Galchenyuk needs to be front-line C (and PP)

[Number 57]

I understand Desharnais has come a long way since his mediocre start to the season, but let's no get carried away here. Galchenyuk is the gem of this team up front and he has been (slightly) mishandled by Therrien since being drafted.

We've been waiting for a big, tall, talentend center for the last 20 years (remember Lecavalier?). Now that we have one, we're playing him as the 3rd line LW.

Many people on here though Galchy was just as good a prospect as MacKinnon before the season started. And I still think those people have a point. Galchenyuk has showed time and time again that he is the most talented forward on this team and he also has the most potential.

It's time for Therrien to build three scoring lines, with Galchenyuk as the guy getting the most ice time. Galchy has 57 pts in 97 games, that's pretty good with limited ice time, and he's never showed signs of being unreliable or weak or whatever. He is ready for more duties. MacKinnon has 50 pts in 62 games as a rookie...

This is even more possible with the acquisition of Vanek. Use him well! Put him with Galchenyuk ! Desharnais can stay with Pac, but use Galchenyuk at center, and more often! The hands, the vision, the speed, the skills on that kid is just unreal. You're telling me he'll score less than Desharnais ? Come on!

I vote for

Vanek Galchenyuk Briere
Pacioretty Desharnais Gallagher
Eller Plekanec Gionta

Click to read more...

 

[JuicyHam]

You sir are going to get ripped by all the DD fans.

 

[TorontoHabs90]

I understand Desharnais has come a long way since his mediocre start to the season, but let's no get carried away here. Galchenyuk is the gem of this team up front and he has been (slightly) mishandled by Therrien since being drafted.

We've been waiting for a big, tall, talentend center for the last 20 years (remember Lecavalier?). Now that we have one, we're playing him as the 3rd line LW.

Many people on here though Galchy was just as good a prospect as MacKinnon before the season started. And I still think those people have a point. Galchenyuk has showed time and time again that he is the most talented forward on this team and he also has the most potential.

It's time for Therrien to build three scoring lines, with Galchenyuk as the guy getting the most ice time. Galchy has 57 pts in 97 games, that's pretty good with limited ice time, and he's never showed signs of being unreliable or weak or whatever. He is ready for more duties. MacKinnon has 50 pts in 62 games as a rookie...

This is even more possible with the acquisition of Vanek. Use him well! Put him with Galchenyuk ! Desharnais can stay with Pac, but use Galchenyuk at center, and more often! The hands, the vision, the speed, the skills on that kid is just unreal. You're telling me he'll score less than Desharnais ? Come on!

I vote for

Vanek Galchenyuk Briere
Pacioretty Desharnais Gallagher
Eller Plekanec Gionta

I genuinely like these lines. I just cannot help but feel bad for Plekanec who finally has the chance to play with someone like Vanek after all his hard work for us and then he doesn't get it. realistically it makes sense though, thats a pretty defensively reliable third line...

 

[overlords]

Can't have 2 centers in your top 9 not knowing how to play defense. Not if your plan is to win games, anyway.

 

[lamp9post]

Can't have 2 centers in your top 9 not knowing how to play defense. Not if your plan is to win games, anyway.

Agreed. I don't mind the idea of those lines for next year if the plan is to move Galchenyuk to centre, but he's clearly not ready to be a #1 centre right now.

 

[lamp9post]

You sir are going to get ripped by all the DD fans.

Why? DD's line stays intact.

 

[MasterDecoy]

you gotta be a massive homer if you that that gally can take top line duties. we only have one centerman responsible enough to handle top line duties and his name starts with pleka and end with sex

 

[Gally11]

I love the idea of chuckie at centre and have pushing for it for a while because I didn't think we had much of a top 6 to deal with and figured it would be better for his development. But now that we've added Vanek everything has changed for me for the rest of this season.

Keep patches dd gally together they're clicking. Now we get to add a first line winger to our second line with Pleks it's pretty awesome.

The way Therrien has used his lines this year I would'nt be suprised to see Vanek - Pleks - Gio (I would prefer Vanek - Pleks - Chuckie (since he likes to come off the right anyway))

Chuckie - Eller - Briere

I wouldn't mind this combo if Chuckie gets PP time with Pleks and Vanek instead of Gio.

 

[habitue*]

I understand Desharnais has come a long way since his mediocre start to the season, but let's no get carried away here. Galchenyuk is the gem of this team up front and he has been (slightly) mishandled by Therrien since being drafted.

We've been waiting for a big, tall, talentend center for the last 20 years (remember Lecavalier?). Now that we have one, we're playing him as the 3rd line LW.

Many people on here though Galchy was just as good a prospect as MacKinnon before the season started. And I still think those people have a point. Galchenyuk has showed time and time again that he is the most talented forward on this team and he also has the most potential.

It's time for Therrien to build three scoring lines, with Galchenyuk as the guy getting the most ice time. Galchy has 57 pts in 97 games, that's pretty good with limited ice time, and he's never showed signs of being unreliable or weak or whatever. He is ready for more duties. MacKinnon has 50 pts in 62 games as a rookie...

This is even more possible with the acquisition of Vanek. Use him well! Put him with Galchenyuk ! Desharnais can stay with Pac, but use Galchenyuk at center, and more often! The hands, the vision, the speed, the skills on that kid is just unreal. You're telling me he'll score less than Desharnais ? Come on!

I vote for

Vanek Galchenyuk Briere
Pacioretty Desharnais Gallagher
Eller Plekanec Gionta

Sorry ! But Galchenyuk is not ready to take top center duties yet. He cannot win a faceoff to save his life.

BUT... I agree to have a Vanek-Brière-Galchenyuk line, no problem. Would be dynamite.

AND YES to Eller on the LW with Plekky and Gionta.

We would have three dangerous lines with enough size on the three lines...and Bourque in the stands.

 

[Number 57]

you gotta be a massive homer if you that that gally can take top line duties. we only have one centerman responsible enough to handle top line duties and his name starts with pleka and end with sex

Not all first line centers need to be two-way pivots, you know. Plus, who said Galchenyuk is bad defensively ? Well he isnt Plekanec, but he isn't Ryder either. I mean, the kid works hard, has great hockey sense and great speed. I havn't seem him get lost in the defensive zone really. I'm not sure what's the issue here. Is MacKinnon a defensive ace ? Was Patty Kane a defensive ace when they gave him top-line duty? Come on.

If we wait for Galchy to prove he's great defensively before putting him on the first line, then we're going to waste very good offensive years from him.

 

[macavoy]

Galchenyuk isn't ready defensively yet to be a center on a top 6 line. He struggles defensively as a winger as it is.

 

[ROSSter]

Give him time to grow and age.

 

[MasterDecoy]

Not all first line centers need to be two-way pivots, you know. Plus, who said Galchenyuk is bad defensively ? Well he isnt Plekanec, but he isn't Ryder either. I mean, the kid works hard, has great hockey sense and great speed. I havn't seem him get lost in the defensive zone really. I'm not sure what's the issue here. Is MacKinnon a defensive ace ? Was Patty Kane a defensive ace when they gave him top-line duty? Come on.

If we wait for Galchy to prove he's great defensively before putting him on the first line, then we're going to waste very good offensive years from him.

this reason

Galchenyuk isn't ready defensively yet to be a center on a top 6 line. He struggles defensively as a winger as it is.

 

[JuicyHam]

Why? DD's line stays intact.

Oh sheet I didn't realize I thought he moved gallagher and didn't put vanek. I must learn to read.

 

[Smokey Thompson]

Unfortunately, he's not ready for the defensive responsibilities of being a top 6 center. I'm not saying DD is responsible defensively, because he's not. You just can't have two centers that are one dimensional.

Galch is doing fine on LW for now and has been playing 15 minutes since coming back from injury. As long as he keeps getting ES and PP minutes, he'll be fine. Also, moving him to center means moving Eller to LW where he looked horrible.

Its also about time Plek gets a skilled goal scorer on his line. Remember what happened last time he had a skilled right handed LW on his line?

 

[Stripper]

Start Galchenyuk on the 3rd line... give him easy minutes... the easier it'll be for him at first... the easier the transition will be to become a first line center.

 

[JAVO16]

Nope, he doesn't need to.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

I think next season we should start seeing Galchenyuk play C at least occasionally.

Must it be done right now down the stretch? Not really.

 

[hockeyfan2k11]

Don't worry. Eller will get movedand Galchenyuk will take his spot on the 3rd line.

 

[Justin11]

I think it's ok for him to finish this season as a winger but I think next season will be time to place him at center. The coach will have to live with his mistakes, that is the only way he will learn and gain some experience.

 

[habitue*]

I think it's ok for him to finish this season as a winger but I think next season will be time to place him at center. The coach will have to live with his mistakes, that is the only way he will learn and gain some experience.

If Eller is moved on the wing or traded, Galchy will have a chance to play center. Otherwise....

 

[Milhouse40]

Galchenyuk is not good enough defensively

1- He won't learned that by playing wings.
2- But he is good enough to play on our top shutdown line with Plek who face top opposition nights in, nights out?
3- If we take all his games at center in the NHL, Galchenyuk is +7
4- Desharnais isn't any better and he's doing the job....and Galchenyuk was considered a 2-way center in the minors...DD never had this skills.

Galchenyuk can't win a faceoff

1- Here again, he won't learn anything about faceoff on the wings.
2- 72 FO wins against 103 FO lost....not that terrible for a guy who don't practice faceoff for 2 years.He would've won 15 FO more...he would be at 50%..
3- Never forget, sometimes loosing the faceoff is part of the plan...like on Gionta's goal last night.

Galchenyuk is ready to center a line....IF we sheltered him like we did when he started with the Habs last year (have been playing center for the first 14-15 games)...but somebody wasn't able to produce without being sheltered....

 

[LyricalLyricist]

If Eller is moved on the wing or traded, Galchy will have a chance to play center. Otherwise....

I'm not sure what to think about trading Eller. If Eller+ is packaged for a better player it's hard to argue but hate to trade him for nothing.

 

[Justin11]

I'm not sure what to think about trading Eller. If Eller+ is packaged for a better player it's hard to argue but hate to trade him for nothing.

Maybe for a decent winger with some potential.

 

[Devourers]

I'm tired of hearing people say Galchenyuk isn't ready. He's never going to be ready unless he's given chances to actually play at center now and then. I'm not saying miss the playoffs as a result, just give him some games now and then. It isn't like we have perfect chemistry across all lines.

That being said, adding Vanek does give us a few more options, but I see MT doing this:

Vanek-Plekanec-Gionta
Pacioretty-Desharnais-Gallagher
Bourque-Eller-Galchenyuk
Prust/Moen/White/Weise/etc

I wouldn't mind:

Vanek-Desharnais-Pacioretty
Gally-Eller-Galchy
Bourque-Plekanec-Gionta (3rd line checking line)
The Rest

I do think Plek is getting to the point where he would be an amazing 3rd line center who can swap into the 2nd line for Eller until Eller actually starts to play well again.

Honestly... I know MB will find a way to **** this up

Imagine this on the PP

Patch-Desharnais-Vanek
Markov-Subban

Vanek in front of the net making room for Davey and Patch. Tipping pucks in from the point left and right.