The Last Time Habs Had This Many Quality Centers?

[DAChampion]

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?

Many of us were not paying serious attention in the 1990s, and regardless, look at the thread title.

The Clinton presidency was a long time ago.

 

[Habs]

Many of us were not paying serious attention in the 1990s, and regardless, look at the thread title.

The Clinton presidency was a long time ago.

You didn't pay attention for the cup run in 93? Or you were not born yet?

 

[Scintillating10]

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...

Wonder if we will draft a center in first round this draft? If they do Trevor Zegras is outscoring Hughes. Could be a good late first round pick. A defenseman Lassi Thomson is having a good year with Kelowna. He is a late birthday though.

 

[DAChampion]

You didn't pay attention for the cup run in 93? Or you were not born yet?

I was 9 and watching it at Chilli's in the Cavendish mall.

 

[Archijerej]

It's the best center depth since Corey Locke and Kyle Chipchura.

 

[Lshap]

I was 9 and watching it at Chilli's in the Cavendish mall.

I have lots of memories of the Cavendish Mall, none of them involving hockey!

 

[Sterling Archer]

Wonder if we will draft a center in first round this draft? If they do Trevor Zegras is outscoring Hughes. Could be a good late first round pick. A defenseman Lassi Thomson is having a good year with Kelowna. He is a late birthday though.

If they did I’d imagine it’s someone who’s slipped or can’t pass prospect. There’s some really solid D prospects we could dip into. Then again, not many guys drafted at C end up playing there in the NHL.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

If they did I’d imagine it’s someone who’s slipped or can’t pass prospect. There’s some really solid D prospects we could dip into. Then again, not many guys drafted at C end up playing there in the NHL.

We need a top D for the future. We should still keep drafting high Cs, but we need to shift our focus on an getting a young elite D.

 

[BaseballCoach]

We need a top D for the future. We should still keep drafting high Cs, but we need to shift our focus on an getting a young elite D.

Larry Robinson and Andrei Markov were former Cs, LOL.

Seriously, lots of excellent defence prospects are drafted outside the top 12-14. Let's just make it a focal point to target talent.

 

[DAChampion]

They should draft BPA, unless it's a goalie.

 

[BLONG7]

Actually, I'm Bob McKenzie.

lol That being said.................

 

[Vachon23]

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.

No !

 

[Walrus26]

The future looks bright for sure, but the value of futures can go down as well as up.

To step onboard the hype train for a minute though, the performance of the centres at the big club so far needs to be contextualised by the centres theyve faced when performing well. I'd argue that they've been up against most of the top centre lineups in the league already and are not looking overmatched.

 

[Sterling Archer]

We need a top D for the future. We should still keep drafting high Cs, but we need to shift our focus on an getting a young elite D.

A top end, blue chip D prospect is our next major need for sure. Josh Brook might be a steal but it’s too early for that at this point.

Depending on who’s on the board, I wouldn’t mind getting a D when we draft 1st round next year. I’d rather take a flyer on a high end D prospect than a C one at this point, again, depending on who’s available.

 

[1909]

At so,me point, Habs had Turgeon, Damphousse and Koivu as their top 3 centermen. They traded Turgeon away to give more ice time to Koivu.

In the 1993 Cup run, they had Muller, enis Savard, Lebeau, Carbonneau, DiPietro

 

[thewall]

1996

Turgeon
Damphousse
Koivu
Bureau
Thornton
Tucker

 

[Runner77]

I have lots of memories of the Cavendish Mall, none of them involving hockey!

Please tell me none of your memories involved this.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

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.

It should've at least given us average skill level - if not better - at the position. And DD could've been used pretty effectively on the 4th line. But yeah, we all know how that turned out.

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.

Yeah, the cupboards aren't bare anymore on that front.

I'm no fan of Bergevin, still think he has no business having a job but this summer is looking pretty good for him.