are in la la Land here but tavares and ROR does make this team a potential contender. Peices just start falling into place where they should be through a domino effect... Which means guys like drouin, galchenyuk, lehkoben,hudon etc, all have improved numbers.

The focus then would shift to finding another top 4 puck moving dman, which is the easier part.
That is the thing with having Scherbak, Hudon, Lehkonen, Reilly number going up is that they are becoming RFAs and, good numbers means more money, more money means we will have to trade a couple and replace them with what? We have not a single propects able to make an impact on the 2nd or 3rd line the following year. A top 2 offensive dmen will need to be acquire if we dont get Dahlin. Byron is set to become UFA.Now unless you are able to trade Shaw, Alzner, Schlemko and even then it might not work with the salary cap.
 

417

BBQ Chicken Alert!
Feb 20, 2003
51,255
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Ottawa
Because Drouin sucks dick at center. The question was, though, ''where do you think this gets us?''

Thoughts?
If the Habs were able to trade for ROR...I'd be comfortable giving Drouin another shot at C.

1yr at the position under his belt and with much better insulation with ROR, I think we'd see better performances.

But I also understand you've closed the chapter on Drouin.

To answer the question though;

I think it makes us much better team, it would give us way more balance. Still needs some work though.

It certainly doesn't make us Cup contenders though, but expecting a team to go from 4th worst to Cup contender in one offseason isn't very realistic.
 

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