Because he had 6 points in his last 16 games after their incredible 5-games start. Because DD wasn't going anywhere. Because Pacioretty wasn't going anywhere. Because during that stretch from the start of the season till November 16th, we had 2.48 Goals For. And previously to November 16th, we were in a 7-9 record after the great first 5 EGG line games. And that just before the change was made, we were 2-6. And weren't scoring goals. And unfortunately, the awakening of DD, Pac and having Gallgher on their line, permitted for the Habs to go 9-1 before the Los Angeles debacle. What can I tell you.....stats are indeed telling a lot of things. But that was premise before when I started to "bash" the advanced stats and all......My point was that while ALL those stats are relevant, there is always a way to find some great and some bad to every player. Anybody remembers that while Gomez was putrid, that his lovers were still going at it with the possession numbers? Anybody remember that a guy like Tom Pyatt, based on stats, was seen as this incredible PK'er that almost made him untouchable? So there were reasons to somewhat change the lines. People keep talking how patient he was with DD......wasn't he patient with Bourque? Wasn't he even patient with Eller? Can people still see, beyond the "but it's unfair how he's treated" the fact that Eller wasn't playing great? Isn't Therrien too patient with Murray some will say? Or Emelin? Or Gionta and his offensive chances and PP's? Why is it solely the DD show? Why can't the use of the other players do NOT affect the team?
Goals for right now? 2.46. Goals For before the lineup change? 2.48.
Wachu talkin' 'bout Willis?
Our goals for after October was 2.95 per game. 59 goals in 20 games and we were doing pretty well offensively - comfortably in the top ten. Then we flip the switch and DD gets the opportunities and we sink like a stone. Defensively we may have been mediocre but we could score.
Is this DD's fault? No. He's doing the best he can in the role he's been given and YES to his credit he's produced some points. But its been toxic for the team. No doubt the dump and chase has hurt but so has the ice distribution.
Again, Pleks becoming a shutdown guy ONLY is just a theatrical way to see he,s getting less chances. But he's not Jay McClement. He has 30 seconds less on the PP. He's playing regularly for so many years with a Gionta that keep scoring 20 goals a year despite us not liking him. And was paired with Brìere and Galchenyuk this year too....SURELY not proving that this line became a shutdown line. Plekanec on ANY line will happen to be more responsible line....but not a shutodown line. The PROBLEM with him is on the PK. Not enough confidence in others. Numbers are way too astronomical compared to the 2nd forward. Which takes most of his energy there, that might show why he doesn't have a whole lot of energy elsewhere.
One guy's playing with Max and Gallagher and is also usually on the ice with the best blueline pairing in the league. The other has Gionta and your choice of Bourque/Bournival/Briere... and he's killing penalties and is pretty much never on the first PP unit meaning he's often been on the PP with Bouillion instead of Subban.
Nevermind the offensive chances they get, look at the freaking linemates... Good luck when you are paired with two guys who can't hit the side of a barn. Bourque was particularly useless in that dept whereas Gionta always manages to fire it right at the goalie's crest...
Strange that we want to take Pleks....and want to give him the treatment that DD has. Like, let's say what he had when he had Kovy and Kosty. Still, Pleks only had 69 points. But somehow, that wasn't a problem. I don't remember but was there anybody that waas whining about Koivu not having the chance to play with the best players? Wouldn't Koivu not be able to do more than 69 points especially when Kovalev was at 84???
Who said we do?
Give him the best wingers and let him play a two way game. Create a 1st unit PP that features Galchenyuk... spread it around.
And one thing I hope to someday have an answer to....if DD is getting everything, the best wingers and everything...how the heck is he better in points away than at home? Isn't the quality of opposition better away? Especially when you don't have the last change? Does the sheltering go as far as everytime the opponent puts their best line against DD, that Therrien ask for a line change immediately? Or how is it possible for DD to always get weaker linemates if he forms the best line and there's actually NOTHING else on any other lines?
It doesn't matter if you're on the road or at home... you can still put out the linemates that you want and you can still put the guy in the offensive zone and still on the 1st unit PP. DD isn't the first guy to score more on the road nor will he be the last.
When you've got Markov, Subban, Gallagher and Max with you... you're going to score some points.
'Cause that,s what we have.....for now. This is not NHL 2014. If we could have Toews, I wouldn't care about DD. Just saying that the day you transform Pleks minutes into DD minutes, it won't get better. Galchenyuk is NOT ready NOW. But I'm expecting him to be a centerman next year. We are freakin talking about half of season....
Not saying it would be and I'm not advocating for this. A one line strategy is stupid. But if you're going to do it this way, then do it with Galchenyuk instead.
Again 29th in 5 on 5 scoring... wtf would we have to lose? Only team behind us there is freaking Buffalo.
Think about that for a second... only Buffalo is worse.
DD is playing his full 3rd season in the league. To know what he's able to do, you actually need to know. Why would you not have the fun to see what he could do in the playoffs so that then you'd bash him Ribeiro's style 'cause he again proves he can't be there in the big games and so on? Why? Are you afraid he'd actually perform and we'd HAVE to keep him? If it's so clear that he's not going to do the job, and frankly, I'm also eager to see, why not let him have it?
Why?
Because our scoring has died. That's why. That should be enough for anyone to understand.
Barring that... if you want to go with a one line strategy he's STILL not the guy. Why? Because he's not a prospect that we should be developing like Galchenyuk or even Eller who's younger and bigger... and he's not our best center, Plecs is... that's why.
A one line philosophy (which is what we've gone with for most of the year) doesn't work. And it's especially stupid when we've got actual talent up the middle. One thing if we were with Scott Gomez and a bunch of scrubs but we've got good centermen here. We see it with Murray and Bouillion. Any surprise we should see it with DD? I guess MT loves an underdog 'cause I can't understand why he's doing what he's doing with this team. It's atrocious to watch.
As for me being scared to see him produce in the playoffs... I hope he scores a hat-trick every game and we win the cup. But no, I don't think its good for us if we come back with him as our no. 1 again next year and I think that's what's going to happen if MT is coach.
I didn't mean it like that 
