All purpose Alex Galchenyuk talk

[Jimmy Firecracker]

He was instrumental in the comeback tonight.

 

[Leafs87]

Let’s sign him before he gets expensive

 

[inthe6ix]

Looking great with JT and Willy. Glad he's turned his game around and KD first sent him down for seasoning with the Marlies - it's helped immensely.

 

[authentic]

Take out Thornton/Simmonds (Thornton preferably) and put in Gally on the PP
In terms of offensive talent ranking, on the Leafs,I have:
1) Matthews
2) Marner
3) Nylander
4) Tavares
5) Galchenyuk
6) Spezza
7) Rielly
8) Hyman
9) Kerfoot

Nylander does not have more offensive talent than Tavares.

 

[Battle Lin]

even from game 1 you can see talent already, a lot of ppl dont even know what they watching out there...literally a couple of nice skilled plays every game so far...just keep hyman and him on the top 2 lines ok keefe

 

[CapspaceKiller]

Still going to be patient on evaluating him completely, but

No idea where the "he has poor speed" narrative came from

 

[OB34KNH]

Nylander does not have more offensive talent than Tavares.

I don't know about that.
Tavares just uses his strength to his advantage, and, at times he tries to force the play too many times.

Nylander has a higher offensive IQ. He has a decent shot, but, it's just missing the net a lot right now.
I think Nylander has a better shot and is a better playmaker also.

 

[OB34KNH]

Still going to patient on evaluating him complete, but

No idea where the "he has poor speed" narrative came from

Apparently, his skating was so bad that users said that he's unable to play 5v5.

Quoting an HF user "His skating at 15 was better than it is now, he is completely unable to skate, his skating is OHL level ---- his only redeeming quality is his shot, and, he is a defensive liability".

He can throw his body around, pass, shoot, skate hard, and, make good defensive plays from time-to-time. I've yet to see him make an errand pass in the defensive zone, he has a calmness to him when he has the puck.

 

[Mats13]

I don't know about that.
Tavares just uses his strength to his advantage, and, at times he tries to force the play too many times.

Nylander has a higher offensive IQ. He has a decent shot, but, it's just missing the net a lot right now.
I think Nylander has a better shot and is a better playmaker also.

Nylander is better today no doubt really

But Tavares used to be a Hart candidate

I know he hasn’t been good this year and I’ve been a big critic but Tavares has talent and I think people are acting like he has no talent just cuz he’s not a great skater

 

[ViewsFromThe6ix]

I literally can't imagine anyone calling this guy lazy. He's hard on every puck and extremely tenacious.

 

[OB34KNH]

Nylander is better today no doubt really

But Tavares used to be a Hart candidate

I know he hasn’t been good this year and I’ve been a big critic but Tavares has talent and I think people are acting like he has no talent just cuz he’s not a great skater

Tavares' playmaking has regressed and he can't skate fast. Those are his biggest flaws right now. He hasn't regressed to a 2C yet, although, he's a low-tier 1C right now.
He could be a 1C on a 5th-8th seed playoff team. Certainly, not a bad option for your 2C. Tavares isn't the problem.

I think one of the main problems is the defense. No one on the leafs D (other than Rielly) has above-average offensive skill. No one. They all bobble the puck and turn it over or fan on the shot.

And, even Rielly can' shoot the puck. No one on the D can shoot the puck. They are horrible at shooting/passing.

 

[Griffin76]

I think they handled his "situation" perfectly when he was first acquired. Glad they've given him a chance to succeed and he's taken that chance and ran with it.

 

[nobody]

Still going to be patient on evaluating him completely, but

No idea where the "he has poor speed" narrative came from

It's not a speed issue. It's he's got a "shitty skating stride" narrative. He used to be either super hunched over or almost completely upright while skating and both limited his agility and the first step. I hope he realizes that this team is a good fit for him and it'll allow him to rebuild his career. Hopefully, we can resign the kid after the expansion draft and get him for cheap. He can really do some damage on that second line.

Nothing would please me more as a Leafs fan than to watch a wasted Habs 3rd overall pick who was once labeled a franchise level center being tossed to the side, just for us to pick him up and turn him into a very useful player. Habs drafting is f***ing atrocious and their player development is even worse.

 

[Stephen]

Apparently, his skating was so bad that users said that he's unable to play 5v5.

Quoting an HF user "His skating at 15 was better than it is now, he is completely unable to skate, his skating is OHL level ---- his only redeeming quality is his shot, and, he is a defensive liability".

He can throw his body around, pass, shoot, skate hard, and, make good defensive plays from time-to-time. I've yet to see him make an errand pass in the defensive zone, he has a calmness to him when he has the puck.

Been watching some old Tavares Youtube and a couple of years ago he was really playing a Crosby style, high end grinder game. Using a lot of lower body strength to leverage against checkers, using edges all the time, forearm out and protecting the puck with the other, a lot of sudden cut back plays with the puck, spin moves. Shooting wise he can really whip a wrist shot up high too at weird angles. Sort of an entire arsenal of tricks to avoid those open ice foot races and straight line skating.

 

[Man Bear Pig]

I literally can't imagine anyone calling this guy lazy. He's hard on every puck and extremely tenacious.

Gotta wonder if expectations were simply too high based on where he was drafted.

 

[OB34KNH]

Been watching some old Tavares Youtube and a couple of years ago he was really playing a Crosby style, high end grinder game. Using a lot of lower body strength to leverage against checkers, using edges all the time, forearm out and protecting the puck with the other, a lot of sudden cut back plays with the puck, spin moves. Shooting wise he can really whip a wrist shot up high too at weird angles. Sort of an entire arsenal of tricks to avoid those open ice foot races and straight line skating.

Do you think Tavares has regressed?
He definitely isn't as good offensively as he was a couple years ago, but, at-least his defensive game has ascended.

 

[Future]

I literally can't imagine anyone calling this guy lazy. He's hard on every puck and extremely tenacious.

Hope he can find consistency here. That’s the biggest thing. Because he has all the talent in the world, and more than we would likely be able to trade for.

Had him ranked first overall on my personal list here in 2012 for a reason. No shame.

 

[OB34KNH]

Been watching some old Tavares Youtube and a couple of years ago he was really playing a Crosby style, high end grinder game. Using a lot of lower body strength to leverage against checkers, using edges all the time, forearm out and protecting the puck with the other, a lot of sudden cut back plays with the puck, spin moves. Shooting wise he can really whip a wrist shot up high too at weird angles. Sort of an entire arsenal of tricks to avoid those open ice foot races and straight line skating.

And BTW, on my post that you replied to, I was talking about Galchenyuk not Tavares.

 

[shaner8989]

Another great game

 

[Stephen]

And BTW, on my post that you replied to, I was talking about Galchenyuk not Tavares.

Oh yeah, thought I was in the Tavares thread for some reason.

I didn't realize Galchenyuk had major skating issues until his bottoming out the past couple of years. Just always thought he was an up and coming big forward for Montreal who had a big year a couple of seasons back and was always a top 6 threat whenever we played them.

 

[Stephen]

Do you think Tavares has regressed?
He definitely isn't as good offensively as he was a couple years ago, but, at-least his defensive game has ascended.

No idea. Some nights he looks noticeably off as in old and or hobbled by injuries and then he has a night like tonight where he seems to be moving fine.

 

[Pi]

It really looks like Galchenyuk is playing like this is his last shot at being in the NHL for good. Love the way he plays.

I'd still go and trade for Hall and stick him with Matthews and Marner. Leave Galchenyuk with Tavares line and that allows you to keep Hyman with Mikheyev and Engvall because Hyman can carry a line on his own.

Rotate guys like Spezza, Thornton etc in/out of the line up (old, can't really be relied to play every single game in the playoffs). Kerfoot likely odd man out to accommodate Hall unless somehow Andersen can just go on LTIR till the playoffs start.

 

[Wafflewhipper]

He’s been great since called up... he’s looked like a good fit for Tavares.

If Keefe tries Gally/Tavares/Hyman i think its a line that provides Tavares idea wingers for this roster. Willy could be part of a potentially brilliant line with Marner and Matthews or let to make a identity for himself as 3rd line center.I’m not sure if Nylander has ideal wingers for playing third line with him but Simmonds could definitely be a winger for him.
Thornton rah rah rah pom pom pom but Keefe has to take him off the 1st line.
Gally is getting lots of different opportunities from keefe

 

[zeke]

This would be too hilarious if we resurrected him.

But he hasn't stopped working yet and his hands are still there

 

[genk]

Galchenyuk has been fantastic. He's quite the playmaker.