In hindsight, should Galchenyuk have started off at C in the OHL/AHL?

[Habs100]

Hindsight is 20/20. What's done is done.

But looking back can provide insight for the future.

Should Galchyenyuk have started off his career in the OHL/AHL as a center, instead of in the NHL on the wing?

He was a capable winger in the NHL, putting up top six numbers as a winger. But he hasn't developed the defense side of the center position at all. And now, we're starving for quality centers.

If he had managed to learn the two-way center position in the OHL/AHL, he would be a much better asset now.

So it comes down to: is he just not talented enough to be a two-way center? Or, could he have learned through trial and error in the OHL/AHL?

In hindsight, I would have rathered given him 1, 2, 3 years in the OHL/AHL to learn the craft. Having him as a quality two-way center would be a huge boost to our team now and for the next 10 years. Heck, even if he never learned the position, it would have been worth the try. Top six center's are extremely difficult to acquire.

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[WeThreeKings]

He wasn't eligible for the AHL.

So, no.

When the Habs sent him to Sarnia, they should have done what Tampa did with Drouin, demand their junior team play him at C.

Then, after his rookie season.. they should have stuck him at C, told DD to F off, and lived with his growing pains.

 

[Michelangelo]

He couldn't.

 

[Habs100]

He wasn't eligible for the AHL.

So, no.

When the Habs sent him to Sarnia, they should have done what Tampa did with Drouin, demand their junior team play him at C.

Then, after his rookie season.. they should have stuck him at C, told DD to F off, and lived with his growing pains.

It's easier to say those things about the past. We could just as well say the same thing now about Plekanec. Plekanec is the better two-way center right now and will most probably be the better two-way center this year (although even that is debatable).

But who has the balls to call for Galchenyuk to play at Center instead of Plekanec? It would be much better for the team long term to "let Galchenyuk play through his growing pains" at center now. He's still only 23 years old.

But no one had the balls to do it back then. And no one has the balls to do it now. It's hard to put your lesser players at a position, which will hurt the team short term, when you have 23 other guys expected to work their tails off.

 

[WeThreeKings]

It's easier to say those things about the past. We could just as well say the same thing now about Plekanec. Plekanec is the better two-way center right now and will most probably be the better two-way center this year (although even that is debatable).

But who has the balls to call for Galchenyuk to play at Center instead of Plekanec. It would be much better for the team long term to "let Galchenyuk play through his growing pains" at center now. He's still only 23 years old.

But no one had the balls to do it back then. And no one has the balls to do it now. It's hard to put your lesser players at a position, which will hurt the team short term, when you have 23 other guys expected to work their tails off.

Desharnais was an extremely flawed and atrocious hockey player. There were tons of times where he went on extreme cold spells and they still didn't put Galchenyuk in his place.

If you want to be successful and you want to groom your supposed prospective #1 Center, you don't sit him behind an ineffective player and never give him the chance.

It's lacking extreme vision to do it the way that MB/MT did it.

 

[Habs100]

Mods - can you edit the poll question to say:

Should Galchenyuk have started off at C in the OHL/AHL?

 

[Habs100]

Desharnais was an extremely flawed and atrocious hockey player. There were tons of times where he went on extreme cold spells and they still didn't put Galchenyuk in his place.

If you want to be successful and you want to groom your supposed prospective #1 Center, you don't sit him behind an ineffective player and never give him the chance.

It's lacking extreme vision to do it the way that MB/MT did it.

Ok, so what about now? Are you willing to put Galchenyuk at center over Plekanec? Plekanec has no offense left 5 on 5. Nothing. Every player that plays with him doesn't produce.

 

[Kriss E]

It's easier to say those things about the past. We could just as well say the same thing now about Plekanec. Plekanec is the better two-way center right now and will most probably be the better two-way center this year (although even that is debatable).

But who has the balls to call for Galchenyuk to play at Center instead of Plekanec? It would be much better for the team long term to "let Galchenyuk play through his growing pains" at center now. He's still only 23 years old.

But no one had the balls to do it back then. And no one has the balls to do it now. It's hard to put your lesser players at a position, which will hurt the team short term, when you have 23 other guys expected to work their tails off.

I'm not sure what you are talking about in terms of "having the balls"..

Galchenyuk was good enough to go straight to the NHL. In 12-13, we had Plekanec-DD-Eller as our top three centers. Galchenyuk comes in as a young 19yo rookie. It made complete sense to use him at wing that year. Let him get a feel of the NHL on the wing with less responsibilities. That was fine.

Where Bergevin completely messed up was when he extended DD. He had no reason to do that really. Plekanec was here, Eller was having a strong season showing more offensive upside than previously, and we had Galchenyuk that needed a spot at center in the coming seasons.
Making the POs that season wasn't much of a priority, evaluating and rebuilding the team were. He could have traded DD or simply let him walk.
We then would have been able to move Galchenyuk to center, on a 3rd line, moving Eller up to the 2nd center spot. Bergevin should have focused on bringing in some help on the wing to better support those guys.
This would have given Eller a chance and management a better idea of whethere he would be able to cut it as a 2nd center, all the while keeping Plek as #1 and Galch slowly developing at center on the 3rd line in a sheltered role.

That was such an obvious and easy path to take. I really do not understand how they chose not to do this. This isn't using hindsight either, many of us were discussing this back then too.

 

[LaP]

He was ready for the NHL. No point for him playing in the AHL. People must stop with this AHL is necessary for all players nonsense like if the AHL would be a magical league. This is becoming ridiculous. Talented players for the most part start in the NHL day one and don't play in the AHL. People always talk about the Wings to justify this position yet what did the Wings develop since Datsyuk and Zet? And both Datsyuk and Zet did not play in the AHL. Neither did Lidstrom or Yzerman or Fedorov. Primeau barely played in the AHL half a season. Lapointe played two half seasons there only.

What we should have done is after the 1st year we should have evaluated AG and determined if he was a winger or a center. A GM with his scouts (pro and junior) should be able to determine that. If he is a center then after his first season you move him at center on a 3rd line or 2nd line and you move either Eller or DD to the wing (or trade). If he's a winger then you trade him for a center after the 1st season when he still had a great value.

No need for hindsight BTW i've been saying that since day 1. Using AG on a 2nd line's LW behind patch was stupid imo. Can't expect much more than 40-50 points from a 2nd line LW (2nd PP wave) playing with 3rd line centers. LeClair was not doing more that that when he was used in that role.

 

[Deebs]

Ideally, he should've stayed in junior, then spent a couple of years in the A, but none of that was in the cards.

 

[LaP]

Desharnais was an extremely flawed and atrocious hockey player.

Defensively speaking he was worse than Subban yet management never called him out for it. I think i've seen him backcheck to the bench to be replaced by either Eller or Plekanec when the other team was on a breakaway at least 10 times. Eller or Plekanec got -1 for no reason all the time.

 

[LaP]

Ideally, he should've stayed in junior, then spent a couple of years in the A, but none of that was in the cards.

He was too skilled for that.

 

[1909]

He was too skilled for that.

Galchenyuk was already playing RW in his last half season in Sarnia. How come ? The coach found out is was better suited for that position, I guess.

 

[LaP]

That was such an obvious and easy path to take. I really do not understand how they chose not to do this. This isn't using hindsight either, many of us were discussing this back then too.

The faith this management had in DD will always remain a mystery. I don't dislike DD but really he was not a top 6 center and we had no place for him on a 3rd line. It took 4 years for the management to realize that. At this point it's not even incompetence it's fanaticism.

 

[1909]

The faith this management had in DD will always remain a mystery. I don't dislike DD but really he was not a top 6 center and we had no place for him on a 3rd line. It took 4 years for the management to realize that. At this point it's not even incompetence it's fanaticism.

The last two seasons he was playing on bottom six most of the time. Be honest !

 

[WeThreeKings]

Ok, so what about now? Are you willing to put Galchenyuk at center over Plekanec? Plekanec has no offense left 5 on 5. Nothing. Every player that plays with him doesn't produce.

I'd be trying Galchenyuk and Drouin at center. If they both show positive signs, then I would decide between Danault or Plekanec to put on the LW of one of them.

Pacioretty-Drouin-Gallagher
Plekanec/Danault-Galchenyuk-Lehkonen
Hudon-Plekanec/Danault-Hemsky/Byron
Byron/DLR-Mitchell-Shaw

 

[Bieber fever]

The sooner you accept galchenyuk will not be a center the better

 

[kalessin]

I'm sick of the obsession with two way centers. Our top scoring center doesn't need to also be Bob Gainey in his own end. We have plenty of two way guys. What's wrong with a C who focuses on offense?

 

[1909]

I'm sick of the obsession with two way centers. Our top scoring center doesn't need to also be Bob Gainey in his own end. We have plenty of two way guys. What's wrong with a C who focuses on offense?

We are not in the 70's, 80's or 90's anymore. All the real very good excellent centerman nowadays are playing good to great at both sides of the rink. They are also for most of them excellent skaters.

 

[NobleSix]

He should have started playing center in his 2nd year in Montreal. Waiting nearly 4 years to give him his first real shot at center was ****ing stupid no matter how you try to spin it.

 

[habalifeok]

In my mind Mark Scheifele is somewhat of a comparable( talent wise). Surprisingly he was sent down first 2 years after being drafted.
Now he has progressed but is still striving to be the best. He has a personal trainer,skills coach and chef. He has confidence.
Galchenyuk went straight to NHL after missing last year of junior due to injury. Look at last year. After injury he was less effective. A short stint in junior would have been more beneficial than jumping into NHL like that.
That being said, glad he is a Hab and the chips will eventually fall. When they do I expect he will be an integral part of the Habs,regardless of position.

 

[ArtPeur]

Galchenyuk was already playing RW in his last half season in Sarnia. How come ? The coach found out is was better suited for that position, I guess.

He started at C with Goldobin though

Galchenyuk-Sarrault-Yakupov on the first line was a bigger threat to opposing teams than whoever played wing on that line

 

[MXD]

I have some issues with the question being asked (as it is), for reasons mostly already covered.

 

[MXD]

I'm sick of the obsession with two way centers. Our top scoring center doesn't need to also be Bob Gainey in his own end. We have plenty of two way guys. What's wrong with a C who focuses on offense?

Well, if the said C is a 55-60 pts/yr player, that's an issue.

 

[scrubadam]

The sooner you accept galchenyuk will not be a center the better

agree.

Need to stop with trying to stick a square peg in a round hole. And just because we would of put him at C 2 or 3 or 4 years ago doesn't mean he would of excelled and become great at it.

I mean why not should we have sent Max to the CHL and forced him at C. Why not? Max would be that big scoring 1st line C fans crave. Just put him at C and voila problem solved right?

2012 was not a very good draft, lucky we landed a player like AG. could of had Yakupov or Murray!

What should of been done actually is traded AG/3rd pick for a real number 1 C. Could we have gotten Seguin/RyJo somehow for AG?