Poll: Drouin's Performance at Center next Season

[OldCraig71]

Attitude is the key for Johnny D.

 

[habsfan909]

Even if he produces a few more points (which I'm skeptical about), another question is will he play with any effort whatsoever on D?

 

[LyricalLyricist]

He'll do better but he's still not a center.

 

[nhlfan9191]

I think his production may improve depending on if he finds chemistry with someone but I don’t think he will show anything that would indicate that the team or himself would be better off with him staying there.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Attitude is the key for Johnny D.

I like to compare it to a stick vs a ball with my dog. I can pick up a ball and he waits for me to throw it. However, if I pick up a stick, he knocks me over and gets the stick at all costs. Attitude and willingness to compete and battle is the key with Drouin. However, my dog is 85 lbs so he has the strength to get what he wants when he wants to. Pretty sure I'd be able to keep the stick away from a dog that is 25-50 lbs.

Not exactly sure if Drouin will ever mature into a guy who battles like Marchard does. But if he wants to be a star, I think he should bulk up a bit and it will help him win some battles out there.

 

[Forum93]

Sure he'll improve the more he's given the chance to play at center, it's just the " show some potential" part where I have my doubts.

 

[habsgirl5000]

i put the same, but now i think he will be better.....im predicting 15 goals

 

[Mrb1p]

I think he will do better.

Cant do worse than absolute disaster

 

[Benjamin Dobert]

It's hard to tell how individual players will do with so much movement happening to the lines. Chemistry is not an established part of the Habs game so I think based on that, we all really have no clue. I think he will do well if he has good chemistry with his wingers, but he is not a big guy so his struggles will be in posting up in front of the net. The Habs are going for fast and loose. Unfortunately we all watched a fast and loose Golden Knight team lose to the brute force and strength behind the very physical Capitals. The Habs need to GET PHYSICAL. Drouin, needs to get PHYSICAL.

 

[LaP]

i put the same, but now i think he will be better.....im predicting 15 goals

How can he not be better?

Considering his usage 46 points is awful. I predict he'll do in the low 50 if he gets the same usage.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Wish there was an option for "improved but still dismal"

 

[Bryson]

How can he not be better?

Considering his usage 46 points is awful. I predict he'll do in the low 50 if he gets the same usage.

The loss of Pacioretty, Galchenyuk... and Gallagher possibly coming back down to earth is going to hurt. Weber also out for a considerable chunk of time.

Also Drouin gets majority of his points on the PP. Will the PP be good next year?

 

[groovejuice]

A .00000001% improvement is technically "better".

Is he going to be significantly better? I'm skeptical. His own GM said how he'd be better suited at wing but that he's only playing center cause they have no one better.

In Montreal he plays centre even if there is someone clearly better.

 

[Benjamin Dobert]

The loss of Pacioretty, Galchenyuk... and Gallagher possibly coming back down to earth is going to hurt. Weber also out for a considerable chunk of time.

Also Drouin gets majority of his points on the PP. Will the PP be good next year?

Good point on the PP scoring. This is where I think he needs more strength training and he needs to be stronger on the puck when he owns it. It's as if that one less defender creates an opposition to his game. Obviously, that is true in PPs but I think strength needs to be combined with the fast and loose mentality that the Habs are going for. There are big players within the Atlantic division, and I believe being out-skated is the symptom of the lack of strength training and stamina. There needs to be more effective player development strategies in place, not to mention the chemistry. Until there is less movement within this organization of players who come and go, the stability will be very hard to gauge within the parameters of individual's statistics.

 

[Benjamin Dobert]

Drouin has supposedly indicated that he feels he is stronger in faceoffs as well. I think it is relevant to the situation to discuss the need to win faceoffs.

Montreal Canadiens 2017‑2018 Stats

I don't know about y'all but those numbers are pitiful. Stronger on the puck Drouin. Get stronger on that puck!

Drouin lost 604 Faceoffs vs his 447 won. That's a staggering number. It doesn't matter what you think, puck possession and winning faceoffs creates goals. Hard to create goals and wins when that crucial little cog in the wheel is being shattered.

Just a thought!

 

[NobleSix]

He'll probably produce more points, but he will still suck as a center.

I think it would be pretty impressive if he actually managed to be a worse center than he was last year. He was atrocious down the middle. So for that reason, I'd say he will technically "be better". But overall, he'll still be a terrible center.

He would produce more and also be less of a liability playing as a winger, which is where he belongs.

None of the poll options reflect my predictions for Drouin next season, so I'll withhold my vote.

 

[AshyHabs]

I'm assuming pretty much the same

 

[sandysan]

I think he willSTILL lack all of the required skills, and then entitlement will set in and it's already been devined he will play 1C no matter how bad he plays, so I voted worse.

I know, I know it's hard to fathom how he could be worse, but I have confidence he is up to the task.

Jonathan Drouin. Not a center.

 

[OldCraig71]

Drouin has supposedly indicated that he feels he is stronger in faceoffs as well. I think it is relevant to the situation to discuss the need to win faceoffs.

Montreal Canadiens 2017‑2018 Stats

I don't know about y'all but those numbers are pitiful. Stronger on the puck Drouin. Get stronger on that puck!

Drouin lost 604 Faceoffs vs his 447 won. That's a staggering number. It doesn't matter what you think, puck possession and winning faceoffs creates goals. Hard to create goals and wins when that crucial little cog in the wheel is being shattered.

Just a thought!

Welcome to hf habs, I see that you joined today.

 

[Benjamin Dobert]

First time for me.

 

[Runner77]

Wish there was an option for "improved but still dismal"

Improved but still dismissive of him.

 

[crosbyshow]

Drouin is not a center ...plain and simple.

Why ?

Drouin is all about explosion. Drouin does everything at 100 mp/h.....his speed, his speed, his release , dis puck distribution etc..

When he was on the wing in Halifax or Tampa...he did a lot of damage because he needed only 2 or 3 seconds to from his blue line to the goal...he surprised defensemen with his unbelievable hands and his explosion.

The problem for him at center is that he needs to help his defensemen behind the goal line and he is always behind the play sur la contre attaque..

At center..he can't use is strengh as often than on the wing.

Lafleur and Richer had a good vision as well but their game was all about explosion, shots and montée à l'emporte pièce.

Drouin is like that....not a 50 goal scorer obviously but you guys can see what I mean.

 

[Runner77]

First time for me.

Welcome to the jungle.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Well, Drouin's development at center does matter IMO. If he improves and turns into a top 2 center, it's a big deal for our team. If he doesn't, we move him to wing but saying it don't matter is weird. How our team does next season vs how Drouin does is two different things.

Should we try Price out at center too? Obviously, I’m exaggerating bringing up Price to ridiculous length but Drouin had shown a decimal of what it takes to play the position as well before last season so it’s still a legitimate argument.

 

[DavePeak]

While I voted he'll do the same, I do agree he'll do better. The reason why I didn't choose the 3rd option though is I think he'll do better statistically but I don't think he'll show much more potential (like he is suddenly going to show signs of being a Bergeron or Kopitar).

Bingo. And that is why I couldn't vote on this one. I think he will put better numbers, but show some potential at center (remembering that we expect top 2C production from him and considering that we have Danault with Kotkaniemi and Poehling down the pipeline)? Not sure.