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

[kalessin]

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

While being totally mismanaged. No reason he couldn't put up 70-75 if he was allowed to play his game. That ship may have sailed now.

In an ideal world centers would be solid defensively - sure. But I'm not willing to throw away offense for the sake of two way play. That's the kind of thinking that's gotten us exactly nowhere.

I also have a bigger issue with our culture of punishing young players who fail instead of letting them learn from mistakes.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I thought he should be in the minors when 2013 started but he showed that he was NHL ready. I don't have a problem with us bringing him up right away. But we definitely screwed him up under Therrien.

 

[Price is Wright]

The problem was 2013-2014.

The team had Desharnais, Plekanec, and Eller as centres already. The team seemed to want Eller to one day replace Plekanec so they had him as a third line defensive forward. They also just re-signed DD to a four year deal, and Plekanec was the guy expected to do the heavy lifting on the road.

What they should have done was:

- Convert David Desharnais into a left winger
- Not sign Danny Briere
- Sign Jaromir Jagr

That would allow the club to go with

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Jagr
Desharnais - Galchenyuk - Gallagher
Bourque - Eller - Gionta
Prust - White - Parros

In doing so, DD would be able to play full offence and take the occasional defensive zone faceoff while Galchenyuk has two skilled wingers. The top line would be more than fine with their responsibilities, and Gionta would be effective on the third line.

Instead, the team double downed on Desharnais as a centre for multiple seasons while Galchenyuk struggled to get proper minutes at centre. The effectiveness of that lineup is you basically run a 2A/2B where it's okay if Eller's line gets a few more minutes due to effective offensive play. But at the same time, Galchenyuk learns his role at centre early enough to develop faceoff skills and the speed/tempo of top six hockey.

 

[Habs100]

The problem was 2013-2014.

The team had Desharnais, Plekanec, and Eller as centres already. The team seemed to want Eller to one day replace Plekanec so they had him as a third line defensive forward. They also just re-signed DD to a four year deal, and Plekanec was the guy expected to do the heavy lifting on the road.

What they should have done was:

- Convert David Desharnais into a left winger
- Not sign Danny Briere
- Sign Jaromir Jagr

That would allow the club to go with

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Jagr
Desharnais - Galchenyuk - Gallagher
Bourque - Eller - Gionta
Prust - White - Parros

In doing so, DD would be able to play full offence and take the occasional defensive zone faceoff while Galchenyuk has two skilled wingers. The top line would be more than fine with their responsibilities, and Gionta would be effective on the third line.

Instead, the team double downed on Desharnais as a centre for multiple seasons while Galchenyuk struggled to get proper minutes at centre. The effectiveness of that lineup is you basically run a 2A/2B where it's okay if Eller's line gets a few more minutes due to effective offensive play. But at the same time, Galchenyuk learns his role at centre early enough to develop faceoff skills and the speed/tempo of top six hockey.

Are you someone who wants Galchenyuk to play center right now? I hope you are.

It's easy to say after a season that we should have lived with his shortcomings at center for the future benefits.

But are you willing to suffer through his defensive lapses this year? He should be a much better center this year than as a rookie.

 

[Habs100]

I thought he should be in the minors when 2013 started but he showed that he was NHL ready. I don't have a problem with us bringing him up right away. But we definitely screwed him up under Therrien.

Mods - can you edit the poll question to say:

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

 

[JuicyHam]

I haven't read the rest of the posts in this thread yet but did he not play with Gallagher and Prust at centre for most of his rookie season? Also he would have had to return to junior not the ahl.

 

[Lebowski]

Should have been groomed as a C from his sophomore season and on. That was the obvious move at the time.

But Desharnais was in the way, apparently.

 

[Price is Wright]

But are you willing to suffer through his defensive lapses this year? He should be a much better center this year than as a rookie.

Yes.

Just as everyone needs to be willing to suffer through Drouin's, who is just as bad, maybe worse defensively than Galchenyuk.

 

[1909]

Should have been groomed as a C from his sophomore season and on. That was the obvious move at the time.

But Desharnais was in the way, apparently.

Plekanec and Eller too.

MB and MT were condemned to make the Playoffs in that shortened season. Not to groom a raw rookie out of OHL. Galchy did very well on LW with Eller and Gally. they decided to keep it that way.

 

[Brainiac]

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.

Having Plekanec and Eller as your two top 6 centers is not an obvious path to take. It's better than DD-Plekanec, but still not that good.

 

[Lebowski]

Plekanec and Eller too.

MB and MT were condemned to make the Playoffs in that shortened season. Not to groom a raw rookie out of OHL. Galchy did very well on LW with Eller and Gally. they decided to keep it that way.

I'm talking about his sophomore season.

Plekanec was an established veteran that did all the heavy lifting and produced at a top 6 rate. He was our best center by far.

Eller was coming out of a 30 points season in 46 games at 23 years old with limited PP time. As a young defensively responsible center with a big body, he should have been groomed as Plekanec's replacement from that point on.

And Galchenyuk should have been moved to center permanently by then with easy minutes and a lot of PP time. That was the moment to do it. But the excuse was that he wasn't "responsible enough" defensively. Yet DD was on the first line.

And some people even defended Therrien at the time. Some probably still would today. Mind boggling.

 

[Habs100]

For everyone blaming Therrien and Desharnais:

When Claude Julien came in he put Galchenyuk at center. Shortly after that, he was back on the wing. Julien didn't do that because he liked Desharnais: he got rid of Desharnais!

Galchenyuk's only 23. If Julien thought he could develop him into a center it's not too late at all. Julien and Bergevin are making the same call as Therrien and Bergevin made.

Don't tell me it's Therrien's fault because he lost valuable years of development. BS, he's in a better position now to learn the center position because of all his NHL experience. And, the Julien/Bergevin duo are making the choice not to go that route. Their decision has nothing to do with Therrien and Desharnais.

There should be another poll: should Galchenyuk start this season at center and bear his short term defensive short comings as he learns the position?

 

[Lebowski]

For everyone blaming Therrien and Desharnais:

When Claude Julien came in he put Galchenyuk at center. Shortly after that, he was back on the wing. Julien didn't do that because he liked Desharnais: he got rid of Desharnais!

Galchenyuk's only 23. If Julien thought he could develop him into a center it's not too late at all. Julien and Bergevin are making the same call as Therrien and Bergevin made.

Don't tell me it's Therrien's fault because he lost valuable years of development. BS, he's in a better position now to learn the center position because of all his NHL experience. And, the Julien/Bergevin duo are making the choice not to go that route.

Playing a guy up and down the line-up on the wing for FIVE YEARS surely is the optimal way to develop him into a center.

Now that's a brilliant strategy. Gotta wonder how many other teams went into that direction with their young stud center prospects.

Come the **** on now.

 

[Habs100]

Playing a guy up and down the line-up on the wing for FIVE YEARS surely is the optimal way to develop him into a center.

Now that's a brilliant strategy. Gotta wonder how many other teams went into that direction with their young stud center prospects.

Come the **** on now.

Answer this question: would you play Galchenyuk at center this training camp?

If the answer is yes, you should be blaming Julien right now. Galchenyuk still has plenty of time to learn the center position. I still say he's in a better position now than any years past. He's more mature.

If the answer is no, you have no right to blame Therrien for coming to the same conclusion then that you're coming to now.

 

[Lebowski]

Answer this question: would you play Galchenyuk at center this training camp?

If the answer is yes, you should be blaming Julien right now. Galchenyuk still has plenty of time to learn the center position. I still say he's in a better position now than any years past. He's more mature.

If the answer is no, you have no right to blame Therrien.

I sure as hell would play Galchenyuk at center.

How quickly people forgot how he played before busting his knee earlier this season? Or how he ended the season before that?

It took Therrien what, 2 games after Galchenyuk was cleared to play again to demote him, and eventually have him back on the wing?

The entire management of the Galchenyuk situation has been so **** poor since he has been in Montreal. Hard to believe anyone would side with the management on that one, but nothing surprises me anymore. And this isn't hindsight either, the majority of posters around here have been saying the same thing for half a decade now.

As it stands right now, Galchenyuk isn't a center, and he's not a winger either. We have Therrien and Bergevin to thank for that. Two clowns with no long term plan in mind whatsoever.

 

[Habs100]

I sure as hell would play Galchenyuk at center.

How quickly people forgot how he played before busting his knee earlier this season? Or how he ended the season before that?

It took Therrien what, 2 games after Galchenyuk was cleared to play again to demote him, and eventually have him back on the wing?

The entire management of the Galchenyuk situation has been so **** poor since he has been in Montreal. Hard to believe anyone would side with the management on that one, but nothing surprises me anymore. And this isn't hindsight either, the majority of posters around here have been saying the same thing for half a decade now.

As it stands right now, Galchenyuk isn't a center, and he's not a winger either. We have Therrien and Bergevin to thank for that. Two clowns with no long term plan in mind whatsoever.

I agree with everything you said up until the bold part. Two seasons ago, Galchenyuk finished with 30 goals. Then before his injury, he was our best forward.

I suspect his sub par end of season was more due to the lingering effects of his knee injury, not Therrien ruining him. If he was ruined, why was he our best player before he was injured and a 30 goal scorer the year before last?

I too want to see Chucky at center NOW. And I blame the Julien/Bergevin duo for that. Forget Therrien and Desharnais. They're gone. They have nothing to do with our best player to start last season not playing center now.

 

[Lebowski]

I agree with everything you said up until the bold part. Two seasons ago, Galchenyuk finished with 30 goals. Then before his injury, he was our best forward.

I suspect his sub par end of season was more due to the lingering effects of his knee injury, not Therrien ruining him. If he was ruined, why was he our best player before he was injured and a 30 goal scorer the year before last?

I too want to see Chucky at center NOW. And I blame the Julien/Bergevin duo for that. Forget Therrien and Desharnais. They're gone. They have nothing to do with our best player to start last season not playing center now.

They have everything to do with it.

It's 4 years of developmental seasons down the toilet. That's on Therrien, a 100%. I don't blame Desharnais, I blame Therrien's ineptitude.

 

[habfaninvictoria]

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.

Unfortunately what's done is done and instead of Galchenyuk being the #1 center we drafted for, we have a 2nd line winger because, from a development stand point the organization screwed up. ... we're looking at what year 6 for Galchenyuk ... MT favoured DD over Galchenyuk on the first line, when DD wasn't living up to the role. Asking about Pleks is ridiculous because they fill different roles, and always have. Pleks has been the shut down centre (Even when he was putting up good numbers) for a decade. That not Galchenyuk's role, now or ever.

Who knows what would have happened if Galch had a year at C in junior ... he certainly would have dominated .... but would that have tranlated to the NHL .... none of that has anything to do with Pleks

 

[Legend123]

he had a great rookie season. On pace for 50 points or so. What messed him up, other than that major knee injury, was the coach himself. He could have easily been a much more developed player had it not been for the extreme confusing form of coaching directed towards him simply because he was a 'younger' player and had to learn the particular 'correct' way instead of being himself.

 

[Rosso Scuderia]

He should have played C after his rookie season. Plain and simple.

MB giving DD his extension messed everything up. DD was horrible in shortened season and he played all season with Pacioretty so there was absolutely no reason to extent DD. Plekanec, Eller and Galchenyuk all outplayed/outproduced him in that season. Terrible management.

 

[Bacchus1]

He was brought up to early and then the team never committed to him. I would have left him in the minors or played him in the NHL as 2ndC regardless of performance. China house rules.

 

[Kriss E]

Having Plekanec and Eller as your two top 6 centers is not an obvious path to take. It's better than DD-Plekanec, but still not that good.

Yes, it absolutely was obvious. For a team that is supposedly rebuilding through youngsters. We had just drafted a big skilled center as #3 overall who just finished a pretty good rookie year. He needed to be moved to center to slowly groom him into the role.
Eller was coming off a career high season where he showed offensive potential. He was also a big center, drafted 13th overall. DD was a unidimensional small center who benefited from playing with two 30+ goal scorers the previous year and his contract was ending.
Plekanec was our best center.

So yea, it was pretty obvious what we needed to do. It doesn't mean it would be ideal, but we had no pressure to succeed right away. Bring in veteran help like Jagr who could mentor Galchenyuk would have been terrific. At the same time, we would have seen if Eller could really step up when put in a position to blossom offensively, with regular top 6 wingers and PP time.
If it leads to nothing and we missed the POs. So be it. We were in rebuild mode anyways.

 

[PaulD]

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.

Yep.

 

[PaulD]

Plekanec and Eller too.

MB and MT were condemned to make the Playoffs in that shortened season. Not to groom a raw rookie out of OHL. Galchy did very well on LW with Eller and Gally. they decided to keep it that way.

We all know what "they" did.

What some of us think should have happened is the question.

Another year at center (including a world junior tourney) would have been the way to go.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

They have everything to do with it.

It's 4 years of developmental seasons down the toilet. That's on Therrien, a 100%. I don't blame Desharnais, I blame Therrien's ineptitude.

If every somebody says that coaching doesn't matter, Galchenyuk will always be top of mind. I just hate how we stunted this guy. He could've been a mid tier first line center at least.