Line-up idea: Pleks as a LW

[HabsFanJosh]

He was drafted as a winger. Switching him to the wing in exchange for Chuckie could even improve our depth on LW. We'd potentially miss his ability as a shut-down center and his faceoff ability; except we have Eller, who arguably plays a better defensive role than offensive one, and both DD and Eller have gotten better at faceoffs. Then we also have Manny to pick up the slack where Pleks is missing. So in my mind, we really aren't losing anything by switching him to the wing; he's too smart a player to fail.

Potential Lines:

Patches - Chuckie - Gally
Pleks - Eller - Sekac
Bourque- DD - PAP
Prust - Manny - Weise

What are your thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[Mike The Wall]

If the HABS are truthful in wanting to have Alex G as a center man they need to play him in the position now. He needs to make mistakes and learn from them. So I like your idea of moving Pleks to the wing and allowing Eller to center that line. Pleks is not the future Eller is. And I think he will be a great replacement for Pleks

 

[Adriatic]

Yes Pleks on the wing! It's gonna be fun the next time we dump it and the left winger has to be the first one in the corner.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

Lol.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

That's a pretty dumb idea... You don't put your best defensive center on the wing. Just like the Bruins don't play Bergy on the RW, etc. Just makes no sense and there's no benefit to it.

 

[HabsFanJosh]

That's a pretty dumb idea... You don't put your best defensive center on the wing. Just like the Bruins don't play Bergy on the RW, etc. Just makes no sense and there's no benefit to it.

Bruins didn't/ don't have an Eller. They're short on top six centers.

 

[Alexdaman]

Lol.

This x10


Why the hell do everyone want to make drastic and ridiculous change to this lineup. The only things that can move in the front are eller and galch and one of them will be playing at center, end of discussion.

 

[Big Lurk]

Yes Pleks on the wing! It's gonna be fun the next time we dump it and the left winger has to be the first one in the corner.

Well it has been fun for some years now (Briere, Cammaleri, Gionta, Gomez, Desharnais, Gallagher, Weber).

I don't think it would be the main problem.

And as Plekanec is good defensively, he is not God. He still thinks the game as a winger offensively. Cammaleri and Vanek didnt want to play with the guy because he is always getting the tough match ups and because he is not a great set up guy..

I would love it for the simple fact that Therrien would have to start spreading his assigments and defensive zone starts more evenly, and as Pacioretty said himself : "Davey's defensive game is underrated".



I'm with you, bro. Let's think outside the box, just for a minute.


Plekanec Galchenyuk Bourque
Pacioretty Desharnais Parenteau
Sekac Eller Gallagher

 

[HabsFanJosh]

This x10


Why the hell do everyone want to make drastic and ridiculous change to this lineup. The only things that can move in the front are eller and galch and one of them will be playing at center, end of discussion.

Because we didn't win the cup. Also, anything can change. That's the nature of hockey. When you have a 3rd line center playing as your first line center, a top five pick not playing in his natural position, a 3rd line center who's ready to play a bigger role, and 4 centers that can play in your top 6, change is possible. Usually encouraged when you DON'T have a winning season. You think Price would have scored the only goal we needed in game 6 against NYR to tie the game? Would he have put on an encore performance and have become the first goalie to ever score two goals in a game? Hell, why not imagine he'd have been capable of a hatrick.

 

[Redux91]

might as well just trade him for a younger REAL winger... like a lot of us have said all along..

 

[NHLFutureGuy3]

I will just chalk this up to more off season boredom.

 

[HabsFanJosh]

Well it has been fun for some years now (Briere, Cammaleri, Gionta, Gomez, Desharnais, Gallagher, Weber).

I don't think it would be the main problem.

And as Plekanec is good defensively, he is not God. He still thinks the game as a winger offensively. Cammaleri and Vanek didnt want to play with the guy because he is always getting the tough match ups and because he is not a great set up guy..

I would love it for the simple fact that Therrien would have to start spreading his assigments and defensive zone starts more evenly, and as Pacioretty said himself : "Davey's defensive game is underrated".



I'm with you, bro. Let's think outside the box, just for a minute.


Plekanec Galchenyuk Bourque
Pacioretty Desharnais Parenteau
Sekac Eller Gallagher

I'd take Gallagher off the list of players unwilling to battle in corners. He's just small and more prone to lose those battles.

I do like the idea of having Pleks and Eller play on separate lines, but I honestly think he'll learn more by playing with him. A good two-way winger might not be as valuable as a good two-way center, but their value together on a solid shut down line could be invaluable.

I do agree that DD's defensive abilities are underrated. You can't rate what you've never seen. Give him a chance to play those hard matchups, but give him good two-way wingers. I definitely agree that I'd like to see MT spread out defensive responsibility. Galchenyuk has shown flashes of being really good at backchecking and stripping players of pucks. He could end up being a whole lot better defensively than people give him credit for.

I'm hoping Sekac ends up better offensively than Gallagher, as i'd much rather see Gally and Eller play together, much as you suggested. I honestly think EGG's success came from that pairing, with the added bonus of Chuckie's offensive abilities.

 

[HabsFanJosh]

might as well just trade him for a younger REAL winger... like a lot of us have said all along..

I don't disagree with you. Might as well trade DD and Bourque too, though.

 

[Jakomyte]

Galchenyuk will get in some games at center this season, unless DD/Eller/Plekanec all play 82 games, he will be the one that fills in during injuries/flu season/rest/etc. The best solution for the TEAM is likely not to move DD/Eller/Plekanec away from center if they are all healthy, as Galchenyuk is doing quite well on the wing.

 

[MXD]

No.... Wasted on-ice awareness.

 

[Mathradio]

I thought this team was short on RW rather than LW...

Bruins didn't/ don't have an Eller. They're short on top six centers.

So Krejci is not a top-6 center anymore?

 

[Fozz]

Oh well... Everyone's a GM on HFBoards.

 

[Mike8]

Terrible idea. Plekanec is very good in transition offense, coming straight up the middle. As has been mentioned, he's also the team's best match-up C.

 

[pine*]

Plekanec - Galchenyuk - Subban

Do it. Defensively responsible AND dynamite offensively.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

Here's an idea: play our best two-way centre in his fn. position.

Here's another idea: never think about doing that again.

 

[Dagistitsyn]

Here's an idea: play our best two-way centre in his fn. position.

Here's another idea: never think about doing that again.

This is pretty much what I wanted to say originally.. but all I could do was facepalm.

 

[HabsFanJosh]

I thought this team was short on RW rather than LW...

We have a bunch of LH RW. Most people assume they'll only make it in the NHL as LW because they're LH. Ghetto, Sekac, Scherbak play RW.
As for top six talent we have on our current roster: PAP and Gally can both play top six RW. If Chuckie isn't played as a winger we only have Patches as a top six LW.

So Krejci is not a top-6 center anymore?

Lets count the centers Boston has playing on wings, or that they have capable of playing top six.

Montreal, by my count, has four. Three currently playing center, and one playing on the wing.

Boston has two. Both currently playing center. They seem to have traded their other top six center, who used to play on the wing.

 

[HabsFanJosh]

Here's an idea: play our best two-way centre in his fn. position.

Here's another idea: never think about doing that again.

Glad you have a differing opinion.

GTFO of my thread if you want to tell me what to think.

 

[Habs100]

might as well just trade him for a younger REAL winger... like a lot of us have said all along..

WHEN Galchenyuk's ready to play center, one of Plekanec and Desharnais will have to be either traded or moved to the wing. It would be nice to trade either for a nice piece. But, if the return is not good, I like the idea of playing one of them on the wing. They will both succeed there, imo. Plus, it provides a great option if one of the top 3 center's go down.

HabsFanJosh don't listen to the idiots who are harshly criticizing this post and being disrespectful. There are 30 teams trying to win the cup. If you don't find a way to get an edge (or draft in the top 5 many years in a row, lol) you will not win. Scotty Bowman doing all sorts of innovative things helped Detroit keep winning even when they weren't drafting in the top 5.

 

[LyricalLyricist]

As I said with DD, I don't see need to do this just yet but if someone gets moved to wing it's Eller or DD not Plekanec. Not going to flame you on your thread because you're just trying to present another outlook but IMO Plekanec is fantastic in his role and I have no issue with his placement.