The Last Time Habs Had This Many Quality Centers?

[Sterling Archer]

This is the first time in a VERY long time that I think anyone can say the Habs May have too many high quality centers on the team and in the system. As it is, Domi has taken the spot of a top center. Danault can be one of the best 3rd line centers and Koko has shown he has the skill and size to be a 1st line center.

Add to that Suzuki who is absolutely dominating the OHL playing center, Poehling who’s dominating at St. Clouds and Evans who’s rocketing up the depth charts in Laval and you have another 3 centers who look to be able to translate those skills into the NHL.

In addition, we have a ton more prospects like Olofsson who’s the top line center for the Swedish junior team, Hillis, McShane, Fonstad, Houde etc. All of which have shown some really promise and potential.

With all this depth now as well as coming up, will we have to move centers who have never played the wing to the wings or use one or more as trade bait to fill other needs in the future? It’s a great problem to have but it’s so nice to see we have not just depth, but quality centers on the Canadiens for the first time in as long as I can remember.

D is starting to look pretty solid too...

Click to read more...

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

I don't count non-NHL players toward the Habs because they aren't playing for the Habs in the NHL. Similarly, I don't count Sidney Crosby as a Habs player.

Right now the Habs have Domi, Kotkaniemi, Danault, and Peca - more or less. It's an NHL centre line for sure. I wouldn't call it quality just yet.

I remember reading about Colberg. Vejdemo. Before that a slew of other promising youngsters. Corey Locke, Duncan Milroy, and Ben Maxwell.

Maybe I'm now old but I couldn't care less about how certain prospects maybe look in a league I've never watched and has no direct correlation to the Habs or the NHL. Suzuki looks good? Cool, I hope he breaks through. But he isn't a Habs player right now.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I don't count non-NHL players toward the Habs because they aren't playing for the Habs in the NHL. Similarly, I don't count Sidney Crosby as a Habs player.

Right now the Habs have Domi, Kotkaniemi, Danault, and Peca - more or less. It's an NHL centre line for sure. I wouldn't call it quality just yet.

I remember reading about Colberg. Vejdemo. Before that a slew of other promising youngsters. Corey Locke, Duncan Milroy, and Ben Maxwell.

Maybe I'm now old but I couldn't care less about how certain prospects maybe look in a league I've never watched and has no direct correlation to the Habs or the NHL. Suzuki looks good? Cool, I hope he breaks through. But he isn't a Habs player right now.

Well, at least he has a Habs contract. Some of the others listed aren't even signed yet.

 

[Doc McKenna]

Saku and pleks are still better than what we have. And I never even liked pleks. A bit early in the season to be calling this great centre depth. Is it a positive, yes. But Iam not counting anything yet. Chuck in his first year was a stud #1C....and yet.

2013 "Pleks, DD, Eller, Galchenyuk when was the last time we had a center lineup like this?" We know how that turned out.

 

[BLONG7]

Damphousse, Turgeon, Koivu..............now dats depp!!

Domi and Koko have changed the whole equation....still early, but great to see, then Danault, and with Suzuki and Poehling.

 

[Lshap]

Saku and pleks are still better than what we have. And I never even liked pleks. A bit early in the season to be calling this great centre depth. Is it a positive, yes. But Iam not counting anything yet. Chuck in his first year was a stud #1C....and yet.

2013 "Pleks, DD, Eller, Galchenyuk when was the last time we had a center lineup like this?" We know how that turned out.

Y'know, that 2013 group doesn't look bad. Had anyone but Therrien been the coach the Habs might've had a solid, if unspectacular, depth at center.

As to the future, I agree with not counting centers before they're hatched, but with Domi and Kotkaniemi already on the team and Suzuki looking great, I think we can exhale a bit and enjoy a moment of optimism.

 

[DAChampion]

Koivu, Lang, Plekanec, was awesome for half a season.

 

[sandysan]

Y'know, that 2013 group doesn't look bad. Had anyone but Therrien been the coach the Habs might've had a solid, if unspectacular, depth at center.

As to the future, I agree with not counting centers before they're hatched, but with Domi and Kotkaniemi already on the team and Suzuki looking great, I think we can exhale a bit and enjoy a moment of optimism.

I know that things are always in flux but isnt the plan for suzuki to try him at center and if it goes south to do the montreal thing and move him to the wing ?

And I'll file this thread as " when you are at the very bottom, there is nowhere to go but up"

our center depth has improved from zero. it has been at zero for such a long time. so this is encouraging and domi has been a revelation, kotkaniemei sticking was a very pleasant surprise. but no longer having zero depth is better than having zero, but what matters is how our depth compares to other teams where we are still currently in the bottom third but ascending.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

I think Damphousse, Turgeon, Koivu and Conroy was the best we had. But it was a long time ago.

 

[Belial]

Let's not get crazy... It looks good now but It's too early to scream Victory!!!

 

[Cobra Commander]

I know that things are always in flux but isnt the plan for suzuki to try him at center and if it goes south to do the montreal thing and move him to the wing ?

And I'll file this thread as " when you are at the very bottom, there is nowhere to go but up"

our center depth has improved from zero. it has been at zero for such a long time. so this is encouraging and domi has been a revelation, kotkaniemei sticking was a very pleasant surprise. but no longer having zero depth is better than having zero, but what matters is how our depth compares to other teams where we are still currently in the bottom third but ascending.

There will be no place at center on this team for Nick, he should play 2RW behind Gallagher which is a bigger need.

Drouin-Domi-Gally
Tatar-Kotka-Suzuki
????-Poehling-?????
????-Danault-?????

 

[Lshap]

I know that things are always in flux but isnt the plan for suzuki to try him at center and if it goes south to do the montreal thing and move him to the wing ?

And I'll file this thread as " when you are at the very bottom, there is nowhere to go but up"

our center depth has improved from zero. it has been at zero for such a long time. so this is encouraging and domi has been a revelation, kotkaniemei sticking was a very pleasant surprise. but no longer having zero depth is better than having zero, but what matters is how our depth compares to other teams where we are still currently in the bottom third but ascending.

Agreed. We've been starving for so long everything looks like filet mignon. But at least we're not having prospect-hallucinations and imagining Poehling as our #1C. There's concrete evidence that we have actual filet mignon on the menu. Kotka and Suzuki are high end talent, not to mention the kid wearing #13 who somehow keeps racking up points and smart playmaking. Yeah, it's still early, no guarantees, but we're not just livin' on a prayer.

I think we'd all agree it's a huge upgrade from a couple of years ago when our future Cs were McCarron and de la Rose.

 

[WhiskeySeven*]

I think we'd all agree it's a huge upgrade from a couple of years ago when our future Cs were McCarron and de la Rose.

Grant McCagg, is that you

 

[Lshap]

Grant McCagg, is that you

Actually, I'm Bob McKenzie.

 

[DAChampion]

In all seriousness, the Have future at center now looks better than at any point since I started paying serious attention, back in 2008.

Kotkaniemi and Domi have first line potential, and Suzuki and Poehling have second line potential.

Danault would be a luxury third line C, as would whoever is left from the above.

Evans and McCarron have 4th line potential, and possibly better.

 

[TT1]

It's crazy how quickly you can turn your team around in 1 summer, gotta wonder how Edmontons managed to be bad for this long

 

[sandysan]

There will be no place at center on this team for Nick, he should play 2RW behind Gallagher which is a bigger need.

Drouin-Domi-Gally
Tatar-Kotka-Suzuki
????-Poehling-?????
????-Danault-?????

not to derail the thread but I'm actually curious, what would drouin have to do to NOT be on the first line ? kick a puppy ? Stab a nun ? what ?

and its going to be a while before Poehling is ahead of Danault. Dano is a really effective 3C ( which is where he should play). Domi is looking a whole hell of a lot better than predicted, but penciling him in a 1C based on his season so far is also a little gun jumpy.

its looking up for sure. but looking up and being good are two different kettles of fish

 

[sandysan]

Agreed. We've been starving for so long everything looks like filet mignon. But at least we're not having prospect-hallucinations and imagining Poehling as our #1C. There's concrete evidence that we have actual filet mignon on the menu. Kotka and Suzuki are high end talent, not to mention the kid wearing #13 who somehow keeps racking up points and smart playmaking. Yeah, it's still early, no guarantees, but we're not just livin' on a prayer.

I think we'd all agree it's a huge upgrade from a couple of years ago when our future Cs were McCarron and de la Rose.

I know that I am in the minority, but I'm still holding out hope for McCarron. I think that despite his warts, he can still play but he's been really really poorly miscast. He's a big guy who never really got a chance to leverage his size which he needs to do to be effective ( he also has to be told that he doesnt have to fight every game he gets called up). JDLR leaving is a big fat meh for me, and i don't think that McCarron will ever develop into a great NHL power forward but he can bring something that none of our other centers can. as a 4th line center, he checks a lot of boxes.

that being said I am also a realist, if the ship on mccarron hasn't yet sailed, its on the dock loading up supplies.

 

[Cobra Commander]

not to derail the thread but I'm actually curious, what would drouin have to do to NOT be on the first line ? kick a puppy ? Stab a nun ? what ?

and its going to be a while before Poehling is ahead of Danault. Dano is a really effective 3C ( which is where he should play). Domi is looking a whole hell of a lot better than predicted, but penciling him in a 1C based on his season so far is also a little gun jumpy.

its looking up for sure. but looking up and being good are two different kettles of fish

Drouin is on pace for a 60 point season despite some struggles, when he puts the pieces together we might be looking at a consistent 65-70 point LW. He’s our best LW so he should play on the 1st line with Domi who he has great natural chemistry with.

Domi is a bonafide first line center, you can set it in stone.

Don’t get me wrong, I like Danault, but Poehling’s offensive edge will inevitably bump Phil down to the 4th. We will be extremely deep at center:

Domi
Kotkaniemi
Poehling
Danault

 

[Runner77]

It's taken so long to see viable options esp. in the top 6, that I would just hope they don't trade any of them until the dust settles and we find out who's cut out for what.

 

[Le Tricolore]

Koivu, Lang, Plekanec, was awesome for half a season.

Lapierre / Metropolit were pretty solid fourth liners as well.

Actually, I'm Bob McKenzie.

BS! I've never once seen you call someone an assclown.

 

[Cobra Commander]

It's taken so long to see viable options esp. in the top 6, that I would just hope they don't trade any of them until the dust settles and we find out who's cut out for what.

They won’t trade any centers. It’s looking like the future is set for us. Domi is gonna cost a boatload of cash to resign and he will be worth every penny. Talk about a complete 180! We’ve been waiting decades for a 1C and now it’s looking like we might have 2 of them just like that! Lol, funny how life works sometimes. Good job by the clown for making that trade and for drafting the right player. Credit goes where credit is due. Many things we will never forgive MB for, but for now we have to live with him.

 

[sandysan]

Drouin is on pace for a 60 point season despite some struggles, when he puts the pieces together we might be looking at a consistent 65-70 point LW. He’s our best LW so he should play on the 1st line with Domi who he has great natural chemistry with.

Domi is a bonafide first line center, you can set it in stone.

you must have been stumping for brian savage for the HHOF by the time november rolled around.

surprisingly good ? yes. He is likely currently our best center which formally means that he is better than dano. DD was at one point our best center but that does not, and did not make him a real 1C league wide.

Domi is benefitting from the fact that as a hab, the bar is so incredibly low. he might be a long term 1C, but even with his early success I'm in the " slow your roll" camp.

I am optimistic, but cautiously optimistic.

 

[DAChampion]

Lapierre / Metropolit were pretty solid fourth liners as well.

BS! I've never once seen you call someone an assclown.

Maxim Lapierre was fabulous.

 

[Habs]

Peca isn't quality, he should be in Laval. Danault? Meh. Kotka is learning the game still. So we have one good C at this point, the rest are figuring things out. I mean come on, were you not around in the 90's?