hersky77
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- Oct 29, 2007
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Phillip Danault, first line center : is there a similar case?
- Thread starter Mike Mike Caron
- Start date
He is playing as the #1 centre for the same reason that Burrows worked well for the sedins.
Sometimes it takes a hard nosed player that can take the punishment and retrieve pucks to benefit the top line. Is he an elite top 6 forward, no. Is he going to be a ppg game breaking centre, no.
Top lines are 100% better 100% of the time with possession of the puck, that is Danault's job, get the puck to his line mates to create something out of nothing. He is doing a fine job.
Is this a long term plan for MTL, probably not. It's a temporary gig, that seems to be beneficial for everyone so far. This is great for Danaults growth and development moving forward. Who knows he could very well be a Mike Richards in the making.
Compatibility wise similar situations have happened plenty times before with the likes of Zajac, Langkow, Handzeus, Legwand, Bozak, Rucchin, Morrisson etc.. all playing top line minutes and having a rather successful time in doing so.
Ideally everyone wants their #1 to be an offensive weapon, Galchenyuk wasn't making it happen so they are trying alternative measures. The Habs are now one of the hottest teams heading into the playoffs, coincidence? Could be.
Sometimes it takes a hard nosed player that can take the punishment and retrieve pucks to benefit the top line. Is he an elite top 6 forward, no. Is he going to be a ppg game breaking centre, no.
Top lines are 100% better 100% of the time with possession of the puck, that is Danault's job, get the puck to his line mates to create something out of nothing. He is doing a fine job.
Is this a long term plan for MTL, probably not. It's a temporary gig, that seems to be beneficial for everyone so far. This is great for Danaults growth and development moving forward. Who knows he could very well be a Mike Richards in the making.
Compatibility wise similar situations have happened plenty times before with the likes of Zajac, Langkow, Handzeus, Legwand, Bozak, Rucchin, Morrisson etc.. all playing top line minutes and having a rather successful time in doing so.
Ideally everyone wants their #1 to be an offensive weapon, Galchenyuk wasn't making it happen so they are trying alternative measures. The Habs are now one of the hottest teams heading into the playoffs, coincidence? Could be.
Until Danault can score 60+ points (on a playoff team) he's not a first line center.
Danault is an ideal 3rd line center...
Danault is an ideal 3rd line center...
Schmaltz is light years better than Danault..
Schmaltz is going to be a 60+ point first line player that can fill in at center when needed.
hersky77
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ChiHawk21
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literally only one assumption. already better then danault, already plays on the first line, and already fills in as a center.
No there isn't..... Schmaltz is living up to his comparison to Jason Spezza.. He's been just as good as Spezza at times (even better some games) and he's only 20.
Schmaltz just needs to learn to be consistent but that will come with time.
If Schmaltz can get top 6 minutes consistently then he's going to be 60+ point player.
Next season I think he will at least get 50 points if he plays a full season.
CaptainBenn
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- Sep 8, 2012
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Not a first line player on a contender
Habs have been needing a big C for years , a real 1st line C
Habs have been needing a big C for years , a real 1st line C
NHLPaul
Registered User
Does David Desharnais count? 
Actually from a Flames point of view, look at all of Iginla's centers. None of them save Savard are really first line centers on other teams. Conroy...Langkow...
Actually from a Flames point of view, look at all of Iginla's centers. None of them save Savard are really first line centers on other teams. Conroy...Langkow...
Burke the Legend
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- Feb 22, 2012
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He's he's effective nothing wrong with that. As long as he's got chemistry with Radulov and Paccioretty and they keep up their production. His #s would look better if he had PP time because he's very effective 5v5.
Someone mentioned Morrison between Naslund and Bertuzzi, that was one of the best in the NHL and you didn't hear people whining about their centre not being good enough.
Someone mentioned Morrison between Naslund and Bertuzzi, that was one of the best in the NHL and you didn't hear people whining about their centre not being good enough.
Patty Roy
Registered User
Nobody thinks he will ever become a true 1st line center...only that he's been playing on the "1st line" for the majority of the year.
Danault is at best a 3rd liner in my books. He's already proven to be better than i ever thought he would be when we got him out of Chicago last year, but obviously is playing way out of his element on the top line.
Get Galchenyuk playing down the middle as your 1A...find a 1B, and have Danault as your #3 and you are on to something...but right now the Habs are a mess down the middle. Shame too cause it limits a team that would otherwise be a real threat in the playoffs.
Kunta Kinte
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Genesis76
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Thats not very fair, he dint play all season in the first line. Desharnais was eating alot of top offensive minutes. Hes clearly a 60 point player, at least.
Steamwhistle
Registered User
Was going to compare him to Bozak between Kessel and JVR but then I realized how stupid I am comparing a near top 3 defensive center to a bum like Bozak
zac
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- Apr 29, 2009
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Every sane Chicago fan hated the trade at the time. Daneault was a better fit for the 3rd line than either of those two players and neither fit a need we had. It immediately made us worse and made us worse in the future (relative...with Daneault we would have 4 great lines when healthy).
Our forward drafts have been ****ing outstanding. Saad, Terravainen (underperforming but all the talent in the world), Schmaltz, Hartman, Daneault...all have shown to be excellent two way forwards at times, and all are top 9 forwards.
For a team that hasn't had high draft picks in a while that's a very good forward crop. We also drafted Kayes and he went to the Rangers.
Draft/development and smart UFA's have maintain Chicago's status in the league. It's helped make up for some iffy trades and some horrendous in-house spending by our GM.
Radek Bonk is the answer. Basically a shutdown centre who got to play top line minutes for ~ 4 1/2 seasons with Hossa, Alfredsson, Havlat, Prospal, McEachern etc. as line mates in the years between Yashin going and Spezza becoming the #1. He had 70, 60, 59, 54 and 44 point seasons. He averaged between 25 and 35 points across the rest of his career outside of those 4 1/2 seasons.
Toene
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Rockettrudel
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Nugent-Hopkins and Duchene have less points than him while getting power play minutes. 40 points at his first complete NHL Season i'll gladly take him in my team .
Future David Backes !
Future David Backes !
Honour Over Glory
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Jan Hrdina.
I wouldn't claim anything about Danault just yet, the guy was barely a 1st line producer in the AHL no less the NHL up until this season. He's found himself an amazing opportunity and has flourished with it, if he can follow it up with another 40pt season next year, consider me convinced.
I wouldn't claim anything about Danault just yet, the guy was barely a 1st line producer in the AHL no less the NHL up until this season. He's found himself an amazing opportunity and has flourished with it, if he can follow it up with another 40pt season next year, consider me convinced.
wedge
Registered User
remember when we had Travis Moen on our first line? I remember. That was painful to watch. He wasn't a center, but still... Moen was much worse than Danault.
