Thoughts on the Canes at the (three) quarter pole: a novella

[Breakdowns]

I watch Duchene, and I watch Aho. I really don’t like Aho at center. Imagine Duchene 1C and Aho on his wing OR on the second line. That’d be some scoring depth.

All this to say, yeah, Duchene is a 1C.

Why you don't like Aho at center? He is still adjusting to the role, but he is getting better game by game, and his scoring has been up compared to last few seasons. I think he is looking like a great center for us in the future.

 

[My Special Purpose]

Why you don't like Aho at center? He is still adjusting to the role, but he is getting better game by game, and his scoring has been up compared to last few seasons. I think he is looking like a great center for us in the future.

I disagree. He's scored one goal in 15 games. Playing center has increased his point total, but neutered his goal scoring. Plus, he's just not as consistently dangerous in the offensive zone. He's been fine. Maybe better than fine. But if it wasn't absolutely necessary for him to be playing center, I think we'd be better off with him on the wing.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

As I see it, that Victor Rask's insertion into the lineup is a not insignificant boost in forward quality succinctly sums up the problem here.

 

[Sens1Canes2]

Why you don't like Aho at center? He is still adjusting to the role, but he is getting better game by game, and his scoring has been up compared to last few seasons. I think he is looking like a great center for us in the future.

So far at C I think he gets bodied out of the play much easier. Duchene isn’t big but his lower body is freakishly strong. He regularly keeps the puck when a much larger D man tries to make a play on him.

Not saying Aho is a bad C ..... I’d just love to see him back on the wing.

 

[HisIceness]

I am of the opinion that Aho playing 1C long term is not going to be good for his continuing development. He's handled it better so far than I thought but this has all the makings of a bad ending.

If we do ever get that true 1C, Aho would be the perfect winger for him in theory. We'd finally have a 1-2 punch. Or perhaps Svech becomes the perfect winger. I don't know.

 

[Breakdowns]

So far at C I think he gets bodied out of the play much easier. Duchene isn’t big but his lower body is freakishly strong. He regularly keeps the puck when a much larger D man tries to make a play on him.

Not saying Aho is a bad C ..... I’d just love to see him back on the wing.

I agree that Duchene is better at C overall at this point, I just think Aho is progressing nicely and could end up as a great C for us.

I disagree. He's scored one goal in 15 games. Playing center has increased his point total, but neutered his goal scoring. Plus, he's just not as consistently dangerous in the offensive zone. He's been fine. Maybe better than fine. But if it wasn't absolutely necessary for him to be playing center, I think we'd be better off with him on the wing.

His goalscoring has gone down (will see for how long), but his overall play and playmaking has gotten better IMO. If we could have actual #1 C, of course I would like him on wing or as a #2 C, but at this moment I have liked his game a lot for a position he have never played at NHL level longer than few games before this season.

 

[MinJaBen]

So far at C I think he gets bodied out of the play much easier. Duchene isn’t big but his lower body is freakishly strong. He regularly keeps the puck when a much larger D man tries to make a play on him.

Not saying Aho is a bad C ..... I’d just love to see him back on the wing.

I like Duchene as a player and wouldn’t mind having him on the team. But if it is at $9M for a long term contract, no thanks. I’d MUCH rather give Aho and Nylander $8M each over their primes than give that to Duchene and then watch in three years as age starts to catch-up to him.

 

[Big Daddy Cane]

Aho has been 94 point caliber through 20 and PPG caliber dating back to mid-March. The results, albeit of a small sample size, speak for themselves.

Yes, the Canes need goal scoring now. Think long-term here, though. If he's an elite assist guy as a center, you take that and run.

 

[A Star is Burns]

Aho certainly has some areas to improve his game at center, but knowing him, I think he can do it. But when he's got a point in 16 out of 20 games, and has even managed to find the score sheet when he's had some of his less effective games, I think that's pretty remarkable.

And even though his goal scoring hasn't been there recently, he's still on pace for a respectable number. We know he's capable of turning it up as a season goes on as well.

 

[bleedgreen]

I would take Duchene over Aho at center, and I’m not sold I like Aho at center as it is. I agree he seems less dangerous overall so far, and I’d rather him be at his best offensively than have him play center just because we need one.

I’m not afraid to pay Duchene either. Everyone’s getting their money, unless you think we’re getting Point or someone like that I don’t see many better options.

 

[Canes]

We finally have someone who is able to put up PPG numbers at center and we're still not happy with his play? I really doubt playing him at wing is going to make him score even more but that might just be me. Aho has played about as well as anyone could realistically hope. His play at center is one of the few bright spots this team has going forward as of now. The shots will start going in for him again soon enough.

Duchene would be nice to add but only if it's a depth move to push stonehands Staal down to 3rd line minutes and off the PP. But that would be pretty expensive to have Aho, Duchene, and Staal down the middle. I think the elephant in the room is that we need to re-sign Aho and see what it's going to take to get TT and Ferland signed before we start trying to acquire other big money players.

 

[My Special Purpose]

We finally have someone who is able to put up PPG numbers at center and we're still not happy with his play? I really doubt playing him at wing is going to make him score even more but that might just be me. Aho has played about as well as anyone could realistically hope. His play at center is one of the few bright spots this team has going forward as of now. The shots will start going in for him again soon enough.

Duchene would be nice to add but only if it's a depth move to push stonehands Staal down to 3rd line minutes and off the PP. But that would be pretty expensive to have Aho, Duchene, and Staal down the middle. I think the elephant in the room is that we need to re-sign Aho and see what it's going to take to get TT and Ferland signed before we start trying to acquire other big money players.

I'm not saying I'm unhappy with his play. I'm asking if the cost of him playing center (absorbing more hits, more defensive responsibility, overall wear-and-tear) is worth the benefit of a few extra assists and saying we have a center. Aho's body and skillset are more valuable at wing right now. Maybe this will change going forward, but for right now, I don't think we'd be playing Aho at center unless we had to. We just happen to have to. That doesn't mean we should.

 

[Lempo]

Thinking about it, getting a legit 1C to the roster while Aho plays primarily wing has the added benefit that should a top 6 center be injured for a while then Aho can step up to sub him for the role, not unlike Wheeler did last season when Scheifele got injured. The roster could better adapt to such situation without the season being immediately in the ruins.

 

[DougieSmash]

Biggest surprise:
- Faulk. He used to be pretty darn good offensive dman but right now he's legit two-way guy. This is probably the best defensive game we have ever seen from him. At this point, i'd love to keep him. Underrated defense.

- Aho. I don't get all 'he's not center'. He's legit two-way first line center.

- TT two-way game.

- Ferland is not just a grinder with scoring touch. He's pretty talented.

Disappointment:

- Jordan Staal.

 

[emptyNedder]

The one thing that goes unmentioned is that Ferland might be keeping Aho from scoring more goals. Ferland has only 4 assists, only Laine has a similar ratio of goals/assists. That is likely why Laine doesn't play with Scheifele.
Further, for all his strengths (great shot, physicality), Ferland is average defensively. Both Aho and Teravainen need to be more conscientious of their defensive game. At this point the trade-off between Ferland's goals and lack of playmaking seems to be acceptable.

Aho is a dominant center in international play. Yes the game is slightly different. But if Aho is the organization's version of Zetterberg or Henrik Sedin, then why would he be better on the wing.