Fournier: Habs shopping own Top-6 Forward for D

[Dharvey33]

Some are smatrt enough to understand that while Plekanec is no od, if he were to leave we'd have ONE guy capable of playing a two way game in our top 6, ONE... and it's Eller, who have yet to reach the 40 pts mark in a season.

Eller at this point can replace the 39 points production of Plekanec and unlike him can actually still improve. 2 years ago he was on a pace for 51 points if i remember correctly, Eller can be the second center to replace Plekanec. I know what Plekanec brings to the table but it's far from being irreplacable.

Fact is right now we don't have a number 2 and even number 3 dman (Markov is a 4th at best right now) and Beaulieu, Tinordi still needs some seasoning. So Plekanec still holds enough value to get the habs a much needed number 2 dman. What sinked the habs against the Rangers was poor defensive play, only Subban could follow the pace for christ sake.

 

[ECWHSWI]

Eller at this point can replace the 39 points production of Plekanec and unlike him can actually still improve. 2 years ago he was on a pace for 51 points if i remember correctly, Eller can be the second center to replace Plekanec. I know what Plekanec brings to the table but it's far from being irreplacable.

Fact is right now we don't have a number 2 and even number 3 dman (Markov is a 4th at best right now) and Beaulieu, Tinordi still needs some seasoning. So Plekanec still holds enough value to get the habs a much needed number 2 dman. What sinked the habs against the Rangers was poor defensive play, only Subban could follow the pace for christ sake.

thing is, your solution (trading Plekanec for some D) doesnt replace anyone at forward. Plekanec gome means that these guys will be asked to play as two way C : Eller, DD, Briere and Galchenyuk...

 

[Prairie Habs]

Eller at this point can replace the 39 points production of Plekanec and unlike him can actually still improve. 2 years ago he was on a pace for 51 points if i remember correctly, Eller can be the second center to replace Plekanec. I know what Plekanec brings to the table but it's far from being irreplacable.

Fact is right now we don't have a number 2 and even number 3 dman (Markov is a 4th at best right now) and Beaulieu, Tinordi still needs some seasoning. So Plekanec still holds enough value to get the habs a much needed number 2 dman. What sinked the habs against the Rangers was poor defensive play, only Subban could follow the pace for christ sake.

So if you were to put money on one of Plek or Eller hitting 39 points next year you would bet on Eller? DO you have anything to back that up at all (spoiler alert: you don't).

As far as the whole "Markov is a #4 at best" thing...

Your post is ridiculous:

Plekanec is worse than Eller
Markov is a #4 AT BEST
Plekanec can be traded for a #2D
A 2D would be substantially better than Markov (a 4D)

So if Plekanec could be traded for D way better than Markov and Eller is more valuable than Plek then we might as well just trade Eller for Doughty or McD.

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Man Plekanec is just God on this board.

That's just your own hyperbole. Most simply refer to him as our best centre - which he continues to be. Maybe Galchenyuk will pass him some day, who knows. Maybe, some day.

 

[djpass]

There ain't a ton of choices. To get good value, you have to give up good value.

Bergevin has repeated a gazillion times that he will not part away with his young players. He builds with them, so upfront Galchenyuk & Gallagher are going no where.

He was also very clear that Pacioretty will stay with the team for a long time. He's part of the future. I believe him.

So based on real trading value upfront, it leaves us with either Eller or Plekanec.

Either one would still need to be traded with some extra to get a good top 6 forward in return.


Ideally, we'd be dealing Plekanec and keeping Eller.

 

[V13]

Ideally, we'd be dealing Plekanec and keeping Eller.

Ideally we trade DD and we keep both Plek and Eller. That's the best case scenario imho

 

[Ohashi_Jouzu*]

Ideally, we'd be dealing Plekanec and keeping Eller.

Still don't know how "ideal" it would be to go with the guy we keep projecting as a 2nd line centre based on his production on the 3rd or 4th...

Ideally we trade DD and we keep both Plek and Eller. That's the best case scenario imho

Basically this.

 

[djpass]

Ideally we trade DD and we keep both Plek and Eller. That's the best case scenario imho

But it doesn't serve you at all knowing DD has no real value.

That's the point.

The real ideal situation for me is to land Stastny in the process. Replacing Pleky with Stastny while getting another good asset because of Pleky.

Any day.

 

[Milhouse40]

This whole thing started with Fournier saying that some players won't be happy with an extension of Therrien's contract....which happened yesterday.

Having said that....the ONLY WAY to improve this team with a trade isn't trading a Plekanec against a #2 D-men. That would fill a hole but open up another one at wings.

We either trade a center for a winger, or we play the numbers games (Trading 2 nhl assets for 3 )

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Ideally we trade DD and we keep both Plek and Eller. That's the best case scenario imho

You, you know.

 

[sheed36]

This whole thing started with Fournier saying that some players won't be happy with an extension of Therrien's contract....which happened yesterday.

Having said that....the ONLY WAY to improve this team with a trade isn't trading a Plekanec against a #2 D-men. That would fill a hole but open up another one at wings.

We either trade a center for a winger, or we play the numbers games (Trading 2 nhl assets for 3 )

I wonder which players that would be? I'll say Eller for sure and Pacioretty and Subban maybe?

 

[Hannibal]

Fournier predicted the Leblanc exit didn't he?

Yes he did.

 

[JAVO16]

Yes he did.

What a guy. Nobody on this board could've predicted this.

 

[Hannibal]

What a guy. Nobody on this board could've predicted this.

Not a lot of people were predicting him to be traded
This soon.

 

[overlords]

Not a lot of people were predicting him to be traded
This soon.

I think WTK had a funny post where he even called them getting back a 5th

This soon after the playoffs? Nah. But this summer in general? Yeah I'm not surprised at all.

 

[pine*]

Desharnais is next.

Up yours

 

[Runner77]

I assume we're doing something since we're clearing contract spots including not signing Vail.

Big move coming up?

 

[Hannibal]

I think WTK had a funny post where he even called them getting back a 5th

This soon after the playoffs? Nah. But this summer in general? Yeah I'm not surprised at all.

I was not a believer in Leblanc, but i thought they would watch him in camp before trading him.

 

[Kobe Armstrong]

I would trade Plekanec only if the return is above average, AND if we found a very defensively responsible 4th line center.

DD
Eller
Chucky
4th line defensive C

The biggest hit to losing Pleks would be losing his shut down capabilities (obviously), and I can't see us succeeding in 2014-15 if Briere is the 4th line center because I don't think Eller is capable of being given all the defensive minutes (also obvious). If Pleks left it would be necessary to have a defensively responsible 4th line, a line that Briere cannot be the center to.

A fourth line of:

Bournival-defensive guy-Weise

would be pretty solid IMO.

If pleks was traded, I guess my lineup would be something like

Patches-DD-Briere (100% offensive)
Borque-Eller-Gio/UFA (primarily defensive)
Prust-Chucky-Gallagher
Bournival-4th line defensive-Weise

White and Moen filling in when needed

idk I'm tired and I'm sorry if that wasn't coherent at all.

Cheers

 

[overlords]

I was not a believer in Leblanc, but i thought they would watch him in camp before trading him.

I was expecting them to try and make some room in hamilton for some quality vets, seeing as how we have the owner of the bulldogs angry that his team has not been competitive in some time.

Big move coming up?

Quality for quantity move, coming right up!

 

[Runner77]

Quality for quantity move, coming right up!

Cheaper by the half-dozen.

 

[MsChanandlerBong]

Eller at this point can replace the 39 points production of Plekanec and unlike him can actually still improve. 2 years ago he was on a pace for 51 points if i remember correctly, Eller can be the second center to replace Plekanec. I know what Plekanec brings to the table but it's far from being irreplacable.

Fact is right now we don't have a number 2 and even number 3 dman (Markov is a 4th at best right now) and Beaulieu, Tinordi still needs some seasoning. So Plekanec still holds enough value to get the habs a much needed number 2 dman. What sinked the habs against the Rangers was poor defensive play, only Subban could follow the pace for christ sake.

As others have said, I don't see how you can claim this so certainly. Eller was arguably our best forward these playoffs, but we cannot let that completely overshadow how he was arguably one of our worst forwards this regular season. Eller notched 26 points this season, a 1/3rd of them in the first two weeks, and was a -15. I agree that his defensive play is great, and while he is no Plekanec in that aspect right now, he is more than suitable to fill that role. However, based on how he performs in the regular season outside of the EGG line, he offensive talent (namely, vision and IQ) is actually low and he is extremely frustrating to watch. Plekanec IS our most valuable forward to deal, and while I'd rather see DD leave of the three, I personally don't believe Eller can fill the 2C role yet, he had trouble as 3C last season...

 

[Dharvey33]

So if you were to put money on one of Plek or Eller hitting 39 points next year you would bet on Eller? DO you have anything to back that up at all (spoiler alert: you don't).

As far as the whole "Markov is a #4 at best" thing...

Your post is ridiculous:

Plekanec is worse than Eller
Markov is a #4 AT BEST
Plekanec can be traded for a #2D
A 2D would be substantially better than Markov (a 4D)

So if Plekanec could be traded for D way better than Markov and Eller is more valuable than Plek then we might as well just trade Eller for Doughty or McD.

Where did I said Eller is better than plekanec? I said Eller is capable of replacing him. Markov at this point is not a number 2 anymore he cannot handle the minutes anymore, he was completly gassed in the playoffs. We need a efficient minute eater which Markov isnt anymore.If markov comes back his minutes needs to be cut drastically.

As for the production you dont talk about opportunities do you? Plekanec having 39 points playing 20 minutes plus pp time every game while Eller was stuck with Lazy Bourque playing 14 15 minutes with no pp time. At equal opportunity you bet your ass Eller would outproduce Plekanec next year.

We need more a number 2 dman than Plekanec right now.

Where have we gotten with Plekanec and markov in our core? No where so I dont think a change would be that dramatic.

 

[Kriss E]

Eller at this point can replace the 39 points production of Plekanec and unlike him can actually still improve. 2 years ago he was on a pace for 51 points if i remember correctly, Eller can be the second center to replace Plekanec. I know what Plekanec brings to the table but it's far from being irreplacable.

Fact is right now we don't have a number 2 and even number 3 dman (Markov is a 4th at best right now) and Beaulieu, Tinordi still needs some seasoning. So Plekanec still holds enough value to get the habs a much needed number 2 dman. What sinked the habs against the Rangers was poor defensive play, only Subban could follow the pace for christ sake.

Eller cannot replace Plekanec, at least he hasn't show it. Every time he's been tried versus tougher opponents, he looked bad. So no, I don't think Eller can takeover Plek's tough minutes.

I seriously think we need Plekanec to get injured or traded for some people here to understand just how valuable he is.

As for Markov, no, he's not a #4. He's a #2. Just don't expect him to carry his partner anymore. Emelin has no business playing with him.
When we put Markov and Subban together, they owned the ice. So we split them up (yay! four more years!). These two should play together, and Markov should not be used on the PK.

 

[Kriss E]

Where have we gotten with Plekanec and markov in our core? No where so I dont think a change would be that dramatic.

That doesn't mean we should get rid of them, and it's management's fault not to have surrounded these guys better.