The All-Purpose David Desharnais thread (post-Pressbox edition)

Status
Not open for further replies.

Runner77

**********************************************
Sponsor
Jun 24, 2012
83,299
149,011
After pushing the limits of pushing buttons ... oh wait, wrong channel.

DD has come full circle -- he's now worth exactly what he was worth the year he went undrafted.
 

LyricalLyricist

Registered User
Aug 21, 2007
37,909
5,814
Montreal
They have plenty of alternatives once the injured players come back though, so this is when we'll see if they can adjust. Dumont and Leblanc are natural centers, and Prust has been used in that role before. Same for Briere. I'm assuming at least one of them could fill in at center with limited ice time on a 4th line and not look out of place. Then there are trades. Defensively responsible 4th liners are not a hard find nor do they cost a ton. This is all assuming they are ready to play Galchenyuk at center, which I think they should, with the same kind of easy minutes Desharnais is getting. He won't look any worse than Desharnais and actually has upside.

Dumont and Leblanc don't really play center in the pros. It would be like calling Kessel a natural center.

Prust has been used in the role before but not really a natural position. He took 9 faceoffs last year with 33.3% wins. Year prior he took 55 with 45.4% wins. The year prior, 5 faceoffs...before that, 9. You get the point, it's not really a position he's played a lot.

Briere however, he is a natural center. I can see him I that role. Some argue both have been bad so it's not really a solution as much as it is an alternative. It would be foolish if we didn't try it though.

Galchenyuk is another option but our top 6 weakens with his loss.

Besides, it's not like Desharnais is so good defensively that you can't replace him with a player who doesn't yet fully master the defensive game of the center position. He needs to get the opportunity to grow in this role sooner than later.

Pacioretty Plekanec Gionta
Bournival Eller Gallagher
Bourque Galchenyuk Briere
Moen Prust White

I don't see how you can insert Desharnais in this lineup, even if he starts producing a little, and not weaken the team. This top-9 is composed of better and more effective hockey players. I don't see how this can end well for Desharnais unfortunatelly unless he has some kind of miracle turnaround.

I agree with you. Only concern is top 6 gets weaker. For what is Desharnais black hole production few mention Eller has 3 points in last 14 games. Once again, 1 of those 3 points was Vancouver own goal. Diluting the top 6 might not be the best option.

Of course, we need to try something so I wouldn't complain!
 

CanadienShark

Registered User
Dec 18, 2012
37,361
10,616
To be fair, the concept of "opportunity cost" is an advanced one, an abstract one, and I think the average Joe Blow on the street wouldn't get it. You should not be shaking your head. If anything, people should be shaking their head at you because you are (incorrectly) assuming that this is a concept most people would understand.

It's not an advanced concept, it's an extremely basic one that you learn in beginners economics classes. It's basically just the cost of an alternative forgone, to do something else. In this case, the opportunity cost would be the cost of forgoing putting someone useful on the ice, in order to put DD on the ice.
 

Wats

Error 520
Mar 8, 2006
41,962
6,617
I agree with you. Only concern is top 6 gets weaker. For what is Desharnais black hole production few mention Eller has 3 points in last 14 games. Once again, 1 of those 3 points was Vancouver own goal. Diluting the top 6 might not be the best option.

Of course, we need to try something so I wouldn't complain!

http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_stat...+17+18+19+20+23+24+26+27+37+38+51+52+13+15+29

Black hole offense against soft offensive opponents that adds D responsibility to top 6. Eller is slumping (he went through similar stretches in 12/13 too) because he's still getting used to that added D responsibility forced upon him (same with the Gallys).

The scary part is Plekanec could be slumping soon too if you put any weight into on ice shooting% evening out over the course of the season + his competition. Desharnais has a low on ice shooting%...scarier is his on-ice sv% is tops on team and could easily drop.

On a team with no superstar game breaker up front, blackhole exploitation 3rd line is an overall offense killer. I don't think Habs come out of their game vs Blues with a goal let alone point if DD was on the 3rd line providing blackhole D/O presence and giving Blues matchup advantage.
 

penalty shot*

Guest
Because he doesn't fit. And he's on pace for 5 points on the season.

its over

pay the 1 mil we can take back in a deal and move him and take a back another 2.5 mil contract as long as the guy can play anything on the bottom 6

this is embarrassing , and hopefully our knob regime learns its lesson

he was a RFA , no leverage , and we held the cards , we can match or take draft pick compensation , NO ONE WAS GOING TO SIGN HIM PAST 1 YEAR

a waste just like Briere
 

penalty shot*

Guest
i don't understand this guy. I was watching him last night and he seems like a completly different player than he was two years ago. Everything about him is different.

yup

its called , i have 14 mil now

Merci
 

LyricalLyricist

Registered User
Aug 21, 2007
37,909
5,814
Montreal
http://www.behindthenet.ca/nhl_stat...+17+18+19+20+23+24+26+27+37+38+51+52+13+15+29

Black hole offense against soft offensive opponents that adds D responsibility to top 6. Eller is slumping (he went through similar stretches in 12/13 too) because he's still getting used to that added D responsibility forced upon him (same with the Gallys).

The scary part is Plekanec could be slumping soon too if you put any weight into on ice shooting% evening out over the course of the season + his competition. Desharnais has a low on ice shooting%...scarier is his on-ice sv% is tops on team and could easily drop.

On a team with no superstar game breaker up front, blackhole exploitation 3rd line is an overall offense killer. I don't think Habs come out of their game vs Blues with a goal let alone point if DD was on the 3rd line providing blackhole D/O presence and giving Blues matchup advantage.

I've heard Eller has been covering for DD for years now, he's still getting used to it?

I'm worried Plekanec's line may slump eventually, we're doomed at that point but knowing the habs we'll have 1 line out of 4 in motion...always. Never 2 or 3.

Like I said, the habs should try new stuff. I honestly don't mind. I want team to win, that's what counts.
 

Wats

Error 520
Mar 8, 2006
41,962
6,617
I've heard Eller has been covering for DD for years now, he's still getting used to it?

I'm worried Plekanec's line may slump eventually, we're doomed at that point but knowing the habs we'll have 1 line out of 4 in motion...always. Never 2 or 3.

Like I said, the habs should try new stuff. I honestly don't mind. I want team to win, that's what counts.

Yup, like you suggest Desharnais was a detriment to the rest of the lineup for years now as he forced other lines to cover for him. That's why I didn't want him on the team even when he was putting up points. The negatives outweigh the positive even if he goes 0.5 points/game. Now he's not even producing that and it adds double the responsibility on top 6 since they have to not only shudown top 6 but produce all the offense. I don't think it's a coincidence the Habs offense is a joke this season now that the bottom 6 is a joke.

I think the difference is Eller's sharing D role more evenly with Plekanec and getting matched up against 1st lines too. He's still pushing puck possession but production not there yet.

I think Habs are doomed this season if they stay the course. Habs need 3 lines that can be decent and a 4th line that isn't auto-goal against. I'd try:

Bournival - Plekanec - Gionta
Pacioretty - Eller - Gallagher
Galchenyuk - Briere - Bourque
Moen - Desharnais - White/Dumont (Prust when he returns)

Hope to god Briere can be a scrub 0.5 points/game soft min C + vet C mentor for Galchenyuk. 3 potentially decent lines.
 

overlords

#DefundCBC
Aug 16, 2008
31,537
8,702
The City
Yup, like you suggest Desharnais was a detriment to the rest of the lineup for years now as he forced other lines to cover for him. That's why I didn't want him on the team even when he was putting up points. The negatives outweigh the positive even if he goes 0.5 points/game. Now he's not even producing that and it adds double the responsibility on top 6 since they have to not only shudown top 6 but produce all the offense. I don't think it's a coincidence the Habs offense is a joke this season now that the bottom 6 is a joke.

I think the difference is Eller's sharing D role more evenly with Plekanec and getting matched up against 1st lines too. He's still pushing puck possession but production not there yet.

I think Habs are doomed this season if they stay the course. Habs need 3 lines that can be decent and a 4th line that isn't auto-goal against. I'd try:

Bournival - Plekanec - Gionta
Pacioretty - Eller - Gallagher
Galchenyuk - Briere - Bourque
Moen - Desharnais - White/Dumont (Prust when he returns)

Hope to god Briere can be a scrub 0.5 points/game soft min C + vet C mentor for Galchenyuk. 3 potentially decent lines.

Great Post. Almost identical to my ideal lines. Maybe switch Around Briere/Galchenyuk/Bourque depending on who is playing better at center. Maybe switch Maxpac and Bournival, but either way it looks good.

And yeah, the Egg line has been playing very well, just not converting. Last game, Eller set Galchneyuk up on the doorstep twice and nothing came of it. The offensive will come, I'm not worried.
 

Andy

Registered User
Jun 26, 2008
31,761
15,424
Montreal
Our Mayor disapproves

DenisCoderre ‏@DenisCoderre 31m
Allo? Un billet simple pour Hamilton pour David Desharnais svp.... #HabsDC
 

kassian

Registered User
Sep 27, 2010
5,044
0
Montreal
DD today was zero across the board today with over 15min ice time.

How long can this keep going?

He actually had 1 hit lawl (was more like a push). He's lucky the scoreboard guy even gave him that.

Srsly, DD has to be the most un-phased pro hockey player in the world. He gets called out by the media, his coaching staff, gets to play with every one of his teammates (and turns them into black holes, as he is, in the process) and still fails to even a register a shot on the net and score into wide-open nets.

I think he knows that he's getting paid regardless of what he does, so why even bother playing good hockey and finishing chances, when you can be a useless floater who turns everything he touches into a door knob?
 

Wats

Error 520
Mar 8, 2006
41,962
6,617
Before Pacioretty gets dragged down as new comparable to DD's offensive incompetence since Eller put up points recently, I need to say why he should keep playing where he's playing now.

I wish Habs played Subban like they're doing Eller, Galchenyuk, Gallagher, Pacioretty, Bournival this season. All of them are getting increased roles and being tested against high opposition players more than they ever did in their career. Good for development IMO. Once Pacioretty adapts to higher competition level of opposition 1st lines + improves defensively against these lines + learns how to kill penalties, he's going to be a complete game beast. He can't achieve this by being on a line that is constantly matched up against opposition scrubs with or without Desharnais.

I don't understand how Habs can do this for Pac et co but not for Subban.
 

DAChampion

Registered User
May 28, 2011
29,782
20,934
Lars Eller never had a real slump this season, it was just a statistical fluctuation. Him and his line were generating shots.

Desharnais' terrible production is not a statistical fluctuation. He is not being unlucky. He is getting all the production he deserves.
 

Milhouse40

Registered User
Aug 19, 2010
22,058
24,580
Therrien seems really desperate when he talked about DD after the game.
Seems like he's running out of options now. Even got first wave of PP tonight.

And DD was awful again.
He missed a perfect play build by Bournival,
Took a bad penalty
Didn't even get a shot on goal, for the 5th game in a row.

The "bounce-back" isn't happening here, we have other options and should take it.

Bournival - Plekanec - Gionta
Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher

Those two lines are responsible for 40% of our offensive right now.
We don't need to break any of them....we need to help them a little.
We need another line capable of bringing offensive....and take the load of the back of those two lines.

Pacioretty - Briere - Bourque

Briere's place is at center right now, he's gonna be more effective than DD for sure and in between those two winger. I'm pretty sure it's gonna give the Habs 3 lines able to score.

And like last year, we will have 3 dangerous line.
 

bcv

My french sucks.
Sep 18, 2010
4,533
2,455
Yup, like you suggest Desharnais was a detriment to the rest of the lineup for years now as he forced other lines to cover for him. That's why I didn't want him on the team even when he was putting up points. The negatives outweigh the positive even if he goes 0.5 points/game. Now he's not even producing that and it adds double the responsibility on top 6 since they have to not only shudown top 6 but produce all the offense. I don't think it's a coincidence the Habs offense is a joke this season now that the bottom 6 is a joke.

I think the difference is Eller's sharing D role more evenly with Plekanec and getting matched up against 1st lines too. He's still pushing puck possession but production not there yet.

I think Habs are doomed this season if they stay the course. Habs need 3 lines that can be decent and a 4th line that isn't auto-goal against. I'd try:

Bournival - Plekanec - Gionta
Pacioretty - Eller - Gallagher
Galchenyuk - Briere - Bourque
Moen - Desharnais - White/Dumont (Prust when he returns)

Hope to god Briere can be a scrub 0.5 points/game soft min C + vet C mentor for Galchenyuk. 3 potentially decent lines.

Good post, with a healthy line-up, I'd try something like this :

Pacioretty - Plekanec - Gionta
Galchenyuk - Eller - Gallagher
Prust - Bournival - Bourque
Moen - White - Dumont/Brière/Capable 4th liner
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ad

Upcoming events

Ad

Ad

-->