How would you like Center time partitioned between Danault, Suzuki, Kotkaniemi, Domi, etc?

[cphabs]

What about Drouin? He’s a center! That was why we traded Sergachev for him. We needed a center and Drouin magically appeared!

 

[NewEraGM]

Pretty clear Poehling is the odd man out. I don’t like him on the wing and no room for him at centre. He’s not a top 6 centre. He has potential to be a 3C and we have those coming out of our wing wang. He should be included in trade imo

 

[The Real Timo]

What I would really like is for the Habs to have a legitimate number 1 and number 2 center now (and stop making not top 2 centers into top 2 centers) ... not in the future... not in the prospects... not some magically transformed winger... no. A legit #1 and #2 - a-la Bergeron, O'Reilly, Tavares, Barkov, etc... (not dreaming about McDavid here etc...)

 

[Sorinth]

You don’t move a Selke candidate from center so you can play someone who’s had one good season in his place. I keep my elite players in their positions and Domi hasn’t proven me anything yet.

How many Selke seasons has Danault had?

 

[Omar]

How many Selke seasons has Danault had?

he’s got votes, if that’s your point, GTFO

He’s the best center we have and until that changes, I’m not moving him from center and it’s a stupid idea to consider it.

 

[cphabs]

he’s got votes, if that’s your point, GTFO

He’s the best center we have and until that changes, I’m not moving him from center and it’s a stupid idea to consider it.

I think most people are frustrated as to why he is our 1st line center.

 

[Lebowski]

I’d simply have Domi on the wing and KK is hopefully left in the AHL until he regains confidence and becomes dominant offensively.

Then, Suzuki and KK can share top 6 offensive duties and leave tough match-ups to Danault as a deluxe 3rd line center.

 

[abo9]

Suzuki should get our top offensive wingers.
Danault should get the tough defensive match-ups.
Domi plays 3C and is used on an exploitation line.

Kotkaniemi is sent to the AHL to continue to develop his game and only comes up when the AHL is a joke and he is able to implicate himself on the game rather than being a passenger.

One Kotkaniemi succeeds, he plays the second line role. Danault moves down. Domi moves to wing or is traded for help on defense.

That nails it. Some think that we have too many centers, but in reality, we 're just starting to build a pipeline. Fortunately, Suzuki showed very encouraging signs last season, giving us some much needed offensive spark alongside Domi.

 

[Omar]

I think most people are frustrated as to why he is our 1st line center.

Well it’s because our other players haven’t developed into one and there’s no one else. What the heck is he supposed to do lol whoever is frustrated has no clue.

 

[OB5]

This is a great question.

You can't dismiss the chemistry that Tatat-Danault-Gallagher has but there's no doubt that Danault is not a 1C on a cup team. Ideally you want one of the other 3 with those two wingers....but they may not be the best fits for a variety of reasons.

I do think Domi is most effective at C but where does he slot in? You want to give Suzuki and KK C time because they're the future....but so is Domi.

If I was paid 5 mil a year to solve this problem I'm sure I'd be able to do it.

 

[Omar]

This is a great question.

You can't dismiss the chemistry that Tatat-Danault-Gallagher has but there's no doubt that Danault is not a 1C on a cup team. Ideally you want one of the other 3 with those two wingers....but they may not be the best fits for a variety of reasons.

I do think Domi is most effective at C but where does he slot in? You want to give Suzuki and KK C time because they're the future....but so is Domi.

If I was paid 5 mil a year to solve this problem I'm sure I'd be able to do it.

There are multiple options:

1. Play Domi on the wing and run with Suzuki / KK / Danault.
2. Shift Suzuki to the wing and run with Domi / KK / Danault.
3. Trade Domi for defense and run with Suzuki / KK / Danault.

Truth be told, I'd rather keep Domi given his age / feistyness and trade Tatar. We need to open up wing positions for some guys with size. Someone's gotta go.

 

[OB5]

There are multiple options:

1. Play Domi on the wing and run with Suzuki / KK / Danault.
2. Shift Suzuki to the wing and run with Domi / KK / Danault.
3. Trade Domi for defense and run with Suzuki / KK / Danault.

Truth be told, I'd rather keep Domi given his age / feistyness and trade Tatar. We need to open up wing positions for some guys with size. Someone's gotta go.

The time to trade Tatar was this past deadline when he still had some term left to yield maximum value. If he's moved as a rental they will get less...but still probably a decent amount.

Suzuki was better than Domi as a C this year, you have to run him there moving forward that's his future as the 1/2C.

I think you run Suzuki/KK/Danault and work with Domi to figure out how he can be an effective winger.

 

[HBDay]

I came here for the Danault hate and was actually a little disappointed!

So I'll just drop my two cents.

Danault is not a first line center, I think we can all agree on that. Can he fill that spot time to time if our imaginary first line center was injured, for sure.

Suzuki just might be that imaginary first line center.

Moving Danault to wing is complete nonsense in my opinion. He's a center. And a decent one at that.

 

[Sorinth]

he’s got votes, if that’s your point, GTFO

He’s the best center we have and until that changes, I’m not moving him from center and it’s a stupid idea to consider it.

So did Backlund, Cirelli, Bonino, Cizikis, Faksa, Foligno, Soderberg, Richardson, Derek Ryan, Tanev, and Zajac. Getting votes isn't really that impressive.

Domi's 2018-2019 season was much more impressive then Danault's despite being a "Selke" candidate. So no Danault wasn't and isn't our best center.

 

[admiralcadillac]

I'd like Desharnais please. Have him play 40-60 minutes a game.

 

[Sorinth]

I came here for the Danault hate and was actually a little disappointed!

So I'll just drop my two cents.

Danault is not a first line center, I think we can all agree on that. Can he fill that spot time to time if our imaginary first line center was injured, for sure.

Suzuki just might be that imaginary first line center.

Moving Danault to wing is complete nonsense in my opinion. He's a center. And a decent one at that.

He's a good to very good 2nd line center. But at the end of the day if the team is going to compete for the cup we need more then a good 2nd line center because the teams we are going to go up against have two #1 centers, which means Danault at center will be a weakness in a head to head matchup.

That's why we should see if he can be an effective winger. There's no future where we are a contender and he's one of our top-6 centers. And he's going to get paid well on his next contract (Deservedly so), but you also can't pay big bucks for a third line shutdown center so there is simply no place for Danault at center unless all we want is to fight for a playoff spot with no real chance of ever winning.

On the other hand if he can successfully transition to wing then he becomes an asset that brings us closer to being a contender.

 

[Supersonic]

I came here for the Danault hate and was actually a little disappointed!

So I'll just drop my two cents.

Danault is not a first line center, I think we can all agree on that. Can he fill that spot time to time if our imaginary first line center was injured, for sure.

Suzuki just might be that imaginary first line center.

Moving Danault to wing is complete nonsense in my opinion. He's a center. And a decent one at that.

I agree we simply don’t have any other players with Danault’s skillset so for me he is the Habs first priority next offseason. It makes much more sense to let him be that elite 3C while KK/Suzuki take offensive roles as long as we can find them quality linemates.

In the crazy scenario we get Lafreniere, move Domi for a top 15 pick or LHD.

I think KK would be way better off next year as Laval’s 1C because I still think they should be patient with him

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Pretty clear Poehling is the odd man out. I don’t like him on the wing and no room for him at centre. He’s not a top 6 centre. He has potential to be a 3C and we have those coming out of our wing wang. He should be included in trade imo

Only if we see him strictly as a C. He could be two-way winger who combines size and skating and who complements Caufield along with whichever center is setting him up to shoot. While also being serviceable offensively (somewhere between the beastly player who opened his NHL account with a hat-trick and what we had this past season). Someone along the lines of Jere Lehtinen. The real point is, we don't know yet. It's too early to know with this player. I'd hate to sell low on him right now. There is no hurry in my opinion.

 

[Omar]

So did Backlund, Cirelli, Bonino, Cizikis, Faksa, Foligno, Soderberg, Richardson, Derek Ryan, Tanev, and Zajac. Getting votes isn't really that impressive.

Domi's 2018-2019 season was much more impressive then Danault's despite being a "Selke" candidate. So no Danault wasn't and isn't our best center.

Domi has played there for one year and had a poor season this year compared to last. It’s obvious you just don’t like Danault so it’s pointless having a conversation with you.

 

[Be a Hab]

What I would really like is for the Habs to have a legitimate number 1 and number 2 center now (and stop making not top 2 centers into top 2 centers) ... not in the future... not in the prospects... not some magically transformed winger... no. A legit #1 and #2 - a-la Bergeron, O'Reilly, Tavares, Barkov, etc... (not dreaming about McDavid here etc...)

And how do you think the likes of Bergeron and O'Reilly turned into number 1 centers? They were once prospects, they developed and are now number 1 centers. These things take time, we have two promising center prospects in KK and Suzuki, which is something we haven't had in a long time.

 

[26Mats]

And how do you think the likes of Bergeron and O'Reilly turned into number 1 centers? They were once prospects, they developed and are now number 1 centers. These things take time, we have two promising center prospects in KK and Suzuki, which is something we haven't had in a long time.

If there's hockey next year, KK better play the whole year in Laval. It's his last chance to get development time outside of the NHL. After that he has to pass through waivers.

 

[Uwey]

I have not posted in a long, long time, but IMHO, the Habs are in a great position at center at this point in the leagues cap era. In Danault, Suzuki, Kotkaniemi, Poehling & Evans, all of who are natural centerman with NHL potential. This without even mentioning Domi or Drouin. That is seven guys who are capable of playing center in this this league with the oldest being 27 yrs old. WOW!!! This is a riches this team has not experienced in a several of decades.

If we stop to think about how the cap era NHL is evolving, it is becoming less about lines numbered 1 through 4, as it is about having four solid lines that can play every night.

I would not touch the Danault line, if it is working, don't mess with it.

As for Suzuki, well there is talk of Kovalchuk signing again with the Habs to a favorable contract & Dallas is in a bit of a cap bind, so Radulov maybe able to be had for less than market value. Imagine for a moment Suzuki playing his sophomore season with these two extremely savvy, far above intelligent veterans, what a great experience that could be for the kid.

You then team the creative Kotkaniemi, being flanked by the talented bulldog of Domi on one wing & the smooth skating, defensively sound, with the soft hands of Armia on the other & this gives the Habs three very sound lines.

Round out the last line with Drouin, who from the time I watched him play with the Moose, even along side of Nate, he always seemed to be a guy who needed the puck, hold onto the puck & create the play himself. So I see him on one wing with Lehkonen on the other being centered by either Poehling or Evans, all of whom are capable defenders & you then have another capable NHL line.

 

[Sorinth]

Domi has played there for one year and had a poor season this year compared to last. It’s obvious you just don’t like Danault so it’s pointless having a conversation with you.

Go check out my posts in the Danault thread, I've defended him time and again because contrary to what you believe I actually do like Danault and think he's a good player. The whole reason I want to move him to wing is because I like him and think he's a good player.

But you're right that it's pointless to debate this with you because unlike you I've provided actual arguments to support my point whereas you simply state an opinion without anything backing it up, nor do you even provide reasons why you think my arguments are wrong.

 

[Omar]

Go check out my posts in the Danault thread, I've defended him time and again because contrary to what you believe I actually do like Danault and think he's a good player. The whole reason I want to move him to wing is because I like him and think he's a good player.

But you're right that it's pointless to debate this with you because unlike you I've provided actual arguments to support my point whereas you simply state an opinion without anything backing it up, nor do you even provide reasons why you think my arguments are wrong.

Stop being a fool. He’s the best center we currently have so there’s no need to move him. End of story.

 

[Omar]

I came here for the Danault hate and was actually a little disappointed!

So I'll just drop my two cents.

Danault is not a first line center, I think we can all agree on that. Can he fill that spot time to time if our imaginary first line center was injured, for sure.

Suzuki just might be that imaginary first line center.

Moving Danault to wing is complete nonsense in my opinion. He's a center. And a decent one at that.

Thank you