Line Combos: Lines this morning II (discuss latest lines & pairings here)

[417]

pick one, please.

wow...seriously?

Would it hurt for this team to acquire another top 4 dman and have beaulieu play on the 3rd pair?

Of course not, in an ideal world, that would be it

But it's not a necessity to me....adding another forward is

jeez

 

[smirob]

Sigh...where is Galchenyuk playing right now? Left wing or center? Can you tell me that, bro?

Also, I never said the top 4 D is a problem...matter of fact, I've said several times on this board that the priority for MB is a forward, not another Dman (unlike most here believe). Notice I put that need last, as in, it wouldn't hurt to acquire another top 4 dman

But for me, it's not a necessity...i'm fine with our D as is

Regardless of where he is playing now, he is a centreman and was drafted as such.
That's why most people realize we have no hole at top 6 Centre.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Simple reason is that Pacioretty and Galchenyuk are our two best offensive producers. We have no one else that's first line calibre.. we put them together and we lose any depth.

So leave Max with Pleks then. Barring that put him with Eller. Eller's in a slump, try something new.

DD is our 4th best center and a fringe NHLer, makes no sense to put him there.

 

[smirob]

100% co-sign. There is no, zero, zip, none, nada, reason for Desharnais to ever take a shift at center again for this team, barring injuries to any of the other three. Galchenyuk needs the shifts at center. He needs to develop at center. We need to be patient with him as he learns how to be an NHL center, and further, we need to find out if he actually can do it.

Because if Galchenyuk can't do it, NOTHING ELSE MATTERS ANYWAY. We're boned. There's no way to acquire a legit #1C on the trade market without gutting some other position. We'll have to draft one, and then we're another 3-5+ years away from Cup contention.

Developing Galchenyuk as our #1 center must be this organization's top player-development priority. Anything that gets in the way of that is simply the wrong decision, and has to be corrected post-haste.

That means getting Desharnais the hell out of Galchenyuk's way.

Our lack of winger depth is a concern, and that's something that Bergevin would do well to address, but using Galchenyuk on LW as a band-aid is the wrong move. Better to shove Desharnais over there, and keep him there if we can't get him off the roster completely.

I'll respond for 417.

"Where's he play now, bro, is he at centre, sigh"

 

[417]

Regardless of where he is playing now, he is a centreman and was drafted as such.
That's why most people realize we have no hole at top 6 Centre.

Well i'm not talking in hypotheticals...

Right now, as of today and as of next game...Desharnais is our #1 center and Plekanec is our #2 center

and given what MT has said about Galchenyuk being more comfortable at wing and his inexplicable obsession with Desharnais, I don't see that scenario changing any time soon.

So to me...Desharnais/Plekanec/Eller/Malhotra down the middle, is very weak.

 

[Nynja*]

That doesnt mean the roster has a hole. We have a hole at RW, thats a roster hole. We dont have a hole at C, if MT wants to put DD at #1C and Chucky on wing, thats an idiot coach, not a roster hole.


Do the jets have a hole on D because their coach puts Buff as a forward? No, thats another coaching issue (or a forced hand due to Kane's injury).

 

[417]

I'll respond for 417.

"Where's he play now, bro, is he at centre, sigh"

Have I stepped into the twilight zone????

Is Galchenyuk not playing left wing?

Is Desharnais not our #1 center right now?

is this what you guys have been whining about all day? That Desharnais is back on the 1st line???

I don't get it, i'm supposed to think that the Habs don't have a hole at center despite our coach stubbornly sticking to Desharnais at center?

I'm supposed to ignore the fact that he himself indicated that Galchenyuk preferred playing at left wing??

I don't get it? I mean, I even couched that need for a top 6 center by indicating that Galchenyuk is at wing, so I can't consider him at center, yet i'm still having to defend this position?

 

[smirob]

Well i'm not talking in hypotheticals...

Right now, as of today and as of next game...Desharnais is our #1 center and Plekanec is our #2 center

and given what MT has said about Galchenyuk being more comfortable at wing and his inexplicable obsession with Desharnais, I don't see that scenario changing any time soon.

So to me...Desharnais/Plekanec/Eller/Malhotra down the middle, is very weak.

You can't say that Galchenyuk isn't a centre, because he currently plays wing....thats ridiculous.

It shouldn't matter what MT says, because he has shown only 1 thing, he will favour DD over Galchenyuk every day of the week.

Again, what we are discussing here is the lineups. We have better options at centre than DD as our #1, period.

 

[smirob]

Have I stepped into the twilight zone????

Is Galchenyuk not playing left wing?

Is Desharnais not our #1 center right now?

is this what you guys have been whining about all day? That Desharnais is back on the 1st line???

I don't get it, i'm supposed to think that the Habs don't have a hole at center despite our coach stubbornly sticking to Desharnais at center?

I'm supposed to ignore the fact that he himself indicated that Galchenyuk preferred playing at left wing??

I don't get it? I mean, I even couched that need for a top 6 center by indicating that Galchenyuk is at wing, so I can't consider him at center, yet i'm still having to defend this position?

Yep.

How can you possibly say Galchenyuk can't be considered at centre?

 

[Haaabs]

Well i'm not talking in hypotheticals...

Right now, as of today and as of next game...Desharnais is our #1 center and Plekanec is our #2 center

and given what MT has said about Galchenyuk being more comfortable at wing and his inexplicable obsession with Desharnais, I don't see that scenario changing any time soon.

So to me...Desharnais/Plekanec/Eller/Malhotra down the middle, is very weak.

If you dig around for the interviews that took place in mid january when Galchenyuk was moved from center to wing:

1)Michel Therrien says that Galchenyuk told him he was more comfortable at wing.

2)Galchenyuk is interviewed a day later or so, and is asked about the move to wing. To which he says something along the lines that Therrien asked him to move to wing and Galchenyuk told the coach that he'd do anything if it helps the team win.

Stories don't line up. MT probably didn't want to be criticized for the move, so he just says that Galchenyuk is the one that asked for it.

 

[417]

That doesnt mean the roster has a hole. We have a hole at RW, thats a roster hole. We dont have a hole at C, if MT wants to put DD at #1C and Chucky on wing, thats an idiot coach, not a roster hole.


Do the jets have a hole on D because their coach puts Buff as a forward? No, thats another coaching issue (or a forced hand due to Kane's injury).

Again...i'm not going to argue semantics here. Obviously, there's not a need at center IF Galchenyuk is playing there

But what has in the history of Therrien in this organization with Galchenyuk and Desharnais, indicated to you that him moving back to center and Desharnais being out of the lineup, is going to change?

As for you're question about Jets hold on D...well yes, even Bob McKenzie was on 690 this morning stating how the Jets now have a need on D because Buff is playing at forward

so.....I mean, i'm not sure what you want me to say? Desharnais and Therrien exist, they're a part of this team. And as of right now, he's the #1 center

I assure you, i'm not making that up

 

[Natey]

So leave Max with Pleks then. Barring that put him with Eller. Eller's in a slump, try something new.

DD is our 4th best center and a fringe NHLer, makes no sense to put him there.

I'm just telling you the reason.

I'm not getting into with you about Desharnais because clearly I don't think he's a fringe player

 

[417]

Yep.

How can you possibly say Galchenyuk can't be considered at centre?

I NEVER SAID THAT!!!!!

I said that Therrien won't consider him at center. Obviously, we all want him there and know he deserves it, but he won't. He couldn't wait to throw Desharnais back on there

If I thought Therrien had any good sense to move him back to the position we all know he should be. I would say it, but nothing Therrien has ever showed me leads me to believe that he is going to sit Desharnais and play Galchenyuk at centre

 

[smirob]

Have I stepped into the twilight zone????

Is Galchenyuk not playing left wing?

Is Desharnais not our #1 center right now?

is this what you guys have been whining about all day? That Desharnais is back on the 1st line???

I don't get it, i'm supposed to think that the Habs don't have a hole at center despite our coach stubbornly sticking to Desharnais at center?

I'm supposed to ignore the fact that he himself indicated that Galchenyuk preferred playing at left wing??

I don't get it? I mean, I even couched that need for a top 6 center by indicating that Galchenyuk is at wing, so I can't consider him at center, yet i'm still having to defend this position?

Short memory

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

I'm just telling you the reason.

And I said... sure, fine following that line of reasoning - don't put those two on the same line.

But that's not a reason for putting DD there. Not when there are two better centers to choose from.

I'm not getting into with you about Desharnais because clearly I don't think he's a fringe player

I don't see any other team who'd want him. That's a fringe NHL player.

 

[417]

If you dig around for the interviews that took place in mid january when Galchenyuk was moved from center to wing:

1)Michel Therrien says that Galchenyuk told him he was more comfortable at wing.

2)Galchenyuk is interviewed a day later or so, and is asked about the move to wing. To which he says something along the lines that Therrien asked him to move to wing and Galchenyuk told the coach that he'd do anything if it helps the team win.

Stories don't line up. MT probably didn't want to be criticized for the move, so he just says that Galchenyuk is the one that asked for it.

Well that's my point...It's obvious to me that MT doesn't want him at center

And, like it or not, HE's in charge of the lineup. So if the Head Coach doesn't want him at center, how does it make sense for me to say he is (even if I know that's his best position).

This isn't about what I want, it's about reality and how things are.

MT's the coach, if he insists on keeping Galchenyuk at center...then I hope that MB is out trying to find a center that's better than Desharnais. Then I can at least live, temporarily, with Galchenyuk at wing

 

[Nynja*]

Again...i'm not going to argue semantics here. Obviously, there's not a need at center IF Galchenyuk is playing there

But what has in the history of Therrien in this organization with Galchenyuk and Desharnais, indicated to you that him moving back to center and Desharnais being out of the lineup, is going to change?

Once again, thats a coaching issue, not a roster issue. We dont have a hole at C with the roster we have. We have a hole at C now because our coach is an idiot. Guess what, even if we had another top 6 C, we would STILL have a hole because MT would put them on the wing and leave DD at C.

Coaching problem != Roster problem

As for you're question about Jets hold on D...well yes, even Bob McKenzie was on 690 this morning stating how the Jets now have a need on D because Buff is playing at forward

That is a problem that developed due to injuries. That isnt entirely a roster problem in itself, because it wasnt a problem until Kane went out for shoulder surgery.

 

[Islandcrew]

I'll respond for 417.

"Where's he play now, bro, is he at centre, sigh"

 

[Chacal667]

 

[smirob]

Have I stepped into the twilight zone????

I don't get it? I mean, I even couched that need for a top 6 center by indicating that Galchenyuk is at wing, so I can't consider him at center, yet i'm still having to defend this position?

me: How can you possibly not consider Galchenyuk at centre.

I NEVER SAID THAT!!!!!

I said that Therrien won't consider him at center. Obviously, we all want him there and know he deserves it, but he won't. He couldn't wait to throw Desharnais back on there

If I thought Therrien had any good sense to move him back to the position we all know he should be. I would say it, but nothing Therrien has ever showed me leads me to believe that he is going to sit Desharnais and play Galchenyuk at centre

 

[Haaabs]

And there is the problem. Although Galchenyuk did well in his stint at center and Desharnais actually started shooting the puck when he was moved to LW.... Therrien won't stick with it.

He did the same thing last year. We were on good winning streak and our lines were clicking. Then we lost to LA 6-0 and he blew up the lines and killed whatever chemistry they had going.

This year, we lost to Tampa Bay (by 2) and Pittsburgh (by 1) and he blew up all the lines.

The problem isn't the lines we had (When Galchenyuk was center). The problem is is that our gameplan is more of a "season-plan", we don't plan for every game, we just do the same thing and then adjust in the 2nd and 3rd period and hopefully Price has kept us in the game until then.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Well that's my point...It's obvious to me that MT doesn't want him at center

And, like it or not, HE's in charge of the lineup. So if the Head Coach doesn't want him at center, how does it make sense for me to say he is (even if I know that's his best position).

This isn't about what I want, it's about reality and how things are.

MT's the coach, if he insists on keeping Galchenyuk at center...then I hope that MB is out trying to find a center that's better than Desharnais. Then I can at least live, temporarily, with Galchenyuk at wing

We already have Galchenyuk, Pleks and Eller. That's good depth at the center position. Where we need help is on the wing.

No idea why Galchenyuk isn't playing at center... that's just a coaching issue.

 

[Team_Spirit]

Per RDS:


Trios du CH à l'entraînement

Pacioretty-Desharnais-Weise,
Galchenyuk- Plekanec- Gallagher
De La Rose-Eller-Thomas
Bournival - Malhotra-Sekac
Dumont

 

[417]

Seriously...i'm not sure if it's me who's not explaining this properly, or if you guys are interpreting it the wrong way

It's not that I don't personally consider Galchenyuk a center, Therrien obviously doesn't

So...given that Therrien is the one who is responsible for icing the team, and not me.

If HE doesn't consider him a center, then he's not a center

 

[417]

me: How can you possibly not consider Galchenyuk at centre.

You're confusing what I think (that Galchenyuk IS a center) with what's become plainly obvious what Therrien thinks (that's Galchenyuk is NOT a center and Desharnais is).

But of course, it doesn't matter what I think...I don't run the team

Therrien does