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Post by Disp on May 16, 2015 13:25:21 GMT -5
Didn't say it was a conspiracy…… But I haven't ruled out inept player development at this point in time. I don't get it. There are no signs that say that these guys don't know how to develop players. Actually that's not true, I guess you could use Tinordi as an example, but really, it sure looks to my eye that NB and Pateryn have surpassed him. PK won a Norris. He's one of the top players in the league. Gallagher, I don't think I need to expand on this. Galch scored 20 goals this year. He could be just out of junior. NB, Pateryn, as mentioned above. I get that we're impatient, but really, it's silly sometimes. Straight out, I'll just ask this, watching Chucky, do you think he's strong? Do you think he shows very good defensive awareness? If you answer those questions honestly, you'll have your answer as to why he didn't play centre this year.
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Post by Gogie on May 16, 2015 14:48:50 GMT -5
Guy Lafleur sucked until the season he turned 23 (73-74) He had played 3 full seasons by then. Galchenyuk is still only 21 but he's already played 3 full seasons (although fewer games than Lafleur did in his first 3 seasons). I think it's far too early to write the kid off yet. I remember well how fans were saying Lafleur was a bust by the time he was in his third season. Not only that, but Lafleur's production declined from his first year to his third year (goals fell from 29 to 28 to 21 and points went from 64 to 55 then 56 for his first 3 seasons). Galchenyuk's production has at least been improving every year, with goals going from 9 (48-game season) to 13 to 20 and points going from 27 to 31 to 46 (in an environment where offensive production in general is lower - during Lafleur's first 3 seasons the average goals per game was 6.4; for the last 3 NHL seasons the average has been 5.5)
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on May 16, 2015 15:18:08 GMT -5
Didn't know this ...
Fred Poulin @fredpoulin98 16m16 minutes ago #Habs Jacob De La Rose played through a wrist injury in the playoffs, which needs surgery and will have him in a cast for the next 6 weeks.
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Post by franko on May 16, 2015 16:43:03 GMT -5
Gogie I don't think we -- at least I -- am/are hanging this on Galchy. it's the way he is being (mis)used by the staff.
put him at centre, allow him to learn on the job from the first of the season.
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Post by Disp on May 16, 2015 17:41:47 GMT -5
Nobody in that dressing room is going to buy into a "play Chucky at centre no matter what" mantra if they don't feel like he's up to snuff. That matters, believe it or not.
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Post by Lord Bebop on May 16, 2015 18:21:33 GMT -5
Didn't know this ... Fred Poulin @fredpoulin98 16m16 minutes ago #Habs Jacob De La Rose played through a wrist injury in the playoffs, which needs surgery and will have him in a cast for the next 6 weeks. That's good to know.. He wasn't as inpactful doing the playoffs and tbh I thought he would of taken a bigger role this offseason Off topic but when I first joined habsrus you use to do a thread once in awhile called " Dis and that" have I missed them or have you stopped altogether?? I really enjoyed these threads lol
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Post by Skilly on May 16, 2015 18:59:14 GMT -5
Didn't say it was a conspiracy…… But I haven't ruled out inept player development at this point in time. I don't get it. There are no signs that say that these guys don't know how to develop players. Actually that's not true, I guess you could use Tinordi as an example, but really, it sure looks to my eye that NB and Pateryn have surpassed him. PK won a Norris. He's one of the top players in the league. Gallagher, I don't think I need to expand on this. Galch scored 20 goals this year. He could be just out of junior. NB, Pateryn, as mentioned above. I get that we're impatient, but really, it's silly sometimes. Straight out, I'll just ask this, watching Chucky, do you think he's strong? Do you think he shows very good defensive awareness? If you answer those questions honestly, you'll have your answer as to why he didn't play centre this year. And yet the stats do not support this stance. Of all the line that played more than 100 minutes together Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Gallagher was the second best scoring line the Habs had all year, AND the second best plus minus line .... Pacioretty-Desharnais-Weise. +2.6 per 60 mins Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Gallagher. +2.6 per 60 mins Pacioretty-Desharnais-Weise. 4.8 goals per 60mins Pacioretty -Galchenyuk-Gallagher. 3.5 goals per 60 mins
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Post by Skilly on May 16, 2015 19:03:43 GMT -5
Didn't know this ... Fred Poulin @fredpoulin98 16m16 minutes ago #Habs Jacob De La Rose played through a wrist injury in the playoffs, which needs surgery and will have him in a cast for the next 6 weeks. Those damn microfractures
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Post by Disp on May 16, 2015 19:05:12 GMT -5
I don't get it. There are no signs that say that these guys don't know how to develop players. Actually that's not true, I guess you could use Tinordi as an example, but really, it sure looks to my eye that NB and Pateryn have surpassed him. PK won a Norris. He's one of the top players in the league. Gallagher, I don't think I need to expand on this. Galch scored 20 goals this year. He could be just out of junior. NB, Pateryn, as mentioned above. I get that we're impatient, but really, it's silly sometimes. Straight out, I'll just ask this, watching Chucky, do you think he's strong? Do you think he shows very good defensive awareness? If you answer those questions honestly, you'll have your answer as to why he didn't play centre this year. And yet the stats do not support this stance. Of all the line that played more than 100 minutes together Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Gallagher was the second best scoring line the Habs had all year, AND the second best plus minus line .... Small sample size, go ahead and cling to it though.
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Post by Skilly on May 16, 2015 19:08:37 GMT -5
And yet the stats do not support this stance. Of all the line that played more than 100 minutes together Pacioretty-Galchenyuk-Gallagher was the second best scoring line the Habs had all year, AND the second best plus minus line .... Small sample size, go ahead and cling to it though. I thought you'd say that .... Unfortunately that small sample size was the FIFTH most used line the entire year Galchenyuk-Plekanec-Gallagher - 422 mins Pacioretty - Desharnais-Gallagher - 247 mins Prust-Eller-Sekac - 241 mins Pacioretty-Desharnaie-Parenteau - 225 mins Pacioretty- Desharnais-Weise - 188 mins Pacioretty- Galchenyuk- Gallagher. - 136 mins So almost ALL our lines had "a small sample size" then ....
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Post by Disp on May 16, 2015 19:17:23 GMT -5
Well, hey, don't you think if the players thought it was some huge injustice to not have Chucky at center they'd have had a problem with it? Certainly wouldn't have made guys buy in if they thought the coach wasn't doing the right thing. Weird that it didn't play out that way. I'm betting just the opposite, I bet the guys didn't like the extra work they had to when he played center. The d probably didn't like that he wasn't good down low, and his wingers didn't like covering for him. Like I said, small sample size and not sustainable.
I'll ask you the same question I asked earlier. Do you think Chucky looks strong? Do you think he shows very good defensive awareness? Eye test. Be honest.
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Post by Skilly on May 16, 2015 19:22:26 GMT -5
Well, hey, don't you think if the players thought it was some huge injustice to not have Chucky at center they'd have had a problem with it? Certainly wouldn't have made guys buy in if they thought the coach wasn't doing the right thing. Weird that it didn't play out that way. I'm betting just the opposite, I bet the guys didn't like the extra work they had to when he played center. The d probably didn't like that he wasn't good down low, and his wingers didn't like covering for him. Like I said, small sample size and not sustainable. I'll ask you the same question I asked earlier. Do you think Chucky looks strong? Do you think he shows very good defensive awareness? Eye test. Be honest. I do indeed. I saw all the games he played center. I'm wondering if you did though
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Post by Skilly on May 16, 2015 19:27:33 GMT -5
We all know the real reason Galchenyuk wasnt used at Center, and it has nothing to do with his comfort levels on wing or at Center. Eller and Plekanec are terrible at the wing, and Desharnais while he wasn't out of place on the wing, is simple not strong enough for the board work .... That's the reason.
Therrien was trying to maximize his line-up. But in the process tore apart a line that was , well for lack of a better word, dominating for 10+ games (Galchenyuk had almost a point a game). I understand why he did it ...what I don't understand was when we were struggling to score, why the clicking lines weren't put back together. The EGG line for one, and that kept Galchenyuk on the wing ....and the Galchenyuk line at Center was another.
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Post by Disp on May 16, 2015 19:29:46 GMT -5
Well, hey, don't you think if the players thought it was some huge injustice to not have Chucky at center they'd have had a problem with it? Certainly wouldn't have made guys buy in if they thought the coach wasn't doing the right thing. Weird that it didn't play out that way. I'm betting just the opposite, I bet the guys didn't like the extra work they had to when he played center. The d probably didn't like that he wasn't good down low, and his wingers didn't like covering for him. Like I said, small sample size and not sustainable. I'll ask you the same question I asked earlier. Do you think Chucky looks strong? Do you think he shows very good defensive awareness? Eye test. Be honest. I do indeed. I saw all the games he played center. I'm wondering if you did though Too talented for junior, and not quite there physically for center in the nhl. That's how I see it. Funny that it played out that way. I guess some see what they want to see.
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Post by Disgruntled70sHab on May 16, 2015 19:45:59 GMT -5
Didn't know this ... Fred Poulin @fredpoulin98 16m16 minutes ago #Habs Jacob De La Rose played through a wrist injury in the playoffs, which needs surgery and will have him in a cast for the next 6 weeks. That's good to know.. He wasn't as inpactful doing the playoffs and tbh I thought he would of taken a bigger role this offseason Off topic but when I first joined habsrus you use to do a thread once in awhile called " Dis and that" have I missed them or have you stopped altogether?? I really enjoyed these threads lol Hi JazzyJay ... thanks for the kind words, mate ... no one has been contributing that way for a while now ... we had a huge membership back then and a lot of the fellas were contributing ... that might have been when we were with McKeen's Hockey back in the day ... BC, Doc, HA, Mrs4um, HFTO and several others were contributors back in the day ... McKeen's is still around and I think the original gang from Cornflake's Hockey World has a Leaf's blog there (big-time pack mentality) ... you know, CFHW must have been 16/17 years ago ... it was really Leafs-centric so Clear Observer developed HabsRus ... that might make us 15/16 years old, then ... not sure, though ... we might be a small board in comparison to others, but I've been told that there is the odd player who checks us out ... not sure who they might be ... judging what appears in the media from time to time, I'd like to think some of those journalists visit here, too ... might be a reflection of the experience here on the board ... dunno ... we're not former NHLers or anything like that, but there's a lot of hockey knowledge in our community ... have a good one, JJ ... Cheers.
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Post by habsorbed on May 16, 2015 19:48:36 GMT -5
Seems to me MB is trying some revisionist deception on everyone. But the audience is too astute to be fooled.
We all remember what position Chuck was drafted for. MB deceptively suggested otherwise during the presser.
Then to suggest that for MT it is all about winning the next game and not developing a players comfort is just hogwash. Going 10-3-1 with Chucky in the middle would suggest that our best chance at winning the next game was keeping Chuck at centre. I suppose MB misconstruing the stats shouldn't surprise me as the one thing I got from the presser was that he is real bad at math.
To suggest a player's comfort level should dictate where he plays is ludicrous. Many right D play on the left side even though they are more comfortable on the right, and vice versa. Same for left wingers and right wingers. And there are a whole lot of 4th liners that are more comfortable on the 2nd line. Since when does a coach determine the lineup based on the players comfort level? I'm frankly offended that we are asked to believe the MT gives a crap about a player's comfort level.
Skilly got it right: MB refuses to acknowledge that Chuck played wing because we had too many centres who could not be played on the wing. Ironic that Chuck is being criticized for not being versatile when the reality is that it is our current centres who lack the versatility to play the wing. Chuck proved he can play both positions!
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Post by Disp on May 16, 2015 20:04:36 GMT -5
Yup, it's a conspiracy, MB and MT are leaf moles and don't want us to win.
He's tempering expectations. That's it.
We kept him up in the nhl his first 2 years cause he was too talented for junior. If this was his first year, I'd like to think that nobody would be complaining about the center thing. Maybe not though, we're an impatient bunch.
He's still just a kid. He's also the guy in our lineup least likely to win a board battle or do the right thing defensively. Doesn't really make sense to give him top center duties, but hey, we can argue about it I guess.
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Post by franko on May 16, 2015 20:28:23 GMT -5
well, let me jump in here if I may. yup, and what do you do with kids? you send them back the minors if you don't think they can handle the job (Tinordi) or you develop them in the position you want them to play. was Galchy drafted as a winger or a centre? if a winger, we blew it because we need strong centres. if a centre, then he needs to be developed as a centre, and the only way to do that is game time. have you watched DD? [/quote] actually he should have started on lower lines as a centre so that he could develop into our top line centre. instead, he's our second line winger. we seem to have quite a few of them available and developing. centres? not so many. is DD a first line centre? no, but he gets played there . . . and even when he goes down to another line -- where he seems to do much better -- he bounces back up to the first line at the first opportunity. if you want to say he merits it, fine . . . but MT's meritocracy is limited to a few. I guess DD is paid like a first line centre so he should get the job no matter how out of place he is.
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Post by Disp on May 16, 2015 21:18:41 GMT -5
DD is far from ideal and yet a better option, this season, than Galch. Let that sink in for a moment.........Let's just assume that MT and MB want to, you know, actually win hockey games. I know, I know, I'm reaching.
Got to be patient with the young guys. He's 21. Just turned 21. From looking at him and watching him play, he's just not there yet.
Really, we should be happy that MT is using him in a way that he can be successful. 20 goals at 21 is pretty damn good.
We should be happy he's in the nhl. He probably wouldn't even be up in some organizations. Detroit for example.
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Post by franko on May 16, 2015 21:53:16 GMT -5
Got to be patient with the young guys. He's 21. Just turned 21. From looking at him and watching him play, he's just not there yet. agree, he's got some room to grow. question: do we want him to grow as a centre or as a winger. if a winger, then all is well. if a centre, then how in the world is he going to improve at the position -- or even learn the position -- not playing it?
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Post by CentreHice on May 16, 2015 21:53:28 GMT -5
To be fair, Bergevin DID say in his presser that "we all want Chucky to be a centre….but he's not ready yet." Or something to that effect. Unless Bergevin was just fending off the wolves, I take him at his word.
Well, I hope Chucky's ready next year….I hope the coaching staff has told him what he can do during the off-season IF he wants a better shot at landing the position.
Because we know Pleks and DD are NOT the guys, IF a Cup is in the plans. They've had a lot more than a 14-game tryout to prove that….and it's not their fault. They're just not #1 centre material on a true contender….which is why Galchenyuk was drafted with that precious #3 pick.
I'm asking only that Chucky get an extended shot before they close the door....with all the support, instruction, development, patience needed.
He probably will next season, if Bergevin's words are sincere, as he made it clear that it's still the organization's wish.
It's a REALLY important hole to fill.
Fingers crossed.
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Post by Disp on May 17, 2015 9:07:50 GMT -5
Got to be patient with the young guys. He's 21. Just turned 21. From looking at him and watching him play, he's just not there yet. agree, he's got some room to grow. question: do we want him to grow as a centre or as a winger. if a winger, then all is well. if a centre, then how in the world is he going to improve at the position -- or even learn the position -- not playing it? That's the thing, I want him to play center, I also want him to be good at it, at both ends of the rink. So do MT and MB. This year, he's not physical enough to make up for his lack of defensive awareness, and vice versa. Just not ready. You can get away with it for a few games if the other guys cover for him, if Price makes the saves, or just out and out luck. If he's coming back to the bench after let's say, half his shifts, the coaches are telling him the same stuff over and over, how long do you keep doing that? There is a limit. It's not chalked up to impatience by the staff either. The guys on the ice with him are going to start to get frustrated too. As well as Galch himself. Which we kind of heard with his "I'm more comfortable on the wing" comments. We don't want that, do we? Part of developing players is using them in a way that they can be successful. Some guys can handle being tossed into the big roles right away, some need to be eased into it. He got a taste of it this year. Hopefully this summer he does what he needs to, to do it better next year.
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Post by CentreHice on May 17, 2015 9:56:13 GMT -5
What still has me shaking my head, though…
One of these things is not like the others….one of these things just isn't the same….
2006. Jonthan Toews. 6'2". 2010. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2007. Kyle Turris. 6'1". 195. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2008. Steven Stamkos. 6'0". 190. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2009. John Tavares. 6'1". 205. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2010. Ryan Johansen. 6'3". 223. Drafted 4th overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2011. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. 6'1". 185. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre.
2012. Alex Galchenyuk. 6'2". 205. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted on wing. Brief tryout at centre in Year 3. Back to the wing. GM says, "Right now it looks like he won't be a centre….but we don't know…"
2013. Nathan MacKinnon. 6'0". 182. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2013. Aleksander Barkov. 6'3". 209. Drafted 2nd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre.
Like I said, just our luck…..
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Post by seventeen on May 17, 2015 9:57:49 GMT -5
Obviously, we want to know what the boss is thinking and what the future plans are. In Berg's case I wonder if it's not a useless exercise. He's not going to disclose what his true plans are. He hasn't before, other than the very big picture, which he has followed but is a slow process to improvement and depends on Timmins uncovering a gem. Overall I agree with that process but also understand that at some time, a risk will have to be taken, where you have to cross your fingers and hope it works out. I sure hope Berg has the confidence to do that, when an opportunity arises.
Regarding Galchy, yes I have seen him exhibit defensive awareness. He's saved the butts of several dmen who pinched and got caught. It's also true that defensive awareness from a centre is different than that of a winger, so he may not yet have what's needed at the centre spot. The questions are, will he learn anything more, playing wing and if they're that uncomfortable with him at centre (or he's that uncomfortable there) tell us up front and get it out of the way. The story has changed and it's difficult to understand why. Is it all negotiating over Galchy's next contract, so Berg can keep it as low as possible? If so, he's certainly not going to tell us. But I'm still concerned, when the need is so great, that he hasn't been given a true test there. Let's find out once and for all if its going to work or not.
He does need to get stronger, and he needs to develop a quicker first step or two. His acceleration isn't good enough, and he doesn't win enough board battles. That's odd because he was winning those early in the season, and looking much more dangerous in the process.
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Post by Disp on May 17, 2015 10:08:49 GMT -5
What still has me shaking my head, though… One of these things is not like the others….one of these things just isn't the same….2006. Jonthan Toews. 6'2". 2010. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2007. Kyle Turris. 6'1". 195. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2008. Steven Stamkos. 6'0". 190. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2009. John Tavares. 6'1". 205. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2010. Ryan Johansen. 6'3". 223. Drafted 4th overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2011. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. 6'1". 185. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2012. Alex Galchenyuk. 6'2". 205. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted on wing. Brief tryout at centre in Year 3. Back to the wing. GM says, "Right now it looks like he won't be a centre….but we don't know…" 2013. Nathan MacKinnon. 6'0". 182. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2013. Aleksander Barkov. 6'3". 209. Drafted 2nd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. Like I said, just our luck….. Some of your examples simply aren't true though. A lot of them did spend time on the wing. Even Stamkos. So, what does that tell you? It always seems so rosy on the other side at a quick glance.
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Post by Anardil1 on May 17, 2015 11:40:59 GMT -5
It's very important to remember that whatever is said publicly by any member of the Habs should be taken with a grain of salt. We will never get the plain truth. We have to hope that Chucky will eventually be installed permanently at centre, as it is probably the team's greatest need. But if for whatever reason, he ends up being a winger, would it really be so bad to have a top 4 winger capable of a consistent 20+ goals per year? Let's remember that true top 4 wingers are almost as big a necessity on the Habs. IMHO, even though I will be disappoined slightly if Chucky ends up on the wing, it will be a win-win for the Habs either way.
The search for true top 2 centres will continue regardless of Chucky's development, as there will still be one spot to fill. The Berg will need to find one in the draft, or via the trade route, as noone lets top centres get to free agency.
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Post by seventeen on May 17, 2015 11:59:24 GMT -5
What still has me shaking my head, though… One of these things is not like the others….one of these things just isn't the same….2006. Jonthan Toews. 6'2". 2010. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2007. Kyle Turris. 6'1". 195. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2008. Steven Stamkos. 6'0". 190. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2009. John Tavares. 6'1". 205. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2010. Ryan Johansen. 6'3". 223. Drafted 4th overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2011. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. 6'1". 185. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2012. Alex Galchenyuk. 6'2". 205. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted on wing. Brief tryout at centre in Year 3. Back to the wing. GM says, "Right now it looks like he won't be a centre….but we don't know…" 2013. Nathan MacKinnon. 6'0". 182. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2013. Aleksander Barkov. 6'3". 209. Drafted 2nd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. Like I said, just our luck….. Some of your examples simply aren't true though. A lot of them did spend time on the wing. Even Stamkos. So, what does that tell you? It always seems so rosy on the other side at a quick glance. Mostly, it's pretty accurate. To my knowledge, MacKinnon and Stamkos have both been used on wing a lot. The others have basically been centfremen. I don't think it's a fair conclusion to draw that a 'lot of them' spent time on the wing. To my knowledge, 2 out of 8, not counting Galchy, spent time on the wing.
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Post by Disp on May 17, 2015 12:12:47 GMT -5
Turris and Johansen as well, off the top of my head. So that's darn near half wrong.
Do we really want to use Turris as an example of player development though ? The guy was kind of a Saperlipopettehead when he came into the league. First 4 years were a mess. He could hardly get into the lineup, at any position. I don't want to go down that road with Galch.
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Post by del on May 17, 2015 12:26:10 GMT -5
To be fair to Galchenyuk here, is that he was drafted in a weaker over all draft year than the other listed centres and I doubt any of the GMs would have picked him at #3 in those other draft years in lieu of the players selected.
Therefore, given a lower draft position and the question marks (flaws) that usually go with a lower draft pick (even first round later picks) I think it would be reasonable to assume that he might not have projected as well as a lock on centre as the other blue chip centres and perhaps the GMs would have thought that player development would take longer for a Galchenyuk, than say, a Shake n' Bake Toews or Tavares.
Other teams management's may have handled Galchenyuk differently, but who knows, too many variables in the equation to really guess at what stage of his career he would be at this time...... but for sure, he would not be competing with the likes of Toews and Tavares for a 1st line centre spot. 2nd line? perhaps if the teams saw him as a centre at all, otherwise he would be a winger with them just as he is with us.
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Post by CentreHice on May 17, 2015 13:26:59 GMT -5
What still has me shaking my head, though… One of these things is not like the others….one of these things just isn't the same….2006. Jonthan Toews. 6'2". 2010. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2007. Kyle Turris. 6'1". 195. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2008. Steven Stamkos. 6'0". 190. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2009. John Tavares. 6'1". 205. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2010. Ryan Johansen. 6'3". 223. Drafted 4th overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2011. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. 6'1". 185. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2012. Alex Galchenyuk. 6'2". 205. Drafted 3rd overall as a centre. Slotted on wing. Brief tryout at centre in Year 3. Back to the wing. GM says, "Right now it looks like he won't be a centre….but we don't know…" 2013. Nathan MacKinnon. 6'0". 182. Drafted 1st overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. 2013. Aleksander Barkov. 6'3". 209. Drafted 2nd overall as a centre. Slotted at centre. Stayed at centre. Like I said, just our luck….. Some of your examples simply aren't true though. A lot of them did spend time on the wing. Even Stamkos. So, what does that tell you? It always seems so rosy on the other side at a quick glance. Do you know the amount of games such players spent on the wing? I'm talking even-strength. No PPs. Was it the majority of their first 2.5 seasons….or longer? Are they not all centres now? Have any of them spent only 14 games at centre? Have any of the GMs and coaches deduced that those players just might not pan out as centres? Hey, Chucky might be a different ducky. I can live that with that….as long as the development behind him is being as diligent and patient as it possibly can. He might even turn into a wicked #1 scoring winger….which would fill the other hole we have. Here's hoping for the best no matter what happens.
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