Lars Eller Appreciation thread (the first of many for this season)

Kriss E

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May 3, 2007
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It's not one game though...it was the entire series vs the Sens last year, it was also pretty much the 2nd half of last year, and the 2nd half of the year prior as well (though that was the season we finished last and he was stuck playing many games with Blunden/Moen/Darche)

Also, i've never said that Eller makes or will make Plekanec useless...Plekanec is a very useful player.

But he can play MUCH better than he has recently...

Plekanec is the last guy that needs to be criticized. Instead of signing a guy that could complement him well this summer, we get a dead midget to go with DD.
 

Lebowski

El Duderino
Dec 5, 2010
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I think we could flip DD to an offensively starved team like Nashville, Phoenix or Florida for good assets.

I don't disagree with the idea of your post, but saying DD could bring back "assets" is pushing it. :laugh:

I really liked him two years ago, but he need to figure some stuff out now. At least, if we keep him on the team, I'd like Therrien not to freely give him ice-time that could be better used on the EGG line, which is underutilized in my opinion.
 

kernkraft

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Jul 8, 2006
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The idea that once you have a two-way center that you are better off with an purely offensive center instead of another two-way center is completly wrong. Being a two-way player doesn't mean you are not as offensively gifted as a purely offensive player. If you gave Plekanec Desharnais's role/linemates he would put up more points than Desharnais. The two-way label is in addition to being an offensive player.

Yes, like I said, it's not ideal. Ideally you'd have all players excellent at two-way play (sort of like Detroit). But we don't, so I'm suggesting a possibility once Galchenyuk makes the permanent move to C. If we don't care about the handedness, we could always go with Eller, Plekanec, Galchenyuk, White/Whoever.
 

417

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Plekanec is the last guy that needs to be criticized. Instead of signing a guy that could complement him well this summer, we get a dead midget to go with DD.

Completely disagree, he needs to be held as accountable, if not more, than anyone else amongst the forwards...I expect more out of Plekanec. He CAN play much better than he has for the Habs the last year and a half.

I don't expect a lot out of a guy like Desharnais. That way i'm never disappointed.
 

Sorinth

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Jan 18, 2013
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Yes, like I said, it's not ideal. Ideally you'd have all players excellent at two-way play (sort of like Detroit). But we don't, so I'm suggesting a possibility once Galchenyuk makes the permanent move to C. If we don't care about the handedness, we could always go with Eller, Plekanec, Galchenyuk, White/Whoever.

Handeness is often overrated. Skill/Talent will trump it every time.

Are we that far off from having all our top-3 centers being excellent two-way players? Plekanec is already one, Eller is arguably there as well (A little untested), and Galchenyuk has shown signs of having it in him (Probably a few years away) so it's not that far fetched.
 

417

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Handeness is often overrated. Skill/Talent will trump it every time.

Are we that far off from having all our top-3 centers being excellent two-way players? Plekanec is already one, Eller is arguably there as well (A little untested), and Galchenyuk has shown signs of having it in him (Probably a few years away) so it's not that far fetched.

it'll be a long few years as long as Galchenyuk keeps playing wing...

Also, I said it this offseason, but Eller needs an increase in responsibility...he's earned it.

I think a big reason of why the Habs had so much success in the first half last year was because the coaching staff made every player accountable (including Eller)...they got away from that in the 2nd half and a lot of complacency set in for certain players.

This year...it seems like it hasn't changed.

Speaking honestly, Lars Eller is probably the best center the Habs have right now...at least, he's the one playing the best and he has since last year.
 
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Sorinth

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Completely disagree, he needs to be held as accountable, if not more, than anyone else amongst the forwards...I expect more out of Plekanec. He CAN play much better than he has for the Habs the last year and a half.

I don't expect a lot out of a guy like Desharnais. That way i'm never disappointed.

If you want more out of Plekanec then you need to change his role. When you're given the almost all the defensive responsibilities, average linemates, and are the 2nd option for the prime offensive opportunities it's going to hurt. Put Pacioretty with him, and give him a more offensive role and he'll go back to scoring 70 points.
 

Runner77

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Jun 24, 2012
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Looked great last night.

Pretty simple and it captures it -- I had the worst fears of how last season's end might have impacted him. I know it's just one game but to see him go full throttle like that with no apparent limitations, that's the biggest sigh of relief. Looking forward to seeing him progress further.
 

Sorinth

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Jan 18, 2013
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it'll be a long few years as long as he keeps playing center...

Also, I said it this offseason, but Eller needs an increase in responsibility...he's earned it.

I think a big reason of why the Habs had so much success in the first half last year was because the coaching staff made every player accountable (including Eller)...they got away from that in the 2nd half and a lot of complacency set in for certain players.

This year...it seems like it hasn't changed.

Speaking honestly, Lars Eller is probably the best center the Habs have right now...at least, he's the one playing the best and he has since last year.

Eller has absolutely earned the 2nd line spot. Eller is still getting semi-soft mintues, and is not the focus of the other teams defensive mission. He has to prove that he can still score going up against the oppositions "shutdown" lines before I'm ready to anoint him as our best center. But the only way for him to do that is to be given a bigger role.
 

417

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Eller has absolutely earned the 2nd line spot. Eller is still getting semi-soft mintues, and is not the focus of the other teams defensive mission. He has to prove that he can still score going up against the oppositions "shutdown" lines before I'm ready to anoint him as our best center. But the only way for him to do that is to be given a bigger role.

Well exactly...he needs the opportunity

The same opportunity the coaching staff repeatedly gives to Desharnais & Plekanec
 

Sorinth

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Well exactly...he needs the opportunity

The same opportunity the coaching staff repeatedly gives to Desharnais & Plekanec

One of those players is not like the other. Plekanec produces well given his opportunities, when you start the play in your own zone, have average linemates and tasked with shutting down the opponents best lines it's unrealistic to expect you to score more than 50-60 points.

Eller needs offensive opportunities and PP time, that should come at the expense of the guy who isn't producing.
 

Habs12max

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Mar 6, 2008
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Why do you care enough to make a post like this? If this thread isn't entertaining to you, you don't have to read it or post here.

Also speaking of constructiveness, how is your post in anyway constructive? :help:

My post is constructive because if people read what I'm saying and realize that they are not really adding substance to something, they will hold their hands and stop saying (typing) the same thing as everyone over and over again.
 
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ottawa

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Can he start playing like it?

Wow, it's been one regular season game :shakehead

One game =/= rest of season

I'm no fan of Plekanec (i still like him) but the guy has been our most productive center year in year out despite the midgets and deadweights he gets stuck with (Darche and Gomez at one point, wtf is that) and he's used in every game situation, so he had a bad first game, didn't a lot of other players on the habs and across the league?

Also you brought up the sens series...exactly who played well that series? Anderson shut down our whole offense
 

Milhouse40

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Aug 19, 2010
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Wow, it's been one regular season game :shakehead

One game =/= rest of season

I'm no fan of Plekanec (i still like him) but the guy has been our most productive center year in year out despite the midgets and deadweights he gets stuck with (Darche and Gomez at one point, wtf is that) and he's used in every game situation, so he had a bad first game, didn't a lot of other players on the habs and across the league?

Also you brought up the sens series...exactly who played well that series? Anderson shut down our whole offense

I think Plekanec just lost one of his parents , didn't he?
 

HabsSlappy

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Jul 30, 2005
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I cannot wait until we have Galchenyuk, Plekanec and Eller as our top 3 centres. With Pleks being the wiley veteran who can still get it done (kind of like Alfredsson) and Gally & Eller in their primes. That is the kind of depth down the middle that wins cups ladies and gentlemen. Probably 2 years away until we see this, but I am very pumped for the possibilities. Throw Patches and Gallagher on the wings with some up and comers like Collberg, De La Rose and McCarron in 3rd and 4th line roles and sign one or two strong scoring wingers and we are laughing.

I ramble when I get ahead of myself...
 

417

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Wow, it's been one regular season game :shakehead

One game =/= rest of season

I'm no fan of Plekanec (i still like him) but the guy has been our most productive center year in year out despite the midgets and deadweights he gets stuck with (Darche and Gomez at one point, wtf is that) and he's used in every game situation, so he had a bad first game, didn't a lot of other players on the habs and across the league?

Also you brought up the sens series...exactly who played well that series? Anderson shut down our whole offense
I wasn't specifically talking about 1 game...but keep ignoring that

anyways...this thread isn't about Plekanec, it's about Eller

Here's hoping he starts getting more responsibility
 

Lions999

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Jun 28, 2011
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Completely disagree, he needs to be held as accountable, if not more, than anyone else amongst the forwards...I expect more out of Plekanec. He CAN play much better than he has for the Habs the last year and a half.

I don't expect a lot out of a guy like Desharnais. That way i'm never disappointed.

Yes but when he plays the most of any center on the team then its disappointing. If DD played Eller minutes yesterday and Eller played DD minutes yesterday it probably would have meant a win for the Habs. :shakehead
 

ECWHSWI

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Oct 27, 2006
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Completely disagree, he needs to be held as accountable, if not more, than anyone else amongst the forwards...I expect more out of Plekanec. He CAN play much better than he has for the Habs the last year and a half.

I don't expect a lot out of a guy like Desharnais. That way i'm never disappointed.

one plays with Briere and Patches, the other with Bourque and Gionta (who has both biceps injured last two seasons - great for a "sniper"!!!)...

and yet you expect the C playing with 3rd liners to do better than the C playing with top 6 wingers...
 

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