Line Combos: Practice - Prust/Pacioretty switch lines

[BaseballCoach]

Eller on the 4th line is such a waste.

Why not try DD-Eller-Cole instead. For once Eller would get decent wingers.

ROTFLMFAO.

If those three do play together, Therrien, like any other competent NHL coach, will play DD at center.

 

[Bob b smith]

Forwards that need to do much more... Cole, DD, Gionta, Armstrong, Moen.
MaxPac gets a pass for now because of his operation and his linemates...
Galchenyuk (who leads the team in +-) and Gallagher should get more 5 and 5 time and regular 2nd line PP minutes ahead of Cole, DD, Gionta until they show they deserve to get those minutes back.

 

[TennisMenace]

Leaving aside the specific players in question (Plekanec and Desharnais), why do you think having two undersized centers is a bad thing?

This is primarily a big mans sport and bigger men can win the battles along the boards and in front of the net easier, plus he is not very good at face offs.

 

[K2MyEverest]

I like Pacioretty with the kids. Things I don't like... Armstrong. He doesn't deserves to be in the line up. White should be or maybe Dumont? That 4th line needs some or at least someone who's willing to protect their teammates... ala White without the bonehead move of course.

Another thing I don't like and I think the Habs really needs to start thinking about it is Desharnais. He's too small, always chasing the puck, getting beat all the time. Sucks at faceoffs too. Montreal needs to gets bigger at center and Eller deserves to have a chance on an offensive line.

My three first center would be Plekanec, Galchenyuk and Eller. As you can see. Desharnais wouldn't be in my plans for the future. We need to gets bigger. We already have Gionta and Gallagher who are small and Collberg will probably takes the Gionta spot in a couple years.

Desharnais is a good guy but I wouldn't consider him in the lineup for the future. Plekanec is too important for the team. Galchenyuk... well he's Galchenyuk . And Eller is more explosive and tougher to move than Desharnais... + he's younger.

Habs will have to take some difficult choice for the future really soon.

On the defense. We're too small too. Tinordi will help a lot when he's ready. Probably takes Bouillon spot.

Am I being to harsh on Desharnais? What do you guys think on having Plekanec, Galchenyuk and Eller as your top 3 centers for the future?

 

[TennisMenace]

I like Pacioretty with the kids. Things I don't like... Armstrong. He doesn't deserves to be in the line up. White should be or maybe Dumont? That 4th line needs some or at least someone who's willing to protect their teammates... ala White without the bonehead move of course.

Another thing I don't like and I think the Habs really needs to start thinking about it is Desharnais. He's too small, always chasing the puck, getting beat all the time. Sucks at faceoffs too. Montreal needs to gets bigger at center and Eller deserves to have a chance on an offensive line.

My three first center would be Plekanec, Galchenyuk and Eller. As you can see. Desharnais wouldn't be in my plans for the future. We need to gets bigger. We already have Gionta and Gallagher who are small and Collberg will probably takes the Gionta spot in a couple years.

Desharnais is a good guy but I wouldn't consider him in the lineup for the future. Plekanec is too important for the team. Galchenyuk... well he's Galchenyuk . And Eller is more explosive and tougher to move than Desharnais... + he's younger.

Habs will have to take some difficult choice for the future really soon.

On the defense. We're too small too. Tinordi will help a lot when he's ready. Probably takes Bouillon spot.

Am I being to harsh on Desharnais? What do you guys think on having Plekanec, Galchenyuk and Eller as your top 3 centers for the future?

I don't think u r being harsh here. I agree completely. I would love to move DD while his value is somewhat high. It's like u said- we have enough smurfs already. You can't have have your team under 5'10.
I hope Eller can prove to Coach that he can be trusted. I would still like to find a big center, a heavy weight like McIntyre , and a large bodies bone crushing dman.

 

[Roulin]

This is primarily a big mans sport and bigger men can win the battles along the boards and in front of the net easier.

I understand why size is an advantage for one player. A small player is clearly at a disadvantage and has to find other ways to win battles, therefore you're right that it's generally "a big man's sport." But how does that disadvantage for one individual center become a greater problem when a team has two of them? Or to put it another way, why would carrying one undersized center be ok, but two is too many?

 

[TennisMenace]

I understand why size is an advantage for one player. A small player is clearly at a disadvantage and has to find other ways to win battles, therefore you're right that it's generally "a big man's sport." But how does that disadvantage for one individual center become a greater problem when a team has two of them? Or to put it another way, why would carrying one undersized center be ok, but two is too many?

First quick thought- Well if u only have one, much easier to match him up with someone similar.

 

[MSLs absurd thighs]

Watching Hamilton a few times, knowing we struggle on the faceoffs, and since we don't have any HW out there anyway, I wonder if it would be wise to just toss Armstrong, and call up Dumont and make him our 4th line center once and for all. Altern him with White maybe?

We have a full roster and I'm not sure it's a viable solution, but it might be worth a try if things don't start going better.

 

[BigNumber1Centre]

How much extra ice time does this mean for Chuck and Gally? Because we cant have Pacioretty only playing the 13-15 minutes or so that those two are getting right now.

 

[Roulin]

First quick thought- Well if u only have one, much easier to match him up with someone similar.

OK, I can see that point, from a certain POV. From my view it doesn't matter that much - I'd rather have DD go against Steckel than Grabovsky, for example - but I think we just see the game differently.

 

[Roulin]

It might be worth looking at the lines in the context of tomorrow's game. Boucher runs lines based heavily on zone starts, following Vigneault's lead, which is different than most of the league. It also pretty much lets Therrien pick the line matchups, which will be interesting to watch.

I'd expect the Plekanec line to have a tough night against Stamkos, starting in their own end more often than not.

I'm not sure who will go up against Lecavalier. I'd be inclined to try the Eller line. Maybe Therrien will go with DD, or a combination. But I suspect DD will go against Pyatt more often.

I'm sure the kids will get a ton of offensive zone starts against Hall. Pacioretty could have a huge night.

 

[LastRide]

Patch's won't be able to keep up with those 2 kids.

 

[FF de Mars]

Patch's won't be able to keep up with those 2 kids.

Do you root for Boston or Philly ?

 

[bcv]

Did Eller collected 60 ****ing points last season ?

He would of with Pacioretty and Cole. Actually, DD was the worst center of the three to play with Patches and Cole last season, but he needed to be sheltered.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I understand why size is an advantage for one player. A small player is clearly at a disadvantage and has to find other ways to win battles, therefore you're right that it's generally "a big man's sport." But how does that disadvantage for one individual center become a greater problem when a team has two of them? Or to put it another way, why would carrying one undersized center be ok, but two is too many?

Stanley Cup winning teams:

Henri Richard and Ralph Backstrom.
Henri Richard and Jacques Lemaire.
Jacques Lemaire and Doug Jarvis.
Jacques Lemaire, Doug Jarvis and Pierre Larouche / Pierre Mondou
Guy Carbonneau and Denis Savard / Paul DiPietro

Listening to some of the geniuses here, if they had been in Toe Blake's shoes, they would have put Maurice Richard at center to get SIZE, and Henri Richard on the wing so that he wouldn't have to battle anyone. ROFL.

 

[BaseballCoach]

How much extra ice time does this mean for Chuck and Gally? Because we cant have Pacioretty only playing the 13-15 minutes or so that those two are getting right now.

Patches could get 14-15 with the Gallys and 5 minutes with DD and Cole instead of Prust (PP or situational).

Prust won't play 15 minutes.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Patch's won't be able to keep up with those 2 kids.

And Prust could?

Seriously, Max is one of our fastest forwards.

 

[bsl]

Another miss by Therrien. In a era of "no excuses" and the benching of White and Eller, he doesn't do **** for one of the most unuseful player we had in a long time in Colby Armstrong. And Desharnais doesn't deserve to be in a lineup, but as of now, he should at best be the #4 centerman. Put him with White and Moen, and hope that the opponent will give you weaker challenges so that even with average wingers, you'll be able to shine more. But even if it doesn't make him better...I don't care, Eller deserve more. And I want to see more of him.

The Pacioretty-Gally-Gally line was obvious, I kept asking for it for quite some time now. And I guess you don't touch the Pleks like though I'm starting to be tired of Gionta. My lines would have been...

Bourque-Pleks-Gionta
Pacioretty-Gally-Gally
Prust-Eller-Cole
Moen-DD-White

And I'm clearly on the verge of calling up Dumont. Yeah, I know he's not going to KO'ed anybody, but until we make a move...we play with what we play. Dumont plays instead of DD and you have an Okay 4th line. I hate Moen more and more but that's another story. How the **** would not re-insert White after one of the most pathetic game all-around I've seen this team play. Just for that, if Therrien doesn'T re-insert him, he's an idiot. Accountability works for EVERYBODY!

Panique pas WS. The cream will rise to the top this year, and as for the rest, MB has no ties to the past.

I'm still confident in Cole, for this year at least. He will bounce back. Gassing Cole this year would make Habs look absurd. Which is too bad, as he will be valuable at the deadline. I could see a UFA signing this summer to replace him on the top line, as he moves down. I think Cole asks to move on this summer, or helps in a lesser role next year as we move up the standings a bit.

DD I am losing confidence in, but give him 10 more games to start scoring. I think he's done though. Love the kid, but we have to be better at C starting next October. He might go at the deadline. Eller or Gally likely take his job. Then we need to draft a very good big potential no 2 C this summer, as I see none in the system.

Gio will also play better this year, but it's 50-50 on him next year. He's the captain, and he works hard. He will stay this year. Galla will take his job next year if Gio moves on. Hope if he must move on we get a 2nd and a prospect for him this summer.

Moen I'm tired of. No scoring, not a great fighter, just filling space. He can be replaced from within or with a good UFA signing. Offload him at the deadline, he is a proven role player on a contender, and we might get a 2nd for him.

Armstrong, no value at deadline. He's gone next year and his place can be filled from within. Nothing to see here.

Tinordi takes Cube's place next year, in a ideal world. But Cube will stay this year. Tinordi will need some games this year though, if we are out of it.

Kaberle gone at deadline, not MB's mess, and we might get a 3rd for him, even a second if we find a desperate contending sucker with offensive D issues.

In summary, if we are 10th at deadline, I see DD, Kaberle and Moen as good candidates to move, for as much in picks as we can get. This is a must for this draft.

Gio and Cole maybe go this summer, but I doubt it. And I don't mind that. The guys are players, with cups, and good for the kids. One more year, no problem. Every team has a couple of guys like this. It's just that contenders don't rely on them to be top line players.

Cube and Armstong are replaced from within. Dumont replaces Nokes.

LL is a wildcard, we will see. Will make camp interesting.

Kristo is also a wildcard. Will also make camp interesting.

We pick up a good muscle top six winger UFA. And we keep improving with good prospects and a great draft this year.

Next year:

Pax, Gally, Big UFA (Monster scoring, big line)

Bourque, Pleks, Gio (Big D, and timely scoring)

Galla, Eller, Cole (Great 3rd line, big D, and scoring)

Prust, Dumont, White/UFA fighting beast (No more Moen marking time)

Kristo and hopefully LL chomping at the bit.

Subby, Gorgeous (Top 5 pairing in the east, 28 minutes at ES, eating it up)
Markov, Emelin (Less minutes, don't give up on Emelin, 20-22 mins ES tops)
Diaz, Tinordi (PP specialist, learning PK monster. Diaz can cover for him I hope, in the 10 ES minutes they get)

Monster UFA fighting D beast, for starts against teams that are taking liberties. Diaz sits.

Beaulieu and maybe Ellis chomping at the bit.

See WS? Easy. No problemo.

 

[bsl]

I would had been more drastic with the lines.

Bourque - Plekanec - Gallagher

MaxPac - Eller - Gionta

Gally - DD - Prust

Moen - White - COLE

So you put a proven cup winning vet who scored 35 goals last year on the fourth, and leave the completely non performing second year tiny C man on the third line.

 

[ECWHSWI]

Moen I'm tired of. No scoring, not a great fighter, just filling space. He can be replaced from within or with a good UFA signing. Offload him at the deadline, he is a proven role player on a contender, and we might get a 2nd for him.

if all he is is a plaxce filler, why would he be of interest to a contender ?

 

[ECWHSWI]

if all he is is a place filler, why would he be of interest to a contender ?

edit typo

 

[bsl]

I understand why size is an advantage for one player. A small player is clearly at a disadvantage and has to find other ways to win battles, therefore you're right that it's generally "a big man's sport." But how does that disadvantage for one individual center become a greater problem when a team has two of them? Or to put it another way, why would carrying one undersized center be ok, but two is too many?

Uh: 50% of the game played with a small center vs. 20%?

 

[bsl]

if all he is is a plaxce filler, why would he be of interest to a contender ?

He is filling space on a non contender, us. We do not need him, we need a younger, faster tougher guy that will help us win a cup in 3 years, with ten goals too. It's called a draft pick. And that is what Moen will give us.

He will not fill space on a contender. He can play a role that will help them win a cup, this year. A contender can afford him, we cannot.

 

[ECWHSWI]

He is filling space on a non contender, us. We do not need him, we need a younger, faster tougher guy that will help us win a cup in 3 years, with ten goals too. It's called a draft pick. And that is what Moen will give us.

He will not fill space on a contender. He can play a role that will help them win a cup, this year. A contender can afford him, we cannot.

So, he can't be more than a place filler for us, but on a contender, wich usually means a better team, he'd be more than that ?

makes sense...



players of Moen type dont make the NHL within 3 years, so NO, the pick would not help us win a cup in 3 years, get real...

 

[Perrah]

ROTFLMFAO.

If those three do play together, Therrien, like any other competent NHL coach, will play DD at center.

I would disagree, I think a lot of coaches would put the bigger guy at center, especially since he is more defensively competent and DD is better on the wing than Eller is by far. It takes a special person to watch DD get destroyed in the defensive end every night and play Eller on the wing on that same line.
I can understand why Therrien kept trying to get the Cole-DD-Pac line going but it isnt working and DD isnt very useful when he isnt scoring or helping others do so.